Seven smiled, but a twinge of sadness pulled at the corners of his mouth. “It was a long time ago. A story that takes much time to tell. Perhaps I will share it with you someday. For now, just know that I will do everything in my power to help you become the Aether.”
A lump formed in my throat. “What if I can’t do it? What if I’m not strong enough?” Seven and Chaos had fought beside true warriors. Gray was a legend who led our world out of darkness and into an age of light. I was just an ordinary witch with zero battle experience and no army.
“You sound like someone I know. She didn’t have an army in the beginning either. She built one from nothing. And it was the fiercest army any creature had ever seen. You can do the same. Just have faith. The gods will guide you.”
Maybe he was right. The gods had put him and Chaos in my path for a reason. They’d sworn to do anything to make me the Aether. I just still didn’t understand why it had to be me.
“Seven, tell me more about the Elemental Covens. About my family. My mother never liked to talk about them. I don’t know anything about where I came from.”
He sighed. “The Elementals were one entity once, but they split into four covens centuries ago and have been at odds with each other ever since. They fight amongst each other for power and control. And in their petty attempts to rule over each other, they lost sight of their purpose. The world moved on around them and they retreated into the shadows.”
“I don’t understand. What was their purpose?” None of it made sense to me.
Seven rose, walking over to one of the portholes, his gaze a million miles away. “They wanted to come out of the shadows. They wanted power. It’s complicated, Arya. I’m not exactly sure, but I think as punishment for their discord, the gods sent their ancestors, your ancestors, to Purgatory. They are trapped there for eternity without rest. Only an Aether can free them and restore the balance, the true Elemental purpose. But Echo wants to free them for different reasons. She wants to set them loose on the world. To claim this world for herself.”
A sickening sensation grew in my stomach. “So, my mother and father…they are in Purgatory?”
“Yes,” he whispered sullenly.
I clenched my fists into the bed sheets. “But they didn’t do anything. They wanted nothing to do with the Elementals. Why do they have to suffer for this?”
“Arya, it doesn’t work like that. The gods cursed your kind. All of your kind. So yes, even Elemental witches who want nothing to do with this war will still suffer the same fate.”
“So, it will happen to me too? If I die. I’m not going to Elysium. I’ll be in Purgatory with the others…trapped…forever.” It was hard to breathe. Like someone had just punched me in the gut. I hunched over, gasping, my vision blurred. Seven rushed to my side and propped me up, stroking my back.
Chaos flew down the stairs. “What did you tell her?”
Seven pulled me to my feet but kept an arm around my waist to steady me. “She has a right to know about her family. About Purgatory. She needs to know what she’s up against.”
Chaos shook his head as he paced around the cabin “This was a mistake. She’s not up for this. She’s not ready. This is going to be a disaster. I should just end this—”
“Do not finish that sentence. You trusted Gray to defeat Cerberus and she did. Now you must have some faith in Arya.” Seven’s grip tightened around my waist. Their voices were beginning to blur together as I struggled to grasp my cursed fate.
Chaos pounded his fist on the table. “That was different and you know it. She was different.”
“Don’t compare her to Gray. Arya is the Aether. You know what she will be capable of once her magic awakens. Sophia was right, you are always in such a hurry. Allow Arya to find her way instead of forcing her to,” Seven snapped.
Taking a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth, I wiped the remaining saliva from my lips. “Stop, both of you.”
Chaos veered toward me, stopping just mere inches from my face. “I’m sorry, Arya, but we don’t even know if your magic will awaken. This isn’t a game. Your life is at stake here.”
A rush of adrenaline spiked through my veins. I put my hands on his chest and allowed my breath to flow through. My fingers tingled as a cool wind fluttered out of them and into his flesh. He widened his eyes and took a step back. I drew in another breath and pulled him back toward me like a magnet. His chest hardened underneath my hands, cold like steel. He grabbed my wrists and squeezed. I let out a deep breath and released him.
He hunched over and gasped for air. “What—what was that?”
I kneeled down to look him in the eye. “A reminder not to write me off just yet.”
“I told you she was ready,” Seven asserted.
Chaos was not amused. He straightened up, pinching his shoulders back and puffing out his chest. “How long have you been hiding that trick, Arya?”
I stuck out my chin. “It wasn’t a trick. It’s magic. My magic. Look, things have changed. Three days ago, all I wanted was to fit in, to belong somewhere. That will never happen if I let Echo succeed. I have to free my parents. I have to free all of them. I don’t want to end up in Purgatory. That can’t be my fate.”
“You’re not alone anymore, Arya. I’m sorry if I sounded harsh, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. You are too…important.” His voice trailed off into a whisper.
So he did care? “I appreciate your concern, but I have been alone much of my life. I’ve made it this far. I know this isn’t going to be easy. I know that I will have to fight like I’ve never fought before. But I’m willing to give it everything I have. If the alternative is me dying anyway and ending up in limbo for eternity, then what have I got to lose?”
“She makes an excellent point, Chaos.”
Chaos looked back and forth between us, his breath heavy. “I can’t argue with that. Whatever you wish to do, little one…whatever you wish.”
I raised an eyebrow, not yet convinced that he was going to give in this easily. “So…we’re cool? You aren’t going to keep arguing with me about it?”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Your mind is clearly made up. It’s not my duty to change it. I came here to protect you and that is what I intend to do.”
Seven clapped his hands together in delight. “Good. It’s settled then. Now come up and get some of New Orleans’ finest coffee with chicory. I picked it up at Café du Monde last time I was there. I just brewed a fresh batch.” Pleased with himself, he motioned for us to follow as he flew up the stairs toward the top level of the ship.
I started after him when Chaos stepped in front of me. “No matter what happens, I will not let you end up in Purgatory. I promise.”
His gaze burned into mine and for a split second, he looked like he feared me. I placed my hand on his chest and he flinched. “Relax, I’m not going to freeze your lungs again… Thank you for being here. I know I wasn’t exactly your first choice for this task.”
My heart skipped from the heat of his hand over mine as he clutched it to his chest. He lowered his eyes. “You have no idea what I want… But it doesn’t matter. It’s not about me, or us. A god doesn’t get the luxury of wanting things.”
My pulse raced as the heat from his touch intensified and spread through my body. His heart beat fast under the weight of my palm. “Maybe some rules are meant to be broken.”
He smirked. “Maybe.”
A tingle ran up my spine. The space between us was nearly non-existent. The close proximity stirred a longing in me that I had tried not to think about. A flicker of mischief passed through his eyes as he leaned in closer. “We should probably go find Seven before he overdoses on caffeine.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “We should.” But I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He licked his lips as he looked at me. Neither of us made any attempt to move.
Eight
My breath quickened as Chaos inched toward me, lightly pressing his body against mine. “After
you,” he whispered. He grazed his lips against my cheek, stirring a subtle breeze in my ear.
Lingering in the stairwell, beads of sweat trickled down my back. I was now completely pressed up against the wooden railing, his hands flat against the wall on either side of me.
I racked my brain for words, for my voice, for basic motor functions. “I—I am pretty thirsty…”
His gaze searched mine, hungry, the muscle in his jaw tightening. As he lowered his lips toward mine, my breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded.
Heavy footsteps came toward us, shaking us apart. Chaos jumped back, breathless, his chest heaving. My mouth was dry, lips trembling.
Seven poked his head down the stairwell. “Still waiting on you two. The coffee’s getting cold up here.” He chuckled, seeming oblivious to the fact that we were having a moment.
Chaos ran a hand through his dark hair. “Another time, perhaps.” And with that he charged up the stairs ahead of me.
I let out a huge breath and sank back against the wall. This dance we were doing was making me crazy. Why couldn’t I resist him? Sure, I’d had crushes before, but not like this. This was different. I wanted him. Bad. But I still couldn’t help but wonder if he was just toying with me. He got under my skin and he knew it. I think he took some sort of small pleasure in unhinging me.
I dragged my feet up the stairs. The cool ocean air was a welcome relief. Chaos was brooding again, staring out into the sea like he was a million miles away. Seven handed me a steaming mug of chicory coffee and clanked his into mine. “We’ll be back in Scotland soon. If all goes as planned, by this time tomorrow, you will have control of the sea.”
He seemed so confident in my abilities. More confident than I was at the moment. Would it be that easy? Like flipping a switch? “Only one way to find out, I guess.”
The wind picked up as Seven’s ship thrust forward with the speed and force of a hurricane. A magical ship was taking me to a place called the Fairy Pools so I could awaken my ancestral magic and become the Aether…but all I could think about now was how I almost kissed Chaos.
The water shimmered—iridescent, with the last of the remaining sunlight casting a kaleidoscope of pinks, golds, and lavender hues across the surface. We glided over it and into a mossy cove that seemed to appear out of nowhere, tucked away and out of immediate sight.
There were places of power on this planet that could not be seen by the human eye. Places like Sophia’s costume shop in New York. Places like the Fairy Pools. They were made for creatures like us, existing only for those who possessed magic.
A thick fog covered the beach, but I could still make out a gathering of wispy figures, cloaked and hooded. The sun was just beginning to set behind them—bright shades of orange, purple, and gold glittered the sky.
My stomach was in knots. Doubts and questions swirled through my mind. Would I be able to pull this off? Would they accept me here? I was going behind Echo’s back. Whose side were the Nixies on?
Seven docked the ship inside a massive cavern cloaking us from any potential passerby. Echo had her spies out looking for me, so we couldn’t take any chances of being spotted.
The cloaked figures waited in stillness, their faces now illuminated by the light of a dozen torches as the sun disappeared into the horizon. The Nixies. Their eyes glowed a muted gray with flecks of blue, reflecting the pool of water that surrounded them. From a distance it looked like they were floating. I squinted through the thick mist that settled around them and could barely make out a thin wooden bridge. It was the only way through.
The mist surrounded us. A sweet cloying mist that felt like velvet against my skin. A white-haired Nixie glided forward, her eyes now changed to a deep shade of emerald green.
Seven reached for her and they embraced. “Luna. You look enchanting as ever. How long has it been?”
Luna flashed a coy smile. “Long enough. We have missed you.” She seductively swept her hair to the side, revealing a white serpent sliding around her neck. It coiled around her like a necklace.
The mist began to evaporate, and all of the Nixies came into full view, each with their very own serpent, their eyes still glowing, yet changing colors right before us.
Luna’s gaze landed on me. “Who do we have here? One of Echo’s little followers? I could smell the wind on her before you even docked.”
Seven stepped back, presenting me to them in full view. “This is Arya Frost.”
Luna’s serpent raised its head, hissing at me. “I knew it. A Sylph witch.”
Seven raised his hand like a white flag in a plea for calmness. “Yes, and she’s also a Nixie, a Seraphine, and a Dryad… She is Gaia’s daughter.”
A collection of gasps rang out amongst the curious Nixies. Luna’s eyes widened as she stepped toward me to get a closer look. “The Aether,” she whispered.
Chaos placed a protective hand on the small of my back. “Almost an Aether. That’s why we’re here.”
The warmth of his hand did little to calm my nerves, but I welcomed the gesture. Luna’s serpent darted back and forth in front of her, slithering around her neck like it was in a state of panic. My heart was beating so fast, I wondered if everyone could hear it.
Luna narrowed her eyes at Seven. “Explain yourself.”
He lifted his chin to meet her gaze. It was only then that I realized that Luna was about an inch and a half taller than him. “Arya’s magic lies dormant. We need you to help her awaken it.”
She looked back toward her coven, surveying them, seemingly aware of what was at stake. “I see. And why should I? What good will come from it?”
I had been holding my tongue for too long. “I’m going to unite the covens and free the ancestors from Purgatory. Send them to Elysium where they belong and end their suffering.”
Luna jerked her head back around, her lips pursed as if I had just slapped her in the face. “You? Don’t be ridiculous. Our covens have been at war with each other for centuries. You are what? Twenty-one years old? Echo will eat you alive.”
“This coming from a coven leader who hides on an island and plays with snakes. At least Arya is trying to fight back,” Chaos snapped.
“I fought my battles with Echo and lost. She wants only one thing—to turn us into slaves. She wants every creature and human to do her bidding. If she succeeds in freeing the ancestors, they will help her do that. This island is the only safe place we have left.”
Seven gently squeezed her hand. “Luna, my darling, we aren’t going to let that happen. That is why you need to help Arya. You know who she is. What she is. The power that lies within her. Once she becomes the Aether, you will never have to fear Echo again.”
I hoped he was right. Pissing off a coven full of snake charmers wasn’t exactly at the top of my list of things to do. Chaos’ fingers flexed and I realized his hand was still on my back.
I stepped forward, putting distance between us. “Luna, I don’t blame you for having your doubts. I had my own just less than twenty-four hours ago, but after everything I’ve learned about my family, about my heritage, I know now that this is the way it was always meant to be. I didn’t think I belonged anywhere until Chaos showed up at my door. Now I know what my purpose is. Help me. What have you really got to lose?” I surprised myself by my newfound confidence. Maybe it was Chaos’ effect on me, or the sweet mist permeating my lungs, but I actually believed what I was saying.
Luna took in a deep breath after a long pause. “You have courage. I’ll give you that. Maybe that is all that is needed. Very well. Come with me. Let us see what you’re made of.”
I glanced over at Seven in time to see him throw me a wink. Chaos nudged me forward as Luna and her coven of Nixies traveled deeper into the mist-covered beach.
The Fairy Pools were a series of caves, filled with colorful ponds of water. Colors I never knew water could be. Each cave was a different shade. The pink waters were calm, exuding more of that sweet mist. The lavender pools bubbled and steamed like bo
iling water. We passed pools of red that moved thick like lava, and streams of light turquoise green that swished and swirled like a tidal wave. The caves themselves were lined with smooth polished rock; traces of emerald-green jade and yellow citrine peeked out from between the cracks.
We made our way into the last and largest cave through a maze of narrow tunnels, a wide-open cavern, dripping in moss. Snow-white pools, thick like buttermilk, surrounded us on all sides. The dampness in the air clung to my skin the way seafoam sticks to the sides of a ship.
Dozens of Nixies flittered about. Some bathed in the pools while others stretched out their goddess-like bodies across limestones and lily pads. Their idle chit-chat and soft singing came to an immediate halt as Luna led us into the center of the cave. All pairs of glowing eyes fell in our direction, fixated. I shivered as the entire focus of the room shifted toward me.
Luna hissed, snapping her fingers. “Carry on.”
The Nixies went right back to what they were doing without batting an eyelash, but a few still eyed me when they thought she wasn’t looking. They probably hadn’t seen a Sylph witch in decades, maybe centuries. Some may have never seen one at all. The apprehension in the room was thick. Did they think I was here to cause trouble? I had no doubt that Echo must have instilled a fear in them that was now backfiring onto me. A twinge of sadness pulled at my heart.
Chaos leaned in and whispered, “Are you all right?”
I wasn’t sure that I was. There was so much pain trapped inside these caves. I could feel it. “They are afraid of us. Of me. My family did this to them. Forced them to hide…to cower. It’s sickening.”
“Don’t let their demure demeanor fool you. These witches are fierce warriors. They are just tired of fighting a losing battle.” He may have been right, but it still didn’t change the fact that these witches had every right to not trust me.
Smoke and Ritual (Beautiful Dark Beasts Book 1) Page 8
