Reflection Pond (34 page)

“I came through the pond before them. They never came this way. I was waiting.” She could hardly
breathe, he was holding her so tightly. She hoped he never stopped.

“There was so much blood,” he said between breaths.

Callie smiled against Rowan’s neck, feeling his pulse thundering there. “I might’ve done a little damage.” She pushed him away, searching his face. He looked tired and sweaty. A bruise spread across his forehead. “We have to go back. The city—”

Rowan shook his head, still catching his breath.

“Yes, Rowan. My sister is there. Ash is there. We can’t just abandon them.” She stood and moved toward the pond.

Rowan climbed to his feet more slowly.

Callie stepped into the water. It was cold and slimy as it soaked the bottom of her dress. The bottom was sandy and full of plants. She waded to the middle. The first time she’d been in the pond it was warm and silky.

She lit bright blue.

Rowan shoved his hair away from his face and Callie saw his wings rise behind him, graceful and magnificent. Their glamours had disappeared.

Callie shivered. “I don’t understand.”

Rowan stooped and ran his hand through the water. His fingers combed through weeds and pieces of garbage. “The portal is gone.”

Callie’s throat closed. “Gone? How can it be gone? How do we get back?”

Rowan held out a hand and helped Callie out of the frigid pond. Her dress dripped stagnant water over her feet and soaked the bottom of Rowan’s pants. He kept her hand tucked in his as he pulled her into the park. Callie dug in her feet until he stopped. His face was unreadable when he turned back to her, his eyes black. Despite everything, she wanted to touch his wings, to let her fingers slide into their inky depths.

“They took the cauldron.
Eirensae
no longer has magical protection.”

Callie digested what that meant with horror tearing at her chest. Without magic, nobody could get in or out of the city.

“Where are we going?” she repeated, forcing herself to meet Rowan’s gaze.

Rowan stared at Callie for a long moment. She felt pinned, a moth beneath a needle.

“California,” he said eventually.

“What’s in California?” Another entrance to
Eirensae,
she hoped. She could still see the flames blazing through the buildings.

“The portal to
Fraeburdh,
” Rowan said, expression strangely blank. “My home.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kacey Vanderkarr is a young adult author. She dabbles in fantasy, romance, and sci-fi, complete with faeries, alternate realities, and the occasional plasma gun. She’s known to be annoyingly optimistic and listen to music at the highest decibel.

Kacey is the president of the Flint Area Writers and the Social Media Director for
Sucker Literary
.
When she’s not writing, she coaches winterguard and works as a sonographer. Kacey lives in Michigan, with her husband, son, and crazy cats. Check out
Antithesis
, available from InkSpell Publishing.
www.KaceyVanderkarr.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Reflection Pond
is a labor of love, emphasis on the labor.

Authors will tell you that there’s nothing more to writing a novel than sitting down and getting the words on paper. What they don’t tell you is that you also must lose sleep, cancel plans, drink oceans of coffee, cry, and not quit until every iota of your being has found its way into your words.

They’re just words, right?

Callie and Rowan’s story isn’t just about magic, it’s about picking up your life when the pieces are scattered, it’s about finding the strength to move on, even when you
’re paralyzed with fear. Callie and Rowan are you and me. They’re teenagers and adults and children. They give me hope.

I’d like to thank my writing group, the Flint Area Writers. This story was the very first thing I read to them, and they have supported me along the entire journey—and it has truly been a journey. Mart, Kelly, Ashley, Holly, Chris, John, Tiffanie, and especially Nancy, who edited Reflection Pond, thank you.

MB. Look how far we’ve come. I’m so glad to call you my partner in crime.

RLL.
Where would my writing be without you? Probably still stuck in the depths of my hard drive. Thank you for having my back and giving me a not so subtle shove when I need it. Here’s to rhubarb and biscuits.

My family, especially my husband and son, who suffer through living with a writer, thank you. I know it’s not easy and sometimes (I mean, hardly ever!) my demands are difficult to meet.

             
To my readers. Thank you for your support. Hearing from you is the best thing that happens to me. Please email me:
[email protected]
, visit me on Twitter: @kacimari, or stop by my blog:
www.KaceyVanderkarr.com.

For everyone out there who has a dream: Yes. Yes, you can.

ALSO BY KACEY VANDERKARR
Antithesis
available from
InkSpell Publishing

SHORT STORIES

First Shift
available from
InkSpell Publishing

How to Fall
in
Sucker Literary Volume 3