Coral & Bone

by Tiffany Daune

  “Okay, that’s working.” Tage hopped from side to side, trying to keep warm. “Just keep thinking about lover boy there.”

  Halen flushed. “You’re not feeling my emotions right. I accidently...” She bit her lip and kicked the ground. The feelings you are feeling are not real. I accidentally kissed him.”

  “You what?” Tage’s mouth hung open. “You kissed some hot guy in Elosia and you left that part out?”

  Halen blushed. “My magick was out of control. I’m telling you, I have no idea what I’m doing. Kissing him was a complete mistake.” The more she explained, the less convincing she sounded.

  “Well, accident or not, your heart doesn’t believe that. You like the guy.”

  Halen shifted the topic. “Well, you don’t have to be an Empath to see you like Ezra.”

  “Ezra? What—get out of here?” Tage buried her face behind her mittens. “That guy is so annoying.”

  “He makes good pancakes.”

  “And that’s about it. Now, let’s get to work if you don’t want to think about Dax, which is shame because he’s a super hottie.”

  “Tage!”

  “Okay.” She laughed. “Try thinking of something else then.” She handed Halen the vial filled with the elixir. Put a drop under your tongue first. That way you won’t be so drained after the spell. It’s best to use it beforehand.”

  The thought of it being Tage’s bone marrow mixed with coral made Halen want to puke. “I can’t—it’s too gross.”

  “You’d better get over that and fast. You’re going to need a lot more if you want to open the portal and still have the strength to destroy Asair.”

  Halen’s stomach turned, but if she was going to try out some magick, she knew she would need the elixir.

  “Find a happy thought,” Tage said as Halen took the vial and put a drop of the elixir under her tongue.

  When the sweet liquid hit her taste buds, Halen’s eyes widened. A charge ran through her all the way to her toes like she had been plugged in.

  “You have to let it stabilize in your bloodstream,” Tage said. ”You may feel a little light headed.”

  “I’m good,” Halen said.

  “Good—now get happy.”

  Halen wasn’t so sure happy would come to her. She watched the birds flying over the lake, lifting high in the sky and catching the wind. The birds soared higher drifting with the winter wind. With the warmth of the sun on her face, Halen thought of warmer days. When she could peel off her coat and let the sun kiss her shoulders, and turn them to golden sugar. Happiness was last summer before they moved to back to Rockaway Beach—before she faced her supposedly dead father and before she realized her life was a lie. She closed her eyes, feeling the sun warm her through to her chest and to her heart. She let the warmth spread through her body, now thinking of spring, and the snow melting, and new buds pushing through the forest soil, blossoming with brilliant flowers.

  “Ah, Halen…” Tage said.

  Her voice was drowned by the call of spring now blossoming in Halen’s mind. She thought of purple violets and sprouting stems with dangling pink bleeding hearts. And the little white flowers, she didn’t know the name of, which were bell-shaped like a fairy might sleep inside cozy and safe from the rain.

  “Halen!” Tage grabbed her shoulders, shaking her hard.

  Slipping from Tage’s grasp, she collapsed to the ground, her head spinning with spring.

  Flowers darling. You shouldn’t have. A familiar English accent, one she had heard in a nightmare, slipped through her mind.

  “Go away!” she screamed, swatting the air.

  “It’s just us,” Tage said, confused. “No one’s here.”

  Halen looked from side to side. The voice was just in her mind, but the garland of purple crocuses crowning her head was real.

  When Tage crouched beside her, bright daffodils touched her knees. “That was so freaking awesome!” Her voice trilled like a sparrow. She picked a red tulip and waved it under her nose. “Unfreaking believable. Are you okay?”

  As Halen sat up, her hands pressed against the fine blossoms of delicate white flowers. Her eyes widened. “This is crazy.” Across the lake snow still covered the hills. But here, a path of flowers lined the forest, leading back to the church. It was beautiful, but she couldn’t help but think of the last time she’d conjured this landscape, and how she had turned it into cinders.

  “Crazy is an understatement. Wait till the others see this!” Scooping a bouquet of flowers, Tage yanked her up. “You look pale. Take another drop. You will need to take more next time.”

  The vial was still clasped in Halen’s fist, yet she did not have the strength to open her hand.

  “Let me.” Tage peeled back her fingers, took the vial, and unscrewed the lid. “Bottoms up.”

  Halen’s head rolled back on its own, and Tage shook a few drops of the elixir into her mouth. Immediately a jolt ran up her spine. Tage guided Halen to her feet and wrapped her arm over her shoulder.

  “We’ll have to work on how much elixir you need, but hey, at least you didn’t burn anything. This is progress.” She began to walk toward the church.

  Halen didn’t see it that way. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to progress. She felt worse than when she had blown out the windshield. It was more than the magick making her head spin. She was starting to understand what she was truly capable of and it terrified her.

  Outside the church Ezra tended the camp fire. Roasted vegetables sizzled in the cast iron skillet. “What’s up with you two?” He shook the pan over the flames.

  Tage thrust the bouquet of flowers against his chest. “Mother Nature made spring come early.”

  “No way!”

  “Yes way! She can do it!” Tage sung with excitement.

  Halen pulled away from Tage.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I’m just going inside to sit for a bit. I can make it on my own.”

  “Okay. I’ll be here if you need me.” She tucked the vial in Halen’s coat pocket. “Take a few more drops, if you need to.”

  As Halen climbed the stairs, every muscle ached. Whatever energy she had used to summon the flowers, she was paying for it now. Collapsing onto a church pew, she leaned back with her neck on the wood. From between glass wings, rainbow light danced across the church floors, just as colorful as the flowers now blooming in the forest. A miracle, she thought.

  You are the miracle, darling. You are one beautiful miracle. The English boy’s voice filled her head once more.

  She spun around but found she was alone. “Get out of my head,” she said, clutching the church pew. To her relief, no one answered her back. Staring at the angels, she wondered where she belonged—heaven or hell? Lucifer had been an angel. Did he too have a beautiful gift he couldn’t control? Had Asair been the same?

  “Do you believe in God?” Tasar leaned forward, propping his elbows on the back of her seat. Halen jumped. She hadn’t heard him come in. The smelled of rust and damp leaves lingered in his woolen sweater.

  “I do.” Halen’s voice was no more than a whisper. She hadn’t been to church in a long time, but she did believe. Not in the whole white cloud, big throne Santa Claus kind of God. But she believed God was there somewhere watching over her—at least she hoped.

  “It’s important to believe in something,” Tasar said.

  Halen shifted so she could see him. His boyish clean face had sprung a red beard that hadn’t been there earlier. His sugary brown eyes gleamed like glass. She tried to imagine him as an animal foraging for food in the woods. Did he even do that? She wondered.

  “You’re wondering what kind of animal I am.”

  “No, I was just...”

  He held up his hand. His palm was rough and calloused like a paw. “Everyone wonders. That’s the fun part.” He smiled. “I could tell you, but then I wouldn’t be able to sneak up on you, would I?”

  She shook her head. She hadn’t considered he might want t
o sneak up on her. A crow cawed overhead, rustling in the rafters, and she thought of Lina peering down on her. Maybe she had been spying on them all along.

  Tasar leaned back, pushing his sleeves back and stretching his arms over his head. Curly auburn hair coated his arm; whatever he was, he was a hairy beast of an animal.

  “Why are you here?” Halen asked. “You and Lina, you don’t like me.”

  “Who told you that—Ezra?”

  “No, I can tell. Lina is always looking down at me. She’s watching everything I do. It feels like she’s giving me a grade. And if I don’t pass…”

  “Lina was hurt—by Natalie. But she’ll come around. Already she can see you’re different.”

  “What did Natalie do to her?” Halen asked.

  “Lina and your sister were close. Lina helped her with spells.”

  “Oh,” Halen said. She felt so misplaced. They all knew her sister. She wondered how they felt about Natalie’s replacement.

  “Even though Natalie had her own magick, Lina taught her spells only known to Etlins. But Natalie occasionally abused the spells she had been taught. She constantly pushed the boundaries and Lina refused to teach her any more. Natalie withdrew her friendship and Lina felt betrayed. They never mended their bond. Natalie had a way of hurting those closest to her.”

  “So Lina thinks I will do the same,” Halen said flatly. She looked at the red stone, strung on a rope of leather, around his neck to avoid looking at him. The stone glistened as if moistened by rain. There was a marking in the center, but she would have to lean over the pew to actually see what it was.

  “She’s hurt right now.”

  Halen thought of Catch and Pepper of Nelia and Dax. They were all hurt. “And what about you—do you miss Natalie?”

  He tucked the stone under his sweater and away from her prying eyes. “Don’t judge yourself by Natalie’s reputation—she wasn’t perfect. I already see in you something better—something pure. Maybe the Tari should have raised Natalie like you, not let her know about her powers. Your mother’s love has served you well. You should forgive her. You will find more room for happiness if you can let what she has done go.”

  “You think it’s that easy?”

  “Forgiveness is as easy as love. Letting go is the hard part. You just need time, and so does Lina. She will see. You will help us return home.”

  “So you think I can?”

  He stood up, and she noticed a bunch of flowers stuffed in his pocket. He gave her a wide smile, his canine teeth flashed. “Spring is always filled with promise.” He winked and walked away.

  She turned back to the window of angels. Together their wings interlocked circling one another. Angels were protected by God. She needed a divine power, something bigger than herself to pull her through this, to guide her, and keep her from the darkness. Tasar was right; she needed something to believe in. For the first time, in a long time, Halen bowed her head and prayed.

  Twenty-six

  Halen’s flowers nagged Tage’s thoughts. She knew Halen was going to be powerful. Still, she couldn’t quite fathom flowers, springing from the ground, in the dead of winter. What Halen had done was beyond incredible, beyond any magick Natalie had ever pulled off. If her power was that strong already, she feared how much stronger Halen would become. Halen was like an acrobat on a wire. Performed without flaw, the acrobat would make it to the other side, but if she lost her balance she would crash to the ground. She wasn’t so sure she could teach Halen to balance. She stood over Halen, watching her sleep. Corinne and Daspar lay only a few feet away. Maybe they had spread the wire too thin, and Halen would never be able to balance, even if she wanted to.

  Tossing on her coat, boots and woolen mittens, Tage slid out the side door of the church. She passed through to the graveyard where the bones of children lay packed under snow, and now, thanks to Halen, crocuses bloomed by their gravestones. She knelt down and picked the purple flower.

  “What are you doing?” A hand grasped her shoulder.

  She flinched, ready to strike, and then realized it was just Ezra. Her fist dropped by her side. “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “You think Mother Nature is going to pull it together?” He nodded toward the flower in her hand.

  “I think so.”

  “What about you?”

  “What about me?” she asked.

  “I don’t know what’s going on around here, but I do know you weren’t Natalie’s guardian, and I have my doubts you are Halen’s.”

  “You’re delusional. The identity of Natalie’s guardian was kept secret. So you don’t know if it was me or not.”

  He shook his head. “You never answer questions straight. Daspar taught you well.”

  A stick snapped in the forest just beyond the iron gates. Tage whipped around. A bird flew up from the branches. “Lower your voice,” she whispered.

  “Does Halen even have a guardian?” His lips quirked with a wry grin.

  “Shouldn’t you be visiting your cat? I bet your grandmother is getting worried about you.” She narrowed her gaze to match his. As much as he annoyed her, she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. He had a smile that drew her in, even when he was being a smart ass.

  “So? Are you her guardian or not?”

  “So nothing. You’re being paranoid.” Tage leaned closer to him so as not to be heard.

  “Forgive me for being paranoid because she can push flowers up from the ground.” He kicked a bloom with the tip of his boot. “She’s powerful. I don’t like it.”

  “You don’t have to like it.” Tage stood up. She hated the way he challenged everything she said. Part of her knew he was right. Halen would have to visit her dark side to open the portal. Would she be tempted like Natalie had been? There were rumors among the Tari that Natalie had been lured by the darkness of her soul. Tage hated rumors. Especially the ones that were half-truths. But what if Halen embraced the darkness in her soul like Asair had? Would she accelerate the flames in Etlis? Would Halen let the realms perish or would she try to rule them? There was no telling what the darkness in her soul craved. Still, Ezra didn’t need to point this out every five minutes.

  Her fists tightened. Part her wanted to knock him out cold, the other part of her wanted to... Her teeth pressed the metal rings along her lip. Damn, she would like to kiss him. He looked like a good kisser too. She couldn’t think about things like that right now.

  “What are you doing here anyway?” she asked.

  “Daspar asked me here—remember?” he answered defensively. “Believe me, I would be happy to leave if I didn’t think Mother Nature was going to blow the planet up.”

  “Oh, so you’re just here for the show?”

  “Kinda.” He leaned closer to her and she smelled smoke on his jacket from cooking by the camp fire. The scent relaxed her, made her less tense.

  “Well, you can’t leave. Otherwise we would all starve to death. How did you learn to cook outdoors anyway?”

  “My father used to take me camping all the time. I’m used to it.”

  “My life was pretty much like camping,” Tage said. “I lived with my dad on a remote island.” She thought of her dad and how he had taught her how to use plants in spells. She knew the crocuses were good for knocking a man out cold. She could make Ezra sleep for days. “So your dad is human?”

  “I haven’t seen him since I was twelve. He met some girl after my mom stopped coming to Earth. He took off. I haven’t seen either of them in years.”

  “That’s horrible. Do you know what happened to your mom?” Tage asked.

  “No, but I think she’ll come back someday.”

  Tage ran her toe by the gravestone with the name Pura etched in stone.

  “That’s an unfortunate name. Pura,” Ezra said, changing the subject just as she was about to ask him more about his mom. “Sounds like laundry soap.”

  “Careful. Some say the dead can hear you when you stand over their bones. Pura might lurch up and drag you under,�
�� she teased.

  “Hey, anything is better than hanging around with all you nut jobs.”

  “Hey, I resent that remark.” She punched his arm a little harder than she should have, and he stumbled back against a gravestone, grasping at the vines, and when they slipped from his hand, he fell to the ground.

  “You’re pretty tough,” he said, laughing. “Too bad you’re not the blue moon siren.”

  “Yeah right.”

  “No, I’m serious. Asair would have a fight on his hands with you knocking on his door.”

  “Ezra, move your head.” She waved, and he angled it to the side. “Holy crap!”

  “What?” Ezra leapt to his feet.

  Not believing what she was seeing, she read the name on the gravestone out loud. “Tage Summerfield.” She inhaled a sharp breath. “That’s my last name,” she whispered.

  “Who do you think put this here?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” She started toward the church, when Ezra grabbed her coat sleeve. “Don’t go. Look at gravestone beside yours.”

  Tage brushed the branches from the front of the marker. She hadn’t noticed this before but the two gravestones were newly cut polished stone. She ran her fingers along the cool black marble. “I have to wake Halen.”

  Twenty-seven

  Halen woke to a set of owl-like eyes peering back at her. She struck upward, but Tage blocked the blow.

  “What are you doing?” Halen asked.

  Tage slapped her hand over her mouth. “Be quiet. Come with me. I’ve got to show you something.” She had Halen’s boots in her free hand and her coat draped over her arm.

  “What time is it?” Halen rubbed her eyes and yawned.

  “Shh,” Tage hissed.

  Shrugging on the down coat, she then slid on her boots and followed Tage outside. Newly sprung flowers basked in the moonlight, lining the pathway to the graveyard. “Seriously, you woke me up to bring me here—in the middle of the night?”