Ariel Rising

by A. J. Sparber

  “And I want to stay with you because we love each other. I’m not leaving unless you kick me out. Are you going to kick me out, Davin?”

  “Of course not—”

  “Then it’s official. We are living together. As a couple.”

  He chuckles. “If you were human, I would urge you to go to law school. You are incredibly good at making a point.”

  “Thank you. I was the star of my school’s debate team.”

  He stares at me for a moment. “You must have been a frightening opponent.”

  “Terrifying,” I answer, with a crooked smile.

  Davin’s expression suddenly changes, as if a switch was flipped. He looks distracted. Something is on his mind.

  “Is there anything wrong, Davin?”

  “I was thinking about your sister…”

  “Go on,” I urge, because he seems to be stuck.

  He’s rubbing his temples again. Not a good sign. “She is very close to Reyna—”

  “Your almost-fiancé?” I have no idea why, but I feel a pang of jealousy. Just a small one.

  “Yes. They are best friends.”

  “Why is this an issue?”

  “Reyna has been behaving strangely of late.”

  “I thought the two of you agreed to break up. Why would…” I pause. “Does this have something to do with you and me?”

  He averts his eyes. “I’m not sure, but the timing would seem to indicate a connection.”

  “Is she jealous? Does she want you back?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Did you break off the relationship, or did she?”

  “I did.”

  “And she was not happy with that. Right?”

  “She took it badly. She was mortified. She wanted everyone to think our breakup was mutually agreed upon. I played along.”

  “How long has it been since the breakup?”

  “A long time. A few hundred years.”

  “Well, that’s a pretty long time, even by angel standards. She has to be over you by now.”

  “I thought she was. Up until a few months ago, our relationship was civil.”

  “When you say she acts strangely, what exactly do you mean?”

  “I really don’t think you want to know.”

  “Davin…” I’m not going to give in.

  “Ari, I really—”

  I narrow my eyes and scowl at him. “Spill it, Davin.”

  He studies me for a moment. “She throws herself at me.”

  I’m not getting a very good visual. “She throws herself at you? What does that mean?”

  “Well, it means that if you were there when she did it, you would probably want to hurt her.”

  Oh geez, this is not good. “And how does Solana feel about all this?”

  “She is neutral. She cares for Reyna, but she also understands that her behavior is not acceptable.”

  “By unacceptable, do you mean that she is delusional, unstable, and possibly dangerous?”

  Davin looks queasy. “I think that covers it.”

  “She sounds lovely. I just don’t understand why she would go weird after all these years. I’m not the only girlfriend you’ve had since Reyna and you broke up. Right?”

  “No. Of course not. Ari, I just wanted you to be prepared. Reyna and Lana are inseparable.”

  “Lana?”

  “Solana’s friends call her Lana.”

  My eyes widen. It can’t be. “Can I see a picture of her?”

  “Sure,” he says, as he taps an info panel.

  An image of a woman appears on the screen.

  “Oh, my God…”

  “What is it?” Davin asks, looking concerned.

  “The hair is different. But her face…” I pause, unable to process what I see.

  “What about her face?” Davin asks.

  “I know her. She was my nanny!”

  “Your nanny?”

  “Yes. When Mom was doing her residency, Dad hired a nanny to take care of me. She lived with us from the time I was born until Dad left.”

  “The plot thickens.”

  “It sure as hell does. Is she a good person, Davin?”

  “She is a wonderful person and a good friend. Was she a good nanny?”

  “Yes. I loved her dearly.”

  “I’m sure there is a logical…”

  “I’m sure, too. I just wish this were a book so I could skip ahead a few chapters. You know?”

  “That would be convenient. But I’m afraid we will have to wait until we can talk with her. And we will do that.”

  “Can we conference with her tonight?”

  “She is on holiday for the next few weeks. I think we should wait until she returns to Portal City.”

  “Okay,” I say with a hint of disappointment. “Do you think I should tell my mom?”

  “I don’t see what harm it would do at this point. But I would not mention what I told you about Reyna. That would probably worry her.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Ari...?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything about Reyna before.”

  “There is nothing for you to be sorry about,” I reply.

  “I’m glad you’re not angry with me.”

  “If you ever make me angry, you will totally know it. Now let’s forget about Reyna and go to bed. Okay?”

  Sleep eludes me. I’m unable to stop thinking about Lana and Reyna. When I finally expel Lana from my thoughts, Reyna creeps in. Why is she acting strangely?

  I lean over to face Davin and loop a leg across his thighs. “Hey. You awake?”

  “Hmm, I think so. What’s up?” he asks, groggily.

  “I was thinking.”

  He looks down at my leg and smiles. “About me? I really like it when you do that with your leg.”

  I laugh. “You are an incorrigible smart-ass, Davin.”

  He sighs. “I think it comes naturally. Now tell me what you were thinking about.”

  “I was thinking about Reyna.”

  “In what context?”

  “Is she on a mission to sabotage our relationship? And if so, why?”

  “I’m really not sure what her motives are. But I am sure that nothing could ever come between us. Reyna’s behavior defies logic. She is not a bad person. I’ve asked both Lana and Seto for their opinions, but they are at a loss.”

  “Seto?”

  “Yes. He and Reyna have been in a relationship for quite some time.”

  I’m a little surprised. Seto is my agility instructor. And a really sweet guy.

  “Something is going on, Davin. I’m not sure what it is, but it can’t be good.”

  “I don’t doubt that. Do you have a theory?”

  “It’s not really a theory. It’s more like intuition.”

  Although I haven’t really thought things through, it feels as if I’m on the right track.

  “Ari?”

  “Sorry,” I say. “I was thinking that my dad was the only Elder to have more than one child. Was I really a gift? Or did he break a few rules? Do you see where I’m going with this?”

  He nods. “Tell me more.”

  “Okay. If I’m a gift, there might be fallen angels somewhere who might want me out of the way. They could perceive me as a threat, a weapon. And there could be others, like Galen, who want to control me. But if I am the result of a forbidden union, then I could be perceived as a weapon for evil, a disruptive force. I could threaten the balance of things. Make sense?”

  Davin stares at me for several moments. Clearly, he’s digesting and processing what I’ve said.

  “Fascinating. You have suggested two plausible scenarios. I was considering Reyna’s actions from a behavioral perspective only. I had not considered it in conspiratorial terms.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “We continue to protect you, and we wait for the answer to come to us. And it will come to us—one way or another.”

  “Sh
ouldn’t we question her?”

  “No. We are blind. We could stir things up that we are unprepared to deal with. Knowing that Reyna could be part of a conspiracy gives us an advantage. We have to wait. Of course, that does not mean we cannot have her monitored,” he says, with a smile. “And Lana might be able to help us,” he adds.

  “Do you think I could be evil?”

  “Of course not. This is why we must proceed with your celebration. Once everyone meets you, they will know you are not evil.”

  “How will they know?”

  “Because you smell so nice.”

  I laugh out loud. “That’s very scientific.”

  “Well, there is your charming personality, too.”

  “That’s better. Anything else?”

  “Your amazing beauty.”

  “Is that all?”

  He leans closer to me, and I can feel the warmth of his breath. “Because I’m in love with you, and I’m known for my impeccable taste in women.”

  “Shut up,” I say, as my fingers walk slowly from his navel to his chest.

  He opens his mouth to respond. “Shh,” I whisper, as my lips find his.

  I kiss him as if I’m dying of thirst and he’s a cool mountain stream. The problem is, I want to dive into the stream and swim around for a few hours.

  “Thank you, Davin,” I say, as I lean back onto the pillow.

  He casts me a questioning look. “Hmm?”

  “Thank you for being my strength. For being my inspiration. For believing in me. For respecting me. For loving me.”

  He smiles. “You make it very easy.”

  “I’m glad I do,” I say, through a big yawn.

  “You look very tired. We should get some sleep.”

  “Good idea. I love you,” I whisper.

  “And I love you,” he says, as he plants a sweet kiss on my lips.

  Davin rolls over, and I wiggle my body into his. We fit together like a living, breathing puzzle. I smile contentedly as sleep wraps me in a warm and happy embrace.

  I’m home.

  Chapter 21

  “Something is happening, Davin!”

  Davin is trying to teach me how to project energy. We’ve been at it for ten days, and it hasn’t gone very well. But today I feel close to a breakthrough. I’m not sure why, but I just feel it. In my bones.

  “Can you feel the Essence pooling?” Davin asks.

  “Yeah.”

  It’s as if a bubble has formed in my chest. I concentrate on it, trying to move it out of the way, so I can breathe. It moves toward my shoulder, but now it’s stuck. It’s pulsing, and beginning to hurt. I focus harder.

  Still stuck. No, it’s inflating, getting larger. And it’s moving down my arm.

  “It’s moving. I’m moving it!”

  “It feels like flexing a muscle, right?” Davin asks.

  “Yes!”

  Stepping clear of Davin, I point my hand, fingers outstretched, toward the first target—a stone obelisk, fifty meters away.

  Snap, crackle, BAM! The obelisk explodes, disintegrating in a mist of fine powder.

  “Holy crap! The target is gone,” I say, hardly believing my eyes.

  Davin comes up behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and whispers in my ear, “That was extremely sexy. If you do it again, I will need a cold shower. Can you do it again?”

  “I think so.”

  I hope so.

  “Do it,” he says softly, stepping away from me. “But this time, release the energy gradually. We want a steady stream, rather than a projectile.”

  “Okay. I’ll try.”

  The remaining target is a solid metal cube made of an Olympian alloy similar to titanium. I point my hand at the target and concentrate on moving the bubble down my arm. But this time I flex gradually. A steady stream of white energy shoots from my fingers hitting the target dead-center. Counting the seconds, I watch, transfixed, as the cube begins to change shape. It’s melting.

  “Try to hold it, Ari,” Davin calls out.

  Beads of sweat drip down my head and into my eyes as I hold the beam. I’m still counting. Thirty seconds.

  I am almost spent.

  Five seconds more.

  I’m out of juice.

  Davin stares at the spot where the cube was and lets out a whoop, because all that remains is a puddle of molten metal. I let out a breath and crouch. My legs are feeling a bit wobbly.

  “How’d I do?”

  “You are a weapon of mass destruction,” Davin says.

  He pulls me into his arms, smiling like a proud coach. “I knew you could do it.”

  “Really?” I ask with a raised brow.

  “Really,” he says as he kisses my forehead, my eyes, my nose, and my lips.

  “Can we take tomorrow off?” I ask.

  His lips are pursed. He’s thinking. “I think we should practice more. We want this to be second nature.”

  “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Practice makes perfect. Especially with finals next week. I’d hate to melt the classroom. Or the proctor.”

  Davin chuckles. “On second thought, let’s take tomorrow off. We can make a day trip to Genobli. A little sightseeing?”

  “Your hometown! I would like that, Davin. Maybe Ella and Tal could join us?”

  “Sure. Let’s call them tonight.”

  I nod and try to shake the knots out of my arms.

  “Are you tired?” Davin asks.

  “A little. I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to be able to do this. I’m kind of proud of myself.”

  “You should be. What you’ve accomplished is truly amazing. I hope you realize that.”

  “I do now,” I say with a big grin. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “I have a feeling that someday soon there will be things you will be teaching me.”

  I smile. “You’re already a great Warrior and a fabulous kisser. What could I ever teach you?”

  “You never know.”

  The following week is considerably less taxing. Ella and I complete our high school graduation requirements, breezing through finals. The last test is in the books by Friday, which means we have a ten-day holiday before training resumes.

  We say goodbye to Mr. Elliot, the proctor from Edgewood, and rocket out of the classroom. Davin and Tal are waiting for us outside the building.

  “Well, you think you passed?” Davin asks.

  “Are you kidding me?” I tease. “It was child’s play. So where are we going?”

  “You’ll see,” Tal says, grinning slyly.

  “Well, let’s hit the road,” Ella says. “We’re not getting any younger, ya know?”

  “We’re not getting any older either,” I say, unable to suppress a giggle.

  “That’s a technicality, sweetie. Actually we are getting older, we just…”

  “When you two are done philosophizing, we can go,” Davin says, shaking his head.

  “Sorry,” Ella says, smiling innocently. “So where did you say we were going?”

  “Shopping,” Tal says. “Ari and you need to buy swimsuits.”

  “We’re going swimming?” I ask.

  “I would like us to go to Carina—a lovely island in the South Promethean. It’s been in my family for a very long time,” Davin says. “I thought we could go tomorrow, stay through Thursday night, and have you back in time for graduation next Friday.”

  Six nights on an island with Davin. Wow. “I would love to.” I give him a quizzical look. “Your own island? Really?”

  “It’s a very small island,” he says, smiling.

  There are no malls in Portal City, but there are several very nice clothing stores in the shopping district. Our first stop features an amazing swimsuit selection. Ella buys two really cute bikinis. Practical me settles on a bikini and a sleek one-piece. The suits come with coordinating sarong cover ups.

  Our next stop is a chic dress boutique, where the guys help us pick out a couple of new dresses, just in cas
e we go out dining and dancing. When it comes to selecting my clothes, Davin is almost as good as Ella, though he’s definitely biased toward sexy.

  We make one last stop and pick up jeans, shorts, footwear, and some really cool accessories.

  We’re ready for a much-needed vacation.

  “Where to now?” Ella asks.

  “Let’s go to Thalia’s so we can tell Mom about our plans,” I say.

  Thalia’s house is empty.

  “Where do you think they are?” I ask.

  “There is a message on her data screen,” Tal says. “They are at Thalia’s office.”

  “Let’s call her and see if she’d like to go out for dinner,” Ella suggests.

  “Good idea,” I say. “Where do you think we should go?”

  “Does she like Italian food?” Davin asks.

  “Ooh, yes. She’ll love Umberto’s,” I say.

  Davin took me there once and I was blown away. Eating in a restaurant on another planet is fascinating enough. Eating in an Italian restaurant on another planet is downright amazing.

  “You’d better call her before she and Thalia decide to go out to a nightclub,” Davin says with a little chuckle.

  “I’d love to see that, actually,” I say, as I take out my communicator.

  Mom is excited to spend some time alone with us. A girl’s night out. We agree to meet at the restaurant, which is halfway between Thalia’s house and Davin’s.

  “This is the best veal I’ve ever had,” Mom says. “And the fact that a cute little baby cow didn’t pay the ultimate price makes it taste even better.”

  “It is amazing, no doubt. But wait until you try the cannoli. They’re to die for. Save room for dessert.”

  “Mmm. I love cannoli,” Ella says.

  Mom laughs. “Look at us, girls. Eating Italian food on an alien planet!”

  “Look at you,” Ella says with a big smile.

  “What? Is my makeup smeared?”

  “You look so beautiful, Doc. You look so young.”

  Mom is wearing a little black dress and she looks stunning. We could pass for sisters.

  “You really do look gorgeous, Mom,” I say.

  “I told you I used to work hard at looking older,” she says with a big smile that makes her eyes sparkle. “I’m so happy to not have to worry anymore. I’m so happy to be here with you. Both of you. Do you ever feel like we’re in a fairytale?”