Page 61 of In Her Bed
Tears sprang to Diana’s eyes.For years, she had carried the burden of knowledge about sound’s true power—how certain frequencies could alter consciousness, could even thin the membrane between worlds.To have someone who not only believed but understood was a gift beyond measure.
“I’ll leave immediately,” she decided.“I have some emergency cash in the safe, enough to sustain me for a while.”
“Take only what you absolutely need,” Zephyr cautioned.“And Diana—leave your phone behind.They can track you through it.”
She hadn’t considered that.“Of course.I’ll leave it at the bus stop.”
“Good.Now go, quickly.Call me from a payphone once you’re away from the store to confirm you’ve departed safely.I’ll be waiting at the station.”
“Thank you, Zephyr.”Diana’s voice nearly broke with emotion.“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never have to find out,” he promised.“We’re connected through frequencies most people can’t even perceive.Now go, before they establish a tighter surveillance perimeter.”
The call ended, and Diana sat for a moment in the silent store.The sage had burned down to ash in the abalone shell, its cleansing work complete.She felt calmer now, purposeful.With confident movements, she went to the back room and unlocked a cabinet that held her personal belongings.
“I’m leaving, Janet,” she said to her employee.“I’m going back to where it started.”
“When will you be back?”Janet asked.
“I don’t know.Maybe never.But I’ve got to slip past those people outside who are watching me.”
The wig sat on a Styrofoam head—a simple brown bob without any of the adornments she usually wore.She removed the feathers and beads from her own hair, gathering the long silver strands into a tight knot at the base of her neck.The wig fit snugly, transforming her appearance instantly.
From a drawer, she extracted plain black-framed glasses and a beige sweater set.The transformation continued as she removed her layered necklaces and rings, replacing them with a single modest pendant—still protective, but unremarkable.
Diana looked at herself in the small mirror hanging on the wall.A stranger looked back—an ordinary woman who would attract no second glances.She nodded at her reflection with satisfaction.
The safe behind a display of large amethyst geodes contained her emergency funds—five thousand in cash, carefully bundled.She took it all, along with a small notebook containing contacts and information too sensitive to keep digitally.
“One last thing,” she murmured, returning to the main shop area.
From a special display case, she selected specific crystals—a large piece of black tourmaline for protection, clear quartz for amplification, selenite for purification.These, along with the cash and notebook, went into a nondescript canvas tote bag, nothing like the elaborately beaded bags she usually carried.
Diana took one final look around her store—the sacred space she had created and maintained for over a decade.The crystals seemed to pulse farewell, the gemstones glinting in the dim light.She wondered if she would ever return.
“Goodbye, Janet,” she said to her employee.
She slipped through the back door into the alley, leaving behind the life she had built—just another unremarkable figure moving through the evening, invisible to anyone who might be watching.
“The frequencies are calling,” she whispered.“Midnight Voice must answer.”
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Twilight cast long shadows across the Firmament Reach building as Jake pulled the cruiser into a vacant spot.The modern structure with its large windows glowed against the deepening violet sky.Jenna studied the clean lines and understated signage—the words “Firmament Reach” in a simple, elegant font above the entrance.
“Doesn’t look like the cultish lair Diana made it sound like,” she commented.
“Let’s see if the inside matches,” Jake said as he cut the engine.
The glass doors slid open soundlessly as they approached the entrance, revealing a reception area decorated in varying shades of blue and gray.Subtle recessed lighting cast a soft glow over comfortable-looking furniture arranged in conversational groupings.A small water feature trickled gently in one corner, its sound barely perceptible.
A woman looked up from behind a curved reception desk, her smile immediate and genuine.“Good evening,” she said, standing to greet them.“Welcome to Firmament Reach.How can I help you?”
Jenna stepped forward, “Sheriff Graves and Deputy Hawkins from Genesius County.We’re here to speak with Tyrone Voss.”
The receptionist’s smile didn’t falter at the sight of law enforcement.“Of course, Sheriff.Tyrone is just finishing up a mindfulness workshop.It should be wrapping up in the next five minutes or so.”She gestured toward a hallway to their right.“You’re welcome to observe the final moments if you’d like.He always ends with a beautiful closing exercise.”
“Thank you,” Jenna said, surprised at the offer.
