Hearken (Daughters of the Sea Series)

by Kristen Day

  In the distance I could just make out a sliver of ocean peeking over the high cliffs of Atlantis’s exterior, and the sky shone a cool silver as night met day in its continuous battle of wills. The splendor of the sun was not yet visible on the horizon, but the moon’s light had begun to fade. Only the brightest of stars could be seen, and the world around us held its breath in anticipation of the coming day.

  “This is beautiful,” I whispered to Sebastian. I didn’t want to do anything to disrupt nature’s magic playing out before our eyes.

  “So are you,” he whispered back. I melted a little inside as he pulled me down to lay beside him. He held my body close and recited in Greek, “Omorfiá sou den gno̱rízei ória.”

  “Is this where you bring all the girls you want to seduce?” I interrogated him with feigned anger.

  “I didn’t realize I was seducing you.” He raised an eyebrow at me. I raised an eyebrow right back and shot him an unimpressed look. He smiled and leaned his head back to look at the sky. “I was saving it…” he hesitated, “…for someone worthy of its greatness.”

  “Then what am I doing up here?” I joked. He laughed and turned over on top of me; pinning me to the soft rug beneath.

  “Completing my world,” he whispered; rendering me speechless for once in my life. All I could do was smile up at him and revel in the shivers running through my body at his closeness. He slowly tugged at the bottom seam of my shirt; revealing my sea snake trace. He ran a thumb over it and glanced up at me.

  “Mysterious, clever, and ruthless,” he breathed. “Very fitting.”

  He pressed his full weight on top of me, and it was all I could do not to rip his clothes off, as my entire body felt like it would explode at any moment.

  Something in my eyes must have portrayed my true feelings, because he smiled with delicious hunger and his eyes became hooded with yearning. With painstaking slowness, he brought his mouth to mine once more and my back arched in an attempt to be closer to him.

  Unfortunately for my willpower, I felt his own desire harden through the thin fabric of his linen pants. I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him down closer as our kisses deepened, and I fell into a burning fire of need that wouldn’t relinquish. I fumbled for the waistband of his pants and tried to strip them down when he stopped abruptly, grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head. I stared up at him with surprise.

  “You deserve to be taken care of, Olivia.” My heart raced at the sound of my name on his lips. “And that’s exactly what I intend to do.” Before I could object, his mouth crashed down on mine and I lost all train of thought. He spread his knees; forcing my legs wider as he slipped an arm beneath me and urged my back to arch. His other hand literally ripped off my already torn nightgown, which wasn’t doing much covering anyway, but when I tried to pull him down on top of me I realized he had other ideas.

  He held himself above me and his jaw went slack as his eyes ran over my body. The white lace bra and underwear I had on was far more sedate than my normal choices, but it didn’t seem to matter to him. His eyes met mine and I caught a glimpse of a man brimming with loyalty and manners. A man trying desperately to control himself.

  He leaned down and kissed me gently before smiling with an evil grin that made me giggle. My eyes followed his fingers as he parted my lips and allowed me to suck on them gently. He replaced his fingers with hungry lips, and his deep kisses devoured any control I had left in me.

  I felt the cool wet of his fingers trail down my chest, down my stomach and finally between my legs. His other arm forced my back to arch once more as he pulled my hips forward and up before plunging his fingers inside me. I cried out and clung to him as a heat wave boiled inside of me and pulsed through my every fiber; craving to be released. My legs wrapped around him as I buried my head in his shoulder and felt my body shudder with pleasure.

  Left gasping for breath and pulse racing, Sebastian carefully rolled over beside me, pulled the covers over us and kissed me once on the lips, and then again on the cheek and forehead before pulling me close. I folded into his warm embrace and surrendered to the safety of his love. I tried to speak, but it only came out as an incoherent whimper. Sebastian chuckled and held me closer.

  “And that, vraziliániki̱ omorfiá mou, is how you deserve to be taken care of,” he whispered in Greek.

  Chapter 42

  Olivia

  I woke to the sound of rustling leaves and the captivating smell of lavender. I stretched my arms and yawned before rolling over and realizing I was outside. I sat straight up, and the night before came rushing back to me in a litany of images and emotions that became permanent imprints of ecstasy on my memory. A handful of lavender had been tied together carefully with a rustic string, and was lying on Sebastian’s pillow. A small leather bound book and a handwritten note written in Greek were lying beneath the purple sprigs.

  Good morning beautiful,

  I have gone to check on Anastasia and the rest of the Council. I wanted to let you sleep and regain your energy. I will return soon.

  I pulled my knees up and hugged them while I thought of Sebastian’s touch, his words, and the way he’d held me until I fell asleep. I took a quick inventory of my surroundings and felt a slight panic growing in my chest at the angle of the sun. A canopy of branches and leaves shielded me from the harsh sunlight, but from the long shadows below, I guessed it was late afternoon. I’d slept all day!

  I threw off the blanket and suddenly realized I had another problem. The nightgown I’d worn the night before was in tatters, lying in a heap next to me; leaving me with only bra and underwear. Talk about a walk of shame. If I returned to the tree houses in this, it would be more of a parade of shame; complete with pageant waves, candy throwing, and clapping. I pulled the blanket back over me and peeked over the edge of the platform. There was no sign of Sebastian or Xanthos, which meant my only option would be to return on foot, and I had no idea where I was.

  My eyes fell on the small book he’d left me and I picked it up. The spine was worn and broken but the title was still visible; it read ‘Polemikés téchnes tou kósmou’, which meant ‘Martial Arts of the World’ in English. I casually flipped through it and noticed that it was more of an instruction manual. The first chapter I turned to detailed the basics of martial arts, jujutsu, taekwondo, and many more martial arts I’d never heard of. After flipping some more, I found a chapter about Pale, ancient Greek boxing; and Pygmachia, ancient Greek wrestling. I wasn’t sure what Sebastian’s motives were in presenting me with it, but if it was because he doubted my skills as a Warrior, he could keep it. I had plenty of other abilities that would greatly overpower any fighting art forms. Although it might be helpful to learn the basics. Maybe.

  I set it back down and opened the larger of the chests on the platform, in hopes that Sebastian stored any shirts or pants in there for himself that I could borrow. The chest was filled with more leather bound books that looked centuries old, and a side compartment that held ink wells and several beautiful quills. The two smaller chests on either side were locked tight. I sighed and realized my only other option was to take leaves and create a makeshift dress. Which, considering my lack of domestication, would not end well for anyone.

  The next dilemma made my lack of clothing look like a piece of apple pie. I was several stories up in a tree with no way of getting down. I wasn’t making any friends among the trees, and I doubted this one in particular would twist back down and allow me to leave without multiple broken bones. I peeked over the edge of the platform once more and eyed the dizzying drop with dread.

  There had to be a way to make the tree twist. I considered asking it to twist, but decided against the spoken word. I was liable to say the wrong thing and get myself impaled by a rogue branch. I decided to use my energy instead. I usually had more control over it than my mouth, anyway. It was worth a shot. I scooted toward the back of the platform, where I was able to reach out and touch one of the foundational branches that supported th
e platform. I placed my palm on the rough, cool bark and closed my eyes.

  Immediately I felt the tree’s powerful energy surging through its roots, trunk, and limbs. It was similar to our bloodstream; running in a circular pattern from the roots, up the trunk, out toward the limbs, and then back down again; each part having a different responsibility. The roots provided the nutrients, the leaves provided the sunlight and the cycle was ever present; always churning, propelled by the will to stay alive.

  I gathered my own energy and felt the electrical charge building as it ran down my arm and into the tree. I felt a slight jolt as the tree acknowledged me. I slowly twisted my hand and envisioned the tree’s trunk spinning; hoping it would get the hint. After several minutes of doing this, there was still no movement whatsoever. I opened my eyes and sighed.

  “I’m probably the only Warrior who’s ever been stuck in a tree,” I muttered at myself in disgust, and then louder, “Twist and get me off this damn platform!”

  I hadn’t even gotten the last word out of my mouth when the world started spinning. I lost my balance and slid across the platform; grabbing a hold of anything and everything as I went. I watched in horror as everything else on the platform slid off right along with me. It was like a playground merry-go-round gone horribly wrong! My body hit hard against a branch and I went airborne; landing in a heap on a patch of grass several yards from the tree. The rest of the contents on the platform had been thrown off in various directions, and I glared at the tree in front of me.

  “Very funny,” I muttered at it with disgust, and narrowed my eyes. “I hate trees.” It slowly and deliberately untwisted and returned to its original height. I climbed back to my feet and dusted myself off, and then I noticed the large gash on my thigh from the tree the night before who had also tried to kill me when I fell off the roof. Several blades of grass and tiny rocks had lodged themselves in there, and I winced in pain as I picked them out carefully. My heart dropped to my feet when I heard the sound of hooves coming towards me. The only thing more horrifying than getting thrown out of a tree was having someone there to witness the aftermath.

  I didn’t have time to gather up the books and papers strewn about. The potted plants were smashed beyond repair, and I stood there half naked, beaten and bloodied under a tree that obviously hated me. Accepting my defeat, I sat back down and stretched my legs out. I tilted my face into the waning sun and waited for the inevitable embarrassment to come riding in on a horse.

  He came through the thicket of trees on a happy-looking Xanthos, donned in white linen pants and a crisp, white shirt. His blonde hair seemed to soak in the sun’s rays, but his face paled when he saw the epic tragedy displayed before him. With concern clouding his features, Sebastian jumped off his horse and ran to my side.

  “Hi honey,” I crooned cheerfully with a bright smile. “I decided to do some redecorating while you were gone. What do you think?”

  The wide grin that lit up his face and made his eyes sparkle warmed my soul, and even eased the physical pain coursing through my body. He shook his head and laughed as he helped me back to my feet. He inspected my body to find several more bruises and a new cut on my arm and hugged me tight.

  “How did you manage to fall out of another tree?” he ogled in disbelief.

  “There was no falling about it!” I argued vehemently, and shot another menacing look at the tree behind us. Typical. When the questions started to fly, the tree all a sudden pleaded the fifth and froze. “It threw me out!”

  “You’re the only girl I know who gets into fights with trees.” He shook his head and grinned. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”

  “I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment,” I frowned and then looked around at the mess I’d made. “I’m sorry your things got caught in the crossfire.”

  His posture stiffened with propriety as he gazed into the distance, laid a hand over his heart, and declared in a regal tone, “The casualties of war are many and regrettable…”

  “There’s going to be a war if these trees don’t stop picking on me!” I pushed him lightly and began collecting the books and journals that had been tossed haphazardly across the ground.

  “Picking on you?” he reiterated with a skeptical eyebrow and a smirk. “I’m sure that’s exactly what happened.”

  “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it,” I declared.

  “Well, before you attract all of the single men on the island…” He hesitated and gave me a once-over. “…as well as some of the single girls, I should tell you that I brought you some clothes.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day!” I smiled and ran over to Xanthos, where a small bag hung off the saddle. A flowing white sundress was folded neatly inside, along with several pieces of brightly colored fruit. I emptied the contents and replaced them with the book and lavender he’d left for me. I met his stare when I turned around and he smiled; sending butterflies swarming through my stomach. What was wrong with me? Never before had a guy had this kind of power over me. And then as I watched him, I realized why. He was my match in every way. He was strong, snarky, proud, honorable, and loyal. He knew what he wanted, and wasn’t afraid to go to great lengths to get it. His confidence and the way he respected me, but treated me as an equal, made me feel stronger and more like a woman.

  By the time I pulled on the dress and ate a kiwi and a star fruit, Sebastian had gathered up his things and returned them to the platform. He patted the tree and laughed silently as he made his way back to where I was watching him next to Xanthos with contempt.

  He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me gently before mounting the horse and helping me up. As we rode back to the tree houses, my mind replayed the emergence of Fallon and Stasia’s odd behavior. I wasn’t sure what to expect when we returned.

  “How’s Stasia doing?” I called out to him.

  “Awake,” he answered bluntly. “And strong. Very strong.”

  Chapter 43

  Olivia

  “Watch out!”

  I dropped to the ground and covered my head with the same conviction as if we were getting bombed from above; which I wasn’t ruling out. In the absence of excruciating pain or the pungent odor of burning skin, I peeked out of one eye and looked around cautiously.

  “I’m sorry!” Stasia called out, and I heard Fallon giggle. Wait until Stasia almost took her head off – then we’d see who got the last laugh.

  “Who decided to wake her up?” Phoebe complained next to me on the ground. Several hours after we’d returned from Sebastian’s twisting tree of terror, everyone was gathered outside at the lakeside enjoying the perfect sunny weather. Amphitrite and Natasha were discussing something over tea near the water, while Finn and the Sons were playing a poor excuse for a game of water polo with an old rubber ball they’d found. I stood with Carmen, Phoebe and Avery around a stump, going through the final pre-selections of the Games.

  “Her new best friend,” Carmen muttered on my other side as we climbed to our feet and brushed our clothes off. I wondered if they had bleach on Atlantis. “Moon girl.”

  Carmen had been in a bad mood ever since having to continue the pre-selections without my help, but now she was directing her spitefulness toward Stasia instead of me, so I wasn’t objecting. That didn’t stop me from taking a couple jabs at her, though.

  “Jealous much?” I snickered at her. She just scowled and glared at Stasia and Fallon with distaste before digging her hole deeper.

  “We’re on Stasia’s Council, not her. But she just shows up and Stasia drops us like a bad habit? How’s Fallon supposed to help her when she doesn’t even know her?”

  “But Fallon’s her family,” Avery countered with sympathy. “Her only family.”

  “Big deal.” Carmen brushed off Avery’s endearing nature. “My creepy uncle Blythe is family, but you don’t see me practicing my abilities in his molester van all day.”

  “There’s just some things we can’t understand.” Avery st
ood her ground. “Fallon has a lot of knowledge. Knowledge that Stasia needs.”

  “Well I don’t trust her.” Carmen narrowed her dark eyes and I felt a common thread form between us.

  “I don’t either,” I agreed with contempt.

  “You don’t either, what?” Sebastian interjected as he snuck up behind me and rested his elbows on my shoulders.

  “You shouldn’t eavesdrop.” I wiggled out from under his weight and faced him proudly. “You might hear something you don’t want to.”

  “You promise?” he grinned and picked me up by my waist, spun around and then set me back down. My skin instantly tingled where his fingers had been, and I wiped at my shirt to hide the emotions running through me. Once I was no longer in his way, he kept walking towards his horses as they drank from the lake. A prideful snicker slipped past his lips, but instead of sparking my anger, it now warmed my heart. Funny how things could change so quickly.

  “Looks like somebody had a good night…” Phoebe eyed me with a knowing grin.

  “’Good’ would be an understatement,” I boasted with a wide grin. I strode away to their surprised gasps and made my way over to Stasia and Fallon with the electricity of last night’s truths still dancing across my skin.

  “…hold it in a little closer to your heart.” Fallon was in the process of instructing Stasia. “A little closer…okay…ready…now!”

  Stasia thrust her hands upward and the tiny ball of light in her hands flew into the air. I stared on in awe as it burst into a thousand smaller pieces of light and began to swirl above us like an angry storm cloud ready to shower the earth with powerful light.

  Suddenly, the pieces shot downward and towards me. Before I knew what was happening, I was completely encased in a cyclone of light swirling around me at dizzying speeds. I frowned and gathered up my energy before sticking my arm through them, and then a flash of light blinded me as the small bits of light exploded and fell to the ground in charred pieces around my feet. Claps sounded from the peanut gallery of Council members behind me, and I even noticed Sebastian watching on with a smile.