Save Aether (The Trinity Key Trilogy Book 3) (13 page)

“I won’t forget this, you wondrous creatures. In fact, I will tell everyone I know of this marvel. You will all be hailed as heroes,” he gushed. 

“Please don’t,” Theo squeaked. She’d had enough of that in Pacifica City.

Parmelia came forward and urged the Captain to release the girls. Then she pulled him aside and talked to him. He nodded enthusiastically to everything she said. When they returned, he was all smiles.

“You are welcome aboard my ship any time. No charge… ever! Goodbye, girls.”

He and his men returned to the
Manta Ray
. The ship submerged, creating massive bubbles on the surface. Parmelia patted Theo’s back.

“Well done, my dear.”

Parmelia took Julia’s and Theo’s arms and took the winding stairs to the upper deck where the aerial vessels docked. They moved to the front of the group of passengers waiting to board the transport ship. The small aerial vessel filled with people and scuttled up to the floating island of Aetherland. Once it docked, people filed off the transport and integrated into the villagers. Alongside the transport, Nessie’s dry-docked ship,
the
Cornelius
, appeared lonely and empty of people. 

Upon arrival, the girls’ reception was less than friendly – not that Theo expected a fanfare. But after their departure from Pacifica, Aetherland felt… ordinary.

“I’ve got business to attend to here in the village. You will return home with Parmelia,” Victoria ordered them. She turned to Dr. Lawless and softened. “Ellwood, would you mind joining me?”

Theo gagged. The two of them were growing more insufferable every second. Dr. Lawless followed Victoria down the street, carrying the bag of relics.

Shouldn’t those be with us?
Julia hissed.

Theo grumbled,
Yes
.

“Girls, please speak aloud. Keeping track of your chatter in my head gives me a headache,” Parmelia scolded. “The relics will be kept in a safe place. Now, shall we?”

She gestured toward the fountain where the mechanical horse and carriage were parked. Theo had forgotten that Parmelia could hear them if they didn’t block her. The old woman ushered the girls forward.

The closer they moved to the carriage, the more Theo’s stomach fluttered. Her dad was here. Vivi was here. Victor was here. She couldn’t wait to see them, especially Victor. Their last departure went horribly bad, and she wanted to fix things. Perhaps, if she could explain herself better, he’d forgive her for leaving him.

“Pssst, come here.”

Theo looked around for the voice. Jesse, Vivi’s young friend, was hiding between buildings, waving at Theo. As usual he looked mischievous.

“I’ll be right back,” she said to her mother and pointed to the little boy.

Marjorie smiled and nodded. “Don’t take too long.”

Theo snuck between the buildings and dropped to one knee. “Hey, Jesse! How are you doing?” She ruffled his hair. “Thanks for helping me escape before. I hope you didn’t get into too much trouble.”

“Naw, they didn’t even know I was fakin’ it. I’m not supposed to talk to you, but I’m hopin’ you can give Vivi a note.” He held up a small slip of paper with blocky handwriting on it. “She can’t come play with me anymore, and the mean people won’t let me near her house. Can you give it to her?”

Theo smiled, “Of course, I will.”

“But don’t read it!” Jesse’s plopped his tartan cap on his head and added, “It ain’t mushy or nothin’, just secret.”

“I promise not to read it.” She crossed her fingers over her heart. “Take care, kid.”

He gave her a gap-toothed smile and ran off. His prosthetic leg squeaking. Theo slipped the note in her pocket and returned to the others, who were already getting into the carriage.

“Thanks,” she said to Parmelia. “He’s a good friend.”

“Yes, as I recall he’s quite the little actor.”

Theo’s face felt like fire. Parmelia seemed to know the truth about everything. Thankfully, Julia’s grandmother was on their side. Theo reached out to Valera and Julia, making sure to block out Parmelia.

I can’t wait to see my dad,
she mused.

Julia shifted on the crimson velvet chair.
As long as we don’t stay long. I don’t want to escape one prison just to get stuck in another.

Theo groaned
. We won’t.

I hope Gideon is doing better. Mother wouldn’t say much about him. When I asked, she kept telling me that I’m not to see “that boy.” All she would say was that Victor’s watching over him.

Theo sighed.
I hope Victor will forgive me. We didn’t exactly see eye to eye when it came to helping you.

Sorry about that… but, I say you’re better off. He’s such a bore,
Julia quipped, then added,
No offense, Valera.

Offense taken. Geez, he is my twin.

Julia smirked.
Like I said, he’s a bore.

Valera scowled.
Ha, ha, ha. Funny. I know Victor can be stubborn, but he’s a good guy.

I know. I know. I’m kidding… kind of. Anyway, what do you think of my—

“If you girls are finished gabbing. We’ve arrived at the mansion,” Parmelia said with a hint of a smile. “Don’t look so shocked. You may have blocked me, but I’ve never met teenage girls who sat silently and stared at nothing while in the presence of friends.”

Marjorie laughed in agreement. Theo cringed. She’d have to watch out for Parmelia. The carriage stopped at the base of the marble stairs. The mansion was as impressive as ever, and oddly it felt like home to Theo. The Stein family automaton butler, CHAD-4, stood in the doorway, waiting for them to enter. Victor was nowhere to be seen.

“It is a pleasure to see you again, M…m…m…Miss Valera, Miss Theodora, Mistress Marjorie, Mistress Par… par… par…Parmelia.” CHAD-4 looked at Julia and blinked. “Pardon me, we have not been properly introduced. I am CHAD-4, and you… you… you are?”

“This is Julia, my granddaughter.”

“Thank you, Mistress Parmelia. Nice… n… n… nice to meet you Miss Julia, granddaughter to Mistress Parmelia. Welcome to the Stein Family est… est…estate.”

Julia leaned toward Theo and whispered, “What’s wrong with him?”

“Marcus,” Theo replied.

“Enough said.”

Her first visit to the mansion felt like a different lifetime. She remembered the horrible sound of CHAD-4 ripping apart after Valera’s step-uncle Marcus pushed him down the stairs. Now, she was back, Marcus was dead, and the sound of him falling into the volcanic vent echoed in her mind. It was karmic really. Just like CHAD-4, she’d never be the same.

Parmelia dismissed the automaton with a wave of her hand. “Yes, yes, that’s all very nice Thank you, CHAD-4.” She turned to the girls and put her hands on her hips. “You girls should freshen up in your rooms. I’ll see you at dinner,” Parmelia said in her most this-isn’t-a-request-but-an-order tone.

Marjorie gave Theo a quick kiss before leaving to find her dad. Theo retreated up the stairs, picking at the blue stuff that still clung to her hand. On the way to her room, Theo saw Victor on the second floor. She smiled and waved at him.

“Victor!”

His door closed. He must not have seen her. He didn’t even turn to look at her. Theo felt as if she’d swallowed glass. She took a few steps toward his room, but paused. If he had just snubbed her, she wasn’t sure she could face him without breaking down. Instead, she went to her own room. She scrubbed the gunk from her hand until her skin was more purple than blue, and then she flopped into her bed.

“Why so glum?” Joe’s voice made Theo jump.

Joe, a Stein family friend and Auntie Grace’s new beau, stood in her doorway, holding three boxes in his arms. Dropping them on the floor, he sat down and put his boots up on the hearth.

“Geez, you scared me.” She eyed the boxes. “What are you doing here?”

“Hi, Joe! How are you doing?” Joe chided. “Danu’s light, Theo. I came to see how you’re doing.”

“Hi, Joe. How are you doing?” Theo deadpanned.

She was glad to see him, but it was more likely that he was sent to keep an eye on her. She sat on the edge of the mattress. A smidge of guilt seeped into her. He’d helped her, and she was being ungrateful, but she had to know.

“Did Parmelia send you… or maybe Victoria?”

Joe cut her off and grinned. “I came all the way back from Colorado, just to say hi to you. And all I get is accusations?”

She raised an eyebrow, and he chuckled.

“I’m not at liberty to divulge any information. Besides, I’ve already gotten in enough trouble for helping you girls.”

“Really? Why would you get in trouble? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Nessie and I knew the risks. We helped you fight the Order in Pacifica and we defied the Elders. What’s done is done.”

“I didn’t know. I’m sorry,” Theo muttered.

Had she known he’d get in trouble, she would never have asked for help.

“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t regret a thing, except making your auntie Grace angry. Once she found out how… messy things got, she lost it.”

Theo flopped onto the edge of the bed. “She’s pretty mad, huh?”

Joe scoffed. “That’s an understatement. Just wait till she gets a hold of you.”

“Ugh, can’t wait.”

“Well, you’ve got a little time. She has to finish up in Colorado, which reminds me. She sent some of your stuff.” He pointed to the three boxes piled up near the door. “I’ll leave you to it.”

After he left, Theo hopped up and dug into the first box. All of her old clothes were folded neatly inside. She squealed as if she were reunited with old friends. Graphic tees and jeans flitted around the room like snowflakes. At the very bottom of the box she found gold – two pairs of Converse sneakers. She hugged them to her chest, kicking off her boots and slipping one of the sneakers on her foot. It was heaven. Aetherian clothes were fun and all, but nothing compared to the comfy goodness of a tee shirt, jeans, and a pair of Converse sneakers.

The next box held old memorabilia. A few ancient report cards – no need to revisit those. Her “Best Camper” award from summer camp – a decade ago. She didn’t even like camp that year. An elementary school spelling bee championship trophy. A stumble off the stage after winning left a big crack in the plastic cup. At the bottom, she found several photos of past friendships. She couldn’t even remember the names of the kids. Most of the pictures in the box felt foreign to her as if she was going through a stranger’s past and not her own. She sealed the box and set it aside.

The last box made her smile. She pulled out her table lamp, her old diary, and the framed picture of her father that used to be on her nightstand. Leaving the rest of it in the box, she set the three items near her bed.

Her two worlds meshed together. It felt… right
.

Chapter Eleven

Julia

After one of the weird Stein robots showed Julia to her hideously frilly room, she didn’t know what to do with herself. She paced the length of the space. As far as she was concerned, this detour was a waste of time. It was nice to spend time with her grandmother without being in a cell. Still, she didn’t want to hang around any longer than they had to.

“Julia?” Eli’s voice came through her door.

Her nerves shot up into her throat. She hadn’t seen Eli since their brief encounter on the way to the
Manta Ray
. Her emotions wreaked havoc inside her belly. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to speak with him. Part of her was miffed at the whole Alouette thing, and he hadn’t even visited her at the clinic. Sure, he was a patient there too, but he could have come to say, “Hi.” Furthermore, they’d had a whole week on the submarine, and she hadn’t seen him once.

“Julia, can I come in?” he asked.

“Fine,” she huffed and unlatched the door.

He slipped in and shut the door behind him. Julia avoided looking him directly in the eyes for fear of losing her nerve. She stormed away from him and continued pacing.
Why am I so nervous?
She tried to play cool.

“Could you stop stalking around like a tiger for one second?” he grumbled.

She paused and crossed her arms, keeping her eyes on the far wall. She heard him move around behind her. When he got close enough that she could feel him, she stepped away.

“I wish you’d look at me.” He sighed, “At least talk to me.”

“I really don’t think we have anything to talk about,” she squeaked. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the thick white bandages wrapped around his hands. She pointed to them and murmured, “Is that from the scepter?”

“Yeah, that’ll teach me to get in the way,” he chuckled.

She loved the sound of his laugh. A strange sound escaped her throat. A sound she’d never made before – a ridiculous girly giggle. She coughed to cover it up. Thankfully, a knock disrupted them and gave her a reason to get away. CHAD-4 bowed outside her door. The creepy mechanical man was her best friend at the moment. 

“Pardon me, Miss Julia. Dinner will be served in five… five… five… minutes,” CHAD-4 reported.

Julia smiled at the robot. “Thank you, CHAD-4.”

She took a step out the door, but Eli trotted forward and stopped her. He held his arm out as if escorting her to a royal ball or something. Feeling silly, she rolled her eyes and left without touching him. Her snub didn’t stop him from following close behind. She walked to the dining room in a fog. He confused her more than anyone ever had. Eli pulled a chair out for her.

When she sat down, he leaned forward and whispered, “You look beautiful.”

Her heart pumped fire through her veins. No one had ever said that to her, and she didn’t know if he was being sarcastic. She assumed the latter. She spun around ready to rip his face off, but others were arriving and she didn’t want an audience when she murdered him. Much to her dissatisfaction, he sat next to her. Parmelia and a small entourage entered the room. Eli stood up right away and bowed.

“Madame Elder.”

“Ah, Eli. No need for formalities. I do hope you’re feeling better. I heard you took quite a shock when you saved the girls in Pacifica, and that you had a mild relapse aboard the submarine.”

Saved us in Pacifica? What?
He hadn’t saved them. He grabbed the scepter like a dolt. Julia frowned. Julia felt a twinge of guilt. She thought that he was better when she saw him escort them to the ship. Julia glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His eyes were glued to her.

“Yes, Ma’am, much better.” He bowed.

“So, how have you and my lovely granddaughter been getting along?”

He sat down with his mouth hanging open. It seemed Julia had never mentioned that Parmelia was her grandmother.
Oops
. Julia grinned. She remembered the first time they’d met, and he’d made such a huge deal about Parmelia asking for him directly. Parmelia held her arms open for Julia.

Julia gave her grandmother a quick hug and muttered, “Hi Grandma.”

Parmelia took her seat with a smile. Eli gulped a long drink of water. Julia turned to him and smirked. He mouthed the words, “Grandma?” She nodded and mouthed the word back. She leaned back in her chair victorious. He looked good in the color of confusion.

Valera and Victor slunk into the room and plopped onto their seats. Victor looked like he had a mouthful of War Head candies. Theo sat across from them and gave him a longing look, but he didn’t even acknowledge her. Julia scowled. Theo didn’t deserve to be treated like this, especially for helping a friend.

“What a jerk,” she mumbled.

“What did I do this time?” Eli leaned in and whispered.

Julia rolled her eyes at him. “Not you, him.” She nodded at Victor. Then, she thought about it for a second. “Come to think of it… you too.”

Eli looked at Victor and lifted an eyebrow. “I like him already.”

“Ugh, just mind your own business.” She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face.

CHAD-4 and the other automaton servants brought in a huge meal. Everyone seemed to pick at their plate, not eating or talking.  

I think someone sent Joe to spy on me,
Theo burst into Julia’s brain
.

Valera eyed her brother out of the corner of her eye,
I think you’re right. Victor’s been following me around.

Julia scoffed,
Well, I’m stuck with Eli.

We’re not back to this are we? I thought you liked him.
Valera griped.

Well… I mean… I don’t know. He can be such an
annoying bastard—

Julia! For shame,
Parmelia’s rasp slipped into the conversation
. Eli is a good boy, and vulgarity is not a desirable trait in a girl, especially in Ealga’s heir.

Julia jumped at the sound of her grandmother in her head, bumping her legs on the edge of the table. Everyone quieted and stared at her. After a few seconds of silent judgement, the room returned to its miserable dinner. Julia’s body flamed with embarrassment, then she saw Eli’s grin and couldn’t take it anymore.

“Excuse me, but I’m feeling ill. I need to go,” she muttered and stood up.

She scuttled from the room, eager to get fresh air. Finding the closest exit, she escaped into the gardens. The night air was crisp and cooled her skin. Happy to finally be alone, she walked along the path. Her thoughts splintered into a million directions, but one face popped up over and over again. She hated him for it. When the gravel crunched behind her, she didn’t need to turn around to see who it was.

“What do you want?” she hissed.

“Geez, kid. I came to check on you,” Eli responded.

“Spy on me is more like it, and I’m not a kid.”

Julia stormed away. Although Eli maintained a safe distance, he kept pace with her. He hummed an annoying tune. His footsteps increased until he was beside her.

“Just hear me out.” When she didn’t respond, he continued, “I don’t know what you think happened with Alouette, but nothing
ever
happened between her and me. In fact, I don’t even like her.”

Julia’s heart bumped and stuttered in her chest. She hated to admit it, but hearing him speak made her jelly-kneed. She closed her eyes – still unwilling to look at his eyes – and turned around to face him. The gravel crunched, and she felt his slightly rough bandages on her cheeks. Her eyes flew open, but it was too late. His lips brushed against hers. Molten lava pulsed through her veins. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back. In the back of her mind, she knew he was smirking the same irritating, egomaniacal, wonderful smirk.