Proven (Daughters of the Sea #1) (28 page)

"That's what happens when you fall asleep," she argued.

"You broke into her room!"

"She should've locked her window."

After I pulled Olivia up a flight of stairs to the next level, I zeroed in on Mom's essence and found her sipping tea and reading in the kitchen. Kailani was perched opposite her at the granite dining table, slicing some fruit. They both glanced up with surprise at our entrance.

"Finn, honey, what's wrong?" Mom scampered around the counter with concern pinching the corners of her eyes.

"She's in trouble," I responded curtly, holding up Olivia's palm as explanation. Through clenched teeth, I growled at myself for failing to realize Stasia had left without us. "I knew this would happen. I knew it."

"Now is not the time to beat yourself up," Mom read my thoughts with a scolding stare. "This is a perfect opportunity to find her."

"At least we're going the right way," Olivia moaned with closed eyes. "I think we're close. And when I see her, I'm going to punch her for putting us through this. Plus, it'll make me feel better." My anger cooled as I snickered at her empty threat. It helped to know I wasn't alone in my frustration.

"I bet it will, Psycholivia," I snickered under my breath. Thankfully she was in too much pain to come back with an insult. Or shave my head.

"No one's going to punch anyone," Mom brushed aside Olivia's anger easily and nodded to Kailani. "We're nearing the Azores, and we'll be there within the hour," she affirmed. "This is actually going to help," Mom reminded us. "We need to find the crux, but first we need to find Stasia. Olivia's agony will not be in vain."

"Awesome," Olivia retorted and cringed, leaning into me as fresh pain appeared on her face. I helped her to the table where she was able to rest her hand on the flat, cool surface of the granite. Her midnight eyes appeared weary and the dark circles hanging below them told me she hadn't slept. She looked too thin. I uncorked the vial around her neck and forced her to drink. After two sips, I all but had to wrench it out of her small hands. She sighed happily and a hint of color returned to her cheeks. Her depleting health turned my thoughts back to Stasia. She had to be weakening as well. Nadia.

"She reached me in her thoughts," I suddenly remembered.

"She did?" Olivia looked up with hope lighting her face up even further. "What'd she say?"

"Just one word," I breathed out. "Nadia."

"What?" Olivia emphasized bitterly and coughed. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say what I thought you said." She glared at her palm as if Nadia herself had appeared between her fingers.

"That could mean anything, Finnegan." Mom set to thwarting my assumptions with a lecturing tone. "She could have been saying she found out something about Nadia, or she was merely thinking about Nadia. We don't need to jump to conclusions. We need to focus on finding Stasia. Once we find her, we'll go from there."

"It can't be a coincidence, Mom," I pleaded and ran worried fingers through my greasy hair. I really needed a shower.

"Making assumptions will do nothing except make us worry," she disagreed with me.

"Nadia's supposed to be gone," Olivia mumbled to herself and rubbed her temples. "This is just fantastic."

"We need to move faster." I switched my attention to Kailani. Mom's cautious approach was beginning to frustrate me, and being at the mercy of this boat was close to torture. I could swim faster than it was going! I could have already found her by now! I couldn't just sit around and wait when Stasia was in danger!  Especially if that danger was named Nadia.

"She's at full speed," Kailani replied bluntly and then repeated, "We'll be there within the hour."

"We don't have an hour!" I shot at her, immediately regretting raising my voice. Mom placed a neutral hand on my chest, demanding my attention with a composed steadiness I knew all too well.

"I suggest you sit down, calm down, and focus on finding Stasia," she spoke evenly. "We have no other option but to wait. We'll be there soon."

"Fine," I surrendered stubbornly. I slid down in a chair beside Olivia with irritation and tried to rein in my thoughts. I felt Mom's essence tighten and then bolster; instantly putting me on the defensive. I twisted in my chair and concentrated on her body language to identify the perceived threat. Her marine blue eyes were situated on a darkened corner of the room. She was holding her breath.

"Mom?" I questioned, out of my seat in seconds. I sensed a delicate presence on the opposite side of the room and stepped in front of Mom protectively. Although I could feel its essence grow bolder with each passing second, my eyes couldn't find it. I scanned the wall of windows, the kitchen's cabinets, and past the large desk in the corner, but found nothing with substance. Just as I was about to turn back to Mom, a thin ribbon of light collected in front of me and a figure began to form. I stepped forward, ready and willing to fight. When her tender, innocent eyes met my harsh gaze with understanding and patience, I caught myself before ripping her to shreds.

She couldn't have been older than thirteen or fourteen, but the enlightenment in her twilight eyes shone through immediately. Velvety, golden hair cascaded from her shoulders as she bent her head in acknowledgement.

"I must apologize for my unannounced visit," she spoke, her voice wispy and child-like. "It is imperative that I speak with Hecate."

"I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place," I almost laughed at her.

"Arabella?" Mom whispered in awe.

I spun around to face my mother in disbelief. "You know her?"

"Of course." Mom grinned and stood a little taller. "I know all of my descendants."

S
TASIA

"Get away from him," I snarled.

"That's no way to welcome an old friend, love," Nadia crooned at me. Gray, menacing smoke rose from her shoulders and her golden eyes locked onto mine with provocation. I felt my blood pressure shoot up at the challenging smirk dancing on her red lips. Black leather pants ended right above red stilettos that clicked severely as she stepped around Sebastian and faced me in earnest. A slinky black tank top unsuccessfully covered her chest, hanging off a bare shoulder that glistened gold under the light of the moon. Her thick mane of blonde hair was braided down her back, reminding me of a snake as it slithered back and forth with her every step.

"What the hell...?" At the sound of our voices, Sebastian stirred awake. He jumped to his feet, his hands automatically unsheathing his spear defensively. Nadia's evil essence surged as she glanced back and forth between me and Sebastian with amusement.

"Aren't you two just adorable?" She rested her hands on her hips with approval and circled Sebastian. "Brother and sister, together at last." She bit a red nail as her honey eyes followed the lines of Sebastian's muscular shoulders and down his back, lingering on his backside. "A masterpiece of the human form, indeed," she approved with a wicked gleam in her eye. She dragged the same nail across his shoulder with hunger shining in her eyes and sniffed him with pleasure.

"Touch me again and I'll send you back to the Underworld with the other devils," Sebastian hissed at her, training his spear between them.

"Deceased," she mused and licked her lips suggestively, "yet filled with essence and life. Aren't you just a walking contradiction?"

"Careful." He glared at her. "You might trip over that big word."

"Sexy, dead, and in need of being broken." She smiled at him. "Just my type."

"I'm not one of your pathetic lost souls. Persephone granted me free will until the next full moon."

"You won't make it that long, my dear Achilles. I've made sure of that." Her grin widened as she smacked his butt and moved away with a happy squeal before he could reach her with his blade.

"That's bullshit!" he taunted her, tossing his spear from his left hand to his right.

"It would be wise not to doubt me," she threw over her shoulder as she diverted her attention towards me. "It will not end well for you."

"It's been scripted," he countered, causing her to swivel on a stiletto heel. "Written in blood. Persephone's the only one who can manipulate the names in the Book. You should know that, Princess."

"Wrong again, warrior." She turned on him with a scowl. "The age of eighteen brought me new abilities I wasted no time in using. Your soul is mine. That has been scripted."

My heart plummeted as her meaning sunk in. Did that mean she'd scripted my name as well? Would my soul fall into her hands too?

"The witches," I murmured.

"The witches," she mocked me with a snarl. "Someone's been doing her homework, hasn't she? Did you see anything else of interest in the Book of Souls, Anastasia?"

"Don't patronize me," I fumed.

"Big brother isn't the only one running out of time, is he?" She met my irate eyes with amusement. I heard Sebastian's shocked gasp, but didn't break my gaze with Nadia. Unfortunately, she glanced at his shocked expression and a slow smirk assembled on her lips. "Extraordinary. You shouldn't keep secrets from your own flesh and blood, love." She wagged a disapproving finger in my direction.

"Need I remind you what happened the last time you tried to cross me?" I growled at her. She closed the gap between us in seconds, her breath hot on my face. Sebastian lunged forward, but a simple look from me told him to hold his ground.

"No need," she hissed, her darkness surrounding me. "You'll be spending the rest of eternity burning in Tartarus, escorted by yours truly. I'll be sure to give you the grand tour...right after I rip the soul from your body and shit on it."

"I'd like to see you try!" I boiled with rage and hatred filled my every thought as I felt what little essence I had left gather in my chest.

"We really need to work on your listening skills, dear. Like I told my newest boy-toy over there, it's already been scripted," she seethed through gritted teeth.

"You know nothing of my fate!" I argued, hoping to call her bluff and get more information out of her. Her eyes moved down to the vial still dangling from my neck, circumventing my hidden dare.

"It would appear you've been hiding many secrets in that little head of yours. You've been a busy little sea Goddess."

"You're helping Selene," I attempted once more with condemnation.

"Can't put anything past you." She rolled her blazing eyes at me and darted her gaze to the shadowy island in the distance. "But let's be clear...I'm not helping anyone. I'm allowing her to use my ghosts because I happen to approve of her end goal."

"Which is what?" Sebastian affronted.

"Just a little death." Nadia laughed and scanned his body hungrily once more. "But you'll see soon enough. I was simply curious tonight. I can smell a ghost from miles away, especially one as delicious as you."

"And I can smell a sadistic bitch from miles away," Sebastian threw back at her.

"I saw you," I warned her strategically, watching her carefully. "With Fallon."

"Ah, yes. Speaking of ghosts." Nadia bared her teeth. "She burned quite nicely."

"What did you do?" Sebastian hissed and lunged towards her, but she held up a hand and blocked his movement with a wall of darkness he was helpless to penetrate. She had obviously grown stronger.

"Just keeping a promise," she said with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"I thought Fallon was working with Selene!" I spewed before realizing what I was saying.

"Fallon's soul is mine!" Nadia emphasized with venom. "She is a means to an end. Nothing more, nothing less."

"She's more!" Sebastian clamored at her on the edge of hysteria. "And you slaughtered her!"

"I burned her. Get your facts straight," she reprimanded and jeered back at me as if talking about an ungrateful child. "Honestly, how do you deal with this?"

"You'll pay for everything you've done," I bristled. It took every ounce of control within me to restrain myself, but I knew this wasn't the time to destroy her. We were on her turf, and she could conjure the witches in a half-second to kill us here and now without an afterthought. I had to remain patient. Sebastian fell to his knees, overcome with grief.

"Leave," I warned her, in a voice that trembled with anger.

"We need to work on your manners." She frowned at me. "In the meantime, you won't be needing these."

With a flick of her wrist, the vial around my neck shattered instantly, sending the golden liquid splattering to the rock beneath my feet. Another flick burst the two vials around Sebastian's neck before she disappeared into thin air; leaving us broken and lost with the grave news of Fallon's murder.