Perilous Waters

by Diana Paz

  “Mind control?”

  She nodded, chewing on the inside of her cheek a little and glancing away. If Kaitlyn ever learned how to master this spell… she swallowed tightly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s just, Kaitlyn. I don’t know how to convince her not to abuse her powers.” She exhaled heavily, feeling weighed down by the events of the past few months. “Remember how we disappeared at prom?”

  And she told him everything. She told him about the Fates, and her grandmother, passing down the legacy after being unable to find the other Daughters. She told him about being taught magic from her earliest days. She had learned to cast simple spells even as she learned to walk and talk. She told him about finding Julia and the two of them beginning their training with Indira. She told him about discovering that Kaitlyn was the final Daughter of Fate, and of Indira’s subsequent betrayal. When she finally came to the events at the beach and everything that followed, it felt as if she weren’t talking at all, but reliving the events all over again.

  “That’s a lot more than just having magic,” David said softly, stroking her hair as she lay against him. “You’ve been keeping a lot from me. Now I now why.”

  She exhaled, relief filling all the places that used to overflow with worry.

  “The things that happened to you at the beach that night… you should have told me that much, though. I really wish you would have.”

  She held him close, not wanting him to be upset with her again.

  His phone vibrated again and he sighed, but didn’t let go of her. “What if you found a way to kill the Sorceress?”

  She frowned up at him.

  “I mean, if she were dead, the Fates wouldn’t have any reason to send you into missions anymore. You could just have the magic, the way the Fates originally intended the priestesses to have the magic. As a gift.”

  Angie turned this idea over in her mind. Trapping the Sorceress in the nether had been the only thing the Fates had been able to do. They couldn’t tamper with life and death, only guide it. Had previous Daughters ever tried to kill the Sorceress, instead of merely banishing her?

  How would they even kill someone as powerful as the Sorceress?

  “It seems like it’s worth thinking about,” David said. “As long as she’s alive, she’s going to try to get out. Even if you spend your lives trapping her, she’ll grow stronger and you’ll eventually doom the next generation of Daughters to keep searching for her, too. It will never end.”

  “I know,” she said, reaching her hand for a book across the room. It floated toward her, and she didn’t miss the way David’s lips parted. “We can’t be the only Daughters to have thought about this.”

  “Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try.”

  She leaned back on her bed, mulling it over. Killing the Sorceress… but the only way to do that would be to free her, first. “We can’t. It would mean allowing her out of the nether.”

  “I could help you.”

  “No.” Her heart raced uncomfortably. Visions of David’s death burned against her mind, painting her vision bright, dripping red. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Promise you’ll never try?”

  His arms came around her. “It would be okay,” he murmured. “Listen… just as much as you’re worried about me, I’m worried about you. It wouldn’t be fair of me to ask you not to fulfill your duties, but you can’t expect me not to help you. You matter to me, angel. I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” she said softly, realizing suddenly that they were both lying on her bed again. His arms held her close, making her feel safe. She curled against him, sighing softly against his chest. He caressed her hair and she felt her eyes begin to fall shut.

  “When you go on your next mission, take me with you.”

  The idea stopped her heart. David, in the midst of creatures, with Indira and the Sorceress wreaking havoc on the world. She swallowed tightly. “It doesn’t work that way.”

  “But Ethan can go?” The question was softly asked.

  “Ethan, yes. He is our Guardian. Even if I knew of a way to bring you with us, you don’t know what you’re asking. You could die—”

  “So could you.”

  “But I was born to do this. There is no reason for you to put your life in danger.” She breathed rapidly. The sight of him covered in blood flashed across her vision. Why had she told him about the magic? She could have kept it a secret, even at the expense of losing him forever.

  “Sh-sh,” he soothed, pulling her close. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  She forced herself to take a deep breath and meet his concerned gaze. If anything happened to him—oh, why hadn’t she kept him safe from this knowledge?

  “Come here, silly,” he said, bringing her back into his arms.

  “It’s just, the dreams,” she whispered, tears wetting her cheek and his shirt as she sought comfort against him. “You know what I keep seeing. What if they’re premonitions?”

  He stroked her hair, but she was relieved to feel his resigned sigh. “It’s going to be hard knowing you’re in danger and that I can’t do anything to help.”

  There wasn’t anything to say. She held him tighter, her breath coming in short gasps. Don’t let anything bad happen to him, she thought, but whether she was pleading with herself or the Fates, she couldn’t tell.

  “I should leave,” he whispered.

  Her hands tightened reflexively. She didn’t want him to go. She wanted to fall asleep with him, safe in the fold of his arms, listening to his heart’s strong, sure rhythm.

  But it had grown late, and even her mom had limits on what she would allow.

  He kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He slipped from her side. She stood and followed him to the door, feeling a blush warm her cheeks. He held the door open, a knowing light in his eyes. She felt a smile grow on her lips.

  He knew she wanted a good night kiss. Angie could tell he knew, and it made her want it more.

  “Come here, you,” he said softly, tugging her into his arms.

  She melted against him. His hand slid along her jaw until it was beneath her chin. He tilted her face up. Her breath caught as he leaned toward her. His lashes lowered and he pressed his lips to hers.

  The kiss was breathy and light. The sweetest touch, making her eyes flutter shut. She loved him so much. She would keep him safe. Nothing would ever happen to him.

  He pulled away. “Do you know how happy you make me?”

  She pinched her fingers together to make a tiny gap. “This happy?”

  He laughed, holding her against him. With a final lingering kiss—this one a little longer and deeper than the last—he stepped back, ducking his head so that his hair fell into his eyes. She waved from the doorway.

  He disappeared down the stairs and she rushed to her window. As he emerged from the front door, she waved, then waited for him to get into his car and drive away. It would take him twelve minutes to get home. She smiled to herself, hopping back into bed and opening her laptop. She hadn’t been on messenger all day, sure he wouldn’t talk to her, but now he would be there again and they would talk until both of them were silly with sleepiness, making very little sense as they fell asleep… she curled up beside her laptop to listen to music and read a little while she waited.

  Twelve minutes went by and there was no sign of his screen name. She didn’t think anything of it until twenty minutes passed. Maybe… maybe his mother had needed help with something. Maybe he had fallen asleep, after all. Not like him, but it was possible.

  Oh! He had said he was going to his uncle’s house, she remembered. Relief gusted through her. Everyone was right, she worried way too easily.

  With thoughts of David in her mind, she snuggled against her pillow and tucked her hand against her cheek. Finally, she could sleep without worrying and without fearing the visions that used to wake her. David was okay. He knew about the mag
ic. The portal was closed and their mission was over. For the first time since returning from their first mission in France, she fell asleep without counting or singing or tapping her fingers. She fell asleep with a smile lingering on her lips.

  Angie sat up in bed and rubbed the mark on her arm. The burn of magic had been so strong it had pulled her from sleep. She blinked down at her arm, watching the bright, swirling designs shift around a crescent moon.

  One of the other girls must be using a large deal of magic. She frowned and reached for her phone, sending a group text to the other Daughters. Guys, is everything okay? My mark lit up.

  As soon as the text message was sent, Angie brought up David’s number on her cell phone. She was sure she was worrying over nothing. Maybe Kaitlyn had felt like practicing the magic and gone overboard, or Julia had accidentally used too much power using the magic to reach for the remote control.

  But something didn’t feel right. She swallowed tightly, her eyes straining in the darkness. Had the curtains to her canopy billowed? Her head shook as her fingers pressed against her phone. Now that David knew about the magic, she could call him and see if he was okay. There was no reason to hold back or keep secrets.

  The sound of David’s favorite song rang from her phone, startling her with David’s picture.

  He was calling her, so that meant he was all right, she realized, her head dropping to her knees in relief. She swiped the screen to answer, but as she did, her room grew cold. Icy frost ran like slush through her chest as a haunted wind blew through her room, smelling of the sea.

  “No,” she whimpered, refusing to take her eyes from her phone, where David’s name continued flashing. Her fingers trembled against the unresponsive screen. With a tight swallow, she forced her head up and watched sandy bluffs rise against the familiar bay.

  She forced herself to think calmly, rationally, but the sand beneath her feet, the crashing, booming ocean, all of it was becoming real. Her heart beat hard and fast. She wanted to scream… to cover her ears and shriek until the magic released her.

  Her hands shook violently and she nearly lost her grip on the phone. Again, she was in her pajamas, dragged through the ethers to Marina Park Beach. Several campfires burned brightly in the clear night, all so familiar. Where was the rest of the vision? Where were the creatures and David with his chest torn apart?

  Her heart lodged itself in her throat. This wasn’t a mere vision. What had the Fates brought her to tonight? Another party of drunken classmates?

  Or…

  She stared down at her phone, her fingers clenching around it. In her visions, the only time her phone was in her hand was when she witnessed David’s death.

  Her eyes lifted as a figure approached. Terror washed through her mind and soul.

  No.

  It couldn’t be true.

  But there was no mistaking the bright blue eyes lighting up at the sight of her.

  Hot tears became trapped in her lashes.

  “David.”

  ~ Epilogue ~

  David

  David couldn’t keep the smile from his lips once he realized who had appeared on the beach. Moonlight poured from the dark sky, coating her in soft silvers and whites. As always, she looked like an angel to him. More so at night, with her waist-length blond hair bathed in moonlight and surrounded by darkness.

  When he had called her to say goodnight, he had never expected she would teleport over to be with him. His heart grew warm at the thought. He was going to like having a girlfriend with magic.

  He jogged up to her, his smile fading as her gaze fell. She stared at her phone in her hand.

  Something wasn’t right. She normally waited with an expectant smile for him, her eyes lighting up as he lifted her in a hug.

  A gust of wind rustled the hem of her thin pajama shirt and lifted the ends of her pale hair. She remained still.

  At last her lashes lifted, wet with tears.

  “David.”

  His name was a choked, broken word. Whatever was wrong paralyzed her with fear. The desire to soothe her overwhelmed him. His arms came around her, pulling her thin frame close, but she shook her head wildly.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, letting her push back as she struggled to face the ocean.

  “Why are you here? You said you were going to your uncle’s house.” She grasped both of his hands, her fingers biting into his flesh. “You—you have to leave.”

  “My uncle thought it would be fun to have a bonfire party.”

  Her head shook from side to side again, her chest rising and falling as the mark on her arm seared with light. She moaned, turning to face the ocean as though by some unseen force.

  David put himself in front of her even as she tugged him away. Whatever had her so frightened, he wouldn’t let it harm her. His eyes narrowed on the ocean, searching, even though he didn’t know what for. “Tell me what’s out there.”

  A head emerged from the water. And then another. A skitter of fear sped up his spine.

  Her round, wide eyes locked on his. “Monsters,” she whispered.

  His head whipped to where his parents and family sat around a bonfire. As far as he could tell, none of them noticed that he had gone toward the shore. From what Angie had told him of the creatures, he needed to get his family out of here. Fast.

  “They’re coming,” she screamed. “Run!”

  The terror in her voice made his blood run cold. He ran with her, hand in hand, kicking up sand as they raced to his family. Angie used her free hand to search something on her phone. He looked behind them as they sped faster, a burst of adrenaline surging through his veins at the sight of giant, slithering shapes approaching.

  “Julia, get to Mother’s Beach,” Angie yelled into her phone. “Call Kaitlyn. And bring Ethan.”

  David felt the air change behind him, becoming damp and chill. He knew they were close. They were after Angie and he couldn’t let them hurt her. He would never let anything happen to her.

  He watched a monster reach for him, its clawed, webbed hand missing his shoulder by inches. With a grunt he pumped his legs faster, but a moment later he was dragged back, searing pain cutting his arm.

  “What—” but her words ended in a cry as he was wrenched from her grasp.

  “Go,” he yelled to her as the massive sea creature slammed him to the ground.

  “No,” she cried, her face a mask of animal-like determination. “No!”

  David punched the monster in the face, breaking free from its grasp, only to be seized again.

  A blast of light flared from Angie, hitting the demon and sending it flying back. Faintly he heard collective gasps and panicked voices from behind them.

  “Go to my family,” he said, gasping. “Tell them whatever you need to, but get them off this beach.”

  “Not without you,” she said, blasting another monster. “You have to get away, David. You don’t understand.”

  The monsters lay unconscious around him. He stood. “I won’t leave you!”

  “You have to,” she said forcefully. “This is what I’m trained to do. And if you don’t go, they will kill you—”

  Creatures slithered up the powdery sand. A swell of water formed behind them like a deadly promise of more to come.

  “Go, David. Please.”

  Her eyes shone in the moonlight, but he shook his head. He couldn’t live with himself if he left her here.

  The tide churned and grew, rising higher than he could have believed possible. His stomach dropped at the sight.

  A creature charged. He punched it, knocking it to the ground, even as another leapt at him.

  Angie blasted it, but it was clear her magic wasn’t coming as quickly, or as powerfully, as it had before. The next one she shot only remained stunned for a moment. Its eyes flew open and it lunged at him.

  “David,” she screamed.

  Her horrified eyes preceded a claw slashing his chest as several monsters decided to take him toward the water in unison.


  “What’s going on?” he heard Julia yell. Ethan ran at her side, and David’s relief surged.

  Ethan sent a blast of magic toward one of the creatures attacking David. His white, crackling lightning drove the creatures back. David strained and kicked, his arms held back by the creatures who seemed determined to drag him into the sea.

  “No,” he yelled, freeing one arm, but icy water rushed up to swallow his legs. A wave crashed over them, and with it, more clawing hands. His neck and back screamed with pain. Hot blood gushed from his chest.

  His fighting became weaker as the sound of the tide grew more muffled. So many creatures… but Angie. Angie would be safe. Her magic would keep her safe.

  “There he is,” a voice cried. “Illuminate!”

  David forced himself to latch onto that voice. It was Angie. The small, strong girl who came to him seeking friendship and sanctuary, her eyes deep with mystery and her heart eager to love. He held onto the thought of her, an anchor in this raging tide that even now tossed his body along like a piece of driftwood.

  Nothing made sense. Car alarms blared in the distance. Lightning and magic blasted across his spotty vision. Voices rose and fell, with words fading in and out of his hearing as he grasped for consciousness.

  Silence came over him as he descended into the ocean’s cold depths. Not even the waves’ eternal motion could be heard. He fought for his last grip on conscious thought, when from behind, below, seemingly all around, a golden glow began to shine with increasing brightness. It seemed the sea bubbled with liquid light as a beautiful song rose from the thrashing waves, and with it, David’s pain and fear fell away.

  Gentle hands slid beneath his arms. With the next roll of the tide, he was delivered to shore. Ethereal singing filled his mind, and he wondered if it were angels from heaven singing as he died.

  “David,” Angie said, her voice a faraway echo. She shook him by the shoulders, and he heard choked sobbing. “David, please wake up. Wake up. Wake up!”

  With more effort than he thought possible, he forced his eyes open enough to see her. Blood pumped from his torn flesh. He tried to sit up and saw it spilling in bright red streams around them both.