“Excellent, Liam. You have a wonderfully structured mind for one who is so strong in empathy. Usually empaths have a more random structure, the corridor twisting and turning haphazardly, flowing downwards and then rising sharply. It is a testament to your increasing control that you can formulate a more logical arrangement.”
“It feels easy to do this, Reasa. Should it be harder? Do you like the colours? I was initially thinking of white, but figured that would be too harsh on your eyes.”
She could feel his happiness and pride. Being in his mind amplified the emotions and she couldn’t help but smile at the almost childlike glow coming from him. He was happy because he had done something she approved of. While she smiled, a shiver of concern washed over her, which quickly began to escalate. He was projecting without realising it!
“Liam, dial back your emotions a bit. I know you’re pleased with your easy grasp of the concept, but you’re projecting that happiness onto me. I know I said you needed to let me in, but you do still need to maintain shields around your emotions. Projecting is dangerous as you’ve learned to your cost.”
Immediately, the building euphoria died down and Reasa felt more able to function under her own emotions. She took a moment to calm her racing heart, then she met Liam’s gaze and saw concern in his deep brown eyes. “It’s okay,” she quickly reassured him. “I’m fine, though I’m sure the others out in the main room will be wondering why they were suddenly walking around with silly grins on their faces for a moment.”
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Elina’s concerned head peeked in. “Is everything okay? Liam?”
“Sorry, Elle, I projected outwards without thinking. Everything is fine. I won’t do it again.”
His cousin looked doubtful though she disappeared again, closing the door quietly.
“Oops,” Liam smiled with a chagrined expression, and a soft giggle escaped Reasa unbidden, as amusement danced in her eyes.
“Oops, indeed. Now concentrate. We need to get back to the task at hand.” She was surprised to find that instead of being annoyed at his mistake, she was actually enjoying the experience. She attributed it to the fact she’d never had the opportunity to explore her talent with anyone before. Truth be told, she was equally fascinated by Liam’s mental strength and what she could learn from him as he learned to control his powers. Anything that could benefit her was a good thing, at least, that was what she kept telling herself.
“As I was saying, behind each door is a memory, but some of them will actually contain a part of you. Those are usually grouped closely together, as they need to be close to make you into a whole individual. Someone fully in tune with themselves can gather all the fragments into one room, for want of a better word. The Dalai Lama has an amazing mind. He is one of those individuals. For the most part, everyone else has to make do with having their essence as closely packed together as possible. People with mental health issues generally are more scattered within their minds.”
“You’ve met the Dalai Lama and been inside his mind?”
“With his permission,” she sighed. “And that’s a story for another time. Will you please focus now?”
“Sorry, Reasa. This is all just so fascinating that I keep getting side-tracked.”
Reasa sighed again, her expression grave as she nudged at his knee until he opened his eyes to look at her. “You can’t get side-tracked when you’re in someone’s mind, Liam. You could damage them that way. You have to focus. If you won’t, then I cannot teach you. In fact, I will refuse to teach you if there is any hint you might endanger someone.”
It was hard not to soften a bit as she looked at his crestfallen expression, but she really needed to hammer home the point otherwise he could potentially cause devastation if let loose on his own.
“I want to learn,” he answered, his expression turning serious. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. The newness of all this just overwhelmed me for a moment. I promise I will do everything you ask of me, exactly as you say. Please teach me, Reasa. Please help me ensure I never again inadvertently hurt someone else.”
“Close your eyes,” she answered, her tone business-like, as she once more slipped back into his thoughts. She gave him a moment to regain his inner balance, and then she was staring down the endless corridor again, with its pretty coloured doors that looked just a tad muter in colour than they had before.
“The duality of your nature is a precursor to your essence being split. You are wolf and you are vampire; however, there is also a part of you that is human. Vampires and Weres try so very hard to ignore that fact. Never the less it is true, even if the human portion is so minute it is barely detectable. We need to find your different personas behind these doors, Liam. Only you know where they are, so you will need to guide me. With what has happened twice already, I believe that your essence is too fragmented. We must find you and bring you more into harmony with yourself. Only then will we be able to begin your training in earnest. Will you help me?”