Ambrosia Shore (The Water Keepers, Book 3)

by Christie Anderson

  I stopped and clutched the book carefully in my hands, my chest swelling with emotion. This was the creation of the Water Keepers, spoken directly from the source. This was how it all began. These were my very own ancestors, the people whose blood now coursed through my veins. It was like the whole program and everything that came with it was meant to be from the very beginning, and somehow it felt like a part of me.

  My head was so overcome by the idea that I couldn’t read any further. For the time being, I put the book away in the box for safe keeping and tried to move forward with getting ready for the day. But as I went from shower to breakfast to school and to class, something continued to resonate inside me. The Water Keepers were the heart and soul of Ambrosia, and Ambrosia was the place I was supposed to be.

  The thought made me want to cry. I could feel that it was right, that it was where I needed to be, but there was so much I would have to leave behind. So many things that I loved—people that I loved, lost forever. Maybe I could become a Water Keeper somehow, maybe. But even then, by the time I could return to this place I’d called home for so long, everything would be different. Everyone would move on without me.

  At lunch I was quiet, watching my friends move around me. It was just high school, right? High school friendships weren’t supposed to last forever. Wasn’t that what people said? It was normal to graduate and go our separate ways, move on to college and careers and families of our own. But, I really never thought it would end that way with Heather. We were different. I always thought we had a bond that would last through all the changes in life. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we were too young and immature to even understand what true friendship meant in the first place. Maybe some things were just meant to be a part of our lives for a time, and then we were meant to move on. Maybe there were other things in life that were more important to worry about. I mean, we would always have the memories, right?

  There was so much on my mind that I hardly had the capacity to think it through. It was like my subconsciousness was taking over, when I suddenly blurted, “Heather, we need to talk—in private.”

  She looked at me with concerned eyes as I dragged her away from the group. “This better not be you changing your mind about going to prom with Darrin,” she said, “because he already paid his share of the limo to Nick.”

  “No, that’s not it,” I said.

  I led my best friend out to our tree behind the cafeteria, the one we always went to when we had something super important and top-secret we needed to talk about.

  “What’s going on?” she asked with concern. “Is everything okay? You’ve been acting weird all day.”

  I looked down, wavering, not sure I could go through with it.

  “Seriously,” she said, “you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?”

  I glanced up and swallowed, searching for courage. “What if…” I finally began. I looked down again. “What if… there was a chance I…uh…I might not…” I closed my eyes, inhaling a final breath of strength and forced it out. “What if I might not be going to school at UCLA this fall?”

  I couldn’t look. The air went quiet.

  When I braved a glance, Heather’s eyes were fuming, like pools of acid. Her voice pierced through me, sharp and cold, like a dagger of ice. “What?” she said. It was just a single word, but it was heavy, loaded, carrying a hundred meanings through every inflection—anger, disbelief, disappointment, the list could go on.

  Heather drew her arms to her chest, waiting, challenging, expecting an explanation.

  I struggled to find words. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to explain. I just knew it was what I had to do.

  Despite my stupor, the words suddenly started to come. I wasn’t even sure where they came from. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” I began. “I honestly didn’t even decide until today. But I’ve been thinking about this a lot, ever since I met my father actually. He works for…um…this non-profit-type organization, I guess you could call it that. Well, it’s not really non-profit because everybody gets paid, a lot, but they still kind of do, like, charity work, and anyway, it sounds like it could really be an amazing opportunity…”

  Heather held up her hand. “Just…stop talking.”

  “But, don’t you even want to—?”

  “No,” she said, cutting me off. “No, you know what, I swear, I knew this was going to happen. I can’t believe I even got my hopes up.”

  “Heather, I’m really sorry.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t talk to you right now. So just…don’t talk to me, like, for a while, okay? I need some space.” She turned her back immediately.

  “Heather, wait,” I pled. “Please…”

  But she didn’t turn around.

  I buried my face in my hands, alone under our tree. I never wanted to hurt her. I never wanted to ruin our friendship. But something told me this was the way it was supposed to be. We had been in fights before, and we always made up eventually in the past, but this one felt more serious. This one felt like the beginning of the end.

  I couldn’t help it; I had to cry. Despite the world of possibilities I could see waiting for me ahead, it still hurt more than anything to have to say goodbye.

  ***

  Two full days passed, and Heather didn’t speak a word to me. Unfortunately, I had even bigger things to worry about than our fight. Rayne wrote me in the diary, and it sounded like his situation had only gotten worse since my father left to go back there. Rayne usually tried to tell me that everything would work out fine, but he sounded really worried about the whole situation. I longed to see him again, to feel his hand around mine. I wanted so badly to do something to help him, but I couldn’t think of a single thing. It was maddening. He wasn’t a criminal, and he didn’t deserve to be treated like one.

  I didn’t want to think about what his life would be like if we didn’t find a way to fix this. I didn’t want to think about what my life would be like if I had to move to Ambrosia all by myself without Rayne there, free to be with me. I didn’t want to think about being anywhere without him.

  I even went so far as to approach Orion Saturday afternoon, demanding he take me back to Banya right away. If that was supposed to be my future, then maybe I should just get on with it. I wanted to be there for Rayne in any way I knew how.

  But Orion simply nodded and said, “I know it must be difficult for you, but you’ve already done everything you can for Rayne in this situation. Right now, the most important thing for you to do is finish your education.”

  “But I’ve already decided that I want to go back to Ambrosia for good. Why does high school even matter anymore?”

  Orion smiled. “Education is just as important in Banya as it is here. No matter where you choose to go, you’re going to be better off if you get your diploma.”

  “Fine, then what if we just went there for a couple of days for Rayne’s hearing?”

  “Once you return to Banya, I don’t think the Council will agree to send you back here again, not if you’re planning to stay. Going back and forth is just too complicated in your situation.”

  “But, I have to do something,” I protested.

  Orion placed a hand on my shoulder. “Sadie, I know you’re upset, but if you really believe you want to come back to Ambrosia to stay, don’t you think you should take these last few moments with your friends and your home, and cherish them? And don’t forget about your mother.”

  I had to admit…he had a point.

  “Maybe you’re right,” I said. “I just feel like my hands are tied here. It’s so frustrating.”

  “Well, maybe I can help,” Orion offered, “I’m thinking about making arrangements with Agent Duke to take over for me here, so I can go back personally and aid your father in helping Rayne. Then I can come back for you when it’s all figured out. How does that sound?”

  I looked down, thinking it through, realizing that Orion’s help seemed better than nothing at all. “Um, okay,” I rel
ented. “Just promise me that you won’t let Rayne end up in jail for the rest of his life.”

  Orion smiled thoughtfully. “I’ll do my best.”

  ***

  A few hours later, I was heading out the door to pick up Lindsey from her house. I hardly even noticed Agent Duke following me around in his black SUV anymore.

  The school musical barely seemed important at this point, but I already promised Nicole I would come, and the last thing I wanted was to ruin two friendships in less than seventy-two hours. It would be nice to leave at least a few relationships on good terms before I had to leave forever. Lindsey organized a big group of our friends to meet up and sit together, which was strange because Heather was always the one taking charge of that kind of thing. But when I asked Lindsey if Heather was going to meet us, she gave me an apologetic look, explaining that Heather decided to go with her family tonight instead. That was when I knew just how upset Heather really was with me. I couldn’t remember the last time she ever volunteered to go to a school function with her family instead of with friends.

  When Lindsey and I arrived at the school, Brandon, Zach, and Darrin were already there saving seats for us in the auditorium. There was a buzz of chit chat and people congregating throughout the room. I couldn’t help but glance nervously through the faces for Heather, unsure if finding her would make me feel better, or worse. But right after Julie and Kelly arrived to join us, I spotted Heather’s parents arriving with her little brother, sitting just one row back from us on the other side of the room. Heather wasn’t with them.

  Did she decide not to come? Because of me?

  In between talking to friends, I glanced back at Heather’s parents every few minutes, wishing to see her face, wishing I could somehow make her forgive me, make her understand. Heather’s dad was pacing up and down the isle of chairs, talking on his cell phone with a heated expression on his face, while his wife and son watched with concern. Something tense was happening over there; I could tell. It made me nervous.

  Connor and Sean showed up shortly after, and even Tracy, Ariana, and Justin decided to sit with us, but Heather was still nowhere to be seen, and her dad was still having some kind of stressful conversation on the phone.

  The lights in the auditorium flashed off and on to warn everyone to take their seats. The show was about to start. One last time, I looked back in the direction of Heather’s family, and finally, I found Nick there, ushering Heather to a seat next to them. For a moment, I felt myself breathe with relief. The chaos of the auditorium finally went quiet as the lights dimmed, and Heather’s dad turned off his phone to take his seat. After Heather settled in her chair, her gaze suddenly turned and met mine. I couldn’t help it; I smiled at her hopefully. But her face went hard, and she quickly looked away.

  Halfway through the first act, I realized I was actually enjoying myself. I already knew that Nicole was an amazing singer, but now I realized she was a talented actor as well. It was nice to immerse myself in the show and let my mind rest from all my worries. By the time intermission came, my mood had lifted considerably. Lindsey had a major sugar craving, so the two of us headed out cheerfully to the foyer and got in line at the concession table. But the cheer was short-lived. Heather’s dad was in the foyer as well, back on his phone again, turning in circles and throwing his hands in the air as he spoke with obvious aggravation. I could feel his negative energy. My worry began to return.

  When I saw Heather emerge through one of the doors and slip back to the women’s bathroom, the worry came back with full force. It felt wrong to be in the same room and not even acknowledge each other. It had been days already. I had to try to talk to her.

  “Hey, I’m just going to run to the bathroom,” I said to Lindsey. She nodded and continued her conversation with Zach.

  As I walked by, I glanced up discreetly at Heather’s dad, catching a few of his words when I passed. It sounded like his frustration had something to do with his job. I was just about to open the bathroom door when Heather’s face appeared through the opening. Her feet froze in place, staring at me without saying a word.

  Blocking her path, I said, “Can we just talk?”

  “I’m not exactly in the mood,” Heather said, pushing around me.

  I followed after her. “Please just hear me out.”

  Just as Heather turned, about to face me, my eyes went wide with alarm. Heather’s dad collapsed to the floor right before my eyes. His phone cracked across the tile. His body went rigid, gasping, in shock from pain.

  As if in slow motion, Heather’s eyes moved from my terrified face to the source of the alarm. Then she saw him. “Dad!” she cried. She fell to her knees beside him. “Dad, what’s wrong?” He wheezed and clutched at his chest. Then his face went blank. He stopped moving. “Dad!” she cried again.

  A crowd of people immediately went silent. My first instinct was to call for an ambulance, but suddenly I remembered the crystal hidden inside my bra. The Water Briolette had healed me and my mom; maybe it could help Heather’s dad, too.

  I saw Zach holding his phone. “Call 911,” I instructed him. Then I rushed to the other side of Heather’s dad.

  Terror filled Heather’s eyes. “Should we do CPR?”

  “Just wait,” I told her. “I think I know what to do.”

  Something instinctual kicked in, something guiding me from deep within. I leaned over her dad’s torso, slid my hand discreetly inside the top of my shirt, and pulled out the stone. I kept it cupped under my palm, pressing it against the skin along my sternum, keeping it concealed. When I took my other hand and placed it over her dad’s heart, my eyes closed. Instantly, the corrupted energy pulsed through my fingers. I could feel the damaged tissue, the sickness inside his body. I concentrated, connected myself to it, pulled with all my strength to carry it away.

  There were voices and sounds around me, but I heard nothing. I clung to the source of his pain, swallowed it down my veins; pulled and swallowed and repaired, until there was nothing left to fight away. It took only moments, and then the fibers were clean, rejuvenated beneath my touch. Heather’s dad was healed. I could feel his heart move to life.

  It should have been finished, but the energy continued to drain out of me, holding me tied, just like with my mom. I could feel it try to carry me away. But somehow, I felt stronger this time; more in control. I sensed the tethers that bound my soul to his, understood them, and I knew I could peel them away. I took them one by one and released the bond, separating myself strand by strand until I was finally free.

  My body fell back. My vision was hazy, wobbling. It took all the remaining energy I had to keep the stone from falling out of my hand. Heather stared at me, dumbfounded, like I was a crazy person or an alien from another planet.

  I could hardly push out the words as I fumbled to stand. “He’s going…to be okay.”

  Before Heather could reply, a rush of paramedics forced me out of the way. I stumbled back around a corner, staggering down the hall away from the crowd, just as Agent Duke’s blurry face wavered before my eyes.

  “Are you okay?” he said, holding out a hand to steady me. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

  I squinted. “Seven?”

  He shook his head. “We need to get you home.”

  He spoke into his earpiece, instructing his partner to pull the car around, then he reached his arm up to help me walk. Just when I let my weight fall against him, Agent Duke grunted with pain. His strength fell from beside me to the floor. I gasped and stumbled sideways.

  That’s when I heard it—the repulsive, sick voice from my never-ending nightmares. “You’re supposed to be dead,” Voss growled. “I killed you.”

  I wanted to run, but I could barely stand. I clutched the Water Briolette as best I could in my hand. My head throbbed as I tried to make sense of his terrible face, of anything in front of my sight. But the darkness started folding in around me.

  “Well,” Voss went on, “I guess if at first you don't succeed, try
try again…”

  The last thing I saw was his gun lifting from his side. Then my legs gave out from under me. The final drop of energy left my body and I plummeted down. My will fought to hold on, but I couldn’t act upon it, couldn’t move at all, forced to watch with my last flicker of sight as the precious stone slipped away from my fingers.

  31. WORDS

  A state of panic bled through me. I heard a voice, but it was echoey, pushing across the distance to my thoughts.

  “I’m here,” the voice said, “until you’re ready to wake up.” Soothing warmth, like a coat of down feathers, wrapped around me, pushing away the fear. “You can rest awhile,” the voice said. “Everything will be okay. Rest now…rest…”

  The voice spoke calmness to my soul. So, I listened. I rested.

  ***

  My mother’s face was the first thing I saw. “Hi, sweetheart,” she said gently. She stroked the hair away from my cheek. “How are you feeling?”

  I gazed up at her from my pillow. “I don’t know. Okay, I think. What day is it?”

  She smiled. “Sunday.”

  I rolled my head sideways and read the clock. It was eleven in the morning.

  “What happened last night?” I asked. “How did I get home?”

  “Your guards brought you home,” she said. She gestured near the door where Agent Duke was standing in the corner. He didn’t have any signs of injury. “They called me at the hospital,” Mom continued. “I came home right away. You spoke to me for a minute before you fell asleep. Don’t you remember?”

  I rubbed one of my eyes and sat up in the bed. “That’s so weird. I can’t remember anything except being at the school.”

  She chuckled. “Well, you did seem pretty out of it.” She paused, eyes shifting away. “They told me you passed out again, like you did the day you…the day you…”