whisperings he could distinguish were from Hal and his “friend” and not who he was trying to hear.
After a minute of nothing but silence, he closed his eyes again and immediately heard a faint buzzing. There! The whispering started again, but this time he kept his eyes closed, trying to sense where they were and if he could make something out of what they were saying. Either he was tuning in better or it was getting closer. Again, he opened his eyes but saw nothing... no one. Frustration caused him to close them once more and just listen. He stiffened. Now he wasn’t sure he wanted to listen.
The whispering, the voice... it was saying his name. A woman was saying his name. He had heard that voice before.
Daegan... Can you hear me?
Then there was another voice, a man who seemed to be arguing with her. He can’t hear you. Is there another way?
Then a third voice, also a woman but gravelly and much older sounding. This is the only way. Give him more time.
The first woman—her voice was so sweet, so soothing, almost like a lullaby, yet he could feel the power in her voice, in her words as she said his name, reaching into his very being.
Daegan... need... reach... power... coming... help .
Some type of static broke up her words and her voice faded in and out. Then she was gone. They were gone. Suddenly, Daegan felt such loss in the pit of his stomach, for what, he didn’t even know. Very alert now, he looked around, breathless and sweating. Almost whispering, his voice hoarse and strained, he said, “Hello? I can hear you. Are you there?”
“Daegan, I’m here. I yelled at you from across the street trying to get your attention,” Hal said as he trotted toward him. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Or heard one,” Daegan mumbled to himself as he tiredly wiped his hands down his face. “All is well. I must have fallen asleep waiting for you. Strange dream.” Only it wasn’t a dream, it was real, but he wasn’t ready to share that with Hal just yet. Not until he could figure out a few things: What was going on, who was trying to reach him and why, right along with how and where they were speaking from.
“Let’s get something to eat,” Hal said, always thinking about his stomach.
“I’m not hungry. I think I might just go for a walk,” Daegan clasped Hal’s outstretched hand and jumped up from the ground.
“Don’t you want to know what I found out?” Hal said, batting his eyes innocently like a little kid holding a secret that he was dying to share.
“I think I know what you found,” Daegan huffed out sarcastically and nodded across the street as he punched Hal playfully in the arm.
“Well, it’s not what you think. I just happen to be very persuasive at getting information,” Hal said with his eyebrows raised.
“She had information? What kind?” Daegan questioned, suddenly interested.
“Well, not exactly her , but she knows someone who does.” Halister rushed out the last part as he stepped in front of Daegan, trying to keep him listening. “If he doesn’t, I don’t know who else would,” he said a bit sheepishly.
“Hmm, why I do I get the feeling there is a catch?” Daegan growled with hands on his hips as he looked up into the sky, exasperated at another one of Hal’s “situations.”
“There IS a catch... but I think her source is legit.” Hal waited to see if Daegan would let him continue. When he didn’t say anything to stop him Hal proceeded, “We have to be blindfolded while in his presence and never speak of this meeting to anyone. I guess if he is found out, he will be killed.” Hal shrugged his shoulders like it was no biggie, but in his eyes Daegan could see Hal’s realization that something serious was going on. Which was what made him keep listening—well, that and the little internal voice that kept poking him to pay attention.
“Who is this source? And why would he risk everything to talk to us?”