wrath of the Sea Queen (196 page)

"
That's a good idea.  Put it out of your mind, at least for a little while.  And, for goodness
'
sake, stop apologizing. 
Why don't we
get
you in
to
the
tub before
the water gets cold?
"
  Vin
suggested in
an attempt
to change the subject
.  He did
n
o
t like the direction her comments were headed.  He
dipped his hand into the tub and casually flicked a
spattering
of water
droplets
at her.  The water hitting her skin, the slight breeze Vin sent after it, and his small grin, made C
a
eli smile and shiver slightly.  Vin knew by her reaction that he
had
succeeded in distracting her. 

"
Now, about this tub
…
 
C
a
eli, I don't think you have to be afraid of this water.  From what you've told m
e, it'
s
only
seawater that causes y
ou
to
struggle.  I really think you should try this. 
I understand that after your ordeal in the cave, you are hesitant
;
but d
on't let this fear take root.  I will be right here with you.  I won't leave you.
"

C
a
eli knew Vin was right about this part.  She did not want to live the rest of her life afraid of a little water.  The only way to prevent that fear from becoming permanent was to meet it head on. 
This, at least, was something s
he could
control.

"
I think you might be
right
, as usual
.
"
 
C
a
eli offered him thanks with her smile.

Vin
was glad to hear
her
response.  He
supported
C
a
eli
again
as she
stepped int
o the tub
.  T
he same tension
clinched
her shoulders
as
she drew
near the water. 
However, s
he did
n
o
t pull back, so he continued to help lower her the rest of the way into the water.  Once she was settled, C
a
eli held onto his hand as he sat on the floor beside the tub.  After several minutes, C
a
eli slowly began to relax and Vin began to get the feeling back in his fingers.

"
Ok?
"

"
Yes.  It really does seem silly now,
"
C
a
eli said. 

"
Most fear does
after
you are able to get
beyond
it.
"

Vin leaned in and kissed her.  For the first time since she
ha
d
been hurt, he got a good look at
the damage
not covered by the bandages wrapped
tightly
around her ribs
. 
There were
cuts and
bruises covering most of her upper body, some more noticeable than others.  The worst injuries were centered
on
her midsection; lots of small cuts and three particularly nasty gashes on her left.  Vin was suddenly angry
, and h
e
had to
turn away.  If he could get his hands on the person responsible, that man would not live
long enough
to regret his actions.  Vin grabbed a newspaper that
was
left on the sink the day before and
pretended
to read
so that C
a
eli would not see h
ow upset he was
.

But
C
a
eli did not
miss
Vin's reaction
; and b
ecause he hid
a portion of
it from her, she thought that Vin could not bear to look at her, injured as she was.  Maybe he
even
viewed
her differently now that she
ha
d
lost his son.  C
a
eli could only hope that his repulsion would lessen once she healed.  C
a
eli wanted very much to do something about
that
.  The only
way
she could think to
begin
that
process
was with the
one element she could manipulate
.

She tried to relax in the water.  When she did, C
a
eli
was rewarded with
the comforting sensation of her gift surrounding her and flowing through her.  The pain in her body began to subside. 
H
er gift
began to
mend her injuries
and
restor
e
her strength
.  She was
healing her
self for the first time
.  C
a
eli sat this way for perhaps twenty
or thirty
minutes.  Her hold on Vin's hand released and her hand slipped down into the water
as her mind wandered
.  Salma was right; the water was good for her. 

C
a
eli closed her eyes and drifted off.  Outside the tub, Vin
was
already asleep. 
The
stress and
lack of sleep finally ca
ught
up with
both of them
. 
Vin’s
hand holding the newspaper rested against his chest while the paper itself
fell forward to
cover his face.  C
a
eli's head sank
slowly
below the surface of the water, but she did not wake. 
H
er gift prevent
ed
her from drowning
while she dream
ed.

She
stood
alone on the shore.  The man in black
stood
in front of her. 
C
a
eli did not see
Rika
, but could hear her
laughing.
  The same scene began to replay in C
a
eli's mind. 
T
his time,
Rika's voice interrupted the playback.

"
Foolish girl
, a
ll water on this island flows from the sa
me source.  You cannot escape me there
.
  I will break through your resistance yet.  Why do you continue to force me to such extremes?
"

C
a
eli was frightened as
Rika's
presence
again
dr
e
w near.  The instinct to flee woke
C
a
eli
with a start.  Her sudden splashing also woke Vin.  As he turned to help her, Vin caught sight of a
strange
man dressed in black
, approaching
the
bathroom door.  Vin's gift responded instinctively to the threat, hurling the man
away
, slamming
,
and holding him up against the wall outside.  Vin turned and snatched C
a
eli from the tub, quickly wrapping her robe around her, and sitting her on the chair.  The wind gust
ed
around them.

"
Are you ok?
"

C
a
eli nodded
affirmatively
as she tried to calm her racing heart and slow her panicked breathing. 

"
Stay here.  Call Salma
and
have her send Ben.  I'm going to take care of this man once and for all.  Don't come out until I
return
.
"
  Vin turned and left
in a rush
, closing the door behind him
.  He knew Ben would be on his way
as soon as C
a
eli called
,
and he would
also
alert the guardsmen outside. 
So he would have time to deal with the intruder.  Vin
was surprised that this man had slipped inside without alerting them.

"
Vin,
no!  Y
ou can't fight him!  Please don't go!
"
  C
a
eli called after him, but Vin did not stop.  She did call to Salma, asking her to send Ben in hopes of stopping Vin's pursuit
of the stranger
.