by K. K. Allen
She placed her bike back on the rack and turned on her heel, preparing to run, her mind quickly racing through the list of necessities she and Kat needed to leave North Carolina. Then she came face-to-face with familiar, dark, menacing eyes.
“Hello, Grace.”
The House of Equinox was cleared out before the Elders had a chance to find the rest of the Followers that traveled with Erebus. Like a repeat of a dozen years earlier, they left everything behind without a single trace of who they were. Grace wasn’t able to remember much about them, but she did say that she had never seen any of them before their road trip to Apollo Beach.
Johnny, unable to remain in his own seat for the rest of the ceremony, takes the empty seat on the other side of me as my father prepares to speak one final time today. Without looking at me, he wraps his hands around mine and squeezes. I lean into him for support.
“She’s obviously my mother’s granddaughter,” Paul starts with a huge smile on his face.
I laugh along with the others.
“This community has seen a lot of tragedies in the last couple of decades, but because of my parent’s legacy, and especially my mother’s bravery, we have a chance to live in peace. So let’s start today.”
My dad finishes his speech, and the round of applause seems to linger, even as everyone breaks away from their seats and moves into the community space set up for the event. Rose was always one to throw a great party, so I hope we do her some justice today.
Johnny wraps me up in his arms as soon as we stand. “Rose would have loved your speech.”
I look up at him, smiling. “Thank you.”
“Come on,” he says, pulling my arm. “Let’s go find your friends.”
Before I move with him, I spot Charlotte hugging Darla French, both of them crying. “Just give me a minute?”
Johnny follows my gaze and nods. “I’ll be here.”
I approach Darla and Charlotte, joining them in their cry, and then we’re laughing about something I said in my speech. It’s good that we can remember Rose so positively. It doesn’t make her death less tragic, but it makes moving on okay.
After a few minutes I ask if I can pull Charlotte away. Now that Rose is gone, things at Summer Estate are different. Rose left everything to my dad, and he’s already moved out of his rental home and into the mansion. My mom is staying with us too until she figures out her next step.
Charlotte has packed her bags after accepting a job offer to care for Darla, my grandmother’s best friend. Paul offered Charlotte a job with him, but everyone knew the help wasn’t needed. As much as she appreciated the gesture, she felt better leaving, and I agree with her decision. It will be good for both her and Darla.
I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit that I’d love to see my parents back together. It feels to be the natural next step, but they’ve been apart for so long. The reasons they once loved each other could be nonexistent now. People change … especially if you lose your memory. It’s comforting to know they at least have a friendship. They’ve been spending a lot of time together, and I know Paul is filling in all the blanks for her the best he possibly can.
“Are you okay?” I ask Charlotte. I know how much Rose’s death affected her.
She nods, smiling down at me gently. “I knew her time would come one day, and by the way she was talking, I knew it would come soon. I just never wanted it to come.” Charlotte sighs. “That woman was infuriating most of the time. I didn’t expect to care for her so much.”
This makes me giggle, completely understanding what she means. “She loved you like a daughter, you know? She told me that.”
Charlotte nods and pulls me in for a hug. “She told me that the night she died,” she whispers, and I know this gladdens her heart and tears her up all at the same time. “Oh Kat, I’m going to miss living with you.” She touches my cheeks with her fingers. “You can call me whenever you want. We’ll do lunch. If you ever need anything …”
I nod my head, fighting back more tears. “I’ll miss you too, Charlotte.”
We break away from each other, and I return to Johnny and wrap my arms around his waist, snuggling into his chest—my happy place.
Seconds later we’re approached by my friends, all with red eyes, who take turns hugging me. Arabella and Kaleb have been inseparable since his near-death experience, and I’m confident their relationship will continue to thrive.
Alec and Khloe don’t seem to be as strong, but they are still together, and Alec seems to be smitten. My intuition tells me that Khloe has some insecurities to work through, especially if she wants to date someone as devastatingly handsome as Alec.
Trisha and Brent have their own issues to work out. Not issues between them, but issues regarding Brent now being a Solstice Follower. He’s learned a lot in such a short time, and he’s trying to handle it, but it’s a shock. Turns out Brent wasn’t all that unconscious when he was in the hospital. It took him awhile to admit this to Trisha, but he finally broke down, admitting that when we were extracting the darkness from him, he was fully aware of what was going on, albeit very confused when he woke up. He confronted Dr. Floros, who turned him over to Rose, who in turn made him a Follower. He’s been reading up on the Follower rule book ever since.
“You realize you are all related, right?” Brent asks me, pointedly. “All you Enchanters are like, brother and sister. That’s disgusting. At least you’re dating a Poseidon descendant. What if you had chosen Alec?”
The look on Brent’s face is classic. We’re all doubled over with laughter—well, most of us. Alec and Johnny are glaring at Brent as if they’re about to pounce on him with their fists.
“I’m not even an Enchanter!” Alec shouts, and I can tell it isn’t the first time he’s reminded Brent of this. “I’m a descendant of Apollo.” He places his palms inches apart and throws a fireball from one palm to the other before diffusing it. “See?”
I hold up my hands, trying to get their attention. “That’s not true anyway, Brent.” I point at Brent’s chest. “You are now a Follower. You can either be born a Follower, because your ancestors were unconverted Followers, or you can be given the rights. Because of your circumstances, you were given the rights to be a Follower as long as you follow the laws. It was the same thing for Enchanters in the beginning. Astina Somer was the original Enchanter, but she wasn’t the only Enchanter of her time.”
Brent’s face registers my words as I speak them. Everything seems to click into place by the time I’m done. “Oh!” he exclaims, and everyone laughs.
Alec is giving me a look of thanks, so I wink back. Arabella goes into the story of the first Triton descendant as Johnny tugs my hand, pulling me from the crowd. “Where are we going?” I ask, practically running to catch up with him.
“I have something to give you, but not here. Give me five minutes, and then we can go back to the party.”
I agree, but I’m not sure he hears me through the rustling of the branches we pass on the way to the treehouse. He wouldn’t have taken no for an answer anyway. “Me first,” he says and starts climbing. I laugh as I follow him. Sometimes, Johnny acts like a little boy at Christmas.
When I reach the top platform of the treehouse, Johnny’s back is to me, and he’s reaching for something behind the bookshelf. He stands and places whatever it is behind his back and then turns, facing me with a grin.
“I found something in one of your mom’s boxes that day we were sorting through her things. At the time, I didn’t want to show you what it was because I didn’t know what it meant. So I took it to Rose and asked her.”
Johnny smiles, sending a wave of shivers rippling through my entire body. He takes his hands from behind his back and passes me a small square envelope with my name written delicately on the front. I recognize the stationery and the handwriting, both of which belong to Rose.
Dear Katrina,
If I am able to miss anyone after I die, I will choose to miss you the most. Although it will neve
r be enough, I’m forever grateful for the time we spent together. You have taught me things I regret not learning earlier in life. Your open heart, for one. It may let you down now and then, but it will win out in the end. Never forget that. Your forgiving soul is another. Thank you for forgiving us for the things you have had to miss out on. Because of that, I will rest in peace, knowing that your heart is strong enough for all of us. And your bravery. As much as I admonish you for the risks you take, I also admire them. You call me stubborn … but I think you might actually be more stubborn than I am at times. Please make sure to remember this when you must keep a secret.
I realize when you met me you didn’t like me very much. I’m an old woman with more fear living inside of me than you’ll ever come to know. I would never be brave enough to say these words aloud, so I am writing them to you because I want you to know that my biggest fear has always been not knowing you. I was afraid that you would shut me out because of the things you didn’t understand. Thank you for proving me wrong.
One last thing: with me leaving, I know there will be a lot I will miss out on. Your graduation, your first day of college, your wedding, your babies … While I could get very sad thinking of all the things I will miss out on in your life, I will choose to concentrate on the one thing I have been around for. Watching you fall in love has been the greatest gift you could have ever given me. Young love is a beautiful thing, but true love, the kind that fills your heart to the point of possible combustion is something you have found. It reminds me of the love I saw between your parents, and it reminds me of the love I had with George. If there’s one last piece of advice I can give you, it’s to never lose hope in a love that makes you feel so vividly. Embrace the ups and downs, and gain strength throughout the journey. Johnny is a lucky boy to have you, and from what I can see, you’re lucky to have him. I wish you two every bit of happiness I had with George … after you graduate.
I love you, dear girl. With my whole heart.
Rose
Tears spill from my eyes so fast I have to move the letter so it doesn’t get wet. Way to make me cry when you’re dead, Rose. Infuriating woman.
“I thought you said you found this when you were looking through my mom’s things,” I say, curiously. Either Johnny lied to me or he’s confused.
He smiles and helps me wipe my tears, then kisses the wet streaks on my face. “That’s not what I found. That’s the letter Rose wrote after I showed her what I found.”
I’m confused. “So what did you find?”
He takes a step back and releases his other hand from behind his back. When he opens his palm, I see a small black box. My eyes shoot up into his, panic struggling to sort its way through my chest. What is he doing?
Johnny’s eyes crinkle at the corners as he laughs and then kisses me quickly on the lips. “It’s not what you think it is. I’m saving that box for another day. Perhaps sometime after our real first date.” He teases me and I swat his chest playfully.
He grins and opens it, putting me out of my misery. A butterfly with a black body and blue wings lies there, unmoving.
“Johnny!” I cry incredulously, “It’s dead.” I’m mortified while he laughs.
“No. Exhale with me?” he asks. His expression is so adorable I can’t refuse him.
I look up at Johnny, bewildered, and then back down at the small creature as we both take in air and then let it out slowly, my movements mimicking his. Air circulates in the space between us before landing on the wings of the butterfly. Almost instantly, its wings begin to flutter to life. It flies up and lands on Johnny’s waiting finger.
“How?” I shake my head, knowing that nothing should surprise me anymore.
“It’s an ancient Greek myth that if two souls are meant to be tied together, their love will be so strong it could bring a butterfly back to life. When I found this I noticed a note in the box saying to never throw this away, so I asked Rose if she knew what it meant. George and Rose found this butterfly and jokingly wanted to see if the myth was true—and it was. The butterfly will live out its lifespan and then die again. When Paul fell in love with Grace, Rose gave this to them and it worked.” Johnny is just as amazed as I am. “And it just worked for us.”
I wrap my arms around him, unable to contain myself anymore. “Just so you know, I would have said yes.”
Johnny grins and picks me up, so I wrap my legs around his waist, grinning back at him. “Your parents would kill me. So would Rose. I’m pretty sure she would resurrect herself from the dead just to punish me. Besides, I thought we could spend the summer boating. You know, away from here for a while. Alone.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
I laugh, slapping his arm.
He ignores my reaction. “Right after graduation. What do you think? You’ll be eighteen, an official adult, so it’s not like you’ll need permission.”
I touch my nose to his and close my eyes. “I love that idea, Johnny. But you’ll still need to get permission from my father … and my mother.”
He chuckles. “You’re right. Good thing we have a few months to work that out.”
Chapter Thirty
“I’ve already spent two summers without you. I can’t believe you’re making me miss another one.” My arms are wrapped tightly around my mother’s waist as she whispers in my ear.
Johnny is giving my dad a tour of his yacht, reviewing our itinerary, and most likely receiving a lecture about sleeping arrangements.
“Mom,” I groan. “I purposely postponed this trip so that I could hang out with you all a little longer. Don’t be greedy.” With a smirk, I kiss her cheek and pull her an arm’s length away.
She pouts, trying to hide the fact that she’s secretly excited for me and my summer at sea with Johnny. Johnny completely won her over the night he picked me up for our first real date.
When he showed up with a dozen white roses for her and a single red rose for me, she pulled me aside and asked me if he was for real. I laughed and promised he was, but she wasn’t convinced. She handed the flowers to me and pulled Johnny into the great room for a lengthy chat. My presence was unwelcome, so I waited with my dad in his study, anxious for their discussion to be over, terrified my mom would find something to dislike about him. This was new for both of us.
When Grace came into the study to tell me she was done interrogating Johnny, she had tears in her eyes. She hugged me longer than normal and whispered in my ear. “I think you should marry that boy—if he ever asks.”
“Mom!” I laughed out in surprise.
My dad stepped out from behind his desk, looking at Grace like she was on drugs. “Katrina is far too young to be thinking about marriage.”
Grace made a face. “Paul, please. I regained my memory, remember? You couldn’t wait to ask me to marry you.”
He just shook his head and then turned to me. “Obviously your mother is still recovering. You’re going on a date tonight, not getting proposed to.” His face grew red, and his eyes wandered in question. “I’ll be right back.”
I watched, horrified, as he rushed out of the study. Turning to my mom, I sighed. “I told you he’s for real.”
She nodded, her eyes too large for her head. “Oh honey, that boy is crazy about you.”
I laughed and rushed out of the room to stop my dad from ruining my date before it had even begun.
Now, on the dock as the warm summer sun kisses our cheeks, my mom sighs and swings our arms between us. “Call me every day. And don’t forget about orientation. You need to be back—”
“I know, I know.” I smile and squeeze her again, just as Johnny and Paul jump onto the dock.
One glance at the tall hunk of boyfriend I call mine, and my nerves go haywire, failing to transmit signals of calm to my brain. We’re about to spend two months together on a boat, cruising around the Bahamas, and the anticipation has been a torment for both of us. He flashes his half smile, the one reserved just for me, and my cheeks warm. He’s just as excited as I am, if not mores
o, for our adventure ahead.
My dad wraps an arm around my shoulder, squeezing me tight and kissing the side of my head. “If you need me for anything, call me. I put an extra phone in the safe in case something happens to yours. It’s off, but it’s fully charged. I’ve got a copy of the itinerary so I’ll be checking in too. Johnny knows to contact me if you’re off schedule.”
I turn into him and nod, pleading with my eyes for him to stop worrying so much. “We’ll be fine, Dad. I’ll call you tonight.” I lift onto my tiptoes and plant a kiss on his cheek before hugging him again.
Johnny’s hand engulfs mine, pulling me through the entrance of the yacht to the captain’s seat and immediately wrapping his arms around me. The ridiculous grin on his face aims straight for my core. “Finally,” he says, touching his nose to mine.
“What are you so eager for, Pierce?”
His eyes narrow and darken considerably while his smile remains. “You, Summer.” He brushes his lips against mine and sighs. “I finally get to share my ocean with you.”
I practically melt into his arms as he holds me to his drumming chest. “What are you waiting for, then?” I tease.
He grins and releases me, turning his attention to maneuvering us out of the cubicle. “I’m going upstairs!” I tell him, and he nods without releasing his eyes from the path in front of him.
Once on the bridge, I take in the sunrise, loving the fact that this will be our view every day for the next two months. It’s funny. For the longest time I struggled to make a home for myself in Apollo Beach. Now, I’m struggling to leave it, even for a short period. I’ll miss my friends most of all—especially Alec. I smile just thinking of him and our last conversation.