Water House

by Shelly Jarvis

  Cool fingers of air tickled against her arms from the real forest on her right, or at least, what was left of it. There was a bare spot of ground singed black that looked as if fire had ravaged the land but had somehow been contained in a single, perfect ring. Nothing else about this place seemed strange and Ros wondered how many people had passed it without realizing there was anything unusual happening here.

  “He’s not here,” Cassian whispered.

  “He is,” Ombretta said. “I don’t know where, but I feel his presence.”

  Ros couldn’t see or feel anything regarding Gaius from between the layers of real and illusion. She thought she might be able to, that some part of him had been leftover when the darkness had filled her and she had felt what it was like to be him, but perhaps not.

  “What happens now?” she asked.

  Cassian shrugged, but Ombretta said, “We can hide here for a while, but probably not long. He might already know we’re here.”

  “There’s no point in hiding,” Cassian said. “Let’s do what we came here to do.”

  Before Ombretta or Ros could reply, Cassian stepped through the layers into the blackened circle of the forest. Ros stared after him, her eyes transfixed on him as black electricity sparked all around him.

  “He’s okay. The Cradle is reacting to his magic, that’s all,” Ombretta breathed.

  Ros wasn’t sure if her words were meant to comfort Ros or herself. Ros didn’t think it worked for either of them, as both of them stared after Cassian. He walked to the center of the ring and spun in a circle, his arms outstretched. “Gaius! Show yourself!”

  Black mist rose from the ground, creeping around Cassian’s ankles. It swirled together a few feet from him, coalescing into a black fog resembling the form of a man’s shadow. Ros was almost certain she heard the semblance of a laugh coming from the darkness just before it rasped, “I wasn’t sure you’d figure it out, hollow boy. You’ve always been a little slow.”

  “And you’ve always been a little cruel. Some things remain the same.”

  “Soft-hearted Cas. You’ll never change, will you? I thought you might grow up a bit when you didn’t have to linger in my shadow any longer, but I see that’s not the case.”

  “Growing up and growing callous are different things, brother.”

  Gaius laughed again. “Spoken like the weakling you are. Tell me, are you still suckling at Mother’s teat, too? I know she’s here.”

  Ombretta’s hand grasped Rosalinde’s wrist, her nails biting into the soft flesh, as she whispered, “Stay here. No matter what happens, you need to remain hidden, Your Highness.”

  And then she stepped out into the circle with her sons.

  Ros watched her go, her insides quaking at the words Ombretta had spoken. There was a strange protectiveness in her tone that Ros hadn’t expected. It was nice, but her words contradicted the plan they’d put in place before they’d left Night house—the plan that involved all of them banding together as one.

  “I’m here, my son,” Ombretta said as she moved closer to Gaius.

  “Well, well, well, the witch makes her appearance. I wasn’t sure you were brave enough to face me, after everything you did.”

  Ombretta nodded. “I deserve your scorn, Gaius. I failed you. But your brother has done nothing wrong.”

  “He was born. That alone is an affront to me.”

  “Why?” Cassian asked. “You’ve hated me as long as I can remember, and I’ve never understood, since you were as necessary to me as the sun for a flower.”

  Gaius moved around the circle, adjusting his position so he wasn’t stuck between Cassian and Ombretta. For a moment Ros was sure he wouldn’t answer his brother, but then he said, “I didn’t hate you at first. I wanted to be a good big brother, teach you about your gift and the world. But it became clear early on that you and I were meant to be rivals, not friends.”

  “I never felt that way,” Cassian said.

  “Because it isn’t true,” Ombretta said.

  “Come now, Mother. You know what you did, setting us against one another.”

  “That was in your head—”

  “No it wasn’t!” he yelled, cutting her off. “You must’ve known what would happen when you were choosing our fathers, how we would differ, how your love for us would be different.”

  Ombretta shook her head. “I loved you both. You were different, yes, but that didn’t alter my love for you.”

  The bitterness in Gaius’ tone was so thick it was nearly palpable. “You raised the darkness in me, Mother, but with him, you grew the light. There was never a doubt in my mind which of us you loved the most. But perhaps that’s because you could never look at me without seeing King Tancred.”

  Ros felt her stomach drop to her feet. No, she thought. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t mean…

  “I know you’re out there, sis. I feel your blood reaching for me,” Gaius said.

  “She’s not here,” Ombretta lied.

  The shadow-man ignored his mother’s words, speaking to Ros instead: “Do you feel it, Rosalinde? At your very core, you know I speak the truth.”

  “What are you talking about?” Cassian asked.

  “She and I share a father. His Blood magic runs through both of us. Ask her, brother,” Gaius said, turning to stare into the exact spot where Ros was hiding. He seemed to look through the illusion, his gaze meeting hers. “She knows.”

  And it was true. She wasn’t sure how she didn’t realize it before, how she didn’t sense the same blood running through both of them. But now that she did, she couldn’t deny it: Gaius was her half-brother, just as he was also Cassian’s. So what did that mean for them?

  Chapter 35

  Despite Ombretta’s warning, Rosalinde stepped through the layers into the Cradle. As soon as her foot touched the blackened earth, she gasped out her breath. It felt like someone was squeezing the air from her lungs while holding her under water, drowning her with magic that didn’t belong to her.

  She scratched at her throat, fingers clawing at a force that wasn’t there as she sucked in a thin trickle of air. Ros watched through watering eyes as Cassian and Ombretta exchanged confused glances, neither knowing what to do.

  Ros fell to her knees and her vision started to go black at the edges when she felt a hand on her shoulder and a voice by her ear whispered, “Breathe, sister. Take in the Night magic. You belong here.”

  Ros shook her head. She didn’t belong here. She was a Water Elementalist.

  “We share the same blood—blood that forms half of a Night mage’s powers. Let go of what you think you’re supposed to be and embrace the other powers that can be yours. Night magic is already in your blood. You can control it.”

  She fell forward, catching herself on her hands before her face hit the ground. She heard Cassian’s voice, but it was from such a faraway place. Gaius, though, his voice was so close it might as well have been her own. “I can help you, but I’ll have to leave a little of my essence attached to your body.”

  “No,” she croaked. “Not again.”

  “You’re going to die if I don’t.”

  She heard the truth in his words. Though there was no reason to trust him after all that had happened, and she couldn’t begin to understand why he wanted to help her, Ros still knew he was giving her the only option for survival.

  “Do it,” she mouthed.

  Gaius cupped her cheek in his strange, shadow-hand. His thumb traced the corner of her lip and she felt a tiny part of the darkness seep into her mouth. Even in her rattled state, even knowing that he was her half-brother, it was still the most invasive thing that had ever happened to her. It was somehow worse than when he’d taken over her body before, and all she could think was that it was this or die. Part of her wanted to choose the latter.

  But her ragged breathing ceased. Air filled her lungs once more. Rosalinde’s vision cleared and she could see the specks of long-dead embers clenched in her hands as she pushed herself up. As
she stood, she looked at Cassian, Ombretta, and finally, Gaius. “Thank you.”

  He nodded. “A one-time kindness, Princess. You’ll get no further courtesy from me.”

  “Still, I’m grateful,” she said.

  Gaius stepped away from her then, edging towards the center of the circle as the others moved towards her. Cassian reached her first, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

  Ros nodded. “Thanks to Gaius.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ombretta said as she joined them. “I didn’t anticipate the magic reacting like that.”

  “Why did it?” Cassian asked.

  “Enough of this,” Gaius said, drawing their attention. “You’re here to defeat me, aye? Let’s do it then.”

  Ombretta took a single step towards him, her face wearing the last bit of hope she had for her oldest son. “Gaius, please. It doesn’t have to be like this. We can figure out a way to bring you back.”

  “Why would I want that? I was a weak, hurting husk of a man. Now though, I’m powerful. Nothing holds me back.”

  “You need a body,” Ros said, dredging up everything she knew of Gaius and his magic. “Without it, you’re not at full power.”

  “There are plenty of bodies for the taking. Though if you’re offering, yours fit rather well. Even better than Cassian’s does.”

  “What are you talking about?” Cassian asked.

  Gaius laughed. “I’ve hitched a ride on you a few times.”

  “We can find a way for you to have a body of your own,” Ombretta said, still trying to win him over.

  “Whatever you’re searching for, Ombretta, it isn’t there. The part of me that was loyally devoted to you was sloughed away with my mortal flesh.”

  “I don’t want your devotion, son. I want a relationship with you, a chance to love you.”

  Gaius threw his hands above his head and a black circle of smoke surrounded him, crackling with energy. “That sounds truly dreadful. I’d rather fight.”

  A spear of shadow shot from his hands. Ombretta dived out of the way, but just barely. The shadow caught the edge of her cloak, ripping it to shreds.

  He flung his other hand towards Cassian and dark tendrils slithered across the ground, faster than anything had any right to be. The shadow-snakes twisted around Cassian’s legs and pulled him to the ground.

  Ros looked to Gaius, horror clear in her expression. His face seemed brighter somehow, as if his violence brought him closer to life than mere shadow. Ros shuddered. If he was willing to do this to his mother and brother, to try to kill them, what would he be willing to do to her? What would become of Cassian?

  The thought sent fire through her blood. She would not let this thing hurt the man she loved. Ros reached for the magic inside her, flooding her senses with water and earth and power. She reached for the strength of her father and her mother, of her grandparents and those who came before them, of the long line of Elementalists whose powers had combined through the years to create everything she was.

  And she felt them. She was no longer just a Water Elementalist with a proficiency in Tsunami; no, Rosalinde Adara Managold touched Fire and Air, Earth, and Water, and even Night. She wasn’t a master of them like she was her own gift, but they were there if she needed them, tingling through her fingertips, begging to be used. She hoped the small part of Gaius left inside her couldn’t feel what she was about to do.

  “Gaius!” she yelled. “Stop this now.”

  His eyes shot up to hers, his lips curling in a sneer. “Stay out of this, little sister. I have no quarrel with you. At least, not today.”

  “Maybe not, but I have a quarrel with you. If you think I’m going to let you hurt them—”

  “Let me?” he interrupted, the word coming out with a laugh. “I’ve felt your power, Princess. You may be strong elsewhere, but you’re in my domain now. In the Night’s Cradle, you’re helpless against me.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Ros said.

  Chapter 36

  She flicked her wrists and flames shot up into her hand. There was a moment of confusion on Gaius’ face before she released the fireballs at him. Ros treasured that second, relishing the surprise even as he jumped out of the fire’s path. He landed on the ground a few feet from the shadowy circle that still hung in the air, and Ros suddenly realized he hadn’t created the ring of shadow suspended there, he was drawing from it.

  Before the revelation could fully sink in, she called upon the powers of Earth house. She’d seen her mother weave flowers and trees from nothing, so she let her memories fuel the magic coming from her now. It pulled at the dirt and roots under the Cradle, the things that had been there long before magic had corrupted this place, the things that would remain long after this place was gone. Roots and grass pushed their way through the blackened earth, answering her call. They tangled around his legs and feet, holding him in place.

  But the power of Earth house cannot hold a shadow and he slipped from its grasp like fingers trying to catch the breeze.

  Gaius reappeared to her left, saying, “How are you doing that?”

  The question surprised her. Not that he was curious, not that he was desperate to know, but that his voice was tinged with excitement. It was as if he was a child seeing magic for the first time.

  “Please,” he said, taking her pause as refusal to tell him. “I must know. I’ve never seen someone who could wield more than two gifts. I didn’t think it was possible.”

  Ros ignored his words and instead pushed her hands towards him, releasing a gust of air. It wasn’t strong like a real Air mage, but she could see the edges of his shadow body trailing away as the wind took hold, only to rejoin him after it passed.

  “Impossible,” he hissed.

  But she was out of tricks now. He was right in saying her water wouldn’t matter against him. Without calling it forth, she knew it might dissipate him for a moment like Air did, but it could do little more. There was only one thing left to do.

  Ros sucked in a deep breath as she focused her thoughts on her father. He was strong, his gift was powerful, and somehow, the Blood magic he used was tied to the Night. She let it build inside until it felt like her insides were boiling. When she called the dark into her hands, the blackness was tinged with blue, dancing in her hands like the flame had.

  “No,” he said. “I won’t let you have this, too.”

  She felt that tiny sliver of him wriggle free of her body. Gaius smiled then, expecting the darkness to fall from her hands, expecting her to fall to the ground under the weight of the Cradle’s magic as she had before. But she didn’t fall and the magic didn’t dissipate. He had taught her body how to survive in this place and now she could do it on her own.

  Ros threw her hands forward and watched the shadow bolts fly towards him. He dodged one, knocked another out of the way. He hadn’t seen her throw a third. It caught him square in the chest, the blue glow spreading out from the wound and taking over the darkness that formed him.

  Gaius backed up, returning to the smoke ring in the center of the Cradle, though his eyes never left the spear in his chest. He muttered, “This is nothing. I can fix this.”

  Just as he was about to step into the ring, Ombretta through herself into it instead. Gaius crashed into her, his darkness seeping into her skin as they met in the ring.

  “What happened?” Ros asked.

  “I’ve absorbed him,” Ombretta said through gritted teeth. “But I don’t know how long I can hold him.”

  “Release me,” a voice crackled through her throat.

  “Let him go and we’ll fight him together,” Cassian said.

  “No, I can’t risk it. I lost one son already, I won’t lose you, too.”

  “Mother, please,” Cassian begged.

  Ombretta’s arm flew forward, a ball of shadow forming at her fingertips. Her face was contorted in pain as she struggled against Gaius and his control over her body. With one desperate attempt to save the others, Ombretta said, “
Go.”

  She threw herself to the ground as her disobedient hand hurled the darkness at Ros. It was enough to change the trajectory of the magic, though it barely missed. Cassian’s arms were around her in an instant, pulling her through the bright colors of his teleportation and taking her away from the fight.

  They appeared beside her bedroom window. The shadows in her room were thick and heavy, but they were nothing compared to the true darkness she had just seen.

  Cassian’s hands dropped from her and he said, “I have to go back.”

  “I can help you.”

  “No,” he said. “I need you to be here, safe. But I have to see if I can rescue her. And maybe Gaius, too. I have to do this, even if there’s only a slight chance I can do something.”

  “I know,” she said, swallowing hard. “Be careful.”

  Cassian smirked. “Don’t worry, Princess. I will always return for you.”

  Tears sprang to Rosalinde’s eyes unbidden. There was so much still unsaid and no time to say it. There was one thing more important than anything else and she needed him to know. “Cassian, I—”

  But he was gone.

  She stood in her empty bedroom, her heart pounding, and she whispered into the darkness, “I love you.”

  Chapter 37

  Rosalinde stood from the tub and let droplets trail down her body. The foaming, scented water was filthy now, removing every trace of her time in the forest.

  Still, she couldn’t forget. The darkness. The surge of power. The hurt on Cassian’s face, the resolve in Ombretta’s eyes, when they faced Gaius. Rosalinde shivered. She couldn’t forget now, and she never would.

  Ros stepped on the plush carpet beside the basin and wrapped a robe around herself. She padded into the bedroom to get ready for the choosing ceremony. When she’d gone to speak with her mother last night, she wasn’t sure there would be a ceremony today. Her father was still missing and she was back to square one.