The Equinox

by K. K. Allen

  Charlotte speaks up, surprising me, and Rose too by the look on her face. “Rose, you know perfectly well how young girls get wrapped up in boys. Don’t dismiss Kat’s feelings like that.”

  I look up at Rose and wipe my eyes. “I thought I could trust Johnny.”

  Rose purses her lips. “The important thing is that Johnny is not the Equinox, and you’ve got your pendant back.”

  “Are you going to tell me how you know that?” I’m exhausted now and it’s evident in my voice. I give up asking the same questions over and over.

  “Wait until Arabella gets back dear. She knows more about this than we do.”

  “What now?” I ask lifting my arms. “If Johnny isn’t the Equinox then who is? What is he waiting for? How many people will he kill before we find him?” The answers are endless but I stop there. No need to drag it on. We are all fully aware of what we don’t know.

  “Then tell me more about energy sourcing. How can we possibly give back to the earth when the human race takes so much?” My tone is wobbly and louder than I mean for it to be.

  Rose puts her head down for just a moment and then looks at me. “I keep certain things from you for your protection. Because if—and dear, I pray this never happens to you, but if Erebus were to get close to you—it’s just too dangerous.”

  I shake my head. If Rose only knew how painful these secrets are to me. Sometimes it all just feels like too much.

  “Our energy sourcing provides more good for this world than Erebus can stand. Only he doesn’t know how we do it—and we need to keep it that way or he could destroy everything we’ve built.”

  “Well what happens when you’re not here anymore?” I ask this gently, knowing it’s not the most polite question, but it’s reality.

  Rose just stares at me blankly. “There’s a plan. Part of that plan is for you to never know what we’re hiding.”

  “You’re going to keep this secret from me forever?”

  Rose nods. “Unless Erebus dies, you will be protected from this information.”

  The front door opens what feels like centuries later and Arabella walks into the room with a frown on her face. “He’s not at the marina. The guard says he handed his keys in a few hours ago.”

  “He’s gone?” My insides quiver and I want to explode with tears of frustration and sadness all at once. I should have stayed to listen to him. What was I doing? Why would I run away from him? I accused him of lying. I abandoned him.

  Arabella sighs. “I have to find him. I’m going back out to look. Kat, do you know anywhere else he might be?”

  I quickly go over our encounter with the dolphins about an hour away and then of the sanctuary not too far from that.

  “But wait, is someone going to tell me why you’re looking for him? If he’s not the Equinox then why do you care?”

  Arabella leans against Rose’s chair and nods. “Do you remember what I told you about the lone descendant of the sea? He travels with no home. His friends and family have become the sea.”

  Memories of Johnny’s scent, his comfort with mammals, his knowledge of marine biology, and even his stories of his parents flood my mind. The recent conversation I had with Rose swarms my head. Why did I not make the connection before?

  “The descendant of Poseidon?” I ask, but I already know. “It makes so much sense.”

  Arabella’s eyes are raised. “So it’s true!”

  I shake my head, trying to quickly form the pieces in my mind, but the puzzle pieces fit. “There are definitely connections.” A jumble of frustration twist like angry vines, creating a knot in my chest. “But why would he steal my pendant?” And why did he have so much hate for me?

  Charlotte is the first to stand. “Tomorrow is the carnival’s grand opening. I think we need to get some rest. Tomorrow we concentrate on finding the Equinox.

  “What do I do with this? Now that I have it back.”

  “Here,” Arabella takes a gold chain from her pocket and I recognize it as the one we found at the marina. She takes the pendant from me and does a quick maneuver before placing it around my wrist. I feel a tingle and slight tug as it forms to my skin. “There, it’s bound to you now. No one can rip it from you. You can only lose it again if you take it off.”

  I’m staring at my wrist now as the dull gold chain appears to be painted on, the heart pendant shakes slightly with my movements. “What does this protect me from exactly? Death?”

  Arabella shakes her head. “This pendant protects you from something worse.”

  What could be worse than death?

  “Erebus can only possess Equinox descendants, and since you are an Equinox descendant…” Arabella sighs and the room is dead with silence. “The pendant protects you from being possessed by Erebus.”

  * * *

  Everyone retreats to their rooms. I’m tired, but I can’t sleep just yet. It’s not that I didn’t make the connection before—I knew that possession was a possibility. I didn’t know that my mom’s pendant protected me from Erebus taking me over. Knowing this now gives me some relief, but just because Erebus can’t possess me doesn’t mean that he will stop hurting other people.

  Johnny’s gone and my heart hurts; guilt riddles me. I should have never left him. I could have listened to him.

  As I walk toward my balcony, I muster up a gust of wind that opens the French doors, revealing an eerily calm night sky. Placing my hands upon the balcony ledge, I stare out as far as my eyes can adjust, but there’s no sign of Johnny. He’s gone—and I don’t know if he’s ever coming back.

  Frantically, I pull out my phone and call him. No answer. I call again. No answer. So I text him.

  Johnny, please call me. I’m sorry I got scared. You’re not what I thought you were…come back…

  I put my phone down and then pick it up again.

  But why did you have my pendant?

  Where will he go now? This is his home. He has to come back.

  The lone descendant of Poseidon. He said his parents died when he was almost sixteen—murdered, rather. Does he even know why he has powers? Does he know who he is?

  I’m thankful to have Rose and Charlotte to show me the ropes. As my sixteenth birthday was approaching I knew there was something different about me. I knew I was changing. I tried to make excuses for what was going on with me but whatever was brewing was so powerful that eventually it would come out, without having to try. Charlotte tells me that’s why my visions and dreams were so strong—because my power was growing at a rapid rate, it was ready to burst out of me whether or not I was ready.

  And when I first used my powers…I close my eyes, remembering how good it felt; like a release of every tense sensation my body had ever held.

  It’s easy to let that feeling carry you away, which is why there are laws to help us control our use. Like a battery, we only have so many cycles until our power dies and we’re unable to give back to the earth, and when our power dies—we die. A cold chill spreads through my body creating a shiver that reverberates every inch of my skin.

  Again, I glance down at my phone but there’s no message from Johnny. One thing hounds my mind, now that I’ve come to terms that Johnny is the descendant of Poseidon and not the Equinox. The Equinox is still out there, whoever he is, and he must be found and killed.

  Chapter Twenty

  I didn’t ask for this life. To finally have the one thing in this world worth living for and then be forced to give it up is unbearable. He is forbidden to me, a temptation above any red fruit. He stands before me, yet out of my grasp.

  His eyes stare back at me with a look that breaks my heart. A pained expression tells me that I have hurt him. This look is far more powerful than the tears that threaten to surface, and I must will them away. To reveal before him my own pain would only complicate things, this I know for sure—this is how things are destined to be.

  Forcing my eyes away from his is my only hope in this moment, but even without my eyes on his beautiful face, I feel
him searching me for any signs of hope. I feel his love for me and a hole begins to burn straight through my core.

  * * *

  Not even my amethyst could stop this nightmare from entering the limited minutes of slumber I had last night. I dreamt of a reenactment of my power struggle with Johnny—only this time—I killed him.

  As I awake, I know it’s not Johnny that needs to die. There’s someone out there possessed by the Equinox, and they will stop at nothing to terrorize the people of this town—to feel powerful because they are weak. Rose told me that by Erebus possessing a living body, he weakens their true form until they die. A body only has a couple of weeks to be released from his invasion—who knows how long he’s been possessing his current body, whoever it is.

  Needless to say, I wake with a sickness in my stomach, a tense knot in my gut, and an unsettled pain in my chest. Today’s the big day—the Island Carnival’s Grand Opening. All proceeds go to Save the Manatee® Club and a foundation that Rose started called Nurture Nature.

  I’m still not sure how the organization helps nature; something about providing resources so that Enchanters can give back in the biggest way possible. It’s all a part of the big secret that Rose demands I speak nothing of—go figure.

  Rose insists that the carnival go on as scheduled, despite recent events and the knowledge that if the Equinox is going to strike hard, it’s going to be tonight. The Equinox has always had an obsession with two things: the need for power and for attention.

  A knock on my door causes me to jump. It’s only Charlotte. I can tell by the light sound of her small knuckles hitting the wood.

  “Are you dressed? We need to leave in five minutes.” Charlotte doesn’t enter as usual. She must be in a hurry to dress herself. We were all up late last night, and I imagine we’re all suffering from lack of sleep.

  “Almost ready. I’ll be down in a minute,” I call back dryly.

  I throw on the first thing I see in my closet; a black dress that just reaches the top of my knees and gold sandals, but it could be a paper bag for all I care.

  I head outside toward the already running Escalade, and slide in beside Arabella. “What’s the hurry?” I grumble. “The carnival doesn’t start until nine.”

  “We’ve called an impromptu Solstice meeting,” Rose turns but not enough so that I can see her eyes. Her tone is level, yet there’s an intensity that I’ve never quite heard in her before. Rose means business.

  By the time we enter the meeting center the hall is packed with Enchanters, other descendants, and Followers. Everyone is making their way into the main ballroom; no one stops to chat or catch up; everyone here is ready to listen to whatever Rose has to say.

  Rose takes center stage and immediately begins adjusting the microphone. Charlotte leads Arabella and me to a row of long tables on the stage where the Elders usually sit. I guess we’re joining them today.

  Darla French takes the seat beside me but she doesn’t smile or say a word. My heart swells for the woman. The pain of losing someone is the most vulnerable pain—one that can never be resolved. For a moment, I forget my own pain as I reach over and squeeze her hand. She squeezes back as a sign of her appreciation.

  A loud tapping comes through the speaker system and I can see that Rose is calling everyone’s attention by thumping on the microphone. The room settles into complete silence and waits.

  “On the Fourth of July there was an event that signaled the first sign of the Equinox’s arrival. At the time, we didn’t know what we were dealing with, but after a loss of one of our Elders, an earthquake that injured many and killed two, and a violent act to wound a manatee, we’re seeing early signs of what the Equinox is capable of. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning.”

  I wince at her words.

  “At the time of the Fourth of July bonfire, my dear granddaughter used her powers singlehandedly to create a wave that ultimately rescued party guests from countless more injuries and deaths. In doing so, she almost died, but she was saved by an undisclosed figure. This figure ripped her pendant from her neck—but not just any pendant. This ornament was given to Kat by her mother before she passed.”

  Rose pauses and looks around the room in dramatic pause. My mood darkens and I begin to stand. What will people say if they know that my mother was an Equinox? I gulp—and that Equinox blood was passed down to me.

  Arabella, who must sense my attempt to stop Rose from telling the entire community, places a strong hand on my knee to stop me. She shakes her head. “It will be okay,” she assures me.

  But what does Arabella know? I glare at her. If this community knows that Rose’s granddaughter has Equinox blood, who knows what they’ll do to me. No one trusts anyone right now, and I don’t want their eyes on me.

  “Kat’s mother,” Rose continues, “was an Equinox.”

  Gasps sound throughout the room and I don’t have to look to know that everyone’s horrified faces have turned to burn holes through me from every angle.

  “Let me be clear,” Rose continues. “The Equinox community wouldn’t be the evil that they are if it weren’t for Erebus’s leadership. He has been abusing his powers for centuries by possessing the bodies of Equinox descendants—once he possesses them, he uses them to carry out his evil acts while his Followers commit other acts of violence, according to his wishes. The pendant that Kat now wears around her wrist provides her with protection to shield the Equinox from occupying her body.”

  I still don’t know why Rose is telling everyone this. Is it really their business what my mom was, and what I am? It’s not like anything changes, but I sigh a breath of relief as I stare down at the gold heart pendant knowing that the Equinox cannot possess me. The thought of being possessed by something so evil—of killing someone with my bare hands—is gut wrenching.

  Rose turns and gestures for Arabella to join her.

  Arabella is on her feet instantly and approaches the microphone beside Rose. “The person who took the pendant is Johnny Pierce. He was born here but lived at sea with his parents until he was nearly sixteen, after his parents’ tragic death. He’s been back in town for the last two years and has been working at the Island Grille.” Arabella takes a deep breath before continuing. “Why he took the pendant from Kat is still a mystery, but it is our belief that he is the long lost descendant of Poseidon.”

  There are more gasps throughout the crowd but I just clutch the table, waiting for someone to come forward with his whereabouts. Maybe Johnny is back in town. He can’t just disappear…I look around with wide eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone who has anything to say. Nothing.

  “Johnny can’t be found, but if anyone sees him, please let him know that he is safe, but he must come to us. We need him. Our mission is much bigger than stopping the Equinox from killing Elders. The Equinox has already gone to great lengths to pollute our water. Plants, fish, and other forms of sea life are dying rapidly. If the pollution continues, it will affect the Triton community, just like it did a decade ago. But it’s not just about us. By polluting our ocean, our rivers, it then pollutes our drinking water and vegetation. The Equinox is on a mission to not just kill Solstice and Triton descendants, but all of humankind.”

  Arabella gestures to me now. I’m not as confident as Arabella that my approach to the microphone will be met with such acceptance.

  “Look,” she tells the room as she holds up my left hand and opens my heart shaped pendant. “The pendant, when opened—”

  Suddenly shimmering white and silver lights pour out from the pendant in a narrow beam that widens until it hits the back of the ballroom wall.

  “It emits Solstice energy—light stolen by an Equinox centuries ago to protect their bodies from Erebus. Its light regenerates just as we, do creating an energy that’s beyond anything that the Equinox can handle.”

  I’ve pretty much had it to the brim of what I can take with all of this magic and good versus evil stuff. I just want to find the Equinox, kill him, and then find J
ohnny.

  Once the shock has settled in with the crowd Arabella closes the pendant. I almost forget that there’s an entire ballroom beneath us, staring.

  Rose addresses the room again. “We have a strong feeling that the Equinox will be at the carnival tonight. Simply enough, he likes crowds—he likes attention. Tonight will be the biggest gathering that this city has seen in a very long time. So everyone should be careful, and should be on the lookout for anything suspicious. I urge you to travel in groups. We’ll organize a buddy system, so that if there’s a strange occurrence we can spread the word like wildfire and bring Erebus down once and for all—together.”

  The meeting ends but I can’t move. I’m not sure how to process everything. What next? How am I supposed to go to a carnival tonight after everything that’s happened? And how exactly are we going to take Erebus down?

  “Katrina,” Rose calls for me gently from behind me.

  I turn and approach her angrily. “Was it necessary to tell everyone about my mom? About me? They didn’t need to know what—who—they don’t need to know any of it.”

  My words hit something in her because her expression goes from gentle but stern to hurt and stricken. Her mouth hangs, her brow furrows, and her eyes show regret. “I didn’t mean to upset you. There’s nothing wrong with what you are—or your mother. You didn’t do any of these horrible things, and everyone here knows that, but we’re a community, Kat. It’s important that we’re all there for each other, to help each other. Besides, if anyone here got wind of what this pendant is—and they would have—then they’d be suspicious as to why you have it and how you got it.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “Sometimes, I too, believe in transparency.”

  It clicks; I get it, and I know that Rose didn’t mean anything by her confession, but I still wonder how I’m going to be viewed in the community now that my mother’s secret has been revealed. It’s not that I care what people think of me, I just don’t want anyone to be afraid of me.