Soul Stone

by Gladden, DelSheree

  “Well, it’s better than nothing,” I say. I think for a moment more before asking my next question. “So, I guess the next thing I need to figure out is what god could have given her the power.”

  “Yes,” she agrees. “I think if you can discover this, many of your questions will be answered.”

  “How so?”

  I watch as Kivera’s eyes drift up to the false sky. “Knowing the god can tell you much about why the power was granted and what the purpose was behind the punishment Sibeal is enduring.” She looks back down at her hands before continuing. “With Tlaloc, he was punishing Skaline and I for our selfishness. He tempted us with a bargain that meant betraying those we loved, and because we took it and denied him his sacrifice, he punished us until we learned humility.”

  Kivera looks up to meet my eyes. Her own are filled with sadness. “This young woman, Sibeal, was given power for a reason. She is also being punished for a reason. Finding the source of the power will explain much.”

  “I don’t know enough about Sibeal to know what god she believes in.” I sigh and rub my eyes. “I guess I’m going to have to get close enough to her to find out.”

  “I think that is a wise plan,” Kivera says.

  Shaking my head, I say, “Tanner is not going to agree. In fact, he’s probably going to tell me not to do it.”

  “Tanner is …?”

  “My boyfriend,” I say. “He never wanted me to get involved with Sibeal because he doesn’t want to risk me getting hurt again.” My arms tighten around my body. “I don’t know, maybe he’s right. These dreams make it look like Sibeal is being punished for a good reason. Maybe helping her is a mistake.”

  Kivera’s eyes widen, setting me on edge. “Arra, you cannot turn away from Sibeal. You must help her.”

  “Why?” I ask. “She really might deserve whatever this punishment is.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Kivera says hurriedly. “That is not how this works. Tlaloc always requires payment for a favor granted. He spared your life and the lives of your children. You must do as he asks now.”

  Cold ripples through my body. “What are you talking about? I never agreed to this. I don’t even understand what he wants me to do.”

  “The pathway for the dreams was created with his power. He allows them to be sent to you in order to fulfill your end of the agreement,” Kivera says. Her hands twist together until her bronze knuckles turn nearly white. “If you do not save Sibeal from this curse, Tlaloc’s agreement will be void.”

  The edges of my vision begin to grow fuzzy. For a moment that is all I can focus on. Kivera’s words bounce around in my head, but I refuse to process them. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to believe my relationship with a crazy Aztec god is still alive and well. I was supposed to be done with all of this!

  Kivera’s cold fingers touch my hand and I gasp in a breath. My eyes dart up to hers as panic crowds around me. I lick my lips slowly before saying, “You mean, if I don’t save Sibeal, Tlaloc will kill me?”

  “Not directly, but breaking the agreement will cancel his mercy and you will die,” she says quietly.

  I breathe out slowly, letting my head sink into my hands. Why did I think I was safe? Why was I stupid enough to believe I had escaped my fate? My hands drag down my face as I look up. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  Kivera’s bottom lip quivers. “I am sorry, Arra. I thought you knew. I did not realize that you did not understand the nature of Tlaloc as I do. I thought this was why you were helping Sibeal in the first place.”

  “I was just trying to do the right thing,” I whisper.

  The gentle warmth of Kivera’s arms wrap around my shoulders. “Please forgive me, Arra. I will help you as much as I can. You will survive this just as you did the temple mesa.”

  I look up feeling conflicted and off balance. Part of me is angry with Kivera for the curse, for the dreams, and for this deal I didn’t even know I made. I want to scream at her, but as I meet her gaze, I know this woman in front of me is not the same Kivera who started this whole mess. She is honestly trying to help me in the only way she knows how.

  I feel sick to my stomach, but I force myself to say, “I’ll be okay. We can figure this out. It’s just more motivation, right?”

  Despite her pained expression, Kivera nods.

  I stand up and prepare myself to go back to my bed, too numb to stay here talking anymore. Kivera stands as well. I am surprised when she takes my hands in hers. “Please be careful, daughter.”

  “I will.”

  She pulls me into a rough hug. “And please come back to visit me soon. Don’t lose hope.”

  The kindness in her voice gives me strength. “I won’t lose hope. I’ll come back soon, too.” Coming back here brings Bas to mind, and for once, I’m glad of the distraction. I try to shove away the all too familiar thoughts of my own death and look up at Kivera. “I just hope I can figure out how to get here without having to talk to Bas every time.”

  Kivera’s fingertips touch my cheek. “He must not be as bad as you think if he can take away your troubles and calm you heart.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I grumble. How can a dead woman who has never even met Bas be on his side, too? Trying not to ignore the confused feelings thinking of Bas brings up, I give Kivera a brief hug before focusing and letting myself drift back to bed and into a dreamless sleep.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The annoying buzz of my phone jiggling around on my nightstand only partially penetrates my sleepy brain. One hand pokes out from under my blankets and flails around until snagging the cell phone and dragging it back under the blankets.

  “Hello?” I grumble.

  “Arra? Are you still in bed?” Tanner asks. The excitement in his voice does not improve the dull ache pulsing at the base of my skull.

  “Why? What time is it?”

  “Eight-thirty. I’m getting ready to come pick you up.”

  I push my blankets back and stare at the clock to make sure I heard him right. Yep. It is eight-thirty in the morning on a Saturday. I flop back against my pillow. “I thought this thing wasn’t starting until ten?”

  Tanner laughs. “It’s not, but we need to get everything set up.”

  Groaning, I rub my eyes. “Don’t come pick me up,” I beg.

  “What? Why not?”

  “Because I’m still in bed, for one, and because my head is killing me. I need to take a shower and get some Aspirin. I’ll have David bring me over as soon as I’m ready, okay?”

  “Trouble sleeping again?” Tanner asks softly.

  Dragging myself out of bed, I say, “That and a trip to talk to Kivera.”

  “What did she say?”

  Everything Kivera and I talked about last night floods back into my mind. The bits about the deal I apparently made twist my stomach into a knot. I make a snap decision about telling Tanner all of that. What good will it do? Either I save myself and Sibeal, or I don’t. Telling Tanner that the risks he wanted me to avoid so badly are now inescapable will only torment him. We’re already trying as hard as we can to figure everything out.

  Determined to stick to my decision, I force myself to get moving. After yanking a shirt off a hanger and tossing it on my bed, I head for my dresser in search of shorts. “Kivera said we need to find out what god Sibeal believes in, because she thinks that’s who gave her the power and who’s punishing her. I don’t know if she’s right, but it’s something at least. We can talk more about it later.”

  “Okay,” Tanner says. “Sorry you’re not feeling good. I’ll see you at the field.”

  We say our goodbyes and I take my time in the shower. The jets do a little to help my head and nerves feel better, but I can tell I’m still going to need some Aspirin before I head out. After toweling off and getting dressed, I trudge over to the spare room David is currently staying in and pound on the door. When no one answers, I pound again. It isn’t until David yells at me from the kitchen that I realize he’s
already up.

  “What are you doing?” he asks.

  I shake my head at myself. “Sorry. I was just going to ask if you’re okay heading over to the field a little early. I guess they’re setting up. Or, if you don’t want to stay, maybe you could just drive me over.”

  David shrugs. “I don’t mind going early. It’ll give me a chance to get to know Tanner and Bas a little better.”

  I stare at him, vaguely wondering why he cares about getting to know Bas better, but not wanting to actually ask for fear of realizing I already know the answer. Instead, I turn to my mom. “Do we have some Aspirin somewhere?”

  Mom turns away from the pancakes she’s making. Her face crinkles up when she sees me. “Are you feeling okay, honey?”

  “Didn’t sleep well. I just have a headache.”

  She hands me the bottle of pills and follows it up with a kiss on the forehead to test for a fever. She seems satisfied that I’m not sick, but she still urges me to take it easy today. I thank her and head back to my room. Half an hour later, I emerge looking much better than I did earlier, and feeling marginally less like a zombie.

  After David helps me get all my gear, and the cookies and brownies, into my mom’s Volvo, I give him directions to the field. Since Grainer isn’t very big, it doesn’t take more than a few minutes to arrive. Tanner jogs over to the car when he sees us pull up and helps me get everything out while David goes over to help Jackson get the targets in place.

  Once all my stuff is set down, Tanner pulls me over to him. “Feeling any better?”

  I shrug. “A little.”

  “You look about as chipper as Bas this morning,” Tanner says. He looks over at his best friend, and I have to agree.

  Sympathizing, I say, “I hate when you’re worried about things and it messes up your sleep. I actually feel kinda sorry for him that he didn’t sleep well.”

  Tanner looks down at me with a curious expression. “How’d you know he didn’t sleep well?”

  “He mentioned it last night when he texted me back.”

  “Why were you guys texting?”

  I squirm just a little. Brushing off the hint of guilt I feel creeping up on me isn’t easy. I don’t necessarily care that Tanner knows I texted Bas, but telling him about the whole peace thing feels awkward, especially since it turned out to work so well. “I just wanted to thank him for going with me to get David. I know he probably had better things to do, and I forgot to tell him when we got back.”

  “Oh.”

  “Bas, of course, took it as an opportunity to make fun of me and tell me I’m probably going to suck today, which I appreciated.”

  Tanner laughs, sounding a little too happy about Bas making fun of me. “Well, Bas does seem to enjoy tormenting you.”

  “Anyway,” I say, “what else do we need to get ready?”

  In answer, Tanner hauls me over to where everyone else is getting set up for the archery practice and the picnic afterward. The next hour flies by quickly and the field soon begins to fill up with just about every teen in town. I’m surprised by how many people show up. I really didn’t think this was that big of a thing here, but apparently I was wrong. Soon enough, the only free space available is the area where the targets are set up and the woods beyond them.

  The field will only accommodate four targets at a time, so when those who are shooting start getting ready, I’m happy to sit out the first round. My hands feel a bit too sweaty to pick up my bow just yet. Bas and Tanner both jump at the chance to take the lead. They choose two targets next to each other and start heckling one another right away.

  David slips up next to me and leans against the tree I’m standing by. “This should be interesting,” he says with a weird, cryptic tone of voice.

  I pretend I have no clue what he might be talking about other than archery. “They’re both pretty good, so I’m sure it will be.”

  David eyes me like I’m being intentionally difficult, but I don’t plan on getting into a discussion about whatever feelings Bas may or may not be harboring or how much or how little Tanner should touch me. So I just ignore him. He shakes his head with a smile and turns to watch the archers. I do the same. Maybe my lack of sleep is making me particularly obnoxious today. Oh well.

  With all the hype everyone made about today, I expect a referee or something to stand up and call the event to order. That doesn’t happen. Instead, all the archers look over at each other to see if they’re ready to start. When everyone agrees that they’re ready, the arrows are drawn back. With near synchronicity, the arrows are released with a whoosh. Barely a second later, four closely placed thwacks sound across the field.

  I join in enthusiastically when everyone starts clapping. My eyes jump from target to target, checking to see how well everyone did. Evan is the furthest one from me, but I can still see his arrow embedded right on the line between the yellow bull’s eye and the red circle just outside of it. The next archer, a guy named Travis, is clearly in the red. Tanner and Bas both hit squarely inside the yellow and start arguing over who is closer to the center.

  David and I watch four more arrows fly at the targets, all producing similar results to the first round. Tanner and Bas are clearly the better archers in this group, but every arrow inspires more argument over which of them is actually the best. It doesn’t matter after the fifth arrow hits the target, because it’s time for the next group to step up. I’m considering waiting for group three, but David shoves me forward.

  “Come on, sis. You’ve got to go eventually.”

  I glare at him, but take my bow up to the line to get ready. I’m trying to get settled in my stance when something brushes against my thigh. I jump away and find Bas kneeling next to my leg.

  “You’re quiver wasn’t buckled all the way.”

  “Yeah,” I say, “I’m sure.” When I look down, I see the strap is indeed too loose. I stare at him. I could reach down and tighten it easily enough, but for some reason I don’t. Bas hesitates a moment before finishing what he started. His fingers brush against my leg and I am not prepared for the jolt it sends through me.

  Trying to hide how unsettling that was, I resort to sarcasm. “You were probably trying to loosen it. I know you’re tricks.”

  Bas stands up, hands away from his body in defense. There is a look in his eyes I have never seen before. It passes quickly. “You only think you know me so well,” he says sarcastically.

  Rolling my eyes, I turn away. As I turn, I catch David’s eye. His expression carries a whole conversation, one I’m not interested in having. I turn to face the target and try to focus on the task at hand and my positioning.

  Silently, I thank Bas for reminding me that I have something to prove today. That move was probably meant to throw me off and give him more of an advantage. He thinks I’ll shoot about as well as I handled the interstate yesterday, but I am fully prepared to knock him off his high horse.

  “Ready?” someone calls out from down the line.

  I glance at the other three at the line with me. Jackson is standing coolly two people down from me with Nico on his right. A girl name Crystal is standing next to me. Everyone nods that they’re ready before all eyes go to the targets.

  I’m not sure if the crowd actually quiets down or I just block it all out. Everything Tanner has taught me about archery starts running through my head. My breathing is slow, my bow level, my elbow up. I draw back smoothly to my ear and release the arrow almost immediately. A smile springs to my lips right away. The snap of the arrow piercing the target just confirms the well placed shot I knew it would be as soon as I let go.

  My arrow sits snugly just off center in the yellow bull’s eye. The other archers all start readying their next arrow, but I can’t resist taking just a second to turn and grin at Bas with all the sass I can muster. The surprise on his face is reward enough, but I still intend on claiming my prize—whatever I decide that should be. He meets my gaze without shame and laughs, clapping and dipping his head in defeat.<
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  Out of my next four arrows, only one touches the red, and only barely. I don’t realize how many people were paying attention to me until I step back from the line and people start congratulating me. I guess Bas wasn’t the only one who thought I was going to fail miserably. Nice to know for future reference.

  After gathering up my arrows and securing them back in my quiver, I strut over to Bas triumphantly. “Well,” I say, “what do you have to say for yourself?”

  Bas laughs. “I willingly admit that your archery skills are far superior to your driving skills.”

  I take a swipe at him for such a backhanded compliment, but he catches my arm and spins me around. David catches me and slings his arm around my shoulders. “Nice job, sis. I was expecting more grass and trees to catch your arrows than targets. Way to prove me wrong.”

  “Well you two are just full of support and belief, aren’t you? Remind me never to come to either of you when I need a pep talk.” I huff at them both and shove David away from me.

  Tanner takes his place right away and lifts me up into a massive hug. “You did awesome! I knew you’d be great.”

  His lips crush mine in his excitement and I come away laughing. “Thank you! Finally someone who actually believes in me!”

  “I tried to tell them,” Tanner says playfully.

  Scowling at Bas, I say, “Well Bas should have listened. But he didn’t, and he lost the bet. So, ha!”

  “What bet?” Tanner asks.

  Bas laughs and shakes his head. I turn back to Tanner grinning. “I bet Bas I could hit the yellow and he said it would never happen. I win.”

  “You win,” Bas drawls, “I admit defeat, and I’m sure you’re never going to let me forget it, either.”

  “Not a chance,” I say, mimicking his words to me last night.

  Tanner slips his arm around my waist and pulls me against his side. “What did you win?” he asks.