Hearken (Daughters of the Sea Series)

by Kristen Day

  “Fengári tou aímatos af̱xánetai,” I whispered with dread.

  “What did you say?” Finn stepped beside me and I pointed up.

  “The blood moon.”

  “And there’s my sister,” Sebastian breathed. As I followed his line of sight, my heart stopped and I jogged forward to hide behind a medium-sized boulder that was perfect for peeking over. The rest of the group followed, and we took in the sight that stretched out before us. In the midst of the crescent-shaped beach stood a large circle of cloaked figures spinning around, like a warped game of ring-around-the-roses. An angry cloud of smoke and haze swirled above them and I saw Selene dancing within. I caught glimpses of Stasia watching her from the sand with a deranged smile. Something was lying beside her, but from our vantage point I couldn’t tell what it was.

  “Luna’s crystal!” Finn hissed quietly. I could just see something shining from within the circle, but then I saw there was something else, too.

  “What’s the other one?” I squinted, but it did no good. “Another crystal?”

  “That’s Selene’s moonstone,” Amphitrite answered slowly with dread.

  “What are they doing with them?” Natasha asked.

  “It looks like Selene plans on stealing all of the moon’s energy and keeping it to herself.”

  “What does she need Stasia for?” Natasha asked as she scanned the beach with her eyes. “And where’s Fallon?”

  “I’ve been here before,” Finn interrupted her with a furrowed his brow. “This is where Selene was keeping Stasia’s dad.” He glanced at Sebastian. “Your dad.”

  “My dad? Peleus?” Sebastian looked at him strangely. “My father’s dead.”

  “It appears you and Stasia have a great deal to talk about,” Amphitrite said.

  “We have to make sure you get that chance, first,” Finn reminded them gravely.

  “We need to come up with a plan,” Sebastian proclaimed calmly. Finn bowed slightly to Sebastian and addressed him with reverence.

  “It would be an honor to receive orders from the great warrior, Achilles. What’s our next move?”

  Sebastian beamed at him with gratitude. “Coming from you, that’s an honor in itself, but I’m afraid even the great Warriors know when they are outmatched.” He turned to look at me, and my heart skipped a beat when I realized what they were getting at. They were looking to me to come up with a plan. I looked at Natasha and Amphitrite, but they simply stared at me with encouragement. Nothing like a little pressure to make a girl think on her feet.

  Before I could say another word, a blinding flash lit up the night and we all dropped behind the boulder for protection. After a loud boom reverberated off the heavens, we leaned up to see what had just happened. It would appear that the tribal dancing part of the evening was over, and the pain part had begun. I watched as Stasia collapsed and began to writhe in pain; scratching at her eyes.

  I immediately rose to my feet and had all intentions of walking right into that circle and killing everyone in it, if that was what it would take to save her.

  “Wait!” Sebastian implored carefully and clutched my arm. “We’re here to help you.”

  I drew in a deep breath and analyzed the situation in record time before turning to Finn and Sebastian. “I’ll camouflage myself and enter the circle undetected. You two stay on the outside of the circle, but keep low.”

  I addressed Amphitrite and Natasha next. “I want you two to hold back and provide a diversion once I’ve reached Stasia. It doesn’t matter what the diversion is, just make them take notice that you’re there. At that point, Finn and Sebastian will attack the cloaked minions, while I pull Stasia from the circle.” I saw Sebastian’s mouth twitch at my use of the word ‘minions’.

  “What about Selene?” Natasha questioned.

  “I’ll take care of her once I’m in the circle,” I confirmed with restraint.

  “Oh my God,” Amphitrite gasped. We all turned to witness Selene hand Stasia a dagger. Finally I was able to make out the shape lying beside Stasia. It was the form of another person. As Stasia raised the sharp dagger above the form to her right, it finally dawned on me what it was. Or rather, who it was. Fallon. And Stasia was about to stab her in the heart. Not wasting any time, I camouflaged myself, hurdled the boulder and made it across the beach in seconds. The only thing alluding to my presence was the sand my feet kicked up as I ran. I made it into the circle just as Selene nodded her head to prompt Stasia to act.

  “Welcome granddaughter, to your destiny.”

  With both hands poised and stretched out towards Selene, two things happened at once. I unleashed a jagged bolt of electricity that could have caused a worldwide power outage; slamming into Selene and knocking her to the ground. Then I threw my body over Fallon’s as Stasia raised her arms high above her head and brought the dagger down with force.

  I felt a white hot streak of intense pain as the dagger was driven into my body. I glanced down to see the handle protruding out of the spot between my shoulder and collarbone, and felt my entire body sizzle. As she retracted the blade, a streak of electrical essence ran up the dagger and into her arm. She pulled it from my body and tossed it aside in surprise. I teetered to one side and felt my body grow cold. The black haze of manipulation left Stasia’s eyes as she stared at me; replaced with a look of horror as the realization of what she’d done hit her. She immediately lunged forward and caught me beneath the arms; lowering me into her lap. I coughed as blood filled my lungs, and Stasia screamed out in despair.

  “What did I do?!” She clung to me tightly. “Olivia! Please, no!” A feeling of peace settled over me, and I looked up at her with love.

  “I was born to protect you,” I managed weakly. Out of the corner of my eye, cloaked figure after cloaked figure fell to the ground at the hands of Finn and Sebastian. Selene was still lying motionless on the sand. No one had yet noticed what just transpired in the middle of the circle.

  “Protect me!?” she cried with confusion.

  “I’m your Paladin.” I coughed and more blood spewed out of my mouth. I fought to keep her from spinning and blurring in my vision as I continued, “…and I’ve failed.”

  “No!” she cried again and pulled me to her. “Please don’t die!”

  “Someone else will take my place,” I whispered. “And protect you.”

  “I want you to protect me!” she yelled, and tears streamed down her face. “Don’t leave me!”

  As she spoke, my eyes closed and I forced one more tethered, ragged breath. In the next moment, a crackling sound exploded in my ears and I felt burning streaks of electrical energy racing through my body; bouncing off of each other and sparking something deep within.

  “What’s happening?” Stasia called out to me in panic. “Olivia!”

  I opened my eyes and watched in shock as a barrier formed around us; an electrical bubble of intense heat. It wavered for just a moment, and then shrank to cover our bodies like shrink wrap. It shimmered and sparked once more before melting into our skin. I gasped as cool, refreshing oxygen filled my lungs and a renewed energy surged through my body. My eyes sharpened and the pain in my shoulder disappeared. I looked down to find not a single stab wound or drop of blood.

  “You’re alive,” Stasia whispered. I could tell from her gaunt features that she’d been completely drained of energy during Selene’s ritual, and her hands shook as she touched my face with wonder. She was in no shape to fight.

  “The connection!” I yelled, and then something else dawned on me. I stared back at her with wide eyes. “It healed me because…now I’m immortal.”

  A cloud of silver energy caught my attention and I bent down just as it flew past us and into the ocean beyond. An extremely outraged Selene was in the process of running at us.

  “Stasia, run!” Selene tossed more energy at us, but this time I held up my hands and was able to deflect it completely. I stopped for a half of a second in surprise at what I’d just done, but that was all the time
I needed to get used to the litany of new weapons I felt boiling inside of me. I stood and faced Selene with a cocky smile.

  “You think one bloody moon is going to defeat Stasia?” I laughed at her. “I figured you’d know your own granddaughter a little better than that.”

  Her steely eyes hardened before locking onto mine, and they bore into me with an intensity I felt in my soul. But that’s all I felt. As her features changed from hatred to disbelief, I realized I must have been immune to whatever mental attack she’d just attempted. Clearly annoyed, she flicked her hand nonchalantly and a stream of moonlight from above cut into the skin of my back; sending pain shooting up into my neck.

  Fury rose up in me and I met her gaze once more as I walked straight towards her. Without breaking eye contact, she called out, “Menoetius!”

  One lone, cloaked figure was walking back towards the cliff wall behind us. An icy ball of silver energy flew past my face; forcing me to focus back on Selene. As another came barreling towards me, I deflected it and continued to walk straight towards her, undaunted. I saw her mumble something, and a shining wall of moonlight appeared between us as she turned and headed towards the figure at the cliff wall. I wasn’t sure what she intended the moonlight wall to do, but I simply walked right through it. I grabbed her by the arms and swung her around, and then forced electricity out of my hands and into her body. She froze with pain and shook as the electricity ran through her; paralyzing her.

  “Olivia, move!” Sebastian yelled.

  As the figure at the wall dropped his cloak, I assumed he was the Menoetius Selene had called for. He placed his hands against the cliff wall and it instantly began to tremble. I dropped Selene and walked backwards; keeping my eyes fixed on him. I stumbled when the ground beneath me began to shake, and then heard shouts and screams as Selene shook off my attack and ran towards the cliff wall and Menoetius. I watched in horror as the cliff above began to crumble and collapse.

  Menoetius and Selene never looked back as they disappeared through a slit in the collapsing cliff. I turned and ran back towards the boulders where we’d first arrived. Amphitrite and Natasha were yelling something at me, but I couldn’t hear for the rumbling of the cliff wall. I looked to where they were frantically pointing and found Stasia running the other direction towards Fallon, who appeared to be coming out of whatever sleep Selene had put her in as she laid on the beach. With an avalanche large enough to destroy a small city bearing down on us, I made a split second decision. Neither of us would make it to Fallon before the avalanche killed all three of us. I sprinted toward Stasia and scooped her up in my arms as I kept running back to the group.

  “Fallon!!” Stasia screamed as we somehow made it back to the others. I tossed her into Sebastian’s arms as I met his gaze with a resolute confidence. He nodded with understanding when he realized what I intended to do. I turned and ran directly towards the avalanche, followed by screams of protest from everyone except Sebastian. The dust began enveloping me as I sprinted to Fallon, who was trying her best to run towards me. When I finally made it to her side, I saw the stark terror shining in her wide eyes.

  I glanced back once more at the group and watched as they disappeared under the power of Natasha’s abilities. I twisted around instinctively and threw my body over Fallon’s. The impending towering avalanche of rock, dirt and boulders slammed into us again and again, and then…silence.

  Prologue

  Liam

  I stepped up to the edge of the cliff with the hazy fog of indifference hanging over my thoughts. The promise of sweet release was waiting far below. It was the only way to ease the suffering; the frigid unrelenting self-hatred poisoning my mind and stalking my nightmares. The finality frightened me, but then again the unknown frightened me more. I didn’t know who I was anymore. I didn’t recognize the face in the mirror that stared back at me emotionless and defeated. My body was alive, but my soul was dead.

  The moment that trident pierced the chest of the girl I loved, I died right along with her. My soul, my heart was in the underworld with her. All that was left was an empty shell of Triton who had no future. The black mark on my essence would never be reparable. It would only weigh my down and darken my perceptions, my emotions, my intentions, and my once honorable status among my brethren. But that would be no more. I was not that Triton anymore. He was gone. I was gone.

  I was no better than a bleeding, infected sore scratching across the surface of the world; a rotten bag of bones dragging my despair behind me and contaminating all of those I come in contact with. The voices and faces of my friends and brothers moving around me, but never touching me. Never getting through. I was a disease; an incurable virus that threatened to smother the human race and descendents alike. There was no honor in that. There was nothing left for me here. My purpose was obsolete. I would not subject those around me to the dark chasms of evil now festering within me.

  I clenched my fists and prepared myself to step off this canyon ledge; a wasted soul waiting for its chance to be released back into the Underworld. The fall would be long, but the water streaming below would do as much damage as concrete. My body would be washed out to the Mediterranean Sea; circling the island of Atlantis until the creatures beneath the surface feasted on my flesh.

  “I’m sorry, Willow,” I whimpered and peered up at the sky as tears began to fall. “I’m so sorry.”

  “You would allow one mistake to ruin a lifetime of power?” a voice asked behind me. I twisted around to see who could have possibly found me here.

  “Who are you?” I narrowed my eyes at her and turned to face her fully. She stepped toward me with confidence and smiled sweetly.

  “I have something for you,” she offered. The pale color of her skin stood out against the dark hair falling across her shoulders. She was wearing a flowing silver dress that matched the silver metallic hue of her steely eyes.

  “You don’t know me,” I accused her; suddenly very irritated.

  “Oh I know you very well, Triton,” she purred and moved even closer. “I know the ache radiating from your soul. I know the loneliness that comes with despair. I know the perils of killing innocence.”

  “Tell me who you are,” I demanded again. But she side stepped my request again.

  “What you must remember is that no soul is innocent.” She placed a hand on my shoulder and I felt a cool energy wash over me. “We are all sinful beings; only separated by degrees of severity. What matters is what we do with the life force swirling within us. That anger, that pain clenching in your chest is the best weapon you possess. If you will accept it and surrender to it; the power can rival none other.”

  “I am useless to my brothers. I am not a fit leader.”

  “Possibly,” she grinned. “But you are in fact a great leader. What if I told you I could give you the chance to be the leader you truly deserve to be? What if I told you I could make you stronger than you’ve ever thought possible?”

  “I’d say you’re lying,” I accused, but she had my attention and curiosity. “Tell me who you are.”

  “I am the Goddess of the Moon and Leader of the Auras; Selene.”

  “Your reputation precedes you,” I frowned at her. “And it’s not good.”

  “It’s difficult to be misunderstood.” She held my gaze with intensity and I felt as if she were reaching into my brain and listening to my thoughts. “The loneliness that comes with the responsibility and obligation of a predetermined destiny are heavy weights to bear. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  When her question was met with silence, she continued undeterred.

  “It’s a destitute existence but our critics are many and our enemies relentless. A great leader has the most enemies; the powerful leaders are the ones everyone else wants to destroy. I cannot control what others claim of me. I can only follow my own path and stay loyal to my descendents. They are what truly matters.”

  “How do I know I can trust you?” I countered.

  “Come with me,” she comman
ded. “The darkness within you is strength, not weakness. But there are others who need you. There are others who need a leader. I can make you powerful. I can make you more than a Chosen descendent waiting for endless years to realize his full potential. I can make you a God.”

  “How?” I questioned carefully.

  “Allow me to show you,” she grinned, knowing I was close to accepting her offer. “But first you must do something for me.”

  “You want me to come with you, sight unseen and then do something for you?” I furrowed my brow at her.

  “Of your limited options at the moment…” She peered over the ledge and raised an eyebrow. “I believe mine is the most desirable. What could you possibly have to lose?”

  I took a deep breath and thought about the Triton Order. I would only taint them with my leadership. I would only poison their pure sense of duty and prestige. I was no longer worth the title of their leader or of their brother.

  “If you are lying, I will destroy you,” I warned her. She smiled widely as he silver eyes flashed and she placed her other hand on my shoulder.

  “You have my word,” she insisted. “You will not regret this.”

  She met my gaze once more and the world around us suddenly blurred and darkened. The cliff we were standing upon mere seconds later had been replaced with a hard stone floor and the sound of dripping water. I glanced around and found us to be standing in a stone tunnel. Instead of an explanation, Selene turned on her heel and walked away. I glanced in both directions before following her closely. The stone passageway was dark, but there was streaks of light filtering through from above providing just enough light to see.

  We took several turns before stopping in front of a substantial metal door. She placed a slender hand against the metal and I heard the click of a lock. The door swung open and she breezed inside casually. I walked through the doorway but it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. The first thing I noticed was a slight figure slumped in a corner with arms locked into metal clasps bolted into the stone wall. The person’s head was hanging forward and her arms looked like they were in danger of popping out the sockets. One of her legs was lying at an abnormal angle, but she remained motionless.