Warrior

by Joanne Wadsworth

  “What?” Her horse shifted at her high tone and she patted his neck. “Sorry, but you’re a telepathic. Can you merge along this link?”

  I wanted to say yes for myself and Silas, but Faith couldn’t with Loveria. “Um, no. I don’t have a link with him. Warring blood and all.”

  “Tell her Davio and I won’t stop trying.” Faith’s words rung clear.

  “I won’t stop trying, Mum.” My spirits lifted as I called her Mum for the first time. “Mum. Mum. Mum.” I just had to repeat it.

  “Y-e-s?” She scrunched her brow up. “Something wrong?”

  “Nothing. You just have the best name in the world.”

  She laughed. “Thanks, honey. I can’t wait until I have more little lunatics like you.”

  “Ew.” Faith griped. “I didn’t want to hear that.”

  “How many lunatics do you want, Mum?”

  “No. Don’t go there.”

  “Because I’d like a sister for sure.”

  “You’re in dangerous territory, sis.”

  “Actually scrub that. I’d like a brother instead.”

  “Shut up.”

  “You shut up.”

  “You look a little flushed, Faith.”

  “I’m fine. Amazing, actually.”

  Releasing a soft breath, she lifted her face to the sky. “Me too.” Sunlight sprinkled through the thinning canopy. We were close to where the trail meandered toward the black granite cliffs. “I can’t put my finger on why, but for some reason I feel...complete.”

  “You do?”

  She touched a hand to her chest. “There’s always been an emptiness in my heart I’ve never been able to explain, but right now, it’s strangely gone. It’s like I have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  I drew in a slow breath. “I feel the same way.”

  “I have an idea. How about we do some girly stuff after this? It’s been ages since we have.”

  It was the best idea I’d ever heard. And my yes couldn’t come fast enough.

  * * * *

  The next evening, I stood thirty feet from Dralion’s magnificent cliff face. The setting sun dipped on the horizon, the last rays of the day touching the ocean’s rippling blue surface. Another beautiful day had passed with my mother, my second one.

  Faith had watched me with her forethought from close by. I’d told Mum more of Goldie and the outback and Elizara Sol. We’d painted our nails and gone for another ride. Now though, she dressed for dinner, a family meal. So simple, yet I couldn’t wait for it.

  “Faith has just turned up. Where are you?”

  Silas’s low growl rumbled around in my head. Faith had not left in the two days we’d been here, but with her head pounding these past few hours, I’d insisted she leave and mind-merge with Loveria.

  “I told you I wasn’t coming.”

  “I’ll send her back to get you in five.”

  I rubbed my head, at the ache that had settled between my eyes the same time Faith’s had. “I’ll merge now, from here.” Finding the beaded end of the telepathic link, I sent my mind along its golden threaded path, merged and sank into Silas’s mind as quickly as I could.

  Rocking onto my heels, I squeezed my arms. It was bliss, and yet of a torturous kind. I wanted to go to him, but couldn’t. I wasn’t leaving here, not when I wanted to be around my mother for as long as I could.

  Footfalls sounded from behind, and I turned. Mum crossed to me in a dark chocolate-brown dress with thin straps over her shoulders. The lower flared folds rippled with milkier tones and skimmed her ankles.

  “I saw you from the window.” She wrapped an arm around my shoulders, staring out to sea as I did. “I’ll never get used to this sight. I often come down and stand here as you are.”

  Leaning into her, my heart melted. “I wanted to tell you how wonderful these last couple of days have been, Mum.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Something is different about you. You’re more introspective. Has something happened you need to speak of?”

  Yes, because I’d so had enough of Mum not knowing the real me. I’d told her all about Goldie and Elizara, but never me.

  How I wished...

  Now, why not take the plunge and tell her who I was? Perhaps the right time would never come, in Dad’s eyes.

  I breathed deep. “Mum, I want you in my life. I want you to know me, the daughter who died.” I lifted the lower edge of my cream blouse and exposed my childhood scar. “I’ve been told Faith had surgery at birth, but so did I.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “Honey, what are you talking about? I only have one...” She dragged in a shaky breath. “You have to be Faith.”

  I grasped her trembling hands. “My name is Hope. I’m Faith’s twin.”

  “No. No. Don’t do this.”

  “You sense something different about me. I know it.”

  “There isn’t another.” Her gaze pleaded with me to stop.

  “Why is there no other?” The knowledge had to be there. Buried deep, but surely still there.

  With a slow shake of her head, she moaned low in her throat. “I would never abandon a child of mine. The other baby never survived. Have you seen something, because I can explain. I remember some words the doctor said.”

  “I am the child who didn’t survive. You don’t have to explain anything to me.” I kept my tone as gentle as possible.

  “How–” Thumping her chest, she struggled for breath then her knees buckled.

  I grabbed her as she fell and lowered her carefully to the ground, not letting her go.

  Dad appeared and knelt beside us. “She fainted. I’ll take her.”

  “No.” I clutched her tighter. “She remembered something.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” I withdrew from Silas’s mind, having held onto the connection through it all. “Tell Faith to return. Immediately.”

  “She’s right here in the rec room with Davio and me. What’s happened?”

  I stroked Mum’s forehead. “My mother knows the truth about me.”

  “Hell.” He was gone for a moment, back the next. “Faith said she didn’t have any forewarning. She said to hold tight.” His words registered and I frowned at Dad. “Did you have forewarning of what I would do?”

  “No. I was watching you two from the window above and saw her faint.”

  “Oh my goodness. No forewarning? What does that mean?”

  He held up his hands. “I don’t know, honey. Perhaps this was the right time.”

  Mum stirred then blinked. Her dazed gaze cleared and traveled over me. So wary. “Who are you?”

  “Hope. I grew up here, in Dralion.” Below, the surf crashed into the rocky cliff-face and a light mist sprayed over us. I flicked out my hand, directing the finest droplets to me. They shimmered and revolved in the air, forming one perfect drop, which I lowered into my hand.

  She peeked at my palm, her eyebrows pulling down. “How did you do that?”

  “Unlike Faith, I have a different skill set. I can manipulate water. Hold out your hand.” She did, and I tipped the drop into hers.

  “Oh my. It’s real.” She wrapped her fingers around it and looked into my eyes. “Faith can’t manipulate water.”

  “You believe me? That I’m not Faith?” I had to make sure, to hear her say yes. I couldn’t breathe.

  She nodded, slowly but surely. “I do recall the doctor saying the other child’s body couldn’t be found. Those words have always haunted me, no matter how deep I tried to bury them.”

  Dad gripped her hand. “Hope died at birth, Kate. She couldn’t be found because I brought her home to bury her here, but the act of teleportation kick-started her heart. She was a sick child, but our healers cured her.”

  Faith wavered into sight and dashed to us then dropped to the damp ground and hugged Mum. “I’m gone for half an hour and look what happens. You meet my sister and I missed it.”

  “I’m so sorry. When did you two–”

  “The da
y before you did. It was Hope on the horse. We swapped places.”

  “Oh.” Her eyes alighted on me then misted. “That’s when I felt complete, like a part of me was back.” She reached out and caught me to her, her tears falling. “The time of your birth is a blur because of the meds I was on. Then Alexo was gone and no one could find him. I was depressed for so long, and the pain in my soul was almost too much to bear. I remember a detective who came. He said something like what the doctor had, about a child’s body being missing. I just couldn’t listen. I at least had Faith, and I never let her go. She’s what kept me sane in those days.”

  Dad edged closer, tightening our bound circle as he wrapped his arms around us all. “We are a family now. That’s all that matters.”

  Faith rubbed her cheek against mine, wet from her tears, or were they mine? I wasn’t sure. We all cried.

  Chapter 12

  “This area surprised me when I first saw it.” Mum sat at the side of the indoor palace pool in black cotton pants rolled to her knees, swishing her feet through the clear water. Her gaze remained solidly on mine, where I treaded in the deep. She’d barely let me out of her sight in the days since the cliff.

  “Donaldo likes the conveniences of Earth.” The pool was three lanes wide and seventy-five feet long, a luxury he’d had installed on the ground floor some years ago. “With my water skill, I’m rather grateful now.”

  Faith splashed in from finishing a lap and heaved herself in beside Mum at the edge of the pool. Water sluiced down her red one-piece swimsuit as she grabbed in air. “I’m exhausted.”

  “You look like a drowned rat.” Mum grinned at her then returned her gaze to me. “But you, honey, look as fresh as a daisy, no matter that you’ve been in the water for hours on end. I wonder if you’re close to your rising. You have so much energy. It’s almost boundless.”

  Faith propped her hands behind her as she leaned back. “I loved having three-times the energy. What a hit that was.” She eyed me. “And Mum’s right. We can’t get you out of the water.”

  I kicked away on my back, scooping water at my sides. “I’m not coming out now either.”

  Standing, she snatched a fluffy white towel from the wooden slatted bench and wrapped it around her waist. “Where’d Dad go?”

  “To a debriefing with the leading eight. Killian collected him and said to say hi to you.”

  She sagged over. “Please tell me you’re lying. I wish he’d wear a shirt. Have you seen the fire-breathing dragon tattoos he has all over his chest and arms? And what’s with that metal mallet he’s always holding? It looks like something right out of a Thor movie. And the blood. Ew. I swear all I can smell on him is blood.”

  “I think he likes you.” Mum laughed as Faith pinched her nose and did a dramatic roll of her eyes.

  “What’s wrong with Killian?” I asked her. “He’s quite the catch. He commands one of his own fighting teams.”

  “Hello. Taken.” Still rolling her eyes.

  I chuckled. “Right. Maybe we should hook Goldie up on a date with–”

  “Oh, that reminds me.” Mum jumped to her feet. “When do I get to meet Goldie?”

  Faith rubbed her temple and squished up her nose. She appeared in pain. “Ask Dad. He can have her here in a jiffy, if you want.”

  “Are you all right?” Mum tipped up her chin and looked in her eyes. “You need to mind-merge, don’t you?”

  “How’d ya guess?” Faith glanced at me. “What about you? You merged with nuisance?”

  “I am. He wouldn’t stop complaining in my head, so I merged instead.” A spurt of energy thrummed through my veins. “Hold on. Gotta swim for a bit.”

  Kicking out, I powered through the water. I missed Silas. So badly.

  Releasing the merge, I freed our link. “Hey.”

  “About damn time.” His voice bounded through. “I’ve been wanting to speak to you for hours.”

  “I’m swimming.”

  “Hope, I need to see you. It’s been days.”

  “I’ve been getting to know my mum.”

  “You know I understand, but it’s late. That means bedtime. My bed.”

  I was parched and swam to the side of the pool to grab my water flask. I guzzled half the bottle down.

  “You’re not answering me.”

  “Just drinking. I’ve missed you too, but I can’t be everywhere.” I dunked my head under the water and came up again. “Oooh. My hair is dripping down my back and it feels so good.”

  “Do I need to buy a water bed to entice you home?”

  I laughed, and then promptly stopped. “Oh my. Is that even possible? I’m definitely coming if it is.”

  “I should be able to pick one up from somewhere on Earth. How are your energy levels?”

  Last time I’d checked in with him, I’d told him they were increasing. “Everyone says they’ve noticed the upward spike.”

  “I want to see you before your rising, and it sounds as if you’re close.” He knew I would stay here for it. That was already decided. One needed family, those closest to them to aid in expending the excess energy until the closing moment when the accumulation of skills peaked and one completely collapsed. That draining was intense and took hours to recover from. One was limbless.

  “Come see me now.” His tone held longing. “I’ll take you swimming.”

  “I’m already swimming.”

  “Not with me, you’re not.”

  “You are incredibly observant.”

  “I swear, Faith’s snarky attitude is rubbing off on you.” The loudest sigh came from him. “I’m exhausted, and I can’t sleep without you.”

  My mother picked up my empty water flask. “I’ll fill this up. If you have to go to your mate as Faith does, I understand.”

  “Out of there.” Faith tossed me a towel. “I’ve just checked with my forethought, and Davio and Silas appear a pitiful mess. Let’s give them a break.”

  “But I need to swim.”

  “No problem. I’ll take you to Papamoa beach. The boys can come.” She hugged Mum. “Tell Dad we’ll see him tomorrow.”

  I eased out of the pool and wrapped the towel around my waist. Peeking back at the water, I dipped my toe in it.

  “No, you don’t.” Faith grabbed me and between one second and the next, we were gone, flashing through the dome room.

  We arrived in the warmth of Loveria’s rec room, and ten feet away, Silas and he lay crashed out on two of the white leather couches. Both wore their training leathers and light colored shirts soaked through with sweat. Their swords hung from their limp hands, the pointy tips brushing the thick carpet.

  “Did you two kill each other?” Faith stepped toward them.

  “You’re back.” Loveria launched to his feet and swung Faith in a circle. “Hey, Silas, you have a visitor.”

  “I do?” Silas’s sword clattered to the ground as he rolled off the couch and stared at me. Then he was no longer there. He ’ported the ten feet then wrapped his arms around me like bands of steel. “Are you real?”

  Cupping his face in my hands, I grinned. “Kiss me and find out.”

  Pushing me against the wall at my back, he did, or devoured was more like it.

  I couldn’t think straight, and in that instant I didn’t care. I wanted him and only him.

  Oh sweet heaven. More.

  “We need privacy.” I clutched his shirtfront, my world spinning. “Bedroom. Now.”

  “Whoa.” Faith was there, shoving us apart. “I heard that. Don’t forget your rising is close. That means hormone levels are raging just as strength levels do.” She glared at Silas, and then at me. “You two can’t be allowed this up close and personal. I remember that from my own rising.”

  I tried to push her away. “Let go of me. I want him.” The need was strong now he was within my sight.

  She tilted her head toward Loveria and he was there. He grabbed Silas from behind and yanked him away.

  Silas jerked one arm free. “Davio, she
’s been gone for days.”

  “I have to keep you two separated. If you give into Hope physically now, it’ll be all the more difficult for her when her rising takes firm hold. You can see she’s close. Distance. You’ve got to have distance.”

  I hissed, curling my fingers into my palms and wanting to snag Silas back, but Faith was solidly in front.

  “Look at me.” She gripped my shoulders. “I know what you’re feeling. The physical pull toward one’s mate is excruciating if there’s been some time apart, and trust me, you’ve just had that.”

  “Right now, I don’t care. What kind of sister are you?”

  “One who loves you.”

  I froze. “You do?”

  “I’ve always wanted a sister. And family. Now, I have all I’ve ever dreamed of.” She wrenched me into her arms. “I’ll even put up with Silas...for you.”

  Loveria coughed. “Now, that’s some love.”

  “Faith, I didn’t know you were missing from my life until you came into it. I love you too.”

  “Good, then believe me when I say I need to get you out of here. Papamoa beach, okay?”

  “Yes.”

  She glanced at Loveria. “Get changed and we’ll meet you at my favorite spot.” Everything darkened as she ’ported us.

  Moonlight glazed over the ocean’s slick, dark surface and my feet sank into the softest white sand. The air was still, the ocean peaceful, like the calm before the storm. The skies above were clear, an inky-black spread with a million twinkling stars.

  I walked forward. Oh boy. Water. Lots of water.

  “They’re here. Hey, wait up.”

  Faith’s words came from afar, and then the pounding of footsteps, but the ocean called to me. Silky smooth, the water rose to my knees, then my waist.

  Deeper. I had to go deeper.

  “She’s not listening, Silas. Hurry.”

  Faith stood in front of me, her hands on my chest as she skidded backward.

  What was she doing there? I pushed her away.

  Glorious water swirled over my shoulders, skimmed my chin. Ahh, perfect.

  “Wait up.”

  Someone lifted me off my feet, and I blinked. Oooh, Silas wrapped his arms around me.