Shadow of My Heart - By Caryn Moya-Block Page 0,52

quick squeeze.

“Damn, he is good,” Lindy said, motioning a hand to encompass the couple. “Dad said to give you this, Cara. It’s his recipe book of tonics. He finished writing them all down last night. Don’t worry, the book will survive Shadow.” Cara took the book Lindy held out to her.

“Where is Isanti this morning?” Cara asked. “I wanted to say goodbye and thank him for everything,” she said, rubbing her thumb over the book cover. She loved that old man.

“He was called over to the ranch next to ours. One of their prize horses was having problems delivering a foal. Dad has always had a way with animals,” Gwen said.

“I think he wrote a note for you in the book, Cara,” Lindy said. “But you might want to read it later. You two need to go.” Did that mean the wedding band design was in the note? Cara slipped the book into the pocket of her coat.

“One of the tribe will be Shadow-walking here to pick up the bags of clothes you helped Cara buy. He’ll take them to my apartment in New Mexico,” Raven said.

“You might tell them to send two men,” Gwen said, laughing.

“Very, funny,” Raven grumbled.

Cara ran her fingers down his arm, before entwining her hand with his. She gave a little squeeze to his hand. “I can face this, Raven. Let’s just get it done.”

After a few moments of hugs and kisses and goodbyes, Cara followed Raven outside onto the back deck. Taking her hand, he walked under the trees and found the darkest Shadows.

“Open Shadow for me, Cara. Gwen said you did it before.”

“Is this a test?” Cara asked, feeling irritated that he would question her.

“Not really. But I won’t be able to relax until I see for myself that you have mastered the skills needed to traverse the Shadow Dimension. People have died by not taking Shadow seriously.”

Taking a deep breath, Cara touched Raven’s mind. He was worried for her. He wasn’t trying to be difficult.

“All right, Raven,” Cara said, looking for the wavering of darkness that would signal an opening. She found one near the roots of a tree and pushed her hands into the tear. Then, just as Gwen had shown her, she pulled her hands apart to open the door. Reaching back, she took Raven’s hand and led him into the Shadow Dimension. Raven immediately turned and closed the opening by pushing the Shadow mist edges back together. The cold was brutal and seeped into their bodies until their bones ached with it.

Picture the front room of your condo. See the furniture and where everything is situated. Build the picture slowly in your mind until you have every detail in place, Raven sent into Cara’s mind, before taking her hand.

Cara spent time picturing the rug and furniture, the lamps on the tables and the little kitchen off to the left, the sliding glass doors leading out to the cement balcony that overlooked the ocean. She built the scene carefully, trying to add as much detail as she could.

The Shadow Dimension was completely quiet, but she could feel mist whipping by her face as if there was a great wind. When the mist stopped moving, she blinked her eyes and saw her condo through the twilight. She had done it.

A wavering of darkness down near the wall showed Cara where the shadows in both dimensions met. She opened the door and led the way out of the twilight and into her apartment. Raven turned and closed the door behind them.

“That was great, Cara. Gwen was right. You are doing a wonderful job traversing Shadow. Do me a favor, though. Don’t ever go alone. Use the buddy system. That way you will always have back-up, at least for a while.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Cara asked, glancing around her apartment. Everything looked exactly like it always had. There wasn’t even a spot on the carpet.

“No, you did everything right, tehila. But if something happened to you . . . Please, for me, just so I know you are safe. It doesn’t have to be me. Gwen or Lindy could go with you, or Derek.”

“All right, Raven. Calm down, honey. I don’t plan on Shadow-walking anywhere without you. What is wrong?” Cara asked, slipping her arms into his coat and around his waist.

Raven pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms and laying his head over hers.

“I love you, Cara. You’ve become the most important person in my world. My life has been