“That sounds like fun,” I said. “Lucy, I’m going to help Hunter and Aunt Marmie in the movie theater. Coming?”
“Nah. I’m meeting up with Raffi after he’s done getting his ass whooped by his sister. I’m teaching him how to skateboard. There’s an empty pool we can use.”
“Are you insane? We’re on a ship!”
She gave me a blank expression. “So?”
“You sew with a needle and thread, little lady. Your sister is right. It ain’t safe.” Hunter tugged one of her braids playfully.
“Get your stinking—”
“Lucy! Just promise me you won’t use the skateboard,” I said, placing myself between them. Lucy’s behavior was getting worse. There had to be another explanation than simply wanting to be with Zac. I was missing something.
She scowled. “Fine! Only because you said so. We’ll go back to the surf machine.”
I sighed and kissed the top of her head. “Be safe.”
She eyeballed Hunter for a moment. “You too.”
17
Karenna
The theater was bigger than I’d thought it would be. Row after row filled the room with oversized leather seats. They faced a monster-sized screen. Anyone sitting in the front row would have to crane their neck to take it all in.
“Karenna, dear, I’m so glad Hunter found you. I could use your help. You know how to run the popcorn machine, right? Please tell me you do.” Aunt Marmie rushed down from across the theater looking frantic.
There was a strong scent of burnt popcorn. I was surprised she hadn’t burned down the place.
“I do,” I said.
“Thank goodness. I’ll gather the children. We’re almost ready.” She clapped her hands, her face lighting up with excitement. “Thanks to you, Hunter, this will be a special treat for them.”
“Aw, ain’t nothin, ma’am,” Hunter said as she pecked his cheek.
“Such a good boy. Well, now. Hali is out front setting up the drinks. Hunter, can you show Karenna to the refreshment stand?”
I was relieved we wouldn’t be alone. I wasn’t quite sure what to do about Hunter. With the way Lucy acted around him, it had me on edge. We were going to have a serious talk after the movie.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Hali said when I approached the refreshment counter.
I laughed. “How many batches of popcorn did Aunt Marmie burn?”
“Several. She’s sweet, but I think she should stay far away from anything mechanical.” Hali pointed down to her stained blouse.
“Don’t tell me, she tried to help you with the drinks.” I opened the door to the popcorn machine.
“Soda. Everywhere. Calder was drenched. I don’t know how she managed to do it. He went to—” she sucked in a breath when Hunter appeared next to me. “He’ll be back soon.”
She announced it as if it were a warning.
“I’ll finish hooking this up for you. You can change and bring in your little ones.”
I froze, a scoop of burnt popcorn hovered above a trash bag. The tension between Hali and Hunter filled the air.
First, Lucy. Now, Halli. She must’ve seen how Hunter was acting last night and was being protective.
“I’m not sure if…are you sure?” She directed the question at me.
I wasn’t sure. That was the problem.
“Hunter and I can take care of things here.” The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to take them back. An odd sensation clawed in the pit of my stomach. It was the same feeling I’d had when we’d danced.
“All right then,” Hali said reluctantly. “I’ll be quick. See you in a few minutes.”
As soon as she was out of sight, I busied myself with the red and white popcorn cups.
“Are we okay?”
My back shivered at the sound of Hunter’s husky voice. “Yes.”
He leaned back against the counter beside me. His thumbs hooked on each side of his jeans pockets. “Then why are you avoiding me?”
The sensation in my stomach grew stronger, followed by a pull to look up. I fought against it, concentrating on the kernels snapping and spilling out from the metal pot into the glass reservoir. “I’m not. I’m here with you.”
“Is it Tristan?”
I stiffened. Why would he ask something like that?
“I don’t know what you mean,” I finally said.
“Hey, I’m the first to apologize for making the moves on someone else’s girl. I’m surprised an angel would look at a Gibbor the way he looks at you.”
My heart raced. I didn’t know whether I was excited or frightened that he had noticed Tristan’s feelings for me.
“We’re just friends.”
“So that scene in the ballroom last night?” I could feel his eyes following my every move. A warning voice whispered in my mind. I couldn’t tell him I knew the answer. He’d know I’d talked to Tristan. I tried to keep a straight face and my voice casual.
“I’m not sure. Maybe you should ask him.”
Excited voices sounded from around the corner. I sighed with relief as several families headed toward us.
“I think I will. Soon,” he said under his breath before turning to the children, welcoming them.
Laughter filled the packed theater. I found myself smiling as the children squealed with delight at the animated dogs and cats on the giant screen. Despite my mixed feelings about Hunter, he was right about the movie. Everyone from five to fifty was enjoying themselves.
Calder and some of the Guardians walked up and down the aisles, helping parents with spilled drinks and popcorn, cleaning it up, and replacing their snacks. With every child he encountered, he’d squat to eye level, his dimples flashing as he listened intently to their request. If only Calder were human, then he could be with Jo and she wouldn’t be lost to Dorian. With Dorian, she was a ghost of her former self. She loved watching animated movies with her brothers, but instead of being here with them, she was with Dorian.
Nacho and the boys sat at the end of the first row. Javi and Neto slouched low at their seats, their dark eyes enchanted. A tub of popcorn sat between them.
Nacho suddenly sat upright, pressing a palm against his stomach. He didn’t look good.
“Are you okay?” I asked, rushing to his side.
“I shouldn’t have had that third chili dog,” he moaned.
“There were chili dogs?”
“Dorian brought us some for lunch. I think the ship moving is starting to get to me.”
After the first day on the ship, I’d hardly noticed any movement.
“I don’t feel…” I paused as I watched the screen tilt slightly to the left. Then I remembered the clouds forming outside. My heart raced in panic.
The warrior angels! Had they found us? Were they doing this?
The Guardians continued to work their way through the aisles. None of them appeared concerned. They saw the clouds this morning too. It was probably your average rainstorm at sea. They’d warn us if there was anything serious happening.
“Thank goodness the kids didn’t have any, only Jo and me. Uh oh!” He slapped a hand across his mouth. Under the screen’s glow, his face turned green.
“The restroom is to the left of the exit. I’ll watch Javi and Neto.”
“What happened to Nacho?” Javi asked as their cousin dashed out of the exit.
“He’s not feeling well.”
“He doesn’t like the seesaw,” Neto said, munching on a handful of popcorn.
“The seesaw?”
“He means the rocking of the ship,” Calder said as he approached me. Even though he was smiling, concern filled his eyes.
“You feel it too?”
“It’s getting worse,” he said under his breath. “I don’t think this is a normal storm.”
The lights flickered, and the image on the screen froze. As the crowd groaned with disappointment, the theater went black. The floor lifted, tilting sharply to the right. Screams filled the dark theater as the room the
n tilted to the left.
“Nacho! I want Nacho!” Neto screamed.
I stumbled, feeling blindly for their seats. The ship jolted again, and I fell back, slamming into Calder.
“Hold on to me!” he yelled above the screams of the crowd.
We stumbled in the dark, heading to Javi and Neto’s wails until we finally reached them. Their tiny hands latched onto me in a powerful grip. Calder’s strong arms held us all against his chest as the ship rocked.
The theater suddenly flooded with lights. Tristan, Zac, and Val burst inside, their arms full of life jackets.
“Get them to their cabins! Now!” Zac instructed the Guardians.
The crowd went into a panic as they snatched the flotation devices. They stumbled into the aisles, some falling flat on their face. Children cried, terrified. With panicked eyes, but soothing tones, the Guardians directed the crowd out of the theater.
“Take these.” Tristan handed a pair to Calder. Calder crooned to the boys, trying to calm them as he tied the straps for them.
“What’s going on? Is it them?” I asked when Tristan placed a jacket over my head.
Tristan’s jaw tensed. He pulled the jacket’s straps and harness, wrapping it around my back then to my front, snapping it tightly into place. He didn’t say a word, yet his face said it all.
“Lucy.” My voice was a hoarse whisper. I scanned the theater, hoping she’d changed her mind and snuck in to watch the movie.
“She’s not with you?”
“No,” I sobbed. “She was with Raffi at the surf machine.”
“Raffi’s over there.” Tristan pointed to the far end of the theater. “Val! Bring Raffi over here!”
“Where’s Lucy?” I asked Raffi.
“Uh…” Raffi looked from me to Val.
Val scowled. “You told me and Zac you were both going to watch the movie. You lied to us!”
“I didn’t mean to! She asked me to go skateboarding. I wanted to see the movie. I’ve never seen one before. So, I told her I’d cover for her.”
“Oh god. She’s still outside. I have to get her.” I glanced down at Javi and Neto.
“I’ll take them to their cabin,” Calder said.
“Thank you,” I said, rushing to the exit.
Tristan blocked my way, grasping my arms. “You can’t go out there. It’s too dangerous.”
“She’s my sister. I can’t leave her. I can’t. I can’t!” I pummeled my fists against his chest, tears streaking down my face. I’d lost almost everyone I loved most in the world: my best friend, my parents…him. I wasn’t going to lose my sister too.
“It’s all right. I’ll go with you. Everything will be all right,” he murmured into my ear, repeating the phrase as he stroked my back.
The ship was in chaos as we made our way to the deck. People held onto the wall, stumbling as they made their way to the cabins. One man skidded across the lobby, unable to get a footing until a Guardian caught him. Furniture skated across the floor. Glasses and plates slid off tables, shattering, sending shards of glass everywhere. Water pounded against windows.
“Watch out!” Tristan yanked me to him as a piano zoomed past, nearly hitting me. It smashed into a wall.
When we finally reached the deck, I gazed out in horror. Dark clouds blanketed the sky. A sharp wind mixed with rain and seawater bit against my face making it difficult to breathe. The water churned wildly, creating froth over the angry ocean. Waves rolled toward the ship, lifting it like it were a child’s toy in a bathtub.
“Stay behind me!” Tristan yelled over the roaring wind.
I hunched over and pressed forward using every muscle in my body. Even with Tristan blocking the brunt of the strong gusts, the brutal wind threatened to whisk me away with each step I took.
Tristan turned, the veins along his throat popping. He was yelling, but I could barely hear him over the wind’s roar.
“Where did she say she was?”
“She said something about an empty pool.”
“It’s on the other side!”
I jumped, startled by Val’s voice, and slipped.
“Are you okay?” She lifted me with ease.
I nodded, shocked to see her.
“What are you doing here?” Tristan asked as she made her way toward him.
“Helping you.”
“We should’ve told Remi about last night.”
“We don’t know for sure if it’s them. You didn’t fly.”
Last night. Tristan’s wings! “The warrior angels. They found us.”
His hand traced my wet cheek. Sapphire eyes riddled with guilt. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
“There’s no time for that now!” Val paused, taking in Tristan as he caressed my face.
I placed my hand over his, squeezing it before letting go. “Val’s right. We need to find Lucy.”
With Val taking the lead and Tristan behind her, we made our way to the other side, calling out for Lucy.
There was a sudden rumbling in the distance. A gray mass filled the horizon. Inch by inch it grew until the mass appeared to touch the clouds. My stomach turned cold when I realized what it was.
A wall of water was heading straight for the ship.
“Take my hand!” Tristan cried.
As I reached out for his hand, a shadow flitted across the corner of my eyes. The ship dipped forward as the wave hit, spraying white water onto the deck. The force knocked my feet from under me, and I found myself gliding down the deck toward the ship’s bow.
“Tristan! Tris—” Water filled my mouth, choking me. I reached out blindly, feeling for anything to stop me. Out of nowhere, something latched onto my shoulders. As I was lifted, my vision cleared, and I reached for the railing. My fingers had just touched the wet metal when I was shoved over it and into the angry water.
18
Tristan
My stomach dropped as the ship dipped into the wave. Salt water sprayed my face, creating a misty haze and blocking my vision.
“Karenna?” Listening for her, I reached back, waiting to feel her hand. There was nothing, only the roar of the wind.
I whipped around. “Karenna! Where are you?”
“What happened?” Val cried out.
“She’s gone. I don’t know where she—”
I slapped my eyes shut as a muted voice called out my name. Was it her?
“Karenna!” I called out again. Straining, I pushed my hearing, waiting for her voice. I heard it again. It was coming from the—
No!
My eyes flashed open and scanned the churning water. I leaned over the railing, gripping it until the metal warped beneath my fingers.
“Tristan!” Val jerked my face to hers. Rain rolled down her pale face. The faint glimmer of her circlet peeked from her drenched platinum hair. It was written all over her face. She knew exactly what I was going to do.
“Don’t. You can’t save them all.”
You can’t save them all. Those were Ana’s words. She’d said them in Arizona when she’d attempted to persuade me to side with her and Father. Now Val, my closest friend, was telling me the same thing. She was drawing the line between our duty and my feelings for Karenna.
“I can save her!” I flung myself over the railing. I dove headfirst, my arms forward, palms pressed together, propelling my body as fast as it could go.
Wind whooshed over my ears until I slammed into the water. There was a loud crack and black dots filled my vision. I kicked my feet, confused about which way was up. Shaking my head to clear it, I spotted the bubbles and frantically followed them to the surface.
My body lobbed with the constant waves that threatened to pull me under. My heart sank. How could she survive this?
I pushed the thought aside. She had to. She was here. I could feel her nearby.
I scanned the vast water until I finally spotted her. Her arms flailed as she struggled to keep her head above the waves.
“Hold on! Karenna, hold on!” I swam a
s fast as I could, using my angelic strength to fight against the rolling water determined to keep us apart.
“Tristan.” Her voice was faint as she called out my name in relief. Her head lulled back, and she stopped moving. But then a wave washed over her, and she was gone.
“No!” In one swift motion, I flicked my out wings and dove to her. Taking her limp body in my arms, I jetted upward, my wings propelling us upward until I finally broke out of the water and rocketed into the sky. I grunted, my strength fading fast as I flapped my water-laden wings.
When I finally landed on the deck, I placed her gently beneath the sculpture of the leviathan.
“Karenna, wake up.” I gently slapped her cheeks.
No movement. No sounds. Her cold body remained motionless.
“What do I do? I don’t know what to do! Val!” I cried as loud as I could. She’d know what to do. She’d studied human healing.
“Please wake up. Please….what’s this?” Karenna’s lips had a bluish tint. I racked my brain, frantically filtering through lectures on human anatomy, wishing I’d paid more attention. Then it hit me.
She wasn’t breathing!
“Val!” I called out for the one person who could save her. I had to do something, now! Think, damn it. Think!
Thirty-two taxis. The words echoed in my head, a memory of a training I’d taken when I’d volunteered to work at the senior center in Vegas.
“Thirty-two taxis. Thirty-two taxis…taxi cab? CAB!”
Compressions. Airway. Breathing. The CPR instructor’s voice echoed in my head. Thirty compressions followed by two breaths.
With one hand over the other, I pressed the heel of my palm onto her chest.
“Breathe, Karenna. Don’t leave me.” This was worse than when I’d pulled her from the river. She’d been breathing then. Here I was, the supposed leader among angels, and I was useless.
“Val, I need you!” I cried out over the roar of the wind. Where was she? Why wasn’t she coming?
With shaking hands, I tilted Karenna’s head back, lifting her chin. I pinched her nose closed. Taking a gulp of air, I covered her mouth with mine, blowing into her airway as hard as I could. I sobbed against her cold lips.
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