by Ali Vali
“The water orb has never failed me when it comes to certain possibilities, and I’ve never lied to you so I’ll share my visions, but only if you want. If you wish to leave with no preconceptions of what could happen, I’ll abide by that request.”
“Tell me,” she said, since Oba’s demeanor was making her curiosity peak.
“You’ll find someone who’ll want you to turn away from us because she can’t let go of the life she has. She’s not who you first perceive her to be, but too many things tie her to the land.” Oba closed her eyes as she spoke and appeared sad. “Love might seem like enough, Kai, but if you never return to us, a vital part of you will die. With time the missing piece will infect the rest of your life until all you’ll know is misery.”
“Are you sure all that’ll come to be?”
“The orb at times gives us the possibilities, but this one feels so real it’s driving me mad, though I can’t know for sure.”
“Why not?”
“To see the future as clearly as the past and the present would kill the part of every high priestess’s soul that contains her faith. Like you and your endless questions that spring from your inquisitive mind, I need my faith in the gods and in our people, so at times the orb shows only paths that might be taken.”
“But you have the gift of sight.”
“My gift melded with the orb so that it belongs to it more than me, and my dreams now spring more from it than whatever source they came from before. That’s why I was somewhat reluctant to tell you. What I saw could only be a dream that won’t come close to becoming reality.”
“It’s always good to have warnings when heading off into the unfamiliar.”
“Please know that I want you to be happy and in love, but we need you to rule once your mother’s time is done. A challenge by anyone unworthy will lead us into chaos, and then all those stories you found so funny because of their absurdity might come true. We could end up destroying ourselves and this world if someone concerned only with power and revenge leads us.”
“I found them funny because they could never happen, and not to complain, but you’re killing my mood.” She wished she’d had more time to put Oba at ease, but she had to go.
“You deserved the truth before you left.”
“Did you tell my mothers all this?” She hated to leave, but her time was up, so she helped Oba get up and allowed her to help her dress.
“Yes, but the decision to change your mind is yours. They both agreed. It’s not too late to choose something and somewhere else.”
“Share a little of the faith they have in me,” she said as she kissed Oba’s lips. “And when I come back you’ll owe me an afternoon in here.”
“That’s a promise I’ll be glad to keep,” Oba said and kissed her again.
Chapter Four
“Have you given up thinking before you speak?” Winston asked when Vivien came to his office and dropped into one of the chairs facing his massive desk.
Its twin was in her father’s study at home, so this reminded her of all those long talks they’d had when the nuns sent her home with a note filled with her latest infractions. The furniture was supposed to set the positions of power, but the ornate desks always reminded her of the gap between her and her father. She often wondered if he saw it the same way and, if he did, why he never came from behind the behemoth to sit beside her.
“Maybe I’m aggravated since you cut my vacation short,” she said as she crossed her legs and studied the material of her skirt. “I’ve been at this project for over three years, so a week wasn’t an unreasonable request.”
“So you decided the best way to point that out was to call me and the rest of the board douche bags?”
“I said corporate types who cut corners, so if you thought I meant you or anyone in particular, you need to review our safety and protocol procedures again.” She smiled at him, surprised when his expression softened and he smiled back.
“You’d have driven anyone else to drink by now,” he said as she stood and walked around to lean on the front of the desk. “Do you think you could keep your colorful commentary down to a minimum from now on? I agree with you when it comes to some of those guys, but they’re hard enough to deal with on a good day. Having you poke them with those sharp words of yours makes my life miserable.”
“What was today all about?” she asked, having to crane her neck to look up at him.
“It’s time for you to come in from the field, so meetings like that’ll become more commonplace. Since that’s the next logical step, I figured you and the board should get used to each other.”
“Are you even interested in what I have to say or think about that?”
“I’m your father. Of course I do,” he said as he crossed his arms across his chest. “I’m also the head of this company so I’ve got to consider that as well.”
She dropped both feet to the floor and sighed. “I’ve given you everything you wanted, and like your friend said in there, that’s got to count for something. I want to finish this project, and when I do, I’d love to talk to you about what comes next.”
“We’ll see, and before you stab me in the eye with a pencil, I’ll take your wishes into consideration. Contrary to everything you and Franklin think about me, I love you both, and it’s not my job to make you totally miserable.”
“Thanks, Dad, and I love you too.”
“Don’t forget about dinner. Your mother’s looking forward to seeing you.”
“This isn’t another excuse to push Steven on me, is it?”
Her father tried to hide his grimace by putting his hand over his mouth. “She invited the Hawksworth family, yes, but I’m sure you can handle it.”
“Sure I can, but then will you threaten me with a manners expert?”
He laughed and opened his arms to her. “Good job on this, kiddo. I’m damn proud of you.”
“Maybe if I can deliver a couple more like Triton I can retire,” she said, and hearing the words made her think she meant them.
“Deliver a few more like that, and we’ll expect you to take over the world.”
She laughed because she knew he meant that as well. “We all have a dream, Dad, but don’t hold your breath on that one. If someone granted me a wish to do whatever I wanted, I’d rather rule the sea.”
“I’m sure that job is taken.”
“Then my wish is to meet her one day.”
“Her?” her father asked, dragging out the word. “How do you know it’s not a man?”
“Call it a hunch,” she said as she waved good-bye over her shoulder. She had a day of peace before her mother tried to make progress on her whacked-out fantasy of marrying her off.
*
Hadley stood at the portal where her ship was docked and ready to board, so Kai picked up her pace. It was time to put everything Oba had said to the back of her mind and concentrate on the trip ahead. After all the planning and preparation, she was eager to head out on the vessel she’d designed herself, with plenty of input from her mother Hadley.
The ship was as fast and maneuverable as any in their fleet underwater, but when they reached their destination it could surface as a sailboat. The mast and everything else tucked away in compartments located throughout the ship, but anyone not part of her team would never be able to tell it wasn’t anything more than a regular sailing craft.
“I guess I’m taking way too long as far as they’re concerned,” Kai said, pointing to Ram and Ivan as they beat the glass with their tail fins as if anxious to get going.
“Be careful, and call your mother,” Hadley said when they embraced. “She’ll be a wreck as it is, so hearing from you every once in a while will help.”
“Oba’s already put the fear of the gods into me with her prophecies, so don’t worry. I’ll stay clear of the navy and other dangerous things out there.”
“The US Navy isn’t your problem,” Hadley said as they watched Galen coming to join them. “It’s the conspiracy theor
ists out there that’ll have a fit if they find a good-looking kid with gills.”
“Here’s everything you’ll need.” Galen handed over a leather folio with their identification papers inside. “You’re overqualified for the job they’ll expect, but it’ll give you better insight into their world.”
“I’ll do my best, and I’ll be long gone before it becomes too mundane.” She placed the folio in her bag and joined her mama on the wide berth. “Really, my whole purpose is to get them to adopt new safety measures so, if the unthinkable happens again, maybe there won’t be as much damage. Up to now they’ve been like children playing with dangerous explosive devices without adult supervision.”
“Try not to have too many preconceptions or let the experiences of others color your judgment. You haven’t had much exposure to anyone like this outside the realm, so experiencing something first-hand will give you a new perspective. Humans have evolved from the time our people first arrived here, but one thing about them remains constant. They’re compassionate and resourceful. Try to erase whatever expectations you have, or the coming months will be a waste of your time.” Galen took her hand and leaned over to kiss her cheek.
“What’s your opinion of the humans?”
“The simplest answer I can give you is they aren’t all good, but the majority of them are. You need to get to know them, because the knowledge of who you’re dealing with will help you become an effective ruler. My mother told me once that unless you care about the entirety of our home, you’ll never be a good leader, and I’ve found that to be true.”
She put her arm around her mama’s shoulders and squeezed her closer. “Thanks for the advice, and no matter what I’m doing, I’ll try always to make you and Mom proud of me. That means I’ll never be too old for advice. At least that’s what Gran told me,” she said of Galen’s mother.
“I’d fuss but she’s a smart old bird.” Galen stood and sat on the arm of Hadley’s chair and took a deep breath. “As for being proud of you, we always have been. You are what’s best of both of us. We strived from your birth to always lead you in the right direction, and you’ve never disappointed us.”
“That’s not to say you haven’t pushed the limits at times,” Hadley said with a smile. “Your choice of service is your own, but once you’d made up your mind, your mother and I decided to add to your duties.”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?” Her parents had never been really harsh, but when they were this calm and united about something, they’d usually found an interesting solution to a problem. The only thing she had no clue about was what this particular problem was.
“Any warrior who serves your mother has one responsibility above all others. You want to remind her what that is?” Hadley asked.
“To follow orders unless the lives of my unit are in danger and there’s a better solution,” she said, repeating the first line of the academy’s military text.
“Have you always done that? Or better yet, do you remember a time when you decided to ignore that rule?” Hadley asked, her smile widening with each word.
“Come on, Mom. I was twelve and you cut me some slack.”
“It wasn’t slack, tadpole,” Hadley said as Galen nodded. “We decided to put off punishment for your impromptu visit, so you’d realize what happens when you act rashly.”
“We know you tried to make things right,” Galen said in her usual gentle tone. “But it’s time to fix what you broke.”
“How?” she asked, remembering how scared she’d been when Talia had reported back to her mom what she’d done because of a stupid whim. But once she’d made the mistake she’d tried her best to fix it.
June 1994
“Kai, you know the rules,” Talia said as they crept up to the house where the two children Kai had talked to lived. “Your mothers are going to take this out on Isla and me because we do know better.”
“They got in trouble because of me today. I shouldn’t have talked to them, but I figured it’d be harmless if I pretended to be just another kid on vacation. Now I feel bad for what happened.”
Kai stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked at the man who watched a baseball game on television, a beer next to him. He seemed absorbed even though the game was scoreless, so she climbed to the room where the children slept. She’d brought back the shell the girl had thrown, as well as one for her brother. She’d had them strung with the same braided leather she used, but it wasn’t until she was in the room that she decided on her last step.
“This is your great treasure for throwing this back,” she said as she placed the shell in the girl’s slack hand. Her corn-silk hair lay spread across the pillow, and Kai found her pretty. “Be well.”
She placed the other carved shell in the boy’s hand, then stood between them and rubbed her hands together. The words were an ancient language, and as she spoke them softly her hands began to glow and small tendrils of light spread from her to each of the shells. When she was done, the same carvings that adorned her shell were carved into the gifts she’d left, and the lines glowed for a second longer before the golden dust fell into their hands. If they chose to wear them, they’d find the link they shared that she’d seen that afternoon on the beach would grow with age and experience. It’d also give her insight into their world and lives.
It was time to go home and face her own troubles with her parents, but this had been worth it to her. She left as quietly as she had come in and ran with Talia back to the beach. The cool water against her face was refreshing when she dove into the surf, but her thoughts went back to the children she’d met.
“Maybe I’ll see you again,” she thought as she swam away. “But for now it’s forbidden.”
*
“You in a way changed the course those children would’ve taken in life, but that wasn’t a completely terrible thing. What we’d like you to do, though, is try to fix the damage that still lingers from that day,” Galen said.
“How am I supposed to do that? I don’t even know who they are. Besides, I’m heading to a completely different place.”
“Finding them won’t be hard,” Hadley said, a little louder than necessary, as if to stop her whining. “The fixing we’ll leave up to you.”
“We’re confident you’ll think of something,” Galen added as she stood up.
“Your mama isn’t as blunt as she needs to be sometimes, so in case you missed it, thinking of something is an order. Understood?” Hadley asked as she too rose to her feet.
“Yes, ma’am,” she said putting her fist to her chest in salute.
“Try to have some fun though, and remember that we love you,” Galen said, her eyes welling with tears again. “Keep that fact close to your heart and you’ll be able to do anything.”
“Thanks, Mama.” She hugged both of them before closing the hatch so they could detach. With one last check to make sure Ram and Ivan were safely in the space she’d provided for travel, she started the engines. “Okay, let the adventures begin.”
Chapter Five
Two days later Vivien sat outside in her small garden with the maps from her most recent dives and a large cup of coffee. She was usually an early riser, but always a reluctant one, and when she didn’t have anything to do she had no problem sleeping past noon.
It was still too early to see the entire yard, but what was visible in the predawn was pristine, thanks to the yard service she’d hired along with the maid service. Home was mostly on her boat, the Sea Dreamer, so the big bed inside had been a luxury she hadn’t experienced in weeks.
“What a great thing that I love my own company,” she said out loud, a habit she’d had since childhood when she thought her surroundings were too quiet.
She’d only partially completed exploring the targeted area in the Atlantic because of the storm she’d told Frankie about, so she started plotting her next trip. Hopefully it’d be right after Triton was fully operational and she wouldn’t be missed if she took off a couple of months. “A girl
can dream, and with any luck, big, bad Winston won’t crush my plans before I’m out the door.”
She laughed as she reached for her ringing phone, knowing it could be only one person at this hour. “Hello.”
“You should be inside getting your beauty sleep.”
“How do you know I’m not? Now that you woke me up, you’ve fucked it all up for me,” she said, enjoying Frankie’s laughter. If she had the opportunity to go, she was taking Frankie with her. They’d been apart too long.
“Maybe you’ve found the secret to turning Steve off then, if you show up looking like shit.”
“I’m not that lucky since we both know he’s more of a bottom-line kind of guy, and I’m not talking about my ass. Even if I was a hideous crone he’d still want me because of the name and bank account.” She pressed the phone to her ear with her shoulder so she could roll up all her stuff and head inside. It was starting to drizzle and the maps hadn’t been laminated.
“You forgot toothless,” he said, making her smile like no one else in her life could.
“I don’t want to jinx myself into losing all my teeth, so I always leave that one out.” She made it through the door before the deluge started.
“So, hideous crone you can live with?”
“Yes, but only if I have the ability to chew steak. That’s the secret to a happy life.” She poured herself another cup of coffee and turned on the news, then muted the sound.
“I’ll have to write that down since it’s so damn profound.”
“Did you call me before five for anything other than making fun of my philosophy?”
“Do you need a ride tonight?”
“I’ve got a long list of errands and no idea when I’ll be done, so I’ll meet you there. You’re welcome to tag along, but you’d be bored out of your mind.”
“You’re right about that, so I’ll see you there. Love you,” Frankie said and hung up.