Exton

Stoney's mind linked with Raina's as soon as her spirit left her body. The trip into the otherworld was as gut wrenching as freefall. He watched her, listened to her reunions. The woman who now sits with her shines with power.

Stoney leans forward, “She is talking to a woman, sitting outside of a large structure. Do you suppose that is where the Aesir are at?” He wonders who this lady is to Raina.

Suddenly Stoney freezes, staring at the scrying bowl, his face drains of all color. Ob looks up, “Dude, whats wrong? Trouble?”

Stoney shakes his head, “The little girl, Dude, look at her.” Nick and Ob join Stoney in staring into the bowl. “She looks just like Alise. She looks like Alise when we first met. Her hair is darker, her eyes blue, but her face...” Stoney watches the young girl, long brown hair, almost to her ankles, and big blue eyes. Not the violet hue of his Allie, but so similar as to be uncanny.

She is excited about something and is walking towards Raina from the other side of the longhouse. She is wearing a long, tan homespun dress and over it a light blue shawl with fringe that hangs down all the way around it. She raises her arms and lets the shawl blow in the breeze and then laughing moves her arms up and down like she is flying.

“Alise did the same thing. She would run around the cemetery in her gramere's shawl, dancing like a butterfly or fairy, not a care in the world....” Stoneys voice breaks. he watches until he has to turn away. He turns his head just in time. A tear falls from his cheek to clink on the edge of the table. It drops to the floor with a clatter, shining blood red in the light. Stoney squeezes his eyes closed, trying to stem the flow. He takes a shuddering breath and fights to control the sobs. There is a small scattering of crystals on the floor, the beginning of a dowager's dowry in polished gems. They echo the emotions ravaging his soul.

Ob feels Stoney's anguish and seeing the big shoulders heaving is almost more than he can bear. Ob looks to Pan who is crying now too. He puts his hands on Stoneys back and can feel the soul wrenching sobs. “Bro, we will get her back. You have to believe that..”

Stoney wipes his eyes with his shirt sleeve, and nods. “I have to watch, Raina needs us to watch. I promised." His hands shake as he covers his face, centering himself. "Pandora, I will put these" he sweeps a hand at the litter of gems "in something later, I promise. Bro, once I know she is safe, I will rip Jean-Marc apart limb by limb and then bone by bone.There will be nothing left of that bastard to ever torment her again. There will be nothing left to torment ANY of us again."

He turns his eyes back to the bowl, keeping back so an errant gem would not disturb the water's surface.