by Angie West
“Yeah.” She nodded without missing a step. “You look a little on edge.”
“I am.” I admitted. “Just one of those days, I guess.”
“Hmm, okay.”
“Hey.” I said after a moment. “Are you hungry?”
“Not really.” She shook her head. “You?”
"No." We were at the fork in the path, the one that would either take us to town, or if we took the left fork, the beach. “Why don't we skip dinner tonight? I'm just not in the mood to see anyone right now.” And if the way I had snapped at Aranu earlier was anything to go by, I was sure the random strangers I could have run into would have thanked me for the decision.
“Sure.” She shrugged. “After the beach, you can come back to the house with me. Marta cooked a huge pot of chili tonight. We've got plenty left.”
“Okay.” I smiled, thoughts of Marta lightening my mood a little. The older woman wasn't much of a conversationalist, but she was one hell of a cook.
Loosely packed tan soil gave way to sand the closer we walked to the beach. Claire whistled some tune I didn't recognize and didn't really pay attention to anyway. Lost in my own tangled thoughts, I followed quietly along a foot or so behind her.
Claire stopped suddenly and, not paying attention, I almost walked into her rigid back.
“What is it?” I peered over her shoulder at the beach beyond but couldn't see any reason for her apprehension. White sand curved around a large expanse of lake. Nothing moved on the calm surface of the water, nothing stirred on the wooded path behind us. “Claire?” I touched her shoulder.
“It's dark.” She frowned and took a step back.
“So? It's usually dark when we come here.” I shrugged. “What's the big deal?”
“The moon.” she explained, folding slim arms over her chest. “There's always a bright moon when we come here, but look at the clouds.” She gestured with one hand. “It's pitch dark out here tonight.”
I spared a brief glance for the sky. Sure enough, I frowned, the large moon that had filled the forest with strands of silver earlier was now almost completely obscured by thick clouds.
“It wasn't dark like that a few minutes ago.” Claire murmured thoughtfully.
I'd have to take her word for it, I realized with mild shock, since I hadn't been paying much attention on the walk down to the beach. I felt my brows snap together. It wasn't like me to let my guard down like that.
“Maybe we should skip the beach tonight.” Claire was saying. “It doesn't look like we're going to get any moon bathing done and it's probably too cold to swim.”
“As for the clouds, well, maybe we're in for an overnight storm, but it isn't that cold,” I argued, not ready to face everyone at the house just yet. “And if you want light, I can handle that.” I grinned.
Claire finally giggled and allowed herself to be pulled along the fine pale sand to the water's edge. “I can barely make out the island from here.” she complained, laughing breathlessly.
“The island you say?” I repeated with an exaggerated accent. “Okay, then.” I grinned, eying the lake with wicked intent.
“Oh Aries, no way are you–"
The splash drowned out the rest of Claire's words as I dove deep, leaving a trail of white light in my wake.
I've always been a fast swimmer and tonight was no exception. Not being able to see where I was going made little difference. My body glided easily through the onyx lake and slowly the black water came alive beneath my hands. The dark, silent island loomed ahead and I swam a quick loop around it, leaving a circle of bright orbs twinkling and bobbing on the surface of the water like diamonds. By the time I turned back to the small shore to wave to Claire, the island's only tree was also kissed with golden light.
The lake hadn't been all that cold to begin with but it felt fractionally warmer with all the lights I'd scattered in our immediate vicinity. Claire had already stripped down to the two-piece bathing suit she wore beneath her shorts and tank top. Her boots had been carelessly tossed farther up the beach along with her bag.
Both items rested haphazardly on the sand. I added my over-clothing to the pile but laid the dagger I carried next to her clothing. I wasn't comfortable having it so far up the beach and if it got a few drops of water on it, well, big deal. It had seen worse. At least it would be accessible should we happen to need it.
I danced down the beach to stand beside Claire at the water's edge; in deference to what I liked to refer to as Claire's propriety sensibilities, I left my bra and underwear on. Normally, I wouldn't have even been wearing a bra and if by some slim chance I had, it certainly wouldn't have been the lacy aqua confection I currently had on. Still, I had to admit the blue green color was a lot better than the peach silk she had given me on my birthday.
Anyway, I reasoned, Claire was right about one thing. The garments did provide a lot of support, especially the ones with the thin wire. Although, in my opinion the under wire bra was just more proof that 'too much of a good thing' existed. Claire liked the things but I drew the line at them; not only were they damned uncomfortable but they made my cleavage look obscene.
Water lapped at my thighs. Idly, I watched the muscles tighten at the first touch of cool water before pushing my feet against the sandstone bottom, tucking my head between my arms, and diving fully into the shimmery glow that was the lake. The splash just behind me and to the left told me Claire had followed suit.
I loved to swim; the joy it held for me was second only to flying. More than anything, I loved to feel free. Maybe it was because I knew that deep down, in every way that counted, I wasn't free, would never be free. These days, obligations were abundant, from my people to the warriors to civilian villagers.
No, I would never be short of obligations. And truthfully, most days I wouldn't have wanted to be. Today, however, was not one of those days. Today I wanted to fly and swim and scream until I'd worked out the kinks and left them in the dust.
I reached the island ahead of Claire, so I pulled myself onto the tiny shore and turned in a full circle to survey my own handy-work.
"Not too shabby." Claire gasped from behind me. She grappled with sparse tufts of grass and sand to pull herself up and out of the water. I leaned down to catch her by the elbow and pull her the rest of the way onto the small island.
"You're winded. Are you okay?"
"Oh." She placed a hand on her chest and shook her head while a rueful smile played around the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, I'm fine. I thought I saw a shark and panicked. I opened my mouth and swallowed a little water."
"You always think you see a shark." I said, amused.
"What can I say?" She shrugged. "Old habits die hard."
"You've never actually come face to face with a shark." I pointed out.
"Well, no," she agreed readily enough, "but I've been terrified of the things my entire life." She shuddered and I barely resisted the urge to do the same.
The sea creatures she described and called sharks sounded like dreadful creatures–and creepy to boot. She had told me all about them months ago, late one night over double chocolate chip cookies and hot tea after we'd spent a day at the lake. The thing with Claire isn't that she's such a tough customer as to never be affected by things like stress and fear, it's the way she squares her shoulders and faces life head on, both good and bad. She's also pretty much an open book.
When she nearly hyperventilated in the middle of the lake that first afternoon, it was pretty obvious something was wrong. I smiled, remembering how, at the time, she'd taken a deep breath then fixed the water with a mutinous, determined stare and confessed that yes, she was afraid of the water. In the next breath she had informed me in no uncertain terms that we were going swimming anyway. Yeah, that was Claire.
"Are you ever sorry?" I asked suddenly, the mention of her native water beasts reminding me of her home, her life before Terlain.
"Am I sorry about what?" She plopped down next to me on the stretch of sand beneath the tre
e.
"You know, that you came here."
"Well." She seemed to consider her answer and carefully choose her words. "I wasn't given much choice but to come here, not at first, but later? No, I wasn't sorry at all. I think from the minute I left the first time all I could think about was getting back here. It feels like home. I know that must sound strange."
"No, it's not strange at all."
"It's a good thing this feels like home though, since I'm pretty sure I won't be allowed to leave again." She leaned back and flung one toned arm over her head. "I won't miss the sharks, that's for sure." Her teeth flashed white in the space between us and I laughed.
"No, I wouldn't miss them either.”
"I don't know though, they probably aren't as bad as Naule." She considered, sitting up and tossing a wary glance at the glassy surface of the lake.
"We'll see anything before it gets within a hundred yards." I reassured without bothering to get up. I didn't contradict her assumption that Naule were worse than sharks, mostly because I didn't want to scare her, but personally the thought of sharks made my heart pound. Sure, they were much smaller than the Naule, but they were considerably faster and there were more of them. According to Claire, some breeds even traveled in packs.
"You're right." I watched her take a deep breath and grin. "I'm being ridiculous tonight. I mean, I thought I got over this silly fear-of-water thing ages ago."
"Uh, well it hasn't really been that long." I pointed out. "Besides, I'm not sure that run in with the Naule helped put your mind at ease."
"Oh, that." She waved the reminder away before turning to stare across the lake to the shore. "It was so long ago and I'm over it. Not that it was the best night of my life or anything."
"You were lucky Mark came along when he did." I nodded, even though she couldn't see the gesture.
"The thing is," she continued, "I'm a little on edge tonight."
"So I am." I confessed. "I've felt...unsettled somehow, all afternoon." I shook away the lingering sense of uneasy restlessness and sat up then to loop my arms around my knees. "Why are you nervous?" I asked Claire.
"I'm not nervous." she was quick to deny. "Okay, I'm just going to level with you. I had planned to wait until we got back to the house and surprise you, but I'm not so sure that's the best plan."
"Claire?"
"We have some company. They arrived earlier today." She finally replied, putting her back to the water to regard me in silence.
"Oh?" I tried for casual indifference but instinctively I knew, damn it, I knew what she was going to say next.
"Ari, my family arrived today. Mike is back."
Chapter Two
They All Come to Grandview
Mike was back? My mind tossed the question around like a ping pong ball on steroids but I refused to throw it out in the open like that. Of course Mike was back. Why wouldn't he be? After all, I'd known he was coming, hadn't I?
Claire hadn't made any secret of the fact. If anything, I'd had ample reminders that Mike would soon be back in Terlain. No, I mentally corrected, not just Mike, but the entire Roberts clan. Claire's parents and sister and brother-in-law would have been traveling with him. But somehow, in my mind the only news that really mattered was Mike's return; it wasn't a welcome revelation.
For months, since I had found the package he'd left at the portal–the place in the woods east of the village of Lerna where two worlds collided and commingled–I had been trying to reconcile his impending arrival. And yet I still wasn't prepared, not really, not if Claire's announcement had been enough to rock me to the core like this.
I took a deep breath, fully aware of the fact that I lingered somewhere between desperation and panic. Pulling myself back to the situation at hand, I managed a tight smile for Claire's benefit.
If the wide eyed look she gave me was anything to go by, she wasn't fooled, not one bit. But then, I hadn't expected her to be. She knew I was less than thrilled with the idea of running into her only brother again. And we would run into one another, I realized with a pang.
"Aries?" She caught her bottom lip between her teeth for a second before taking a deep breath and spreading her arms wide. "I can't change the past." she began in typical Claire fashion, going straight to the heart of the matter. "But I know that my brother won't care about any of it."
"You can't know that." I argued before quickly looking away, focusing my attention on some vague distant point on the shore that I hardly noticed. I was very much afraid that right then, pain was naked in my eyes for all the world to see.
"I do know it." she insisted gently but fervently, letting her arms fall to her sides and taking a step forward.
I glanced at her then, silently telling her to stay where she was. When I was hanging on by a thread was the last time I wanted sympathy from anyone, even Claire, though I knew she would only be put off for so long. Sooner rather than later, she would hug me. I frowned and folded my arms across the blue green lace at my chest, cold all over in an instant.
Our eyes clashed and memories of the night we were taken by Kahn's guards stretched between us, bonding us in an odd sort of way. We had become good friends, kindred spirits even, in the time that had elapsed since the nightmare had passed.
Logic dictated that we would have become friends on some level regardless, even if we hadn't gone through hell and back together, because I'd been in love with her older brother, with Mike. Hopelessly, stupidly in love. Even if by that time he'd already been long gone.
But not anymore. The whispered thought flowed through my consciousness like a flower unfurling toward the sun. No! I narrowed my dark eyes and lifted my chin a notch. It didn't matter one damn bit that Mike Roberts was back. I wouldn't let it matter. He wouldn't hurt me a second time and I...I had nothing to give him now, even if I had been dumb enough to be so inclined.
"Give him a chance." Claire suggested in the same hushed, easy tone that plainly said she held out hope I would listen to reason.
Wasn't she in for a surprise, I snorted rather uncharitably, in control of my emotions again and not in any mood to play nice and be reasonable.
"I think I'm ready to call it a night."
"Sure." She nodded. "We can head home now."
"No," I shook my head ruefully. "I think I'll stay in the cottage tonight."
"But–"
"Claire, I'm just not ready to see him. Not yet, okay?"
"I guess I already knew that." She sighed and bent to palm a small intricate purple shell before plucking it from the sand and slipping it into one of the satiny cups of her bikini top. "Either way, you don't have anything to worry about tonight. They won't arrive at our house until sometime tomorrow morning, so there's no reason why you can't come home and have dinner. You have to," she rushed on when I would have opened my mouth to form some polite refusal. Clearly, she had no intention of giving me the chance to beg off.
"I thought you said they've already come back, that they're already here."
"They crossed the portal today but decided to spend the night in Lerna. Mom and Dad are tired and I guess Megan isn't feeling too hot, either." Claire explained. Her voice was tinged with worry. "She hasn't had the baby yet, you know."
"She's close though, isn't she?" I asked, easily recalling past information Claire had shared with me about her sister's due date and doing some quick math. I winced. Megan Roberts was damn close.
Claire nodded dismally. "I think they were trying to wait until she delivered. Obviously that wasn't possible." She bit her lip again. "I hope crossing the portal hasn't hurt the baby."
"I'm sure the child is fine." Or at least as sure as I could be without ever having crossed the portal myself. "Ashley didn't suffer any ill effects from crossing and she's done it twice." I pointed out with calm logic. "And she was four the first time, wasn't she?"
"Five." Claire corrected absently, gazing out over the lake. "You're probably right, of course. But I think I'm pretty much doomed to worry about them all nig
ht, especially since they're spending the night in Lerna." she sighed.
"Well, I have to agree with you there. Lerna isn't the safest place to seek lodging for the night. Still, it's safer now that we've secured it." I shrugged.
"You mean what's left of it." she muttered.
"Yes."
It was a shame. The town of Lerna had once been a thriving middle class community that rimmed the forest where the portal was located. Quaint shops had lined a red brick paved downtown surrounded by peaceful, friendly neighborhoods and landscaping that boasted careful attention to detail and pride of ownership. Nowadays it looked like a bomb had gone off in the center of town. Concrete sidewalks had literally been scoured and left to litter the streets in crumbled, broken heaps.
The stores no longer glittered in the evenings with antique gas lights and warm laughter. Kahn's men and his beasts had raided the town more than a year past and cut a wide swath of destruction through the once beautiful wooded city. What they hadn't broken or killed had been looted. Thinking about those early days of the revolution was enough to start a slow burn in the center of my chest. I took a deep breath and forced my hands to un-clench at my sides.
"Your family isn't alone I take it?" It stood to reason that Claire and Mark had sent people to meet the Roberts and guide them in. After all, how else would Claire be aware of their arrival in Terlain?
"No, they aren't alone. Mark and a dozen men are with them. I think some of the nymphs are with them, too."
"Oh?" I covered my surprise with a well-practiced nonchalance. None of the nymphs had mentioned making a trip to Lerna to retrieve Claire's family.
Claire smiled. "Everyone is curious about the man who stole your heart."
I spared her a single glance before turning back to the lake and jumping in.
"I have no heart."
***
Claire gamboled along the path, trailing behind me much of the way back to Grandview. The town square was still alive and kicking, even at this late hour. The town of Grandview had undergone so many changes in the past year. Two years ago, no one would have considered Grandview the middle of nowhere by any means but over the past four seasons I'd watched it go from a mid-size town that rolled up the sidewalks at dusk, to a full fledged city that, most nights anyway, would still be going strong at midnight. But it wasn't a wild and crazy type of place. Not by a long shot.