Huron was a few feet away from Halen, and still he did not reach for her. Not a hug, or a hello—nothing. It was if she were a stranger.
“Who are these two?” Huron asked.
“This is my guardian Tage,” Halen said. “And my friend Ezra. He’s come to help.”
“Your guardian?” Huron eyed Tage. “So you are Paul and Kita’s daughter?”
“Yes,” Tage said.
“You are very brave,” Huron said. “Thank you for coming.”
Geez. Tage gets a thank you. Why couldn’t he be this civil toward her? Halen crossed her arms.
“We need to see Catch and Pepper,” Dax said to Nelia. “Halen needs the elixir.”
Nelia pressed her hand to Dax’s chest. “Please tell me you haven’t come back to fight.”
He patted her hand and Halen felt a twinge of—jealousy? No, why would she feel that? It wasn’t like they had anything between them. They kissed, that was it. That’s what she told herself anyway, but when his hand lingered over Nelia’s, Halen’s insides twisted.
“I’ve seen what Halen is capable of,” Dax said. “She’ll be able to handle Asair.”
“She’s not ready,” Nelia sighed.
“We don’t have time,” Tage said. “The hunters will come for her, and the mermaids are wreaking havoc with their storm tantrum. If we go in now, give the mermaids what they want—or at least let them think they are getting what they want—it’s the perfect way in to the Mermaids’ Gate.”
Halen glanced at Tage. She wasn’t fazed at all. It was if she planned demon attacks every day. Huron was right; she was brave.
Huron pulled the end of his chin which was pointed like Halen’s. His face looked like one big heart. Halen had always wished for rounder features, and now seeing them reflected back at her from the man she loathed, she wished for a new face entirely.
“Tage is right.” He addressed Dax, not Halen. “How much time does she need?” he asked Dax.
Halen stepped in front of Dax, so Huron could not deny seeing her. “Don’t you dare answer for me.” She looked up to Dax, and he took one step back. “Look.” She met Huron’s green gaze. “I’m the one going in with Tage. You’re not making up the plan. You’re not telling me what I can and can’t do, or how to take on Asair. Only I can open the portal, only I can defeat him—so if you want a piece of demon ass you better address me.”
A smile played on his lips. “I would like a word in private, with Halen.”
Nelia dragged Dax by the hand and they walked past the overhang of rocks where Huron had stepped from. Tage and Ezra followed them as if compelled to obey Huron’s command for privacy. What the heck? They were all abandoning her. She bit back her lip waiting for Huron to speak. She had said everything she was going to say to him. There was nothing more.
“Halen, I’ve imagined what I would say to you...” he started.
“Look,” Halen stopped him. “I don’t need an apology. I know you only conceived me so you could defeat Asair. I get it. Save the realms.” She pumped her fist in the air as if cheering for a team. “That’s why I’m here.”
“What your mother and I did… we thought it was right at the time, but it’s not. I see that now. I miss Natalie so much. I would do anything to bring her back. It’s ludicrous to put our daughters in danger.”
Daughter. The word hit her like a train barrelling into a titanium wall. Tears rushed to her eyes. She swiped them away with the back of her hand. She blinked, but they kept coming. Damn tears—go away already. Who knew the word daughter could send someone over the edge?
He gently squeezed her shoulder and she didn’t back away. “I know you think you can go after Asair. A little magick can make you feel invincible, but you’re not. You’re still just a girl.”
Still sniffling, she pulled her shoulders back. “No, I’m more than that. You and Mom should have told me. You made me weak by not letting me be me, but I know who I am now, and I have to admit, I kind of like the new me.”
When he smiled, small rays sprouted from the corners of his eyes. She could see this smile in her mind. This was a smile that had tucked her in at night. A smile that would grow with the telling of bedtime stories. A smile she had missed for so many years. “You are your mother’s daughter.”
Halen smiled inside. She knew this already.
“Well then, we better get you fixed up. You look like hell.”
“Oh, she does look horrible, but I like the hair.” Catch poked his head around the corner.
“Catch!” Halen ran over and grabbed him up in her arms. “I’m so sorry I ran out on you.”
“It’s okay,” he squeaked. “But I can’t breathe. You’re…”
She let go. “Sorry.” She blushed. Pepper stood behind him, and she went to hug her, but she held up her hand.
“Are you mad at me?” Halen asked.
“No.” Pepper shook her head. “But you could have just asked.” She unclipped a vial from her waist chain and handed it to Halen. “I would have given it to you.”
“Sorry,” Halen said. “I’ll ask next time.”
“You better take some more,” Catch said as they walked around the rocks to join the others. Beyond was a vast rock cavern, with nothing more than a few clumps of boulders that looked as if they may have been part of the walls at one time. She was done speaking with Huron anyway, for now at least. Their relationship would never be perfect but at least she knew he cared. His concern counted for something.
“You look horrible. What kind of magick were you doing?” Pepper asked.
“She took on the mermaids,” Dax said.
“Not without the help of you guys.” Halen reminded. “Catch and Pepper, this is my guardian Tage, and Ezra.”
“Hot,” Catch said and when his eye stopped twitching, Halen realized he was staring at Ezra, not Tage. Halen had thought Catch and Pepper were a couple. She didn’t think…
Pepper hit Catch with the back of her hand. “Stop ogling.”
“What?” he shrugged, and Pepper rolled her eyes.
“Look, Halen,” Huron grabbed her arm. “I have to let Samira know you are all okay. She’s been worried. I’ll be back.” He smiled and for the first time, Halen smiled back.
Once he left, Pepper bombarded her with questions.
“So what’s the plan?” Pepper asked. “What do you need from us?”
“Well,” Tage said. “We’re going to need a vat of coral and bone. She goes through it like water. We’re also going to need a way in to the Mermaids’ Gate.”
“I got the elixir covered,” Catch said.
“And I have a way in,” Nelia said. “But I’m going too.”
“No way,” Dax said. “I want you to stay.”
“Not going to happen. I’m not staying back worrying about you. I’m coming.”
“So it’s settled,” Tage said. “The five of us will go in.”
“But what do we do once we get there?” Halen asked. “I know you want me to access the dark side of my seam, but I don’t know if I can go there again. You didn’t see what I saw. And even if I walked into the darkness how do I find my way back?”
“Your guardian,” Dax said. “Listen for the voice of your guardian. It will be louder than all the others.”
“You’re going to have to access dark magick twice,” Tage said. “Once to open the portal and then again to destroy Asair.”
“I don’t know.” Halen wrung her hands.
“You can do this.” Tage placed her hand over hers. “Once that bastard steps out of the portal, get the hell back to the seam. Stay focused, and then unleash the dark magick that will destroy him.”
“Don’t stay too long in the shadows,” Dax warned.
“Why would I?” Halen shivered just thinking of the dark side of the seam.
“The power is tempting there. Stay focused on the task.”
“Asair won’t be expecting your kind of magick,” Ezra said. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
“But what if Asair is expecting us?” Halen asked, her eyes shifting toward Tage. Halen couldn’t lie. Tage had told her to keep it between them, but there couldn’t be any secrets now. “Asair has been in my head for a while. I didn’t know it was him at first and I’m still not sure.”
“It’s him,” Tage said. “Hopefully he knows we’re bonded.”
“You think he can see us? You don’t think he’ll attack if I have a guardian?” Halen asked.
Pepper snorted. “He’s going to come at you strong, but he’ll at least go for her first.”
“That’s not a good thing,” Halen said. “I don’t want anyone going for Tage.”
“That’s where we come in,” Nelia said. “We will protect Tage, so you can work your magick and have a way out.”
“Her magick will rip him to shreds.” Tage grinned.
“Hey, I’m glad you have the confidence in me, but unless I get some more elixir and a little rest, I won’t even be able to swim to the Mermaids’ Gate. I’m exhausted. I couldn’t even open a jar right now, never mind a portal.”
“I’ll get on it,” Catch said. “Take what Pepper gave you, and I’ll get to work on some more.” He offered his hand to Tage. “We will need your assistance.”
Ezra stood. “I’ll come with you.”
“Stay with Halen—for me.” Tage smiled, and Ezra sat back down.
“I’m going with Catch and Tage,” Dax said. “Pepper and Nelia can stay here.”
“But what about the Elosians,” Halen asked? “You should stay here, in case they find you.”
“I should be with Tage. If anything goes wrong, I’ll send her back here,” Dax said.
Halen opened her mouth to speak, but he spoke first. “Get some sleep, Mother Nature.” He smiled as he tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed her cheek, and she wanted to lean into him, absorb a little more of him, not just for the energy his touch filled her with, but because she wanted to be near him. The thought of him leaving now, and the possibility that he might not come back, tore at her heart; and in this moment she knew with certainty she wouldn’t be able to let him go after the portal was open and Asair was gone. As she watched him disappear with Tage and Catch, already a piece of her felt missing.
Thirty-six
Halen woke with a start. She sat up to find Tage and Dax sitting together on large boulders speaking. She breathed with ease. They made it back. Ezra was still asleep beside her. He hadn’t left her side and had even told her stories about his cat and his grandmother until she drifted asleep. He was a good friend. Catch and Pepper leaned against the rock wall with Nelia between them.
“She’s awake!” Catch ran over and knelt down. “Here take this.” He handed her an open vial.
She tipped the vial back and poured the amber liquid under her tongue and could feel its energy working on her instantly. She rose to her feet. Tage bounded over to greet her, though Dax stayed on the boulders. Halen could tell, even from this distance that he seemed off somehow. His eyes were dark around the rims and his skin a gray pallor.
“We need to talk,” Tage said as she blocked Halen’s view from him. She handed her a set of swim skins and a second vial of elixir. Tage herself now wore a sleek set of fish skin shorts and matching tank in a dark blue.
Grabbing the tank and shorts, she followed Tage to a place where she could change. Attached to the vial lid was a silver clasp, just like the other ones, and Halen clipped the vial to the cord Tasar had given her. Once she had the swim skins on, Tage sat on the rocks. Halen joined her. “Are you sure about this?” Tage asked.
Halen grasped Tasar’s stone, a reminder of the reason she was doing this. The fires would die, the Etlins could go home, and the hunter’s curse could be broken. She glanced toward Dax. He would no longer be obligated to the hunter’s mark. They would all be free. “I’m sure,” Halen said.
“Once we go in, there is no backing out.”
“I get it. The only problem is—” she dropped the stone back to her chest “—like I said before, I don’t know if I can go into the darkness.”
“It’s okay. I’m going to help you.”
“How? What are you going to do—shove me off the seam?” She met Tage’s gaze. Tage had no idea what lay on the other side, but Halen had felt it, when she followed the butterfly to the seam of her soul. She could have easily chosen to drown the fire by jumping in the dark waters. Only she had been scared—she had been scared of that side of herself because she felt so drawn to it. The temptation was so real she could feel it now in every cell of her body, calling to her to take the boat and ride into the darkness of her soul. If she had to cross the seam into the darkness to open the portal—she might never come back. “I don’t know if I’ll be able go there. Didn’t Natalie practice for this?”
“She did. But she didn’t always choose the right path. Look how well you navigated the seam back at the church. You chose the right side. Follow those same instincts.” She smiled. “In my opinion, they should have chosen you.”
“Thanks,” Halen said. “It means a lot, coming from you.”
Tage grabbed her shoulders. “When we get there, guide your emotions toward anger and revenge. Once the portal is open, use whatever thoughts bring back to the seam. Fluffy kitties, a unicorn whatever works.” She was trying to make Halen smile, but it wasn’t working.
Halen felt as if she might throw up. “I thought you would bring me back?” she asked. “Out of the darkness.”
“A guardian can find you if you get lost—” She squeezed her shoulders so tight that if Tage hadn’t chewed off her nails, Halen was sure she would have drawn blood”—but you have to want to come back.”
“I will. Of course I will come back. Now let go of me. You’re freaking me out.”
“Sorry.” Tage released her death grip and stepped back.
“I’m still not sure about the whole destroying part,” Halen said. She dragged her toes though the sand. They wanted her to kill Asair. Seeing how strong she really was she knew her magick could—she just didn’t know if she could. She had given Tage Lina’s powder to turn the mermaids to stone. They were dead now because of her and the loss of their lives weighted heavily on her heart.
“Hey where are you taking you emotions?” A tear rolled down Tage’s cheek. “You’re making me feel horrible.”
Catch came up beside them. He cleared his throat. “Huron is here. He wants to speak with Halen.”
“Are you okay?” Tage asked.
“I’m fine.” Halen nodded, but Tage hesitated. “Seriously, I’m okay. Go.” Halen said.
Reluctantly, Tage walked away and joined Ezra.
“You look much better,” Huron said. He placed his arm over her shoulder, and she didn’t shrug him off. They walked a few paces in silence and then stopped.
“I’m coming with you,” he finally said.
“No, I don’t want you to come.”
“Because you’re angry with me?” he asked.
“No, there are enough of us going in. Besides. If we don’t come out. I want you to go find Mom. She’s with Daspar. They are leading the hunters to them, and I haven’t heard from her.”
“She what?”
“They have a hunter’s soul and they are using it to lead the hunters away from Tage and me. I’m worried about her. I need you to tell her I love her. And that I went into this knowing what I was doing.”
“You can tell her yourself, when you get back.” His tone was clipped, the same as it had been in the records chamber, and she wondered if she had been mistaken by letting him in. But when she looked in his eyes, she saw tears breaking free from the edges, but he looked away before they fell.
“Please, just promise me—you’ll do this one thing for me.”
“I will,” he said, and he squeezed her arm before he walked away.
Dax filled the space, and he tilted her chin so their eyes met. “Hey, don’t let him get to you. That’s just how he is.”
She leaned into Dax this time, and he didn’t back away. Her forehead rested on his chin. “I want this to be over.”
“Me too,” he whispered, and to her surprise, he kissed her forehead.
When she met his gaze, the crease between his eyes was so deep, the scar buried under all his worry. “Remember to come out of the darkness,” he said. “We will be waiting on the other side of the seam.”
Thirty-seven
They walked farther into the caves, winding through narrow passage after passage, when Nelia suddenly stopped. Before her was pond of silver just like the one Halen had seen behind the Mermaids’ Gate. Her heart sped, just looking at the shimmery water.
“Here we are,” Nelia said. “This is the portal Asair created for his Elosian followers. It leads straight to the Mermaids’ Gate. The portal to Asair’s dimension is there.”
Tage dipped her toes in the silver liquid. The silver wrapped around her toes, spreading up her ankle as if it were alive. She rubbed her leg and the liquid coated her fingers in a thick wash of glimmer.
“You have to be very careful not to breathe any in or let it in your mouth,” Dax explained, with his gaze trained on Halen.
“I know. Unfortunately, I’ve been in this kind of water before.” Halen stepped back.
Tage stared down at the pond, her solemn face reflected in the silver. “You okay?” Halen asked. “You know I need you the most.”
“I know.” Tage smiled. “I’m ready.”
Ezra nudged her side. “Well then, after you Mother Nature.”
“I’ll go first.” Dax held her back, his hand on her stomach, and she wondered if he could feel it knotting. “Nelia and Ezra, you go next,” he said. “Then you two.” He nodded to Tage and Halen. “Whatever happens, we have to stick together. The mermaids will try to separate us. I’ve seen them hunt before. They like to disperse their prey.” Dax grabbed Halen by the arm. “Once the portal is open, don’t leave my side.” His eyes searched hers. They were so impossibly blue the sky would be jealous. Halen wished for wings to fly away in them, as far away as possible.
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