by K. K. Allen
Rose closes her eyes, pressing her eyelids together tightly before blinking back at me while Charlotte stands by, looking guilty. “Erebus wants information. Top-secret Solstice information that has the power to destroy us all, whether you’re dead or not. If you are let in on this secret, any information of yours is as good as his if he possesses you.”
“You’re going to keep this secret from me forever?”
Rose nods. “Unless Erebus no longer exists, you will be protected from this information.” She sighs then steps toward me, producing a gold chain smaller than my last one. “Let me, dear.” She takes the locket from me and does a quick maneuver before placing it around my wrist. There’s a tingling and slight tug as it forms to my skin. “There, it’s bound to you again.”
I’m staring at my wrist when the front door opens. It feels like Arabella left centuries ago to search for Johnny, but I know it’s only been minutes. She’s frowning.
“Johnny’s not at the marina, and the guard says there’s been no sign of him. I’m going to alert my community and see if we can track his coordinates.”
“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. And now he’s all alone.
“We’ll find him, Kat.”
I bury my face in my hands, my heart breaking all over again.
Not even my emerald can stop the onslaught of nightmares from entering my slumber over the next few days. The dreams always start off with Johnny and me together—happy, playful, kissing, and swimming—then everything morphs into madness. Suddenly, we’re in a standoff all over again, using our powers like we’re going to kill each other. But in last night’s dream, I killed him.
I slip out of bed and drape my gray silk robe around me, then I push open the doors of my balcony. This is what I do every morning. I come out here, searching the sea long and hard for a sign that Johnny is out there, still close. The thought of him disappearing completely is too dire to bear. But just like yesterday and the day before, there’s no sign of him—and I don’t know if he’s ever coming back.
To think I accused him of being an Equinox, my enemy, torments me with guilt. I was shocked and hurt by finding my locket, but I clearly overreacted. Now, there’s an unsettled pain in my chest.
Today’s the big day—the Island Carnival’s grand opening. All the proceeds will go to 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 know and speak nothing of. Go figure.
Rose insists that the carnival go on as scheduled, despite history telling us that if Erebus is going to strike hard again like he did on the Fourth and at Trisha’s Enchanting, then it will be tonight.
A knock on my door causes me to jump. “Are you dressed? We need to leave in five minutes.” Charlotte doesn’t enter. 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 pair of black shorts, a black silk tank top, and gold sandals. 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 Enchanters 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.
By the time we enter the theater, it’s packed with Enchanters and Followers. Everyone is making their way into the main ballroom without stopping as they usually would to chat and catch up. It’s straight to business.
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 intense pain. One that can never be resolved. For a moment, I forget my own heartache 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 we wait.
“On the Fourth of July, a horrific event signaled the first sign of the Equinox’s arrival. At the time, we didn’t know what we were dealing with, but after the loss of one of our Elders, an earthquake that injured many and killed two, and evidence of dark magic polluting the bay, we’re seeing early signs of what Erebus is capable of. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning.”
I wince at her words.
“Many of you are not aware, but at the time of the Fourth of July bonfire, my dear Katrina used her powers to single-handedly create a wave that ultimately rescued party guests from countless more injuries and deaths. In doing so, she almost died, but she was rescued by a man. This man ripped a family heirloom from her wrist—but not just any heirloom. This charm bracelet was given to Kat by her mother before she passed. It held a single charm, a heart-shaped locket.”
Rose pauses dramatically and looks around the room. My mood darkens when I realize where Rose is going with this. She’s about to tell everyone.
Arabella, who must sense my discomfort, places a strong hand on my knee. “It will be okay.”
“The locket contains ancient magic that provides an Equinox protection from Erebus.” Rose walks over to me and leads me to the podium. “Look,” she tells the room as she holds up my left hand and opens the locket on my wrist. “When opened…” Shimmering white and silver lights pour out from the opened heart of the jewel in a narrow beam that widens until it hits the back of the ballroom wall. “It emits infinite energy created by Astina to protect the wearer’s body from being taken by Erebus. Its light regenerates, as we do, creating an energy that’s beyond anything that the Equinox can handle. It has transcended time through a bloodline of Equinox who betrayed Erebus and refused his evil ways. Kat’s mother,” Rose says, “descends from that blood.”
Gasps are sprinkled 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 remind you all,” Rose continues, raising her voice over the chatter. “The Equinox community wouldn’t be the evil that they are today if it weren’t for Erebus’s leadership.” Rose turns and gestures for Arabella to join her at the podium.
Arabella steps in front of the microphone. “We believe that the man who took the locket is the long-lost descendant of Poseidon. We also believe that he was set up by an Equinox, possibly Erebus himself to steal this locket from Katrina. Some of you may know him as the bartender at Island Grille. Johnny Pierce.”
There are more gasps throughout the crowd, and I lock eyes on Trisha, whose mouth has fallen open in shock. I just nod to tell her what she’s hearing is true. Then I search the crowd again, waiting for someone to come forward with Johnny’s whereabouts. It’s wishful thinking that someone has found him or that he’s back. But he can’t just disappear.
“Johnny’s parents died when he was very young, too young for him to learn about his ancient blood. He may have been vulnerable and conditioned to fear us, and now, he can’t be found. 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 Erebus from killing Enchanters off one by one. If the pollution continues, it will affect our ocean, our rivers, our drinking water, and our vegetation. Erebus knows we
’ve evolved as Enchanters. He knows how well we cohabitate with Normals. And he knows that in order to bring down our community, he also needs to go after the most innocent of us all. Erebus isn’t just after Enchanters anymore, but all of humankind.”
Once the shock has settled in, Rose closes the locket and addresses the crowd again. “Tonight will be the biggest gathering that this city has seen in a very long time. We have a strong feeling that Erebus and his Followers will be at the carnival tonight. Some of you believe we should cancel the event altogether, but in doing so, that sends a message of defeat rather than strength. Right now, we need to show Erebus what he’s up against. As terrifying as it may be, we need the numbers.”
She sweeps the crowd with her eyes like she’s ensuring no one will put up a fight. I don’t see a single person who disagrees.
“Everyone should be careful and hyperaware of anything suspicious. I urge you to travel in pairs or 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, and Rose comes to sit beside me. “I’m sorry, Katrina.”
I frown at her, a sense of betrayal forming around my heart. “Was that necessary? It’s none of their business where my mother and I came from.”
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. I thought I’ve made that very clear. Besides, if anyone here got wind of what this locket is—and they would have—then they’d be suspicious as to what you’re hiding and why.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “Sometimes, I also believe in transparency.”
I get it, and I know that Rose didn’t mean anything by her confession, but it doesn’t diminish the shame I feel over the parts of myself I can’t change. “How am I going to be viewed now? How will they look at me? Will they be afraid that I’m one of them?”
Rose tilts her head and cups my cheek before leaning in with the most serious expression I’ve ever seen her wear. “You’ll be viewed just as we all are. By our hearts and our actions. Don’t you see? Being of mixed blood doesn’t make you weak or strong. It makes you whole. Please remember that.”
I swallow over another lump of emotion forming in my throat then look up to find Arabella and Charlotte approaching slowly.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Arabella says. “I’m going to meet my sisters. We’re searching the marina again and then outward from there. Call us if you need us.”
Rose hugs Arabella. “I will, dear. Thank you.”
Arabella wraps me up in a hug then jogs off without another word, and I’m left reeling with endless questions.
Rose pats my hand. “Get out of that head of yours. We need you at your strongest.”
I balk at her. She acts as if I’ll know what to do if I’m faced with the god of darkness. “For what? Do you expect me to fight him?”
Rose narrows her eyes. “I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, you’ll know what to do. Don’t question it. Your training wasn’t for nothing. Your instinct is all you need now.”
“What?” I shriek. “How did you defeat Erebus two decades ago?”
Rose frowns. “We didn’t defeat him, Katrina. That’s why he’s still around. He got what he wanted the last time he paid us a visit, so he went away for a while.”
I tilt my head and shake it, confused. “I don’t understand.”
“Solstice light attracts him, but Erebus gains his strength from our weakness. The only way to darken an Enchanter completely is to drain our power and then kill us. When Erebus didn’t defeat us twenty years ago, he came back ten years later and stole enough energy to satisfy him for quite some time.”
My heart is beating like crazy. “How?”
She searches my eyes with hers, sadness overwhelming her features. “Because he killed a direct descendant.”
The only other dead direct descendant I know of is my Grandpa George. “No.” My voice cracks.
Rose clenches her jaw. She doesn’t have to say a word for me to make this connection, but there it is, another part of the puzzle revealed. Erebus somehow started that fire at Summer Manor and killed my grandfather.
I ball my hands into fists, my body shaking with sadness and anger. “How do we defeat him?”
Rose stands tall and pushes her shoulders back. “By surviving.”
Even after participating in the carnival setup, I’m still surprised by the transformation.
Trisha and I stop just past the entrance, where the tennis courts are now covered with a two-story haunted house. Its lights flicker with a multitude of bright colors as screams and laughter echo from inside its walls. The lazy river pool has been converted into a canoe ride where guests paddle through fun obstacles of raining beach balls and surprise water gun attacks. And a long row of games wind around the exterior of the drive, with the food booths that Johnny and I set up between them.
My chest aches at the thought of Johnny and my terrible handling of everything with him on the boat. I should have given him a chance to talk. I should have trusted him. I should have trusted me and what I knew in my heart was true. We could have gone to Rose, then he would know everything. About me. About himself.
“Hey, you okay?” Trisha asks. “You’re so quiet.”
I inhale a deep staggered breath. “I’m okay. Just anxious.”
Trisha looks around us then leans in toward me. “Do you think he’s here?”
For a second, I assume she’s speaking about Johnny, but then I register the fear in her tone and realize she’s talking about Erebus. I clench my jaw. “Yes, I do. I don’t know how or why, but I sense that he’s somewhere. Waiting, watching, biding his time until he tries to hurt more people. I just wish we knew what to prepare for.”
She looks around, her eyes wide. “There are so many people here. How do we know the difference between the Equinox, Normals, and Enchanters?”
I frown and shake my head. “If I knew how to tell the difference, so much of this could be avoided. Rose talks about a sixth sense we develop over time, which is why the Elders are the ones new and lost Enchanters seek out to help them join the communities, but it’s not a perfect science. Lost Enchanters are the hardest to sense, because they don’t even know their own abilities. That’s why Rose didn’t sense Johnny in all the times she saw him.”
Charlotte approaches us and hands me a walkie-talkie. “Here,” she says. The earpiece of the device dangles lazily to its side. “Can you be a rover tonight? Just listen in, and if anyone needs help with anything, you’ll hear it. And if someone calls for help—”
“I know, I know. I turn into a ninja.”
Charlotte glares. “No, Kat. You call for help, immediately. We’ll all be listening in, and we’ll deal with whatever happens together. Please don’t try to be a ninja.”
For a second, I feel guilty for making the joke. “You know I’ll do what I need to do.” I hold up my wrist and shake the dangling locket. “He can’t hurt me, remember?”
Charlotte takes a deep breath and nods. “I am very grateful for your protection, but you’re not invincible.” She wraps her arms around me and pats Trisha’s back. “Be safe, girls. And stay together.”
“We will,” Trisha assures her.
A smile tugs at my lips. I slip the earpiece into my ear as a gesture that I’ve got it handled, and I tuck the little black box into the back pocket of my shorts. Although Charlotte looks hesitant, she backs off and leaves us.
Trisha and I start walking. “So,” she starts tentatively. “Where do you think Johnny could have gone?”
I shake my head, remembering our day together and how comfortable he was maneuvering a thirty-five-foot yacht all alone. The man was raised by the sea and never goes far from it. He has the most protection when he’s out there, but as far as where he could go… “He could be any
where by now.” A shudder shakes through me. “I hope Arabella can find him.”
Trisha wraps her arm around my waist and squeezes. “She will. You’re not going to lose him, Kat.” She bites down on her lip, like she’s deciding her next question. “What was happening between you two anyway? You went from hating each other to making out and yachting together in the blink of an eye.”
Heat rises up my neck and spreads like wildfire across my cheeks. To others, it may seem like Johnny and I grew close quickly, but I know that’s not how it happened at all. “He just… grew on me, I guess.” I frown. “The more we got to know each other, the more we connected. It surprised us both, I think.” I hesitate to say what’s on my mind next, because I’ve yet to say the words aloud, but if I can say them to anyone, it’s Trish. “He’s my Fated.”
Trisha gasps. “How do you know?”
I remember our last kiss, the way our energies began recycling like we were all each other needed to survive. “I just know.”
She looks so disbelieving, it crushes me. “But he stole your locket. Your only protection from Erebus.”
“He didn’t know he was stealing my protection. Someone told him to take it from me, and for some reason, he listened.”
“You think someone threatened him?”
I shake my head. “No. Johnny isn’t someone who would go along with a threat. It has to be something else. He said he took the locket from me because someone told him I was dangerous, even more so with it wrapped around my wrist. He feared me. I just wish I knew why.”
Trisha searches my eyes and sighs. “Arabella will find him, Kat. She will.”
“Right, well…” I blink back a fresh set of tears, straighten my shoulders, and set my chin high. “Until then, we have some roving to do.” I hold up the walkie-talkie and pinch out a smile, knowing that we need to get in the right mind frame for a long day ahead.
