by Amy Freeman
“Did I wake you?”
“No.”
“What’s wrong?”
Sam breathed. Lying to him would be next to impossible, even over the phone. “Nothing,” she said. “I just miss you. Are you in Vegas?”
“Yeah, we just landed. Something’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong,” She said. “I just woke up and remembered you were gone. I’m just a little freaked out. I’ll be fine,” she said praying she was right. This had been the very first nightmare where Ashbel had come for her. “I’m shielded,” she said. “He can’t break your shield.”
Trin was silent.
“I just feel vulnerable without you here, that’s all.” Sam said.
“No,” Trin replied.
“Nothing’s happened, Trin. You can’t come home. I wish you could but you can’t. You said yourself there’s no way for Ashbel to break your shield. Your team needs you. You‘ve got to stop worrying about me. I’ll be fine.”
Trin exhaled. “I can’t wait until this is over.”
“I know...”
“When do you leave?”
“I have to be at the dance building by one o’clock,” she replied. “What time is your meet?”
“Noon. You don’t perform until two o’clock, right?”
“Right,” she replied. A male voice sounded in the background.
“I gotta go. I’ll call you after the meet before you go on stage. In the meantime, just be really careful, please.”
“I will.”
“Okay,” he said. “I love you, Sam.”
“I love you, too.”
“See you tonight.”
“Okay.” The phone went dead. She stared at it for a moment and then set it on her night table with a sigh.
She took a long hot shower trying to wash away her own sense of trepidation. While dressing, she heard a key in the door and walked into the sitting area to see Anna coming in. “Hey,” Sam said. “How’s Vig holding up?”
Anna shut the door. “He’s fine, still sore. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have jumped in if he had known he was going up against Superman,” she grinned, glancing at the ceiling. “How exactly do you warn someone about something like that?” Sam laughed. Poor Vig.
“Speaking of Superman,” Anna continued walking into the kitchen. “Trin already leave?”
“Yeah,” Sam replied.
Anna reached into the fridge for a bottled water and crossed the sitting room to the couch and sat down. “You’re bummed,” she said, “like more than you should be. What’s up?”
Sam sighed. “I don’t know. When he left this morning it felt wrong, you know? There was this looming finality.”
Anna curled up on the couch next to her. “Nothing’s going to happen. You are both too powerful, too important.” She paused a moment. “You know I don’t have a specific belief in a higher power or anything, but having you in my life has forced me to believe something greater than us is out there somewhere because you can do all this stuff I can’t do.”
“According to Trin you can.”
“Okay,” Anna replied “that further illustrates my point, I guess. Since Trin showed up even more...evidence I guess you would call it, that we aren’t alone. And if we aren’t alone, and the bad guys exist, which apparently they do, then a good guy must exist too, and the good guy would be the one who created you and Trin, and I don’t believe he or she or whatever would leave you out to dry without a plan, you know?” She cracked a slight smile. “Doesn’t good always win out in the end?”
“I hope so,” Sam sighed. “What would I do without you?”
“Wither up and die, I’m sure.” She stood. “I have to shower. Then let’s go get something to eat. We haven’t had any girl time in forever.” Sam glanced up and smiled. “That is an awesome idea.” The truth was Anna had saved her sanity time and again throughout her life. The past few weeks would have been a nightmare without her, another bit of “evidence” someone greater was watching out for her because Anna was a gift.
Ten minutes later Anna emerged from the shower in yoga pants and a T-shirt. She grabbed her jacket and Sam grabbed her purse, not noticing the previously closed zipper on Trin’s bag was now open. She closed the door tight and walked out of the building with Anna.
In the silence of the vacated apartment a sinister gasp punctured the quiet. Ashbel moved through the room, standing for a moment taking in Sam’s energy. Then he walked into her bedroom, over to the side of the bed and slipped the object back into Trin’s gym tote. He stared, a ghost of a grin flitting across his features. His eyes lifted, went flat, and in an instant he was gone.
CHAPTER FORTY
Anna and Sam grabbed a quick bite to eat. Anna brought her up to speed on all the intimate details she hadn’t had time for. The cross country team was doing really well and Grand Master Sanchez was very possibly opening for a huge band touring in the spring. Sam reveled in not only her friend’s success and Vig’s good fortune, but in escaping her own chaos for a little while.
Sam looked at her phone. “It’s almost noon. I gotta go.”
“Sounds good,” Anna replied. “I’m going to hit the library. I am way behind on an English paper,” she groaned. “I already speak English. Why do I have to learn about a language I already know?”
Sam smiled, shaking her head. “Let’s go.” They stood and walked out of the café.
Upon returning to the dorm, Anna went to her room and grabbed the books she needed for her English assignment. Sam went for her dance bag, which sat on the floor in the corner next to Trin’s overnight bag. She reached down to pick hers up when she noticed something just inside Trin’s bag; a small black box, ornate with gold trim, unlike anything she had ever seen before. It was the inscription on the lid that grabbed her—Cyrillic letters.
Against her better judgment she reached in, retrieving the box. She was certain if Trin had wanted her to see this he would have already shown it to her. She hesitated, then moved to replace it but didn’t let go.
“What are you doing?”
Sam jerked around in surprise, then collapsed in relief at Anna’s presence in the door frame. “You scared me to death.”
Anna walked toward her, a suspicious grin on her face. “Why Samantha,” she breathed, putting a hand to her chest. “Are you snooping in Trin’s things?”
“Look at this” Sam said, ignoring the implication, shoving the box toward Anna.
She gasped, grabbing the box out of Sam’s hands. “This is jewelry, Sam.”
“Be careful,” Sam said, “it’s not just jewelry.”
Anna looked at Sam in surprise. “You mean you know what this is?”
Sam took the box. “I think I might,” she said, gazing down at the lid. “Look at this inscription.”
Anna took it back, studying the top. “I’m assuming this is Russian. Do you know what it says?”
Sam gazed. “It says Veduny. It’s inscribed on Trin’s bracelet.”
“I love that thing,” Anna said.
Sam stared.
“It’s sexy.”
Sam rolled her eyes, reaching for the box. “I should put this back.”
“Are you crazy?” Anna said pulling it away. “I at least get to see what it is.”
Before Sam could move Anna had unlatched the box and popped the lid. “Wow.”
Sam reached out. “Let me see.”
Anna turned, handing her the box. A twinge of guilt peaked as she took it from her, until she saw what was inside.
The pendant—the one in her dream, a solid gold chain with a rounded red stone. The slash of light from the center to the edge was so pronounced it almost seemed to glow. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she lifted her fingers to the enchanting stone, touching the surface. The first thing she noticed was the immediate absence of Trin’s warmth. Having been sealed in it for nearly twelve hours she had grown accustomed to it. Now it was gone, shut off like someone had pulled a plug. Searing dread crawled over her, kn
otting in her stomach, the color draining from her face. She turned to Anna who was growing more frightened by the second.
“What?” Anna begged. “What’s wrong?”
Sam looked to her hands. “What have I done?”
Trin stood in position on the starting block at UNLV prepared to race. After hanging up with Sam at the airport earlier, he had forced himself to accept she was safe. He had done what was necessary and now he needed to focus on his team. By the time he mounted the platform his anxiety was gone. He was no longer a Keeper. Instead, he was Trin Kosolov, Olympian swimmer for the University of Utah.
“Swimmers take your mark.”
Dropping in position, his muscles tensed, fingers grabbing the edge of the platform, ready to spring. As the buzzer sounded he shot into the water, clean, perfect, all around him an explosive kaleidoscope of color welcoming him, embracing his essence. It was an unparalleled partnership that never failed him and he soared through it, euphoric. This was his high. He was built to win. As the freestyle segment came to an end he switched to the butterfly, charged energy igniting even further as his powerful shoulders rotated forward, plunging into the water time and time again. He was far ahead of all the others, more so than usual and he realized how much he had been missing this. All the tension, fear, panic, and stress flew off him with every forward thrust, soothing him, setting him free.
The swimmers switched strokes, the last leg of the race. Trin ripped through the water, feeling for the first time in weeks the sheer elation of knowing he was going to win. This time he really felt the accomplishment. He appreciated it with a sense of gratitude and pride that had been missing for a long time, pride which had been clouded by panic, the anguish of uncertainty and inadequacy. In the water there was never an unknown, no self-doubt. It brought him home, reestablishing his worth. For the first time in weeks he was in control.
He pushed through the water, as he approached the wall at a remarkable rate of speed he reached out for the touch. His whole body seized. Horror replaced euphoria as he felt the energy he had left with Sam...return to him.
“What is it, Sam?”
Sam looked up at her but couldn’t speak. She glanced at the pendant. “Anna...”
“What?”
Sam pushed past her, heading for the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, touching her face. “What have I done?”
Anna grabbed the lacquer box from Sam’s slack fingers. “What is this?” She grabbed Sam by the shoulders with a jerk. “What do you see?”
“It’s gone,” Sam whispered.
Anna shook her head. “What’s gone, Sam? I can’t see what you see!”
Sam turned toward the mirror again, her face pale. “Trin’s shield, so I would be safe while he was gone.” Sam looked down at the box in Anna’s hand. “Something has gone wrong. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Trin’s fingertips connected with the wall, buckling against the tiles with incredible force, breaking his hand. Pain rocked through his wrist as he choked on the water he had involuntarily sucked into his lungs. He grabbed the side of the pool with his other hand, pulling himself up, clinging to the wall, choking and trying to breathe. His shield had been broken and he was over four hundred miles away.
The other swimmers reached the pool wall and Trin was announced as the winner. He hoisted himself out of the water, heading straight for the head coach. Those in the audience watched as the Olympian swimmer spoke in a heated rush, extending his hand, his teammates looking on—a broken hand. Perfect excuse to bow out early. The coach sent him straight to the team physician. Rushing through a myriad of concerned teammates, he repeatedly assured them he would be fine and kept moving. He passed the warm-up pool, heading straight into the locker room, bypassing the doctor altogether.
Racing to his locker, he pulled out his phone and began dialing, wincing from the throbbing pain, but not caring. He put the phone to his ear and waited. No good. The walls of the natatorium were too thick. He tossed his phone into his locker, lifting his aching hand. A jolt of concentration and the fractured bone fused, healing perfectly. He changed into his warm-up pants and raced out into the hallway, dialing Sam’s number as he went. Her phone rang; no answer. He cursed, body tensing, panic cresting. Anna! He dialed her phone, waiting in agony as it rang once...twice...three times...
“Hello?”
He threw his head back in overwhelming relief. “Anna, where’s Sam?”
“At the dance building,” she replied. She didn’t sound surprised at his anxious tone.
“What happened, Anna?”
“It’s my fault,” she said.
“What?” he demanded. “What happened?”
“Sam found a box in your bag by accident,” she said. “She was going to put it back, but I made her open it.”
Trin’s features twisted in confusion. “The pendant? What about it?” he asked. She wasn’t making any sense. Trin’s head hung in his free hand as Anna explained what had occurred; that when Sam had touched the necklace she had changed. Trin paced the hallway. None of this made any sense.
“I had no idea, Trin,” she said. “I am so sorry.”
“Anna,” he said. “You didn’t do anything. The pendant—it couldn’t have been the pendant.” He put a hand to his head, baffled, frantic.
“Can she do anything to protect herself until you get back? Can I do anything?” She asked out of sheer desperation, knowing how ridiculous it sounded.
Trin paused, thinking, strategizing. There was still time. “When did you last see her?”
“I just dropped her off,” she said. “I’m right here at the library. Do you want me to run over there?”
He turned for the locker room. “Yes. Get over there as fast as you can and watch her. If at all possible, don’t let her out of your sight. Keep your phone on and please call me if you see anything out of the ordinary, even if you think it’s unrelated. I’m going to the airport right now.”
“Okay.”
“And Anna,” he said. “This isn’t your fault. This whole mess has been inevitable from the beginning. Get over to the dance building. I’ll call you back.”
“Okay,” she said.
Trin disconnected the call and raced back into the locker room. Throwing on his team shirt, he grabbed his belongings, stuffing them in his bag, and called information for a cab and the airlines. He bolted out of the natatorium and began booking his flight as he waited for the cab. It only took ten minutes to arrive but it seemed like an eternity. He climbed in, directing the cab to the airport as fast as possible and then sat with his agony as the driver made the ten minute trip to the airport. Each moment that passed was filled with speculation as to what might be happening to Sam. Anvil appeared next to him, remaining silent. There was nothing to say. He couldn’t assure him everything would be all right. It wasn’t.
Just then Trin’s phone rang. He grabbed it from his bag, not looking to see who it was. “Hello?”
“Trinton—I’ve been trying to reach you. I just landed in Salt Lake.”
Trin turned to Anvil in confusion. “Mikhail? What are you doing in Salt Lake?”
“I’ve come to collect you and Sam. You were right all along.”
“What do you mean?”
“I read everything I could get my hands on trying to find any explanation or connection that would make sense,” he said. “Then I had another vision.” He paused. “The kindjal we saw was the dagger used to offer the first sacrifice, to create the portal.”
Trin went cold.
“I checked Gea’s records from the beginning. That kindjal was purified, sealed, and hidden right along with the portal symbol. Ashbel found it, or was more likely led to it. He used it to kill Anavi. Trinton...the entire blade is pure alexandrite. Killing Anavi broke its seal. The guardian channel reverted to darkness that night, and has remained so ever since. That’s why our communication is gone, Trinton. It’s why our divine abilities have ceased, it’s why Anavi can’t get through and it’s w
hy you have been instructed not to ignite the Oracle. The conduit is corrupt, no longer aligned with the Divinity. Igniting the Oracle will open a direct line of access to Chernobog.”
Trin’s eyes gleamed in frenzied defeat, jaw tight, panic crushing him as he listened.
“The design is flawless. Ashbel has ripped our defenses clean at every turn, making certain every attempt we might engage in order to right things will work instead in his favor.” Mikhail’s voice darkened. “Chernobog is attempting to cross and he has enlisted Ashbel to help him. Everything is in place.”
“He can’t. It isn’t possible,” Trin begged.
“He has figured out a way. Somehow Sam is the key,” Mikhail insisted. “There is no question. We must find Ashbel. Our own power has been turned against us. The stone guardians no longer emit a protective veil around Ivanova. They are filled with venom waiting to erupt.”
A pained silence followed. “Sam is alone.”
“What?”
“I’m at a meet in Las Vegas. She wouldn’t come with me. She’s performing right now.”
The gravity of Trin’s words silenced Mikhail for several moments. “Did you shield her?” he asked.
“He broke it,” Trin said, vacant, hollow. “I felt it return to me in the water. I’m on my way to the airport now. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Please find her, Mikhail.” His heart shattered. Mikhail could do nothing to stop Ashbel.
“I will do everything I possibly can,” he said. “I’m on my way right now.”
Trin ended the call and fell forward into his hands. It was over. He was the only one who could save her and he wasn’t even sure of that anymore. Anvil rested a hand on Trin’s shoulder. Things were far worse than they ever imagined.
CHAPTER FORTY ONE
S am walked into the dance building. She didn’t even try Trin. She knew he would be in the water and she didn’t want to worry him. Anna had insisted she call Trin and get him home, but Sam had refused. “He can’t know this has happened. He’ll leave and he has to be there for his team. I’ll be fine until he gets back.”
