An Eternity of Dead Sun (An Eternity of Eclipse Novel Book 2) by Con Template Page A

the next morning.
    After Eclipse and I handed Phix the keys to the Rav4, Eclipse instructed him to clean up the mess at the inn, eradicate any trace of us being there, and of course, fix the car. While Phix was busy doing all of this, Coco was also instructed to stop by a store and buy us snacks and emergency supplies for the trip ahead. Due to the fact that we had no car and because we were on a time-sensitive schedule, Eclipse suggested that we take the train to cut down on our travel time.
    Though it would’ve been convenient to have Phix and Coco travel with us, Eclipse and I decided that it was best to keep them as far away from us as possible on this trip. As Demons with their full life force, it would be too easy for other Demons to detect them, and in turn, compromise the entire journey. The last thing we wanted was to attract more Demons. The fewer people we traveled with, the better. Given the events of last night, there was no more room for error.
    I sat back in my train seat and drank in the world that glimmered around me.
    With tracks that streamed through the expanse of the rural countryside, this particular train was privately built and maintained by a very affluent family who lived in the wealthier parts of Serenity. The family created the train so that they, along with their wealthy friends, could commute for their business affairs in style. Since it was privately owned, Eclipse and I initially had some trouble in our attempt to acquire train tickets. In order to travel on this train, one had to be a member. Seeing that neither Eclipse nor I were members, we were not getting on—that was until Eclipse used his powers of mind control to convince the ticket attendant to make a one-time exception. Assuring me that this was definitely the last time he would use his powers on this trip, Eclipse grabbed the tickets and hurried us to our train.
    With only a few travelers aboard, Eclipse and I were given complete privacy as the train commenced its commute.
    I had never ridden on a train, so it felt extremely nice to be separated from the public and to be able to enjoy the peaceful view in private. Although the skies outside were gloomy, it made the ride inside the lavish and spacious train feel more enjoyable. It was relaxing to sit back in a chair and watch as the world passed me by. I would have enjoyed the ride even more if my traveling companion didn’t look so down. Under normal circumstances, Eclipse’s pensive and quiet behavior wouldn’t cause much concern for me. However, given our dire situation—where we were being attacked by nameless evil entities—every time Eclipse got lost in thought, it was indeed a cause for concern.
    A long stretch of silence hovered over us before I drew him out of his contemplative state.
    “Why do you keep staring up at the skies?”
    Eclipse steered his attention from the rain-pattered window and rested his gaze on me. We were seated across from one another with a gilded table centered between us. We had just finished eating the delicious lunch that was a specialty of the train’s chef. Although I enjoyed the incredible food, I found it difficult to keep down because of my unease.
    Upon seeing the apprehension on my face, Eclipse offered me a light smile. It was a smile employed to reassure me and make me feel better, but I wasn’t convinced. Eclipse was worried about something, and by default, I should be worried too.
    “Is everything okay?” I went on to ask, nervously playing with my gold fork over the fine china.
    “You know how when you look at the sky, you can forecast what the weather will be like?” he finally began as rain continued to pound against the window beside us. The soft, melodic music playing within the confines of the train faded further into the background when he spoke.
    I nodded.
    “The truth is that in addition to forecasting the weather, if you pay close attention, you can also forecast what’s going on with the world around