Save Aether (The Trinity Key Trilogy Book 3)

by L. M. Fry

  SAVE

  AETHER

  Book Three of the Trinity Key Trilogy

  L.M. Fry

  ELEAH Enterprises

  EDMOND, OKLAHOMA

  Save Aether

  Copyright ©2016 by L. M. Fry

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For more information address ELEAH Enterprises P.O. Box 1657 Edmond OK 73083 or at ELEAHEnterprises@outlook.com

  www.LMFry.com

  ISBN 978-1530320158

  First Edition

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Dedicated to

  My Writer’s Academy Family

  There are too many names to mention, but you all know who you are… Thank you for everything.

  Acknowledgements

  This book wouldn’t have been possible without these amazing people to whom I owe so much thanks:

  To my husband and children, I love you all so much. You guys inspire me every day.

  To my mom and dad. Thanks for your support and love.

  To Megan, my best friend and fellow author. Without our writer’s therapy, I would go insane.

  To the wonderful editor Kay McAndrews. You are so very patient and kind. I appreciate the hard work you put into editing.

  To my critique group Megan, John, Gretchen, Jess, and Lynn. You guys are a godsend.

  To the people at West Texas Writer’s Academy (too many names to list, but you know who you are.) You’ve all kept me going for the past few years. I wouldn’t be where I am without your guidance and advice.

  To the Deranged Doctors Team who designed the book covers for the series. They are amazing. Check them out at: http://www.derangeddoctordesign.com/

  Chapter One

  Julia

  Julia’s legs felt like petrified wood. She’d been standing in front of the Elder’s tribunal for hours, and the pompous blowhards still hadn’t decided what to do with the so-called “heretical girls.” Julia didn’t understand what the stink was all about. So what if Valera, Theo, and she had reunited the Trinity Key? At least they had saved Aether from Valera’s lunatic uncle, Marcus. She glared at each of the Elders, mentally muttering– you’re so welcome. Not to mention, technically speaking, that the Trinity Key belonged to the girls by right of birth. They were the direct descendants of Danu after all. However, the almighty Elders disagreed – strongly.

  To prevent her feet from taking root, Julia lifted her left leg, spun her ankle, then repeated the same thing with her right. She suddenly realized the nasty plump elder, whom she had nicknamed Slammy Magee because of his loving his gavel so much, was staring at her little dance with his signature sneer. Wait for it… wait for it…

  Bang, Bang, Bang…

  And there it is, folks! His gavel shook the entire table. Julia resisted the urge to cover her ears with her hands. They were already ringing from his incessant objection to everything.

  “Are we boring you, young lady?” He pointed the wooden hammer at her.

  Of course she was bored. Listening to a bunch of unhappy geriatrics blab was painfully monotonous, but she bit her tongue to keep from telling him the truth. The last thing she needed was to give him another reason to hate her – he already seemed to have plenty. Instead, she bowed graciously, or so she thought.

  “No, your honor. Just working out a few kinks,” she answered.

  He didn’t seem too pleased with her response. “You are in grave trouble, so I suggest you take these proceedings seriously.”

  “Oh, but I do, your honor,” she yawned.

  Julia, please don’t goad him on anymore. Just nod or something, Valera pleaded inside Julia’s head.

  Julia huffed. Hey, I didn’t do anything. It’s not my fault that they can’t agree, and my legs fell asleep, she shot back with a scowl.

  Still, Julia lowered her head with a sufficient amount of feigned humility. He appeared satisfied by her reaction. She furtively stuck her tongue out at Valera, and received a curt head nod in return. Rolling her eyes, she focused on the old lady who seemed to be in charge of the Elders. Theo had called her Parmelia, and she was the only one who had taken their side. However, if she knew that they planned on releasing Danu, then would she still fight so hard to free them? Julia doubted it.

  Parmelia caught Julia looking at her and smiled. Julia quickly looked past her at the window and studied a crack in the glass. The first time she saw the Elders’ tower, the building seemed like a stunning architectural masterpiece that stood far above every other structure in Pacifica City. But up close, small cracks and stains marred the walls. Even the massive glass dome that protected the city situated on the ocean floor had fissures that spread like fungus in the glass. They weren’t deep enough to leak, but she had to wonder how much longer Pacifica would last. The citizens were living in the illusion of security. With one well-placed tap, the whole city would be underwater. Julia chuckled at her own wit, eliciting a frown from Theo.

  Stop smiling like a freak. You’re going to get us executed or something. We have to keep our heads low until this is all over.

  Why are we even sitting through this? We could leave any time. It’s not like they could stop us. Julia was enjoying this telepathic form of communication that the three of them shared. Let’s blow this joint and save Danu already.

  Theo’s right. We need to be careful, Valera cautioned Julia.

  Gah! You two are boring… you’re worse than Slammy Magee over there. At least he has some spunk.

  Theo’s blank face broke into a smile. Julia had cracked the beast and she felt like she’d won a small victory, until Theo regained her composure a little too quickly. Now, if only she could make Valera snort or laugh.

  At that moment a tickling sensation crept up Julia’s neck as if a spider crawled on her skin. The old woman blathered on about something – not that Julia was listening – but she was also staring at Julia with a disconcerting intensity. Julia lost interest in teasing her friends. Something in the old woman’s face felt familiar. Julia swore she’d seen the woman before, but strained to remember where. Parmelia had been the one who picked up the Trinity Key after the girls merged it, but the sense went beyond that. Julia just couldn’t shake the feeling.

  Now a bitter metallic taste formed on the back of Julia’s tongue. The harder she thought about the old woman, the stronger the taste got.

  Why do I taste metal? Do you guys taste it?

  Theo shivered next to her, and her voice invaded Julia’s thoughts. You’re holding aether. I can feel it, although to me it sm
ells like the air before it rains.

  Valera tilted her head and frowned. Really? To me it’s saltier, like the ocean.

  Weird, Julia responded.

  Along with the taste, she felt the smoothness of the energy. At her whim, it was as if aether slipped over her skin like cold polished river stones. Goosebumps formed on her arms. Aether danced around her, tempting her. A nudge from Theo warned her to let go. The energy that flowed through her was new and scary. She remembered Valera’s rocky start with it, and decided to release it. Julia sighed and let it go, then turned her attention back to the proceedings.

  Slammy Magee was driveling on again. “Separation is the only way to ensure the safety… blah… blah… blah… Dangerous… Impudent… Wild… Lock them away… blah… blah… blah…”

  Julia smiled. He was right – she was dangerous, impudent, and wild. In fact, she prided herself on those very characteristics. Well said, Slammy! Her appreciation for the man’s opinion was short lived. At the mention of her father’s name, her temper sparked.

  “She is daughter to the leader of the Azure Serpents, Lazarus Killian. Need I remind you of his crimes against Aether? Lazarus was a plague upon us all. Are you willing to release his offspring onto the world?” He glared into the eyes of each person in the room, ending on Julia. A deep growl built up in her throat, but he simply sneered. “I… am… not! She will be the end of Aether as we know it.”

  Julia couldn’t take his offenses any longer. If the Elders were going to lock her away for being a supposed deviant, she might as well give them what they wanted. She stepped forward. Theo grabbed her arm, but Julia pushed her off.

  “No, Theo. I won’t sit here and be disgraced in front of these… these pretentious snobs.” A gasp went through the crowd, bolstering Julia’s ego. “That’s right, people. You think you’re so righteous . . . the revered Elders of Aether who hole up in the depths of the ocean like sharks with no teeth. Do you feel good about yourselves, gumming on three innocent girls?”

  Julia reached out for the cool touch of aether. It surged through her pores and into her veins. She held her hands over her head, preparing to unleash a torrent of pain and ice on the tribunal.

  In a deadly whisper, she threatened, “I am not my father… I am far… more… dangerous.”

  Julia unleashed everything she had into the air, calling forth what she anticipated was a massive ice storm. The people in the room held their breath. Slammy Magee screamed, shrinking back like a coward. The air chilled around her, and then… nothing. No dark clouds. No ice. Not even a snowflake.

  Someone in the crowd chuckled, which spread into a full-blown hysterical fit. Julia looked down at her hands in disbelief. She shook them and threw them forward again, screeching when nothing happened. Theo and Valera dragged her back in line. Slammy Magee’s face turned the color of boiled lobster. Parmelia covered her face with her hands and shook her head.

  “I don’t get it,” Julia whined.

  “What were you thinking? Are you trying to get us killed?” Theo hissed.

  After Julia’s spectacle, Parmelia raised her hand to calm the tribunal. The laughter subsided.

  “Clearly, these girls pose no more threat to Aether than any mule-headed teenager. The girls will return to Aetherland Isle…”

  Julia watched Slammy Magee smirk, and then he licked his lips as if salivating. She forgot about her embarrassment. Suspicions raised, she nudged Theo and nodded toward the man. Theo frowned at his odd behavior. He grasped the gavel in a white-knuckled grip.

  “The girls will remain under guard—

  Slammy Magee hammered the table top, interrupting Parmelia’s speech. He stood up and pointed the gavel at the old woman. For a second, Julia thought he was going to hit her with it. Everyone in the room chittered. The pit of Julia’s stomach churned. She’d given him the incentive he needed.

  “This is unacceptable!” He glared at the crowd. “Have they not proven their disobedience once before? Yet, here we are once again at the precipice of destruction, and Parmelia wants to release the girls upon Aether.”

  Heads in the crowd shook and a nervous chatter erupted in the room. Slammy Magee grinned.

  “I call for a motion of no confidence in the Leader of the Elders,” he shouted over the noise. “For the direct and purposeful endangerment of the people of Aether.”

  In unison, the grumpy looking twin members of the council chanted, “No confidence.”

  The last two, Parmelia and a middle-aged woman, gasped. Slammy motioned for a white robe guard to come forward. The man moved to stand behind Parmelia, overshadowing her tiny frame. The metallic taste flooded Julia’s mouth.

  “Parmelia, you are accused. What say you?”

  “You can’t do this. I won’t allow it,” Parmelia protested.

  “This is absurd,” the middle-aged Elder screamed.

  “By right of the majority, I exile you and all defectors from Pacifica City. Get them out of here!”

  The white robe took Parmelia’s arm. She tried to fight him off, but her thin arms couldn’t escape the man’s grasp. The room erupted in chaos. People screamed and argued. Parmelia and the non-compliant Elder were dragged from the room, kicking and yelling. Julia felt Theo and Valera pulling on aether beside her. Julia aimed at the man holding Parmelia, but, before Julia could wield her power, something hit her in the back of the head. Pain burst through her skull and down her spine. She fell to her knees.

  None of this made any sense. Parmelia’s eyes bored through her as she teetered on the edge of consciousness. Julia tried to fight the darkness, but it overpowered her. She gave in to the agony.

  *

  Julia awoke inside a small room with shackles around her wrists. A massive lock tethered her chains to a blueish colored wall. A ray of light shone through a brick-sized hole above a thick metal door. The floor beneath her cheek was frigid and hard. She shimmied herself into a sitting position, groaning as her shoulders and arms opposed her every movement. From the stiffness in her muscles, she figured that she’d been out for a while.

  The last thing she remembered was Parmelia being pulled out of the courtroom, and Slammy Magee banging his gavel and yelling. Julia tried to use aether, but the energy was beyond her grasp. Alone, confused, and hurting, she reached out to Theo and Valera.

  Are you there?

  I’m here. Theo’s response was a beacon of hope.

  What happened? Why isn’t my power working?

  Theo took a few minutes to respond, and Julia began to worry. She heard Valera arguing with someone on the other side of the wall.

  “Mother, I’m not leaving Theo and Julia...”

  The second person seemed to be Valera’s mother, Victoria, and by the sound of it, she was unleashing an inferno of rage upon her daughter. Julia provided them the curtesy of not eavesdropping – on purpose. It wasn’t her fault if their voices carried, especially when Julia’s name came up. She cringed. The screaming quieted, and a door slammed. Julia felt bad for Valera, although, at least she had someone who cared. Julia didn’t have anyone to come say goodbye to her. Gideon was it, and she didn’t know how he was doing after crashing into the lake at Azure Springs.

  Did you hear that? She sent out to Theo.

  Yes… Victoria isn’t happy. Theo sighed. I can’t use aether either. I don’t know why… I can’t even feel it in here.

  Where are you? Julia asked. I’m in a blue cement box. I don’t know where.

  I am too. Which direction was Valera’s voice coming from?

  I think I heard them through my left wall.

  I did too.

  If Valera were close enough to hear, Julia figured the cells were adjoined. She skootched across the room and tapped on the wall with her shackles. Pressing her ear against the cement, she waited for a response.

  “I’m here,” Theo said.

  Elation surged through Julia. Theo and Valera were close by. At least she wasn’t alone.

  “Theo… I’m… glad you�
�re there.” Julia’s voice shook.

  “Someone’s at the door.” Theo went quiet.

  Julia leaned against the wall and listened. A door opened and someone entered Theo’s room. Chains rattled for a second, and then stopped. Julia waited for what felt like an eternity. Bile rose in her throat as she imagined the worst possible outcomes – Slammy Magee executing them one by one, or worse Slammy Magee torturing them before executing them one by one.

  Theo? Julia hit the side of her cell.

  It’s my mom, Theo returned, and Julia released a long breath. She wants to talk to us. Can you hear her?

  Marjorie’s voice penetrated the wall a little muffled, but clear enough to hear. “I was worried sick about you girls. I thought for sure I’d never see you again.”

  “What happened to the others? Joe and Nessie…” Theo asked.

  “Don’t worry about them. They’re fine. How are you? Are you okay, Julia?”

  Julia didn’t know how to respond. The fact that Marjorie showed any worry for her left her speechless. The cement cooled her forehead.

  “Uh, yeah. I’m okay,” Julia said as loud as she dared.

  “They didn’t give us much time. The remaining Elders won’t listen. They said we could say goodbye before… before they make us leave.” Julia could tell Marjorie was crying. “Someone will come to you soon. We’re going to get you girls out one way or another. I promise. Just hang in there.”

  Theo’s door opened again, and Julia heard a male voice.

  “You can’t do this. She’s my daughter… you can’t,” Marjorie screamed.

  “MOM!”

  After some shuffling, the room became eerily quiet. Julia didn’t know what to think. She tapped on the wall, but Theo didn’t respond. The silence grew too heavy, and loneliness shrouded her like a suffocating cocoon. She curled up on the floor and waited.

  A little later her cell door opened, and she was blinded by a bright light. A shadowed figure blocked the doorway. He lumbered into the room and unlocked her chains.

  “Come with me,” he ordered.