He frowned. “So what do they want with you?”
“I don’t know.”
His jaw tightened, the sharp canines grinding. “Then you aren’t going. Not if I can’t be there to keep you safe.”
My own temper spiked. “It’s not your call, Thomas.”
He stopped dead, his eyes flashing yellow in an instant, large hands on my shoulders and pulling us to a halt. He glared at me. “I wasn’t asking. I said I forbid it.”
In an instant, my fingers covered his. An electrical charge shivered along my arms and zapped him with a shock that sent him tumbling backwards with a shout. He stood, shuddering with anger, glaring down at me.
“I decide, Thomas. Not you—me. You don’t get to boss me around. I’m not that kind of girl, and you’d better not be that kind of guy.”
He stared at me in frustration, raking a hand through his hair, making the tight curls stand up in places. “I want you safe.”
“Caring for someone isn’t the same as controlling them. Come on, we’re going to be late.”
Instead, we were the first to arrive, ducking our heads to enter the enormous cavern. It was cleverly hidden behind the falls that dropped several hundred feet over a cliff, following the Bear River that tumbled down the mountain into Breathless. Steam rose and enveloped us as soon as we entered, and with a sigh I rubbed the dampness over my arms and face. I was already reaching for the hem of my shirt.
I eased down into the large pool, the heat enveloping me in a cocoon of warmth. I kept my swim-top in place, but beneath the frothing water I removed my bottoms as scales bloomed along my thighs, replacing fine hairs there, and my legs fused into an aqua tail and fins. With a joyous laugh, I flipped my tail up and out of the water, splashing water high into the air.
Thomas swore as he settled in beside me. He was still steaming.
“This conversation isn’t over, you know.”
I glanced at his scowling, dark face. “The part where you tell me what to do is,” I finished.
We had no more time to argue. Motion at the door had us looking up as Sadie entered. She wasn’t smiling, either.
“Hey, glad you could make it,” Thomas muttered. Sadie glanced at him sharply, noting the sarcastic tone.
She removed her clothes, revealing an attractive one piece suit, and eased into the water beside me.
“Where’s Nick? I thought he was coming.”
She snorted. “Sure, he’ll show up, eventually. Bad pennies always do.”
I slapped the water once more with my tail in irritation, to protests all around as they swiped the water from their eyes.
Two of Thomas’ siblings, Kimmy and Todd, showed up shortly after in much better moods than the rest of us.
Sadie asked her as she slid in across from us with a groan, “First time, Kimmy?”
She laughed, throwing her head back and sinking until only her neck was visible. “Nope. Been coming here for years.”
I looked over as Sadie addressed Thomas. “So, what’s with all the dark and stormy?”
He stared hard at her, his eyes flickering to me. “Nothing you need to worry about. I wish I could get Sirris to keep her nose out of it, too, but so far, not much luck.”
Another flash of my tail hit the water with a slap, drenching us all, making everyone yell at me. I glared back at him. “Apparently, he wants to be privy to all my secrets, sharing none of his. I assumed I was important. You nipped that one right in the bud, didn’t you, Thomas?”
He growled, “Don’t go getting your—”
I shoved a fist into his side. “Don’t you dare finish that. If you don’t want my company, just say so.”
He stared at me incredulously. “Don’t be dumb. You know how I feel. I’m just not in the mood.”
“Oh, so now I’m stupid? Listen here Thomas Tuttle, you aren’t the only one that gets to be in a snit. Others of us are dealing with our own problems, too.”
Kimmy interrupted, “Wow. This is so relaxing and fun.”
Todd, grinning from ear to ear, added. “I’m good. It’s nice to see I’m not the only one with girl issues.”
I turned on him with a snarl. “Shut up, Todd. This isn’t about you, so butt out!”
“You can’t talk to my brother like that,” Thomas roared back, his eyes taking on an orange glow. I imagined the hair along his arms and legs growing longer and thicker.
But I wasn’t done poking the beast. “Oh, and what? Is the big bad wolf going to make me?” I challenged, wondering what was driving me to such insanity.
Thomas stared at me, seemingly speechless. All at once, he closed his eyes and expelled a great breath.
“I’m sorry, Sirris. I’ve been an ass lately. I can’t seem to help myself.”
I chewed on my lower lip, the anger leaving me just as quickly. I could battle the wolf, but the boy undid me.
Before I thought better of it, I reached out and cupped his jaw in my hands, dragging his face towards me. I leaned in and brushed the tip of his nose with a kiss.
I watched his eyes darken all over again with a different emotion. A shiver of satisfaction moved through me.
“We’re both dealing right now, Thomas. Makes us edgy. I’m sorry, too.”
He cleared his throat. “Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be spending a lot of time at the homestead. Wolf business. I won’t be able to have a lot of company or leave the homestead much. I’ll be dealing with…control issues.”
He still wasn’t long on the details, but I would take it. I turned to the rest of the group. “I have some news, too…”
Before I could finish, there was motion at the door and we all looked up to see Fern, looking disgruntled as she shed her outer clothing with jerky movements. Kit emerged from beneath her shirt, chittering, her long ropey tail curling around her body, her needle-like teeth bared. Noticing familiar faces, she leapt from Fern’s back to explore the cave, looking for a snack. Kit was a Weis kitten, and not from our world. She originated from Wyndoor, an alternate dimension to ours. Kit had formed an attachment to Fern, and the two were nearly inseparable.
A larger shadow emerged behind her and we stared in surprise as Niel Reece joined. Behind them both stepped Nick.
Sadie looked away from him, trying to hide her sudden nervousness. It was obvious they were still on the down and out. Instead, she turned and addressed her cousin.
“Niel! This is a shock, seeing you here.”
His answering smile faded as he watched Fern sail right past him and squeeze in between Sadie and me. Niel was forced to ease in on the other side of Thomas. Nick took the remaining seat next to Sadie, though he didn’t look happy about it.
Sadie spoke up again, voice high as she spoke to Niel. “You didn’t tell us why you’re so far from home?”
He glanced at her and hesitated. “Just visiting. Miss you crazies.”
Fern snorted. “You don’t really think they’re going to buy that’s all there is, do you Reece?”
He gave a heavy sigh, looking with longing at her. “No. I came back for Fern.”
I jumped. Well, that was romantic—sorta.
“I’m not that easy. Tell them the rest of it,” Fern scoffed.
“Greylock Mountain needs the witch; we need what Fern is.” He locked eyes with her. She was the first to look away.
I wanted to ask what that was, when Sadie asked me, “What did you say your news was, Sirris?”
I took a shaky breath. “I’ve been called home to Tarus.”
Sadie frowned in confusion. “What’s that?”
“No, where. Tarus is a town beneath the waters of Deep Lake. My grandfather and Tarus Council are requesting my presence.”
Niel’s mouth fell open, and he murmured. “Wow, so Atlantis really exists…”
“What do they want?” Sadie persisted, ignoring him.
“I’m not sure. But apparently I have two sisters there I didn’t know about. They didn’t say what they wanted.” Nervous energy
rolled through me, and I clenched my fists at my side. I jumped when Thomas grabbed my hand. He looked worried.
“How long will you be gone? Can you tell us that?” he asked.
“I don’t know. My home is here on Shephard’s Mountain. But the Mer-folk world holds to its own set of rules. I’ll be back when they let me leave.”
“I wish I could be there,” Thomas growled.
I clutched his fingers tighter. “I wish you could, too. But I’m a Sylvan, remember? None of you can come with me, not for this, not unless you can sprout fins and a tail.”
“I still don’t have to like it,” Thomas finished.
Sadie stared at me gravely, answering for all the rest, “None of us do.”
It was the first time I could ever remember needing to get away from my friends. I didn’t want to hear their concerns and opinions on what I should and shouldn’t do, especially since most of them were also my own. But the not knowing, the curiosity about my other me, the part I kept hidden and silent in the Onlanders world, drove me on. I needed answers, even if I was afraid of them.
I made up an excuse about getting back to Dad and helping him finish the painting in the main room. The look on Sadie’s face when I pulled myself from the warmth of the pool and threw my clothes on over my wetsuit told me she knew an excuse when she heard it. She was a master at making them in her own mixed up life, so she should know. I carefully avoided looking at Thomas, whose eyes were hard with suspicion as I made my goodbyes.
Now I slid and skidded down the mountain, hurrying to get somewhere, anywhere, away from where I’d been.
I inhaled the fresh clean October air, the sharpness stinging my nose and making me shiver. The leaves were about half down, the colors brilliant in the late morning sun, dappling the forest floor in a kaleidoscope of orange, brown, and reds. I was almost a mile down the trail and huffing when I realized I wasn’t alone. My heart kicked up a pace in awareness, and I stumbled, my feet catching limbs buried beneath the leaves.
I righted myself, picking up the pace, my ears straining to hear what didn’t belong. I heard the pant of heavy breathing.
Thomas’ shout behind me was a relief and an annoyance all in one as I came to a gasping halt, hands on my knees as I struggled to catch my breath. He caught up, leaning against a tree and panting.
“What the hell, Sirris? Where’s the fire?”
“I thought…” I didn’t finish. Let him figure out where my imagination had gone with him bumbling down the hill, uninvited, after me.
Firming my mouth, I started walking again, much slower, watching my step. He fell in beside me.
“I left because I wanted to be alone.” I said.
“I know why you ran off. But after what you told me about the goons following you? I got worried.”
I scowled. “I can take care of myself, you know. I’m no helpless human.”
He laughed. “Not funny. I’ve been in battle alongside your father, remember? That’s not how I’d describe him. And I know you can handle yourself under normal circumstances. But what if these aren’t those?”
I didn’t have an answer to what I’d wondered myself.
“Maybe they were just there to reinforce the message in the Echo Stone, and I misunderstood them.”
“Or, like you said, they were there to make sure you didn’t answer the summons. Maybe you should take the hint. I mean, it’s not like you owe them anything.”
“Yeah, well, all they did was reinforce my decision to go.”
There was silence as he processed my words. I’d told them about the invite, but I hadn’t told them I’d already made up my mind to go back to Tarus.
I chanced a glance at his dark face, a tic working his jaw, his eyes hot with worry.
But for once, he didn’t try to change my mind. We continued on in uneasy silence, our thoughts our own. Slower now, we picked our way down the mountain, nearing the split in the trail leading home—quieter, too, as we were more careful, which was why we both jerked at the sound of breaking branches under heavy feet that were pacing alongside us some distance through the woods. We heard heavy breathing from lungs unused to working in the thin mountain air, and awkward footfalls over bumpy terrain, making no effort to conceal their presence. They were coming our way.
Thomas lifted his face and scented the air, his nose wrinkling at something that didn’t belong.
“We have company, and it’s not a deer.”
Whoever it was wasn’t very good at keeping quiet. I immediately thought of the Seascrill, unused to human legs and dry land walking.
I reached out and pulled Thomas to a halt as he removed his bolos, prepared to fight. My staff tingled beneath my fingertips. We wouldn’t go down easy if it came to that.
But I had a different plan. I leaned in close, breath whispering over Thomas’ chin as I reached up and pulled his head down to mine. “This isn’t a fight we want. We need to hide,” I whispered.
His light eyes met mine, lit for battle, and I was sure he was going to argue. Finally, he bit out, “Where?”
My eyes seized on the low branches of a bigleaf maple and I tipped my head. “Can you boost me up to the first branch on that tree and follow?”
He shrugged. “How will that help? All they have to do is look up.”
“I’ll do what I did before and conceal us. They have a decent sense of smell, but I’m hoping the distance from the ground will make it harder to locate us. Just trust me, okay?”
I hissed when he gave a terse nod and immediately bent and swung me into his arms as if I were no bigger than a sack of potatoes. His arms bunched beneath my shoulders, and despite the danger, a shiver of awareness made goosebumps spring up along my arms.
It was short-lived, my hands scrambling and my mouth clamped shut against the startled squeak that I held back when I was suddenly airborne, dropping my staff to clutch the lowest limb. I scrambled for better footing, holding my hand out as he tossed my staff up for me to catch. I turned and climbed. In a matter of seconds, he was right behind me.
Below us, the sound of leaves and small branches being crushed beneath running feet grew louder. We were almost out of time. We were about twenty feet up on a stout branch that ran parallel to the ground. Without a word, I turned and pushed his shoulders until he was flat against the trunk. I turned and backed up, flush against Thomas and the tree, my hands reaching back behind us to splay flat against the rough grey bark. With no more time, I summoned my magic, the threads of power easing down my shoulders, off the tips of my fingers and along the length of my staff. I called on the abilities of the rockpool goby one more time. Thomas’ skin lightened and took on a grayish cast, and my flesh became a mottled pattern of dark and light to match our surroundings.
It was none too soon, as those tailing us stumbled into view almost directly beneath us. Enough leaves had fallen already to afford us an unfettered view straight down through the branches to the ground. The same three Seascrill from before looked around in confusion, trying to figure out where their quarry had escaped to. Like Thomas earlier, their faces were lifted to take in the fall breezes and sift through them for the scent they were looking for.
The tallest frowned. “She’s here. I can smell her. And something else, too. Noxious, whatever it is.”
I felt Thomas stiffen. Though stilted and foreign to our ears, we could make out the words well enough.
“Then why don’t we see her?” As a unit they all froze and followed the line of the trunk up the tree until they seemed to stare straight at us. I held my breath, fear making the spit in my mouth dry up, and several goby-hued scales spring up along my shoulders and neck.
After what seemed like forever, they looked away, frowning. I sipped at the air, taking in just enough to avoid making any noise.
Thomas remained rigid at my back, and I knew he hadn’t missed the long bone-handled knives they sported, or the hand bows holstered at their sides. They weren’t armed to have a friendly chat.
T
he shortest Seascrill stomped in the leaves, giving a disgusted sigh. “We’ve been everywhere, inside and out of this mountain. I’m parched. We have to get back home or I’m going to turn into a pile of dust,” he complained.
He was exaggerating. But if I looked closely, I didn’t miss the pallor of that mauve skin, or the flaking epidural tags that dotted their arms and faces. They were Seascrill, and even more so than Sylvan, they needed the waters of their homeland. Their ability to survive out of it was marked in days.
The leader growled, the sound more like the clacking of sharp stones as he responded. “We don’t dare go back without her. We were told what would happen if we did, remember?”
The third Mer-man, who had been silent, spoke out. “So we don’t give up, but Pilus is right. We need to replenish the moisture in these human skins, or we won’t be able to do anything. He wants us to bring proof of her death, not gift him with our own.”
They continued to argue for several more minutes before they turned and moved up the trail the way they’d come. I guessed they’d hit the river system and follow it through the underground passages to where it came out on the other side of the Mountain, near Deep Lake.
I let the camouflage drop away, but I stayed where I was, needing the steady warmth of Thomas’ broad chest at my back. He reached around me and pulled me closer, bending down to speak in my ear. “I’m tying you up if I have to. They don’t just want to capture you and hold you hostage.”
I didn’t respond. He was right. The danger was real, and in the lake I’d be on my own with no one to help me if I got myself in trouble. It was sheer lunacy to even consider it.
But I knew I was going, anyway.
#
Pilus pulled up short, his tail giving a sharp halting jerk as his companions nearly swam him over from behind. He stiffened, his heart thudding with fear when a dark shape suddenly materialized from a dense thicket of eelgrass, the long fibrous leaves parting as he emerged and waited for them. The Dragon of Deep Lake, as other members of the resistance had taken to calling him, cut an imposing figure, even for a Sylvan. He went by the name of Tru, though. No one dared to suggest the other to his face. He stared at them in silence, waiting them out, his eyes hard behind the mask he wore to protect his actual identity.
Rule 9 Academy Series Boxset: Books 3-5 Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy (Rule 9 Academy Box Sets (3 Book Series) 2) Page 53
