Rising Moon (The Rune Stone Trilogy)

by Anne Haley

  He chuckled. "Yeah. I’m on my way in. But it’s a paperwork day so I’m not in any hurry. Paperwork never goes anywhere. What about you? Getting ready for your big girls weekend?" He tucked the paper under his arm.

  "Yep. The girls were still sleeping, though, so I thought I’d come get some coffee." She held up her cup.

  Blake was dressed differently. He had swapped out his well-worn denim jeans for khakis, and instead of the long sleeve cotton shirts and flannels he was wearing a white button up shirt under his jacket. "You look nice."

  He looked down at his clothes. "I’d take my flannel any day." He smiled.

  She smiled back at him when she noticed the blue sky darkening. There hadn’t been a cloud in sight, but the light dimmed quickly. Before her eyes the sky became black, the moon was out in a starless sky. She looked at Blake, who watched her with concern. She tried to speak but she couldn’t get air. The air was too thick to breathe. Her hands flew to her throat and she dropped to her knees.

  Aylin tried looking around to find the witch, but she and Blake were alone on the sidewalk. She felt her back hit the sidewalk and Blake hovered over her. His mouth was moving, he was shouting down at her, shaking her with his hands, but she couldn’t hear or feel him.

  That’s when she saw the fog. It crept along the street toward her from the direction of the lake, sucking the thick air away. It reached her fingertips; it was so cold that it stung her skin. She needed more time. She could fight against it if she had more time. She needed El and Terra.

  Aylin squeezed her eyes shut and escaped deep into her mind. She imagined her surroundings and thought of El and Terra. But when her mind reached out to them she was met by a wall, her projections bounced back to her. Her mind was closed off from everything. She couldn’t feel anything but the cold. Numbness crawled into her skin, slowing her blood.

  She needed heat. Heat needed to fill her hands. She could fight against it if she could feel her hands. She forced her mind to think of her hands. Remember the feeling of light touching them, warming her skin. Sunlight. Moonlight.

  The moon.

  Aylin opened her eyes and focused on the moon. She willed the light to reach her. Please, I just need light, she wanted to call to it. There it was, just on the tips of her fingers. Warmth. She held on to that feeling. She imagined it stretching to her palms. She closed her hands into fists and closed her eyes again. Her palms were burning hot.

  Aylin opened her eyes up to the blue sky, bright sunlight streaming down on her, clean, crisp air moving in and out of her lungs. "Aylin!" Blake shook her shoulders.

  "Blake." She focused on him.

  "Oh! Thank god." He ran his warm hands over her face. She took deep breaths, trying to figure out what just happened to her.

  "What happened?" She tried to sit up, but he held her down. "Let me up," she demanded.

  "You tell me." He pulled her up so she was sitting. "You were talking, then you collapsed. You were staring up at the sky, and then you started shaking." He put a hand on his chest to slow down his heart. "You tell me."

  "I don’t know. It was like the dream." She took a deep breath. Her hands shook horribly so she crossed her arms over her chest. "I couldn’t move, I felt like I was dying." Her whole body trembled. "Everything was cold, and numb. I couldn’t hear you." She put her head on her knees.

  "Okay, okay." He wrapped his arms around her. "You’re with me now. It’s okay."

  She welcomed the heat from him, now she didn’t cringe away when she felt it soar through her limbs. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the pine scent that seemed to always linger around Blake. Pine and leather. "I need to get back to El and Terra."

  "I’ll drive you." He helped her up and walked her the few steps to his truck. He started it, cranking the heat on high, pointing the vents to her. She was silent the entire drive, and he could see how pale her skin was, the scared look in her eyes. When he pulled into Terra’s driveway he turned to her. "I don't want you to leave town now. They might follow you, and I want to be there if they attack you again."

  She shook her head. "No. We need this. Leaving town is exactly what we need." She looked at him sharply. "Don’t say a word, Blake."

  "Aylin-"

  "No. I will tell them after this weekend. They don’t need to get all worked up. Think about it, Blake. Be logical. You're thinking with your heart. Your concerned, and I understand that, but I can take care of us. You can't make decisions when you think of it on a personal level. It's a weakness."

  "Your right I'm concerned! What if you were by yourself on the street? They could have done a lot worse to you. But I was there, keeping you safe! The only way to think about this is on a personal level. I won't let them have you, Aylin." Blake's face reddened and a vein protruded on his neck.

  "I'm grateful you were there, but I'm not going to hide in Terra's home cowering," Aylin said calmly. "Life continues to go on whether there was an attack or not. I'm not saying forget about it, just don't say anything right now. I'll tell them when we get back. I'm not going to hide Blake."

  Blake's eyes narrowed. "I'm not telling you to hide. I'm trying to talk you into being smart about this. Fine, I won't say a word. But I'm getting really tired of your secrets you keep from everyone. Especially those two," he pointed toward the house.

  Aylin took a deep breath and opened the door and slid out of the cab. "Thank you," she said but he looked away from her and stared out the windshield. When she shut the door behind her he threw the truck in gear and tore out of the driveway.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  The three women were piled into Terra’s jeep heading south to Duluth. "Why didn’t we do this the first weekend you two were here?" Terra wondered aloud.

  "Maybe you didn’t notice that there is a lot going on right now. But I agree, we should have done this sooner. I think it’s going to be great to clear our heads and give you a makeover," El said, leaning in the front seats from the back.

  "Maybe I should lay down some ground rules on the makeover," Terra said nervously. "I mean, you have to be reasonable. Okay? I live in a small town and spend over half of the year huddled under down jackets, wool sweaters, and thick hiking socks. It’s only like a month that I can show any inch of skin and-"

  "Terra, please." El rolled her eyes. "I’m not an idiot and wasn’t born yesterday. Just trust me." She flopped back against the backseat. "I would think by now you would have just a little faith in me."

  Aylin smiled over to Terra. "Terra, I wouldn’t let her turn your hair pink or anything like that. I have heard that leather pants keep you very warm." She winked.

  "Now that sounds appealing," El grumbled, sending Aylin and Terra into giggles.

  It was a two-hour drive from Lancaster Bay to Duluth, and they made one stop for hot chocolate at a pie and coffee shop on the way. Fall colors were bright and bold this time of year, setting the trees on fire with reds and oranges, which stood boldly against the gray blue water. The wind picked up, sending large waves crashing against the sharp rocks that guarded the shoreline. The sound carried into the vehicle, through the closed windows. "I love that sound." Aylin closed her eyes.

  "Wait until we get our November gales. Although, it is starting to feel like we’ll be getting them early." Terra nodded, looking out at the turbulent lake.

  "Actually, I’ve heard of them." Aylin opened her eyes. "Jordan, the woman that is running my shop now, she and her husband came here for a wedding a number of years ago. She said she might as well have been home standing on a cliff watching a raging storm roll in. She said the waves could get very serious."

  "Serious enough to bring down those large cargo ships," Terra agreed. "Most famous was the Edmund Fitzgerald."

  "The song?" El perked up.

  "You’ve heard it?" Terra was beside herself.

  "Don’t be so surprised," El snapped. "My father was really into shipwrecks. Whenever I hear the song I think of him." After a beat she was quietly humming the haunting m
elody.

  "El, you are full of surprises." Terra shook her head.

  Blake pounded on Owen’s front door. He had seen Owen’s car in the driveway, so he knew the man was home, and probably plugged into headphones and up to his elbows in motherboards and circuits. But today he didn’t care. He needed his friend.

  "Damn it Blake," Owen said after he ripped open the door. "What the hell?" His hair was disheveled and was wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and a t-shirt with a picture of Han Solo with the quote ‘Don’t mess with the Han.’ The man won’t ever give up Star Wars. It’s just another layer to Owen.

  "You were sleeping?" Blake raised his eyebrows. It was after noon, and he had been awake for a while already.

  "Not anymore," Owen stepped aside, letting Blake in. Owen lived in a tiny home that was always in disarray. The living room alone held two computer towers and four monitors, and the bookshelves were a mix of electronic equipment, Star Wars action figures, pictures he’d taken on his trips in other parts of the world, and more electronic equipment. Blake’s eyes landed on the two standard movie posters above the couch. Owen had obtained the Empire Strikes Back poster when he was thirteen, and the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom was given to him from Blake.

  Owen grew up obsessed with Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Blake once wondered if it was just a Harrison Ford thing. He had to admit the guy was pretty smooth, but he soon realized it had been only a coincidence. Owen owned every single Star Wars book written, and to this day they were still published, written by many different authors. Blake didn’t see any of the books in the living room, and assumed they must be in storage. The house was too small to display all the memorabilia that Owen had collected over the years.

  "It’s two in the afternoon. Are you nocturnal now?" Blake crossed his arms.

  "I was up late, computer stuff." Owen shoved the pile of notebooks aside on the couch and plopped down. "What’s up?"

  "I need you to come with me to Duluth." Blake decided to stay standing rather than try to find where the chair was. He walked over to the bookshelf and picked up Lord Sith. Blake never really got into the whole Jedi thing, he was more of a G.I. Joe kid, but since he spent all his spare time with Owen it rubbed off on him.

  "Why?" Owen asked, trying to stifle a yawn.

  "Well, uh, Terra and her friends are spending the night there, and I want to go keep an eye on them. I can’t really give you the whole explanation, but I just need to make sure their safe." He should have put more thought into his reason for following the women to Duluth. As in, thinking up a reason period that didn’t involve anything magical. He was still having flashes of Aylin collapsed on the ground, staring into the sky with a vacant look in her eye. He had no idea what to do or how to help her. It had scared him, and that got under his skin. He tried not to fear much of anything, it’s not the way things work with him. He was usually the one doing the intimidating.

  Blake couldn’t ignore the fact that he also wanted to murder whoever hurt Aylin. It had caught him off guard, and it had hit him hard and fast. As soon as she was breathing and shaking in his arms he wanted to look in every corner to find whoever did it to her. If he found them, he couldn’t help what he would do to them. It was an animal instinct, and he wouldn’t try to turn it off.

  They were just beginning to get to know each other and he wanted a chance to see where it would go with them. This intense feeling for her unsettled him. He wanted to open it up and let it shine bright and true.

  He set the figurine back down with more force than intended, and turned to face Owen again.

  Owen frowned up at him. His hair hung in his eyes, and he pushed it back with both hands, blowing air out of his mouth. "Are they in trouble?"

  Blake shifted his weight awkwardly. "Maybe. I’m not sure, but it feels like it. But I need you there just in case."

  "Are you looking out for Terra or Aylin?"

  "Both. Jesus, are we done with the third degree? Are you coming or not?" His annoyance was simmering dangerously just below the surface. He really should have thought this through. Maybe he should just go alone.

  "Yeah, sure. Let’s go spy on them." Owen shrugged. "Nothing creepy or wrong with that." He smiled at Blake. "Let me shower and pack a few things." He pushed up off the couch. "I have a few bugs we could plant on them, then we can listen to their every word too." He winked.

  Blake stopped. "Bugs? What the hell kind of crap are you into now?"

  Owen shrugged coolly. "Just a little surveillance, you know."

  "No, I don’t know."

  Owen leaned against the doorframe leading to the short hallway. "I have to pay bills, just like everyone else. Just a little cushion for comfort."

  "Owen, what have you been up to?"

  "Nothing really." Owen smiled brightly. "How about those bugs?"

  "Not a chance."

  The women first checked into a hotel in Canal Park, within walking distance to the pier. The room looked out onto the lake near the drawbridge that led to Wisconsin, and they could see a mass of dark clouds in the distance. "Nope, not even a storm is going to stop us," El said with determination and her hands on her hips.

  "Just in case we should bring rain gear with us," Terra said, packing rain jackets into her tote.

  "Always the sensible one. You being the earth faerie and all should love the rain."

  "Oh, I do. There is nothing like the smell of rain in the air. But I’m not really into getting soaked when I can avoid it." Terra sat down on the edge of the bed. "Aylin, you’re very quiet today."

  "You are," El agreed.

  Aylin, who was standing with her arms crossed and gazing out the window turned to face them. She knew it hadn’t been the best idea to try and hide her emotions from them. It would have only taken a little nudging and she would melt. But she didn’t want to ruin their day, and needed some actual fun. "Something happened this morning." She held her hand up to stop the two from speaking. "I don’t want to talk about it now. I want to have a good time today, and tonight, and clear my head. Is that okay with you two?"

  "I don’t like that you are keeping things from us." El stepped toward her. "As you very well put we need to be a united front, and we can’t when your holding things from us. But," she didn’t pause to let Aylin protest and held up a finger pointed right at her, "we’ll discuss that tomorrow." She looked over to Terra who looked frightened. "Let’s just be girls today, not protectors."

  Aylin reached out and squeezed El’s hand. Her hand twitched under El’s, feeling El’s mind travel up her arm. It wasn’t painful this time, more like a slow faint ache. Before reaching her mind Aylin took her hand away. "Thank you. I didn’t want to ruin today." She didn’t look into El’s eyes.

  "Okay." El nodded slowly. The question was on her lips, but she bit her tongue. "Now, we need to get to a department store." She turned fully to Terra.

  Hours later and the beds in the hotel room were full of shopping bags. Most were for Terra, but El and Aylin couldn’t help themselves from picking up a few things for themselves. Aylin sat on the bathroom counter while she watched El snip at Terra’s hair. Terra had her back to her and sat on the edge of the tub. "I can’t wait to slip my feet into those new leather boots," Aylin said, dreaming of the soft leather caressing her skin.

  "They will look great with the white sweater you bought. Put on a pair of slim jeans, tuck them into the boots, and a long necklace and Blake won’t know what hit him." El nodded.

  "Blake?" Terra piped up. "So, you’re finally giving in?" El had to stop cutting because Terra turned to look at Aylin.

  Aylin looked at the two of them and had to laugh at them. "There is nothing to give in to. I have accepted that he will be apart of this, but that’s it. He’s your brother Terra." She sipped her Diet Coke.

  "That’s even better that he’s my brother. Then you know he has to be a good guy." Terra turned back so El could continue. "I don’t think it’s any secret you two are attracted to each other."

  El la
ughed. "Well put Terra. She is just going to have to realize that she’s not hiding it very well."

  "I’m not listening anymore to this. I’m going to paint my nails." Aylin jumped off the counter and went to dig in one of the bags. She was painting her toenails a deep purple by the window when Terra emerged from the bathroom. Her hair framed her face in chunky layers, flipping out at the bottom, and had extra shine like she had glossed it. "You look great!" Aylin encouraged.

  "And to think I was even worried." Terra shook her head. "El really knows what she’s doing."

  "Finally, a vote of confidence." El nudged her from behind. "Now let’s find you something to wear for dinner." She headed for the bags.

  Terra had been once again surprised by El. She had assumed that El would force her to buy some high fashionable clothing that had no place in Lancaster Bay, but instead El found her pieces that would work naturally in her wardrobe. She found her feminine style sweaters that would keep her warm, but still showed off her curves. She now realized that the cut of jeans she was wearing did nothing for her figure either, so now she owned three different styles that would accentuate her toned legs. For tonight El pulled out a pair of dark denim jeans, a soft pink sweater wrap and white shirt underneath. The outfit was nothing like Terra’s usual tomboy style, but she felt completely comfortable.

  El wore a short rust orange sweater dress and tall boots that zipped up above her knee and had a sharp heel that had Terra wondering how she could take even two steps in. Aylin wore a white tunic sweater that had a cowl neck and a long chain, with her slim jeans tucked into boots. "We’re hot!" Terra blurted out and laughed at herself. "I’ve never felt so girly before."

  El applied minimal makeup on Terra, just blush, a light dusting of eye shadow and mascara and lipstick that was a shade darker than her natural color lips. "You look gorgeous," El whispered to her.

  "I do?" Terra was surprised, this coming from El.

  "Yes," she said firmly. "It’s too bad that Owen can’t see you tonight." She winked.