by Lela Grayce
Everyone looked dazed, especially Brayson, who shook his head to clear it then realized I was no longer in his grasp but several feet away. Disbelief was written on his face, followed swiftly by a hate-filled rage. He lunged for me. His scowl promised pain and retribution.
Before I could do anything, Eian suddenly blocked the path to me. Attention diverted from me to Eian as Brayson pulled his arm back, hand fisted and ready to punch. A scream welled up in my throat, but I sat there as I watched Eian dodge the punch and step into Brayson, delivering a hard punch to his gut. Eian grabbed a fist full of shirt, pulling Brayson up to meet another punch, this time aimed at his jaw. Eian’s aim was true and Brayson dropped heavily to the ground, unconscious.
I stared at Brayson, but he didn’t move. Slowly, I looked around and saw that Nuri was on the bank, now standing between us and the rest of the force that Brayson brought with him. They all glanced uncertainly from horse-Nuri to Eian and me and back again. A sound between a growl and a hiss came from Nuri and they all turned to run away cowardly, leaving their leader passed out on the cold bank.
Kaelyn and Jonavan had been dropped unceremoniously on the ground. Kaelyn crawled over to Jonavan and carefully checked him over. From what I saw, he was pretty beaten up. My heart hurt for him, because he was injured trying to help Kaelyn and me. It didn’t excuse his past behavior, but it was a step in the right direction.
“Elara,” a voice said from beside me. Turning, I saw Eian kneeling next to me and watching me. “Are you alright?” His slightly accented voice was a balm to me.
Nodding, I shakily pushed my tangled hair away from my face and looked him over. “How are you here?” I sniffled, sounding pitiful even to my own ears. “I thought it was dangerous for anyone besides a kelpie to cross worlds.”
“Nuri brought me here. He showed up in my village and told me you needed help. If brought by a kelpie there doesn’t seem to be any ill effects crossing worlds, I didn’t hesitate despite the risks.” He smirked.
I tried to smile back, but the sharp pain in my cheek reminded me that smiling wasn’t a good idea. At my grimace, Eian’s hand gently cupped my cheek as he looked at it intently. “He did this.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
His jaw clenched at my small nod and made to pull away. I quickly placed my hand over his on my cheek, bringing his attention back to me. “Thank you for coming,” I whispered as tears blazed a trail down my cheeks.
“I’ll always come for you,” Eian said, wiping away my tears.
I scooted toward him, needing his comforting touch. My arms went around his waist and I rested my uninjured cheek against his chest. Eian’s big arms wound around my waist, pulling me closer against him. More tears escaped as he held me gently and safely in his arms.
After a couple of deep breaths, I leaned away from his chest and looked up into his beautiful eyes. “What now?” I asked.
Lifting a hand, Eian gently moved a stray strand of hair behind my ear and stared into my eyes. “I don’t know, Elara. All I know is that I can’t bear the thought of leaving you. Not after this, not ever.”
“I’m broken, Eian. On the inside. I’m sure you don’t want to deal with my shattered heart,” I replied, finally giving voice to my fears. “I don’t know if my heart will ever heal, or if you’d even want it once it does.”
Leaning his forehead against mine, Eian held me to him for several long moments before kissing my forehead. “I’m not going anywhere, Elara,” he whispered, trailing kisses down to my cheek. “I’ll hold the shattered pieces together and help you heal. You already have my heart and everything that I am.”
“I don’t know how long it’ll be until I’m whole again, Eian. It’s not fair to ask you to wait.”
“Then don’t ask. Just know that I won’t leave you. I’ll always be here for you.”
If I was truly honest with myself, I did know. Deep down inside, I knew that he wouldn’t leave me. Eian was someone I could lean on, his gentleness and confident strength made me feel safe, protected. I knew that together we would not only weather any storm but conquer it.
Epilogue
~*~Nuri~*~
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Earth was a strange place, filled with noises and scents that were unfamiliar. I was watching over Elara’s friends and the unconscious human man as he lay sprawled across the embankment. My hackles rose at the sight of him and rage bubbled in my veins. My instincts were to drag him to the water using fang and fin, and pull him down to the dark depths never to be seen again. The act would be simple; but ridding the worlds of this inner darkness driving its need for violence into mortal men, would be more difficult. I fought against it, however, knowing my friend would not want me to end a life even if it was what he deserved.
Eian and Elara were having a much-needed moment together, figuring out the obstacles they now faced. I could give my friends that.
Elara’s woman-friend Kaelyn, was eyeing me, staying close to the side of the other unconscious human. Her mannerisms were decidedly protective. There was a hard glint in her eye and I recognized it as the stare of a warrior, one who had seen many battles; a fighter. She did not seem alarmed seeing me in my current state, but rather calculating.
The strange noises in the distance were still there, pulsing and whirring in an annoying jumble. I shuffled my weight from side to side, trying to ease the discomfort in my overly sensitive ears as my fins snapped in the cool breeze. A noise nearby alerted me and I flicked my ears in its direction, pausing to filter and isolate the sound.
Huffing loudly through my nose, I looked over my shoulder to meet the green eyes of my longtime friend. Stamping my hoof once and flicking my ears in the direction the noise was coming from was the only signal Eian needed to lift Elara easily and approach me.
“Someone approaching,” he said, more for Elara’s benefit then his. “We should get in the water.” I nodded my head in affirmation.
Cautiously, I approached Kaelyn and her unconscious charge, making my movements slow and deliberate. She watched my approach, never diverting her attention away from me. When I was close enough, I lowered my head, bringing one of my eyes closer to hers. We stared for a handful of heartbeats, then my jaws snapped and my fangs hooked into the soft material of the man’s clothing. Backing toward the water, I dragged him along until my hind legs touched the rippling water.
Drawing power, I shifted to my human form to easily drag the man’s body further into the water after me. The coolness drew a grunt from his still form, but he settled once I changed the temperature of the water.
“Can you heal him, Nuri? Like you did my wrist,” Elara asked, standing in the water once more, but still in the circle of Eian’s arms.
“He has been badly injured. I will do what I can, but first we need to deal with whoever is approaching,” I replied, standing to put myself ahead of the others as to be the first to meet the threat.
“Kaelyn, I promise I will explain everything, but first we need to deal with this and you need to get in the water,” Elara said to her friend.
I had to give the human woman credit, she didn’t hesitate before stepping into the water. I quickly changed the water’s temperature as not to cause her undo distress and I noticed her eyes widen slightly before she hurried over to her floating charge.
I closed my eyes, reaching deep inside myself to the part of me I rarely ventured to. I delved into the brightness of the light within me. I drew it up and out, watching with my mind’s eye as it pulsed, changing color from a silvery white to a yellow-green that matched my eye color perfectly. Once it was pooled in my hand, I opened my eyes and flung my pooled essence into the water with a request to hide us and to heal those who were wounded.
Water responded to my request without hesitation, just as the branches from the path parted and a man stepped out onto the bank. He spotted the prone form of Brayson and approached him cautiously while studying the surrounding area. He then bent down and put his hand on Brayson’s throat.
>
From the corner of my eye, I saw Eian holding a huddled Elara close to his chest as his other hand grasped a glowing soul spear. Slowly, he angled it toward the strange man, readying it to attack if needed. The threat of an attack had my fangs elongated in preparation of the coming conflict. I drew power from water and held it within my core, ready to shift into my larger form in an instant.
Finished with Brayson, the man stood slowly before making his way to the bank closest to where Eian was standing. He gazed toward the falls, the gathered darkness hiding his features from view as I carefully made my way toward him, determined that I should be the first to defend my friends. As I passed, Eian angled his body protectively, putting himself and his spear between the intruder and Elara.
The man suddenly crouched, his hand reaching into the water. The instant his skin made contact with water, awareness bombarded me, making me freeze in my tracks, my brain trying to make sense of the information flowing toward me.
“Water never lies,” the man whispered, turning until he was facing me with a glowing trident appearing in his hand. “Especially to a child of water, kelpie.”
Before Eian or I could react or even breathe, Elara gasped aloud. I looked over my shoulder to see her stare at the man with disbelief written clearly on her face. “Dad?”
The man froze, his gaze fixed behind me, “Elara?” he asked incredulously. He took several steps into the water before stopping and staring at Elara, who was still in Eian’s arms. “Graicen?”
Eian visibly stiffened, his eyes widening in surprise. “That’s my father’s name.”
To be continued…
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Thank you so much for reading Child Of Water, A Lunar Medallion Short. If you have enjoyed it, please show your support by leaving a review. Just visit my Amazon Author page: Lela Grayce
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The story will continue this summer with Child of Earth!
In the meantime, I have included the first chapter to Areion, The Lunar Medallion Book 1, as a thank you for reading Child of Water. I hope you enjoy it!
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AREION SNEAK PEEK
I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Areion, the first book in the Lunar Medallion Series, available now on Kindle and Kindle unlimited.
CHAPTER 1
~ Wendy ~
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Blistering cold spreads throughout my body, chasing the warmth away until it has consumed me. I can’t move. The cold has frozen everything, even my will to fight. Mind-numbing fear follows close behind, silencing my scream that desperately wants to escape.
Darkness surrounds me, thick and pungent with the stench of rot and blood. Panic threatens, followed swiftly by hysteria as my body remains locked in its frozen embrace, ignoring my frantic inner pleas for it to move. To do something, anything. Still, I remain petrified with fear. Shadows shift around me, undulating and swirling as I struggle to breathe.
In the darkness, an indiscernible figure slowly takes shape until it stands before me. Horror grips me as I realize that the form doesn’t have a head. My screams are silent, and I watch as the thing gradually becomes clearer and sharper, before turning and stalking toward me.
It stops five feet from me, its mannerisms indicating that it’s studying me. My mind whimpers as the oppressive darkness pauses in its swirling, as if waiting for a signal from the monster. It doesn’t give a sign or gesture at all. It simply opens its eyes. Two blood-red eyes blink open, right where its heart should be.
My fear spikes, and white spots dance in my periphery as my heart begins to race, beating so erratically that my breaths can’t keep up, and hyperventilation closes in. Right before I lose consciousness, something inside me snaps. Feeling rushes back into my body with the force of a freight train. I manage to suck in a shallow breath before the word ‘RUN’ echoes around me, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Turning, I plunge into the thick blackness, gasping for air that doesn’t freeze inside my lungs. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I get my wobbly legs under me, willing them to go faster, to get me away from the monster with its unnatural red eyes.
Bursting from the dark oppressive cloud, I don’t stop to enjoy or even marvel at the warmth of the air around me. I run as hard and as fast as my legs will carry me. Fear gives my legs and body the motivation it needs. Trees whip by me, their branches battering my body from all sides as I pass. I barely feel their stinging cuts; my only objective is to get as far from whatever that thing was as quickly as possible.
A tree root snags my foot and I tumble through bushes and other unseen vegetation. Ignoring the scrapes and the throbbing pain radiating from my ankle, I hurriedly stumble forward. I turn my head, searching the moonlit forest for a sign of the roiling darkness. Nothing is moving, but the memory of the red-eyed horror spurs me onward.
I pick up my pace, determined to outrun whatever is chasing me. Turning forward, I run into something solid. Arms wrap around me, trapping me before I can fall back. A scream builds in my throat as the arms tighten and fear courses through me anew. Looking up to face this new threat, I prepare myself to fight as hard as I can to save myself. The moon casts its glow on a man’s face, his green eyes scanning mine urgently. When our eyes meet, goosebumps erupt and warmth rushes through my body. I gasp as the sensations bombard my already-heightened senses. My knees weaken, threatening to give out under the onslaught of emotions. The arms tighten around me and draw me in. I don’t fight it; I just keep staring into the impossibly-green eyes, knowing that if they look away all is lost. They blink, changing from green to a dark, rich amber.
I jolt awake, gasping as the brightness of the morning sun sears my eyes. I gulp in air and try to slow my frantically beating heart. I keep my eyes open, fearing the darkness lurking behind them. It was a dream. Just a dream, I chant to myself, breathing deeply.
I glance around, trying to find something to distract me and chase away the lingering terror. The room used to be a loft but has been transformed into something bigger, befitting two teenage girls.
A loud snort startles me, and I shriek, grasping the blankets as though they could somehow protect me. Realizing where the sound originated has me shaking my head in disbelief. My twin sister DeeDee is sprawled across her bed, her dark hair fanned out across her pillow. I study her for a couple of moments before turning to my bedside table and reaching for the notebook and pen sitting there.
The dreams started almost a year ago. In the beginning, they were good dreams involving my sister, friends, and family; lately, they’ve turned into something darker. I open the pad and flip to the last entry. There isn’t much written there, just feelings and impressions. When the darker dreams started, I tried putting my fears into words on paper, but the details of the dreams would slip from my memory. The harder I try to hold on, the faster they slip from my grasp. The only thing that I can remember with startling clarity is a flash of dark amber eyes.
I rest the pen on the paper, trying to recall the dream, but I can already feel it slipping away. I grasp it and try to remember what was in that roiling darkness, what creature had scared me so completely that I woke close to hysterics. The image doesn’t come. I try in vain to remember anything, but just like every other time I try to write down my dreams, they fade away like they were never there.
Annoyed and disappointed, I glance at the wall, my focus determinedly turned toward the dream. Taking a deep, steadying breath, I close my eyes; the darkness is there, but nothing else. No memory floats to the surface. No fear or emotion of any kind.
A sigh escapes as I opened my eyes once more and glance at the pad. Words are scrawled across the page. The same ones are written on the previous pages, ones I don’t remember writing. Instead of chilling me to the bone, they strangely comfort me.
The moon is calling. Trust the darkness as i
f it were the light. Embrace fear and it will lead you home.
The words are just as confusing now as they were the first time I wrote them. It’s comforting that they haven’t changed, but the meaning behind the words confuses and frustrates me.
I shake my head, already done with the day, and turn to place the pad and pen to my bedside table, glancing at the digital clock. Then, I do a double take. It’s my birthday. Well, I guess it’s our birthday, but it’s not just any birthday. This is the dawning of another year around the sun.
Excitement bubbles, and I wiggle a bit while sitting in bed. Throwing back the covers, I hop out of bed and take an extra minute to pull the covers back into place, so my bed’s ready for the night to come. DeeDee makes fun of me for making my bed even though I’m going to mess it up again. It’s just what I’ve always done.
I grab some clothes from my well-organized closet, then head for the bathroom. A nice hot shower will be an amazing way to start the day. I can’t remember why I woke up so glum. Today’s my birthday, and no one should be down on their birthday.
The shower was just what I needed to wake up further. I can’t wait to get the day started. This is a milestone birthday; turning eighteen is a rite of passage into adulthood. My sister and I could legally purchase tobacco products, not that either of us would. Well, DeeDee might just for the thrill of it, or whatever it was she got out of it.
DeeDee is the opposite of me in every way. She is unorganized, messy, and has a habit of forgetting to floss her teeth then getting annoyed when I remind her. It’s a constant battle, but one that I appreciate almost as much as it aggravates me. She is a full two minutes older than me. She definitely doesn’t act like the older sibling, though. If anything, I act like the elder of the duo. Well, maybe not the elder so much as the more mature one.
