Cole the echo

  “I’ll greet you on the other side and advise you there,” Elana said. “May I have permission to disconnect your lifespark from your corporeal body?”

  Cole studied her warily. “Does that give you power to do what you want with my spark?”

  “Only to send it to the echolands,” Elana said. “This being your first visit, an echo will form to house it.”

  “Do I have to do anything?”

  “Just grant me permission.”

  Hunter had heard that Elena was one of the good guys. And she had greeted Cole harshly when she thought he represented Stafford Pemberton. That was a plus. Also, she had been watching over Destiny and Honor. He had to trust somebody and probably wouldn’t find a better candidate. “Okay. Go for it.”

  A wave of energy surged through Cole, saturating him with sensation. In a single burst he saw light, darkness, and every color of the spectrum. He smelled numerous fragrances—sharp, sweet, and foul. Diverse sounds assailed his ears—loud and quiet, jarring and melodic. He tasted sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness. Over his entire body he felt pain, pleasure, heat, cold, and a gut-clenching jolt of electricity.

  The sensory overload left him shaken. He lay still, eyes closed, recovering, until a hand took his and helped him to his feet.

  Elana looked the same, except her skin had a gentle glow, as if more light were striking her than anything else in the room. The chamber looked basically the same, except the stone of the walls and floor was now white, and all four cots were empty.

  Are we there?” Cole asked.

  “Welcome to the echolands,” Elana said.

Chapters 13-14