by Kim Stokely
“Oh yes,” I answered, glad to have something to talk about. “She’s quite healthy. Full of spunk, too.”
“Spunk?”
“Um . . . confidence. A strong will.” I paused. Trying to think of something else to tell him. “Devnet told me she leads the Elders now.”
Geran smiled. “I believe it. She always had wisdom.”
“Ally,” my mother called from the kitchen. “Why don’t you go upstairs and change into something that isn’t bloody and torn for dinner. It’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”
I pulled my hands from Geran’s. “Excuse me.”
“Of course.”
I wrapped the afghan around me to keep my back covered as I climbed the stairs to my room. I opened the door, surprised to see Tegan lying on my bed shielding his eyes with his arm.
He peered out from the crook of his elbow, saw me, and immediately jumped up. “I didn’t know you’d be comin’ up here.”
My eyes wandered over the nautical blue comforter contrasting the white bed and desk. A mirror in the shape of a porthole hung on the far wall. “It’s my room.”
He backed against the window, causing the blinds to sway back and forth. Through the partially open slats, I could see tree branches dancing with the wind of a coming storm. Trees still covered in the leaves of summer. Dark gray clouds obscured the sun.
I ran my hand along the shelf of my bookcase until I came to the teddy bear my friend Josh had given me for Christmas two years ago. I picked Kringle up and clutched him to my chest. “What’s wrong?”
Tegan didn’t look at me. “I don’t belong here.”
I squeezed Kringle tighter. “I didn’t ask Quinn to bring you here.”
“I don’t mean that.” He tried to lift his gaze to mine but couldn’t. “I should not be alone with ye . . . here . . . in yer room.”
I put Kringle back on the shelf. “Mom said dinner was almost ready.”
“Aye? Well, I’d better go downstairs then.”
He tried to hurry past me but I grabbed his arm. “Tegan, I don’t understand. Why won’t you look at me?”
I could read the strain on his face as he pulled away from me. “It is not right. Me bein’ here with ye . . . it’s not right.” He turned and hurried down the stairs.
I shut the door and tried to shake off my fears. I’d given up my future to protect him. Now he couldn’t stand to be in the same room as me. Maybe it was the idea of being in my bedroom that upset him? I chuckled to myself. I bet that was it. If I could get him someplace else, away from the adults, maybe then things between us would go back to the way they had been.
I shed the heavy silk gown I wore and sighed. Even with the back ripped open and the air conditioning in the condo, I’d been sweating. I peeled myself out of the linen shift and, last but not least, stepped out of the slip. I stood under the vent for the AC and let it blow over my body as I watched raindrops the size of quarters plop down from the heavy clouds, pelting the window like pebbles. Knowing Connecticut weather, I figured this late afternoon storm would do little to lessen the summer heat outside, so I sorted through my drawers to find something cool to wear. I planned on taking a walk once the rain blew over.
I pulled out a pair of khaki walking shorts and a teal tank top with a bra built into it. I slipped on my clothes as lightning flashed across the sky, followed a few seconds later by a crash of thunder.
Kennis called up, “Do you need some help?”
I gathered up my gown, clutching the yards of fabric to my chest. From the top of the stairs I asked, “Where do you want me to put this?”
“Put it in my room for now.”
I dropped the pile of clothes on her bed and started down the stairs, my stomach growling again in time with another roll of thunder.
Geran’s mouth dropped open when he caught sight of me. My mother turned around when she saw his expression. “You can’t wear that!”
I looked down. The tank wasn’t low cut and the shorts came to just above my knees. “What do you mean?”
I glanced into the living room, Tegan’s cheeks were bright red and he stared at his feet. Quinn too, seemed to find the floor fascinating. Only Geran looked at me. His eyes burned with anger.
“Have you not given my daughter anything but undergarments to wear?”
I looked at Kennis as she strode toward me. “What is he talking about?”
She grabbed my shoulders. I winced. She took her hand off my right arm but continued to push me up the stairs. “What were you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that it’s summer and we don’t wear fifty pounds of clothing here in twenty-first century America.”
We stumbled together into my room. “Be reasonable.”
“You know what? Nothing about the past month of my life has been reasonable! I don’t want to try and be reasonable now. I just want to be comfortable.” I studied my mom as she sorted through my closet. I realized then that she wore a long broomstick skirt with a white blouse and coral shell underneath. I sighed. “Please don’t make me wear a dress tonight. Please.”
She pulled out a pair of white capris and a pale blue tunic shirt. “This will do. They’ll think you’re dressing like a boy but . . . .”
I thought of the times I’d done it back in Ayden as I grabbed them from her. “Nothing new there.”
CHAPTER FOUR
My Broken Heart
The rain outside slowed down to chicken spit as we ate the roast Kennis had prepared for dinner. Thankfully, Quinn did most of the talking, explaining to Geran and my mother what had happened in the three months I’d been away.
I reached over to the bread basket and snagged the last roll. “What I don’t understand,” I said, dipping the roll into the puddle of gravy on my plate. “Is how did that thing possess Malvin? Aren’t the Elders protected?”
Geran placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “We cannot be possessed, but some can be influenced by the Fallen. Especially if they’ve had no experience with the unseen realm.”
Quinn nodded. “Malvin was the perfect choice. He’s been a faithful servant for so long.” His eyes grew distant. “He must have been betrayed by someone close to him.”
Geran frowned. “Why do you say that? The Fallen alone choose who they influence.”
“But this demon had ingrained itself to Malvin,” Quinn explained. “That can only be done slowly, over a period of time.”
Something in my mind clicked. “Which means it had to have begun while he was still at the Sanctuary.”
“Impossible.” My father clenched his hands into fists. “The Sanctuary is protected.”
“But someone within can invite one of the Fallen inside.” Quinn’s fingers traced the pattern in the lace tablecloth.
Kennis stood. “It doesn’t matter now.” She picked up the empty plates. “She’s safe.”
Quinn leaned over and whispered to me, “You don’t have servants?”
“No one does here. Unless you’re super rich.”
Mom paused in her cleaning to look over at us. “I wanted Ally to lead as normal a life as possible here. I didn’t want to draw any attention to her.”
Quinn looked away. “I was only curious.”
Tegan stood. “The meal was very good, Lady Kennis.”
“Thank you.”
I watched him as he opened the sliding door and slumped into a plastic chair under the awning on the patio.
Geran growled. “Why is the boy still here?”
“Where else can he go?” I asked. “Braedon wants to kill him for helping me.”
“I’m going to go to the store later,” Kennis interrupted. “I’ll pick up a sling for your arm. We need more milk.” She filled the sink with water and soap. “Is there anything special you want me to get?”
I stood up to clear the rest of the table for her. Geran grabbed my wrist. “What are you doing?”
“I’m helping to clean up the dishes.”
“You are a queen, Al
ystrine. You should not be doing menial tasks.”
A month ago I might have been glad someone wanted to get me off of kitchen duty, but not today. I yanked my arm away. “Here, I’m not a queen. Here, I’m Ally Foster and I help my mom clean up after dinner.”
I could tell by the flash of anger, then pain behind his eyes, he didn’t like that I thought of Kennis as my mother. I brought the rest of the plates into the kitchen and put them on the counter. “I’ll wash, you dry?”
Kennis gave me a wistful smile. “Sounds like a deal. You sure your arm’s okay?”
“Yeah.” We worked in comfortable silence for several minutes. I relished the heat of the water on my skin and reveled in the ability to turn the faucet on and off to get more. When Quinn and Geran walked into the other room I whispered, “Have you seen Josh or Renee?”
The pan she dried nearly slipped from her hands but she caught it and held it to her chest. “Not in a while.”
“How long?”
Her eyes flickered over to the dining room as if to check that the others were out of earshot. “I had to make up some kind of story as to why you weren’t in school.”
My hands searched the sudsy water for the pot she’d cooked the potatoes in. “What did you tell them?”
“I told them I’d sent you to a boarding school in Europe. One that didn’t allow cell phones.” She put the pan she dried into the cabinet. “They kept calling, coming over, asking for a phone number or address where they could contact you. I didn’t know what to tell them.”
“I’ll talk to them.”
“No,” Kennis put her hand out as if to stop me from going right then. “It’ll just make things harder.”
I gave her the pot I’d washed. “I need to explain.”
“It’ll be better this way. I promise.”
Better for who? I let the water drain out of the sink and rinsed the suds away. I didn’t want to argue with her, not when I needed a favor. “Can I go to the store for you?”
“What?”
I gave her a lopsided grin. “I never got to drive the car by myself after I got my license.”
“That’s not a good idea. The less people see you, the better.”
“Please? I’ll go over to Madison or even out to Clinton to get the stuff. On back roads. Somewhere no one knows me.” I flashed her my best puppy dog eyes. “After everything I’ve been through?”
She groaned. “I’m probably going to regret this, but okay. On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I want you to put that sling on as soon as you get home. No arguments.”
“Deal.” I grabbed her purse off the counter, found the keys and pulled a couple of twenties out of her wallet. She handed me a list with a few more items on it. “Is my purse in my room?”
She nodded. “In your closet.”
I raced up the stairs, grabbed my purse, slipped on my flip flops and was out the door before anyone could stop me.
Our condo complex had two rows of townhomes that backed up to a common green. I slid behind the wheel of my mom’s Camry and shut the door. My heart sped up. It had been four weeks since I’d driven the car. I adjusted the mirrors and the seat then turned the key, smiling as the engine turned over. Mom had said I was a natural driver, and I couldn’t wait to take this solo spin. Or almost solo.
I turned right and parked along the side of the road, out of sight from the front of our house. I walked down the green until I could see our patio. Tegan still sat alone.
“Hey,” I called.
He looked around, as if unable to locate the source of my voice.
“Over here!” I waved.
He stood, and rested his arms on the railing. “What are ye doin’?”
“I need your help,” I lied. “Kennis asked me to do some errands for her.”
He glanced back toward the house as if he were going to go inside and question her. I didn’t want that. I wanted a chance to talk to him alone, away from adults and the weirdness of being in my house.
“Come on, hurry. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
He jumped over the railing, and ran over to me in his bare feet. “What do ye need me to do?”
I pointed to the car. “Hop in.”
A combination of doubt and fear flashed across his face. “In that?”
I laughed. “Uh-huh.”
“I’ve seen them from the window.” He took a step toward the Camry. “What is it?”
“It’s a car . . . a horseless carriage. I promise,” I said as I opened the door. “It’s perfectly safe.” He slid into the front seat, and I shut the door behind him. Technically, it was illegal for me to be driving with another teenager in the car, but I figured it was the least of my worries. I ran around to the other side and got in.
Tegan jumped when I turned the key and the engine roared back to life. “By Ruahk, what makes that noise?”
“It’s no use me trying to explain it to you.” I rolled down the windows. “But I promise you’ll be okay.”
I’m not sure he believed me, but he nodded.
“You have to fasten your seat belt.”
“What?”
I leaned over to grab the strap hanging by the passenger door. He stiffened as I pulled it across his chest. Once it had clicked in place, I looked up. Our faces were close together. Just an inch more and he could kiss me. I prayed that he would.
Instead he turned away, and a small hole formed in my heart.
I picked up the sling and other items Kennis had wanted from the store, then made a pit stop at the soft-serve ice cream shop for malts and an order of fries. It took a bit of explaining before Tegan got the hang of a straw, but once he did, he sucked down the malt.
I stared at the cup and sighed. “They don’t have food like this in Ayden.” I regretted saying anything because of the cloud that settled over Tegan. “I have one more thing I want to do before we go home.”
He stared out the passenger window.
It took ten minutes before I saw the sign I’d been looking for, the one place I’d missed most while in Ayden. Hammonasset State Park, Next Left. No one manned the guard house, so I pulled through and headed to my favorite spot. The afternoon rain had left behind hazy clouds that hung low, cutting down our visibility. It meant we wouldn’t see the water until we made our way past the dunes and out on the beach.
I drove around the empty lot and parked by the entrance to the boardwalk. Tegan fumbled before he got the door open. I hurried around to his side. Grabbing his hand, I led him up the ramp. A few pale pink roses still hung onto the bushes lining the walkway, but most had given way to bright orange rosehips. The tall sea grass that lined the dunes bent in the breeze.
I stopped, closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the salty air. “Do you smell it?”
“What is it?”
I couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across my face. “The ocean!”
“The what?”
“Remember that night in the cave?” I asked. “When you took me outside and showed me the stars?”
His eyes clouded. “Aye.”
“Do you remember what you told me?”
He seemed reluctant to go any further. “I remember.”
“Well, I’m going to tell you the same thing. I know you miss your home. I know things here must seem very strange.” I reached out and touched his face as the sun broke through the clouds, casting us in golden light. “You’ve been so distant since I came back. It’s like there’s a wall or something between us.”
He closed his eyes, almost as if my touch caused him pain.
“I know what it feels like to be somewhere totally foreign, away from your family. But there’s beauty here, too.”
“Ally, I─” His voice broke.
“Come see!” I pulled him up the boardwalk and onto the beach. We’d gotten there at the perfect time as another break in the clouds caused light from the setting sun to dance off the water like a million pieces of orange g
lass.
“By Ruahk,” Tegan exclaimed under his breath. “What is it?”
I let go of his hand and raced toward the water. “It’s the ocean. Well, part of the ocean anyway. Long Island Sound.” I opened my arms as wide as I could without hurting my shoulder, and spun around in a circle. “Breathe in the air! Can you taste the salt?”
“Where does it come from?”
I stopped spinning. “The salt? It’s in the water.”
His eyes darted across the horizon. “No, the water. Where does it come from?”
I slipped off my flip flops. The wet sand squished up between my toes. “I don’t know. It’s always been here.”
He walked over to me. “It’s so big.”
I turned around so that my back rested against his chest. “Isn’t it beautiful?” I gathered his arms around me, holding them at my waist. The sun sank into the horizon, turning sky and waves to a brilliant red.
“It’s like it’s on fire,” Tegan whispered. “Does it warm the water?”
“No. It’s not really sinking into the ocean, it only looks that way.” I closed my eyes and let myself revel in Tegan’s touch, his smell, his breath. I wanted to stay in the moment forever, just him and me. He leaned his head into my neck then groaned and untangled his hands from mine.
I turned around. “What’s wrong?”
A tortured cry rose from his throat.
I cupped his face. “Tegan? What is it? Talk to me.”
His eyes filled with pain. He pulled my hands away. He tried to run, but his legs weren’t used to the soft give and take of the sand. He stumbled to his knees.
I knelt in front of him. “Is it the water? Are you afraid?”
“God no, Ally.” My heart stopped when he raised his head to look at me. His face was filled with anguish. “Can ye not see yer killin’ me?”
“What?” I tried to pull him to me, but he resisted. “What am I doing?’
He seemed unable to speak, his mouth moved, but no words came out.
“Tegan, please . . . tell me what I’ve done.” I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He moaned. I lifted his face and kissed his mouth. For a moment he answered me. His hands wrapped around my neck. His lips hungrily searched for mine. We rose, still on our knees, our bodies pressed together as if we sought to melt into each other. His kisses became desperate, like he needed them to breathe.