by E. L. Todd
“Because it takes time. You can’t build a mountain in a day. You must wait for the rain, the earthquakes, the erosions.”
“I just… I don’t think I’m a meditation kind of person.” She wanted to jump to the next activity as quickly as possible. If she wasn’t actively doing something, she grew restless and bored.
“I can tell.”
“Then maybe we can just skip it.”
“No. My stipulation, remember?” He changed his posture and crossed his legs. “Meditation is the key to maturity. You’re young. Absorbing these quiet moments will age your mind. It will teach you patience. It will teach you to resonate with the same energy as the trees, the grass, the bees in the flowers.”
“But how will that make me a better fighter?”
“Closed-minded. Again.” He turned to her, disapproval in his eyes.
“I don’t mean it that way. I’m just asking.” She crossed her legs and mimicked his seated position.
“Meditation is the portal to magical abilities. If you can’t clear your mind, can’t connect with the life around you, you will have no way of achieving your full capabilities as an elf. That is why.”
“Wait…you’re going to teach me to do magic?” As far as she could tell, none of the elves in Eden Star used magic. If they did, they purposely chose not to do so in front of her, which wouldn’t be surprising.
“Yes—if you master meditation.”
Thirteen
Pickpocket
The map was unrolled across the table, showing the continent of Anastille along with a few islands. Rush cupped his jaw with his fingertips as he examined their possibilities.
Bridge unrolled another map and pinned it open with a couple rocks. “The island we’re looking for is here—Mist Isle.” He moved back to the bigger map they were using, which didn’t have the same island in place. He circled the invisible island with a pen. “We don’t have the exact coordinates, just the general direction.”
“That should be enough.” Lilac stood next to her brother, dressed in all black, wearing a leather jacket because it was cool under the rocks inside the cavern. “We’ll keep looking until we find it. Problem solved.”
“Why is this island so important?” Liam asked.
Rush had asked Bridge to keep their mission a secret, because even someone with the kindest heart could lose his mind when it came to dragons.
“Not sure,” Bridge said. “We just know someone wants to keep it hidden. Must be a reason.”
Why would someone remove the island from the maps unless they knew what was there?
Good question.
The dragons have allies. And they have allies in high places.
True.
We must find them.
I’ll talk to Bridge about it. “Mist Isle…they wouldn’t call it that without a reason.”
“That means we won’t be able to see it until our stern hits rocks.” Lilac propped her chin on her closed knuckles, her dark hair pulled over one shoulder, her dark clothing giving her the appearance of an assassin who wasn’t afraid to show her face. “It’ll be tricky. Dangerous. Might leave us stranded there forever…but no big deal.”
Bridge shrugged. “I’m over Anastille anyway.”
Zane turned to Lilac and gave her a wink. “Looks like we’ll have to make some babies and populate—”
Lilac socked him hard in the arm.
He stumbled back and rubbed his arm with a grimace. “You look too small to hit like that.”
“I can hit harder.” She raised her fist. “You wanna see?”
He shook his head quickly. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Bridge ignored the whole exchange, as if he were used to men making comments about his attractive little sister. “We can pursue the island, or we can go south, heading to Rock Island.”
“Why would we want to go there?” Zane asked. “That’s a slave continent.”
“Because we need men—as many as we can find.” Rush placed his hands on the edge of the table, seeing that the two choices were in completely opposite directions. “We won’t need to convince them to fight for us. After everything they’ve endured, they’ll be happy to take down King Lux.”
“And you expect the five of us to overthrow the entire regime that controls the island?” Lilac asked incredulously.
Six.
It’s technically five.
No. Six.
We can’t physically exist at the same time. So, it’s five.
But we’re two minds. Six.
Whatever. Fine. This is a stupid argument.
You know I’m right.
Rush blocked him out. “With careful planning and research, yes. But we must decide between the two destinations. Rock Island or Mist Isle?”
Bridge shrugged. “I’d say Mist Isle.”
I agree.
Rush nodded. “We’ll go there first and then decide where to go from there.”
“That means we’re going to need supplies,” Liam said. “A lot more supplies than we have.”
“Yes,” Lilac said. “We’ll take the sloop back to the harbor and load it with everything to transfer to the galleon.”
“Let’s go at first light,” Zane said.
They rolled up the maps and stowed them in their waterproof containers then got dinner started. A small fire was in the center, roasting the wild boar Lilac had caught that afternoon. The juices dripped into the fire and made a hiss.
She’s looking at you.
I know.
She wants to talk to you.
I know that too.
You might hear some laughter when that happens.
Rush held back his eye roll before he cut the meat and served it to everyone around the campfire. They ate in silence, eating the pork and the potatoes they boiled with salt. His eyes remained on the fire, thinking of emerald eyes that had flames of their own.
One by one, they silently excused themselves from the campfire.
Bridge remained, as if he knew Rush wanted to speak in private. “We’re going to have to tell them what’s waiting at Mist Isle.”
He kept his voice low so they wouldn’t overhear from their bedrolls. “I’d rather not.”
“So, when we get there, we just tell them to stay on the ship?” he asked incredulously.
“If their hearts are in this for the right reason, they should have no issue with that.”
“You obviously don’t know my sister that well because she would never go along with that.”
Quite the contrary.
Rush was used to Flare’s voice in his head, but lately, it’d been very distracting. “Then she shouldn’t be a part of this.” He sat with his forearms on his knees, leaning forward toward the fire. “It’s one thing to know I’m fused with a dragon. Everyone knows King Lux and the stewards are fused with dragons. But to see the only remaining free dragons in existence… Who knows how they’ll react.”
“If this mission is a success, then everyone will have to get used to it anyway.”
“Not the same.”
“What’s the worst that could happen? They’re actually working for the enemy, and they report the existence of Mist Isle to King Lux? I’ve known these guys forever. I can promise they have no connection to the empire. They’re not spies.”
“I know they aren’t. But King Lux is powerful enough to force dragons to fuse. What happens when Zane or Liam realizes there’re free dragons that are unfused? They tell the king in return for a dragon.”
Bridge stared at the fire for a while, absorbing that fear. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I have to protect these dragons. If just the two of us could sail there on our own, I would. But it’s too far of a journey, and we can’t take the sloop into uncharted territories. I remember exactly how I felt when I saw Flare the first time…” He reflected on the moment with self-hatred. “I admired all of his qualities. I thought he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. But that reverence quickl
y turned to greed. I wanted him for myself, to abuse all his powers for my own self-interest. Without an ounce of humanity, I dropped into his mind, and there was nothing that was going to stop me from doing it. I wanted it so much.” He shook his head as he looked at the fire. “People think they’re the heroes in their own stories. They think when they come across temptation, they’ll ignore it. They think when faced with adversity, they’ll do the right thing. Reality is quite different. People don’t realize how shitty they really are until they’re tested. Then they still don’t realize how shitty they are because they rationalize it. I forced Flare to fuse because of my father. I did unspeakable things because of my father. I can rationalize it for a lifetime, but it doesn’t excuse what I’ve done.”
The flames danced and crackled, casting shadows on the rock ceiling of the cave. Silence passed as the flames burned lower and lower. Without another log, soon they would be cast into darkness, the only light from the moon at the entrance to the cavern.
Flare’s voice turned gentle, gently prodding his mind. I forgive you, Rush.
I don’t want your forgiveness.
Bridge was quiet for a long time as he considered what to say. “I trust every person in our crew, and our chance of success diminishes if we don’t have people to rely on. But if that’s how you want to do it…I understand.”
“Thank you.”
He gave a nod. “I know Lilac is rough around the edges, but she’s the most loyal person I’ve ever met. You don’t have to worry about her.”
Rush shifted his gaze to his friend. “If the maps hide the island, that means these allies are significant people with significant positions—or at least connections. And it has to be an organization, not just a single person.”
“I agree.”
“Any idea who they are?”
Bridge shook his head. “They could be right under King Lux’s nose for all we know.”
“I saw no signs of it.”
“That island was hidden a long time ago. So maybe these people are long dead and gone.”
He’s right.
“Unless they’re fused with a dragon…”
Unlikely. It makes no sense for them to embody the very thing they hate.
Look at us.
Not the same thing.
“If the dragons are at Mist Isle, maybe we can ask them,” Bridge said.
Also unlikely.
Rush shook his head. “Even if the dragons knew something, they wouldn’t tell us.”
“Why?”
“Because they would never betray the people who’ve never betrayed them.”
Rush pressed the towel against his face then scrubbed it over his hair, getting the ocean off his body after he’d washed off in the waves. His pants were on because his legs were dry, and his shirt lay on the sand beside him. He patted the towel against his chest and shoulders, getting rid of the remaining water that clung to his skin as droplets.
She’s coming.
Even though he was still slightly wet, he dropped the towel and pulled the shirt over his head.
“No need to hide your vanity.” She sauntered to his side, in tight trousers and boots, wearing her long-sleeved black jacket. “Nothing I haven’t already seen.” She looked at the gentle ocean waves in front of them as she ran her fingers through her hair, showing the new color she’d added to the tips—fire-red. “So…are we just never going to talk about it and let it be awkward forever?”
This is fun to watch.
Rush scrubbed his scalp with his palm, shaking off the last couple drops. “We’re talking about it now, and it’s still awkward.”
Smartass.
“Well, wouldn’t be so bad if, you know…” She turned back to him. “Had left a note…said goodbye…something.”
“I had to go. King’s orders.”
“Uh-huh.” She nodded slowly. “Looks like you don’t care about those orders anymore.”
Rush discreetly glanced over his shoulder to the entrance of the cavern to make sure Bridge was nowhere nearby. “Are you going to tell him?”
She squished up her nose in disgust. “No. It’s none of his business.”
Lucky you.
Do you mind? I’m trying to have a conversation here.
He snorted then turned quiet.
“Are we okay, then?”
Both of her eyebrows rose, full attitude in force. “Why would we be? Don’t remember you apologizing.”
Burn.
Private. Conversation.
“It was a fling. I never gave you any indication it would be more than that—”
“Honey, that’s not why. Don’t flatter yourself. I got what I wanted out of that as much as you did.” She rolled her eyes. “But you left without a goodbye—and I thought I’d never see you again. That was a slap in the face.”
“I explained why—”
“You could have taken two seconds to leave a note. Leave a girl breakfast. Something.”
Rush clenched his jaw slightly because he’d never been held accountable for anything in his life—especially not by a lover. “Then I apologize.”
She grinned. “Thank you.” She turned back to look at the ocean.
He did the same, thinking about the dangers that waited in those open waters. “You sure you want to do this?”
“No doubt. We got this.”
“None of us are experienced sailors.”
“I am.”
“Yeah?”
“Yep. Was on the water for a full year.”
He nodded in approval. “Then I’m glad you’re on the crew.”
“You’re should have been glad even if I wasn’t.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and posed. “I mean, look at the view.”
He gave a slight chuckle.
“The two of us are going to be on that boat for a long time…and it’s a big ship.”
Growl.
Lilac looked at him again. “But that ship has sailed.”
A slight smile moved over his lips. “Then it looks like we’re friends.” He extended his hand to hers.
She eyed it for a moment before she took it. “Yes. Looks like we are.”
They broke apart and looked at the water again.
After a long stretch of silence, she gave a chuckle. “It’s funny, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“I saw your coin purse that night and decided to pick it. Had no idea who I was stealing from.”
He recalled the cold and dark night in winter. He’d moved through town and felt a gentle tug from the rear. He spun quickly on the spot and grabbed her by the wrist, seeing the most beautiful thief grinning up at him. “You’re lucky I didn’t take your hand.”
“Oh, you definitely took my hand.” She gave him a gloating smile. “You took it long and hard…”
Bridge walked over at that exact moment. “You guys ready?”
Rush felt his heart nearly jump out of his body. Thanks for the heads-up…
The smile was in Flare’s voice. Private conversation, remember?
Fuck off.
“I know I am.” Lilac crossed her arms over her chest. “What about you guys?”
Yes.
Rush nodded. “It’s going to suck—but yes.”
The ship left the secret cove in the darkness, heading out to the open water while the world slept. The waves were quiet, the breeze was gentle, so the galleon glided over the surface as if it were made of glass.
Rush stood at the bow, looking up at the stars, the breeze moving through his hair.
No going back now.
No.
We should try to connect with Cora. The farther we travel, the weaker the connection. We may not speak with her again until we return to Anastille.
She has to contact us. Their power couldn’t penetrate the magic surrounding the forest, the only civilization that didn’t have a border but managed to keep out every single foe.
We should try anyway. I’ll go first.
Rush watc
hed the stars ahead, wondering if she gazed at the same ones from the window in her tree house.
Flare returned. No response. But I can feel her mind.
Feel her mind?
I can’t explain it. Her mind almost feels physical. It didn’t before.
Rush kept his eyes on the sky.
It’s like approaching someone’s front door. I knocked. Hopefully she answers.
He didn’t get his hopes up.
Boots sounded behind him.
Rush kept his eyes on the stars, his hands gripping the wooden railing.
Lilac appeared beside him, the breeze flowing through her long hair. “It’s beautiful, huh? I wish sailing were always like this.”
I don’t like her.
Rush kept a straight face. Why? “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.”
I just don’t.
You can’t dislike someone without reason.
Yes, you can. Sometimes, you just know.
You didn’t dislike her before.
Different times. Different circumstances.
Well, she’s one of our only allies right now, so you better change your tune.
Don’t defend her—
“You okay?” She leaned forward over the rails as she looked at him. “You look a little pissed off.”
I am pissed off. “Just got a lot on my mind right now.”
“Yeah, same here.” She looked at the water then raised her head to the stars above.
Cora. I can hear her.
Both of his hands gripped the rails as euphoria jumped in his chest. Swap me.
I want to talk to her.
Just do it, alright?
A moment later, her voice came through, sounding slightly faint. Rush?
He inhaled a deep breath. Yours truly.
Weirdest thing. I felt your contact. It was like a physical object resting against my head.
Like a headache? Yeah, Flare can be one of those at times…
She chuckled. No, of course not.
He grinned when he heard her laugh.
“One minute you’re pissed, and now you’re smiling… Are you okay?”
Made any friends yet?
Just the one.
Still throwing rocks at people, I see.