Hearken (Daughters of the Sea Series) (41 page)

             
“That’s my story and I’m sticking to it,” I declared.

             
“Well, before you attract all of the single men on the island…” He hesitated and gave me a once-over. “…as well as some of the single girls, I should tell you that I brought you some clothes.”

             
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day!” I smiled and ran over to Xanthos, where a small bag hung off the saddle. A flowing white sundress was folded neatly inside, along with several pieces of brightly colored fruit. I emptied the contents and replaced them with the book and lavender he’d left for me. I met his stare when I turned around and he smiled; sending butterflies swarming through my stomach. What was
wrong
with me? Never before had a guy had this kind of power over me. And then as I watched him, I realized why. He was my match in every way. He was strong, snarky, proud, honorable, and loyal. He knew what he wanted, and wasn’t afraid to go to great lengths to get it. His confidence and the way he respected me, but treated me as an equal, made me feel stronger and more like a woman.

             
By the time I pulled on the dress and ate a kiwi and a star fruit, Sebastian had gathered up his things and returned them to the platform. He patted the tree and laughed silently as he made his way back to where I was watching him next to Xanthos with contempt. 

             
He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me gently before mounting the horse and helping me up. As we rode back to the tree houses, my mind replayed the emergence of Fallon and Stasia’s odd behavior. I wasn’t sure what to expect when we returned.

             
“How’s Stasia doing?” I called out to him.

             
“Awake,” he answered bluntly. “And strong. Very strong.”

Chapter 43

Olivia

             
“Watch out!”

             
I dropped to the ground and covered my head with the same conviction as if we were getting bombed from above; which I wasn’t ruling out. In the absence of excruciating pain or the pungent odor of burning skin, I peeked out of one eye and looked around cautiously. 

             
“I’m sorry!” Stasia called out, and I heard Fallon giggle. Wait until Stasia almost took
her
head off – then we’d see who got the last laugh.

             
“Who decided to wake her up?” Phoebe complained next to me on the ground. Several hours after we’d returned from Sebastian’s twisting tree of terror, everyone was gathered outside at the lakeside enjoying the perfect sunny weather. Amphitrite and Natasha were discussing something over tea near the water, while Finn and the Sons were playing a poor excuse for a game of water polo with an old rubber ball they’d found. I stood with Carmen, Phoebe and Avery around a stump, going through the final pre-selections of the Games.

             
“Her new best friend,” Carmen muttered on my other side as we climbed to our feet and brushed our clothes off. I wondered if they had bleach on Atlantis. “Moon girl.”

             
Carmen had been in a bad mood ever since having to continue the pre-selections without my help, but now she was directing her spitefulness toward Stasia instead of me, so I wasn’t objecting. That didn’t stop me from taking a couple jabs at her, though.

             
“Jealous much?” I snickered at her. She just scowled and glared at Stasia and Fallon with distaste before digging her hole deeper.

             
“
We’re
on Stasia’s Council, not her. But she just shows up and Stasia drops us like a bad habit? How’s Fallon supposed to help her when she doesn’t even
know
her?”

             
“But Fallon’s her family,” Avery countered with sympathy. “Her only family.”

             
“Big deal.” Carmen brushed off Avery’s endearing nature. “My creepy uncle Blythe is family, but you don’t see me practicing my abilities in his molester van all day.”

             
“There’s just some things we can’t understand.” Avery stood her ground. “Fallon has a lot of knowledge. Knowledge that Stasia needs.”

             
“Well I don’t trust her.” Carmen narrowed her dark eyes and I felt a common thread form between us.

             
“I don’t either,” I agreed with contempt.

             
“You don’t either, what?” Sebastian interjected as he snuck up behind me and rested his elbows on my shoulders. 

             
“You shouldn’t eavesdrop.” I wiggled out from under his weight and faced him proudly. “You might hear something you don’t want to.”

             
“You promise?” he grinned and picked me up by my waist, spun around and then set me back down. My skin instantly tingled where his fingers had been, and I wiped at my shirt to hide the emotions running through me. Once I was no longer in his way, he kept walking towards his horses as they drank from the lake.  A prideful snicker slipped past his lips, but instead of sparking my anger, it now warmed my heart. Funny how things could change so quickly.

             
“Looks like
somebody
had a good night…” Phoebe eyed me with a knowing grin.

             
“’Good’ would be an understatement,” I boasted with a wide grin. I strode away to their surprised gasps and made my way over to Stasia and Fallon with the electricity of last night’s truths still dancing across my skin.

             
“…hold it in a little closer to your heart.” Fallon was in the process of instructing Stasia. “A little closer…okay…ready…now!”

             
Stasia thrust her hands upward and the tiny ball of light in her hands flew into the air. I stared on in awe as it burst into a thousand smaller pieces of light and began to swirl above us like an angry storm cloud ready to shower the earth with powerful light.

             
Suddenly, the pieces shot downward and towards me. Before I knew what was happening, I was completely encased in a cyclone of light swirling around me at dizzying speeds. I frowned and gathered up my energy before sticking my arm through them, and then a flash of light blinded me as the small bits of light exploded and fell to the ground in charred pieces around my feet. Claps sounded from the peanut gallery of Council members behind me, and I even noticed Sebastian watching on with a smile.

             
“You should have known that was a bad idea,” I snickered at a violet-eyed Stasia and ruffled her hair in retaliation for her attack on me. “It’s about time you woke up, Sleeping Beauty.”

             
“Do you want to help us?” Fallon asked me with hope written all over her face. Her violet eyes were fading back to light blue as she acknowledged me with a grin. 

             
“Only if it doesn’t involve any trees.” I crossed my arms and eyed the plethora of dangerous, tricksy trees surrounding us on the lake’s bank. I heard Sebastian snicker from the water’s edge, but Stasia and Fallon just looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Uh, nevermind. What’d you have in mind?”

             
“Go stand over there,” Fallon instructed. She pointed to a patch of dirt in the grass several yards away. My pride didn’t like her telling me what to do, but I turned on my heel and stood where she told me.

             
“She needs to learn how to protect herself,” Fallon explained to me. “So I need you to throw your electrical energy at her.”

             
“You want me to do what?” I contended. 

             
“You’ve got enough electricity running through you to power a small city,” Fallon explained. I had no idea how she knew that, but her acknowledgement was somewhat flattering. 

             
“And you want me to attack Stasia with it?” I clarified again. I was stalling for several reasons. First, I had no intentions of going against a sea Goddess who was ten times stronger than me, just to land myself in the hospital. Second, I didn’t really know how. 

             
“She’ll use the moon’s essence to create a sort of reflective shield around her. You won’t hurt her.”

             
“I’m not worried about
her
getting hurt,” I implied incredulously. I thought back to when I’d burned half of Sebastian’s body the night before, and decided to just wing it. I could do this.

             
“I promise I won’t drown you or make you explode,” Stasia promised, before adding in a low voice with a sneer, “…this time.”

             
“I heard that,” I warned her with a good natured throat-slashing motion. Fallon positioned Stasia directly in front of me, about four yards away, and stepped back even more just in case.

             
“Okay, Olivia. Whenever you’re ready.”

             
Stasia rubbed her hands together diabolically and I tried not to be intimidated by the brilliant violet color of her eyes and the dynamic power shimmering across her skin. I took a deep breath and looked at Stasia like she was just any other random girl standing in front of me. When I could feel the energy buzzing through me, I channeled it into my chest and arms. I threw up my arms and forced it outward.

             
A flash reminiscent of lightning left my palm and surprised me so much, my arms went up and the electricity shooting out from my hand slammed into a nearby tree with a loud sizzle. Anyone within a two mile radius probably heard it, but I was more worried about the tree. I couldn’t imagine that was going to help my rapidly depleting rapport with the trees of the island.

             
“My bad!” I shook out my arms like it was no big deal. “Just a little rusty!”

             
‘Rusty’ as in having only ever done that once in my life, and not even meaning to the time I
had
done it. Now with everyone watching, I focused my concentration back on Stasia and repeated the steps like I’d done it a hundred times. Thankfully this time I was able to keep my arms under control, and another spark of electricity cracked out of my palms and shot directly towards the sea Goddess standing in front of me.

             
Before I could celebrate the first time purposely using my essence, I saw a violet cloud appear around Stasia. My electrical firestorm reflected off of whatever shield Stasia had put up and slammed back into me with the force of a nuclear bomb. I was thrown backwards and landed hard on my back.

             
My skin sizzled with the powerful charge of electricity, but it was immune to the burning I had inflicted upon Sebastian. Instead, it painstakingly seeped its way back into my body. Instinctive rage and a big dose of embarrassment bubbled up inside me, and I forced myself to lie there and calm down. I heard Fallon hold Stasia back from coming to check on me, which was a good move on her part. The Paladin within me tended to act without thinking, and I didn’t want to take my anger out on Stasia. I felt a familiar presence, and then a face appeared above me. I frowned up at it.               

             
“I think you missed again,” Sebastian teased with a tender smile before helping me back to my feet.

             
“Watch it or you’ll be next,” I threatened him. 

             
“I can take you,” he challenged in a low voice; grinning broadly. He winked at me before returning to his horses, but he’d helped me calm down without even knowing it. I turned to Stasia.

             
“Alright, super Goddess! I think you’ve got that one figured out!” My sarcasm lost its steam when I witnessed her waver side to side before collapsing to the ground.

             
“Stasia!” I ran to her side in a panic. Thankfully Fallon was able to catch her head, and Finn made it out of the water in record time to be at her side. I inspected her limp form for any burns. “There’s no way I could have hurt her…”

             
Avery knelt and immediately ran her healing hands over her skin. Finn concentrated on her face while I straightened her legs out in front of her.

             
“You didn’t,” Avery answered, clearly perplexed. “She seems…fine. Just unconscious. Which is a little weird. People don’t just pass out for no reason.”

             
“Her heartbeat has slowed down considerably,” Fallon muttered as she felt the faint pulse on Stasia’s wrist. Finn muttered something to her and her eyes fluttered open. After she seemed to figure out where she was, she looked around at us with a forced smile.

             
“I’m okay,” she assured us and sat up. “I’m okay.” 

             
“You wouldn’t have just passed out if you were okay, Pasha.” Finn helped her up and placed both hands on the sides of her face to kiss her. “Maybe you should stop for today.”