wrath of the Sea Queen (204 page)

"
Sorry.  I guess I'm still pretty tired. 
Is it time for dinner already?
"
 
It seemed to
C
a
eli as
though
she
ha
d only
sat down to rest a few moments earlier
.

"Not yet."

"Then why did you wake me?"

"You scared Salma and Max. 
Walk with me for a minute
."  Vin helped C
a
eli up from the sofa, and they walked slowly down the hall toward the front entrance
of
the hotel
where they had a little more privacy
.

"How did I scare them?"  C
a
eli asked.

"Your eyes were blue."  Vin began his explanation and then quickly told her what happened.

"Poor Max.  He is so scared of
Rika
already.  If this keeps happening, I'm afraid he will be scared of me, too."

"I don't think you have to worry about that.  He
i
s smart enough to know the difference.  Max is
as
scared for you as
I
am."

"I don't
remember dreaming or struggling against the intrusion
at all
.
  I had no idea that she was even there this time."
 

Vin's concern mirrored her own regarding the seeming ease with which the change was accomplished. 

"You obviously did something to overexert yourself or she would not have been able to gain such a hold on you," Vin said with a knowing glance over his shoulder at Pete.

"I had to," C
a
eli
responded
succinct
ly
.

"I know you did.
  And when you fell asleep, you
r
hand must have slipped into the fish tank.  C
a
eli, you have got to be more careful, at least until we find a solution."

"I'm not sorry that I helped him," C
a
eli
stated
.

"I know that, too.  It's who you are and part of what I love about you
.  Nonetheless
,
your generosity has all too often been to
your own detriment.  That's why I'm reminding you to be careful.
"
  Vin smiled at her.

"I will try, Vin.  I'm not entirely certain
how
, but I will try."

"
You have to
stay awake, pretty C
a
eli,
" Max's voice unexpectedly rang through both Vin and C
a
eli's minds.

They had already reached the end of the hall and turned to retrace their steps.  They were nearly halfway back when they heard Max's comment.  It stopped them in their tracks as they looked up to see Max staring at them from the chair C
a
eli left beside Pete earlier.

"
Max, when did you learn how to talk like this?
"  Vin
inquired silently
.

"
Pretty C
a
eli showed me how in the cave
.  I didn't know that you could do it, too, Mr. Vin.  Isn't it fun?
"

Vin looked over at C
a
eli for confirmation.  She just shrugged.  C
a
eli had not given much thought to it at the time.  She was merely curious about Max's ability to hear her silent conversation.  She did not consider whether or not he could initiate such conversations himself.

"
Yes
, Max
,
it is fun;
but it's
also
a secret
.  Thank you
for your suggestion.  Now,
you know
it
i
s not polite to listen to the
private
conversations of other people.  So don't do it again, ok?
"
Vin replied without a spoken word to Max.

"
We appreciate the help. 
Thank you, Max,
" C
a
eli added to soften Vin's reprimand.

"He's right, you know.  Do you think you can stay awake until dinner is ready?"

"Not if I sit down
again
.  I'm
too
tired
," C
a
eli
readily
admitted.

"Salma," Vin called as they returned to the lounge.  Salma walked over to meet them in front of the wicker sofa where C
a
eli recently rest
ed
.

"
Is e
verything ok?"  Salma asked.

"
Yes, f
or now.  We need your help though," Vin s
aid
.

"
What kind of h
elp
?"

"C
a
eli needs to stay awake until dinner.  Do you have any ideas on how we might accomplish that?" 

"No problem.  You go on back to the kitchen, and I
wi
ll see to it."

Salma immediately took charge of C
a
eli, shooing Vin off after C
a
eli reached out and stole a
nother
parting kiss from him.  It tempted her to another
pleasing
way that she might stay awake
. 
Vin
had alre
ady put the brakes on that once, but
s
he
still
felt
a strong desire to be close to him.

"Stop that!  I can see the notion written clearly on your face.  It m
ight keep you awake for a
while, but you would sleep all the
more soundly
and be in worse shape afterward.  I have a better idea," Salma interrupted C
a
eli's happy thoughts
as she watched Vin walk away
.

"Better?  Not likely, but probably more practical.  What is your idea?"  C
a
eli grinned as she permitted Salma to lead her into the corner beyond
the sofa
.

"
I want you to w
alk.  I noticed this treadmill in her
e
before.  Set it to the lowest walking speed and no incline.  This way you will be up and moving, but won't actually be doing anything strenuous," Salma explained.

"That doesn't sound too bad."  C
a
eli stepped on the treadmill and adjusted the settings appropriately.

"
And there is o
ne more thing, Dear. 
I want you to use t
hose
wrist
straps on the front bar.  They will hold
you up in case you fall
.  In your case, I think it's a wise precaution.
  Look, there are even headphones so you can listen to music.
"

C
a
eli
placed the headphones over her ears, fastened the straps to her wrists, and
started walking
at a
very slow
pace. 
Salma sat down in
C
a
eli's
former spot on the sofa
so she could keep an eye on her
.  Max came over an
d
sat on Salma's lap
.

It was a
nother thirty minutes before dinner was finally ready.  After Vin set the table, Apela and Ben began to serve the food.  Vin w
as going
over to
get
C
a
eli
off the treadmill
, but Max asked if he could
bring
her to
dinner
. 
W
hile everyone else
took their places, Max went to retrieve C
a
eli.  Vin stood beside his chair waiting for her while he got an update from Maku about his festival contest.

"
Pretty C
a
eli, d
inner's ready. 
Mr. Vin said
I
can
be your date," Max tugged on the hem of C
a
eli's blouse.

C
a
eli did not respond.  Max pulled a chair over and lifted one of the headphones off her ear and repeated his meal call.  C
a
eli still did not respond.  She kept walking.  Max held on to the back of the chair and leaned around to look at C
a
eli's face.  His little brow wrinkled in confusion as he climbed down from the chair.

"
Come to the water's edge.  We can talk this out.  It doesn't have to be this way.  We can be civil.
"

"
I am not listening to you.  Go away and leave me in peace.
"