“Where do you?” She yelled back. I thought about it, but an answer didn’t come.
“New York?” She offered.
“No.”
“Newport?”
“No. I don’t know.”
“Ah, well then you read my mind. I’m like that too.” She said, and I looked over at her, wondering about her meaning. “Always wanting more, always in search of something. Never satisfied. That’s why I don’t stay in one place for too long.” She clarified.
I nodded. Was that me? “Well, I hope you do stick around Newport for a while,” I said, though I wasn't sure why. “Here.” I pulled out the wad of cash from my pocket, now slightly damp, and offered it to her. She stared at it for a moment, like she might not accept it. My right hand went to the side of the boat to steady myself as it rocked violently from side to side, the waves growing stronger with each second. “Trust me, my shoes cost more. Don’t worry about it.”
Mila’s mouth curved into a sly smile as she took the money and shoved it into her pocket. “Well, Harper, I hope to see you again.”
I peered over the edge, realizing I’d have to swim partly to get to the shore. “I take it this is where we part ways?” I asked, my thumb jutting in the direction of the water.
“Here.” She said, leading me to a set of stairs on the back of the boat. “It’s not too deep, but you’ll want to dry off as soon as possible. I’ll make sure you don’t drown, but what you do after that is up to you.”
My feet slid onto the slippery metal stairs. My heart jumped out of my chest. I could already feel the chill of the water as bits splashed onto my jeans.
“Oh, and Harper?” Mila crouched down, so our faces were inches apart. Her lips turned up on one side as she smiled. “Say hello to the ghosts for me.”
With that, I lowered myself into the ocean, my feet hitting the ground as the water rose to my waist.
“Shit!” I cursed. The waves were strong, but it only took a second to push my way to shore. When I turned to wave goodbye to Mila, her boat had already been swallowed up in the fog.
FOURTEEN
“Valentina!” I screamed, my voice fighting against the sounds of the storm. A sense of déjà vu hit me. But Valentina didn’t come running from the house like I had last night. Instead, I found myself running into the house and flicking the lights on.
“V!” I yelled again, running from room to room. Nothing. I bit my lip and rushed over to the beach where Valentina had parked her jet ski when she’d come to get me. Pulling out my phone and turning on its flashlight, I scanned the area slowly. There wasn't a sign of her or her ride.
“Oh, no,” I uttered. Was it stupid to come out here by myself? Yes. It was very stupid. My newfound familiarity with the island did nothing to quell its creepiness, and I might have just stranded myself out here. Even if I could call someone for help at this point, no one would be here until morning. But I knew that, and I’d taken the chance anyway.
“Valentina!” As I made my way back to the house, I cried again, my wet clothes weighing me down. I strained my ears but heard nothing. Just as I made it to the door, I caught sight of the little building that housed the well and changed course.
“V!” I shouted once again, taking off into a jog. The faint sound of a cry for help echoed back, and I full-on sprinted to the building, pulling the doors open. Yesterday’s hesitation at entering the little building disappeared into the night, because from the sound of it, Valentina was here.
I flashed my light towards the well and groaned. A quarter of the bricks had broken, some having fallen onto the ground and the others presumably into the well. Next to the pile of bricks was a mess of metal and red rope. When I picked it up, it was heavy, and I realized I was holding a portable ladder, the kind firefighters used to escape out of windows.
“Please tell me you’re crouched behind the well and not lying dead inside it,” I asked sarcastically, my voice filling up the tiny space.
“Well, if you took a second to look down, maybe you’d know.” Valentina’s voice carried from inside the well. I leaned in and shined my light at her, her hand going up to shield her eyes.
“Okay, okay!” She shouted. “Got a close enough look?”
“Valentina, what the hell are you doing in there!”
“Oh, I don’t know, just chilling.” She huffed. “When I started climbing down the ladder, the bricks crumbled, and I fell in. I tried throwing the ladder back up and overshot.”
I sighed. “No, I mean, why did you go down there in the first place?”
Valentina snorted as if the answer was obvious. “I wanted to see that brick you were talking about.”
“Yeah, I figured that much. That’s why I came out here looking for you. But why are you in the well? The brick should be up here.” I asked, incredulous.
Her tone was biting. “I figured there might be something down here.”
“And is there?”
“Aside from a couple of inches of water? Not that I can see.”
“And the brick?” I asked.
“It’s still up there.” She pointed.
I leaned in, my eyes searching for the brick with the writing. It was still attached to the well, but now that most of the bricks in that section had fallen off, it lay exposed. I leaned my phone on the top of the well to keep the light on that area and grasped the brick I wanted with both hands, pulling firmly.
“Harper, wait!” Valentina said, but it was too late. As I managed to pull the brick free, a few others nearby loosened and fell, knocking my phone into the well.
“Catch it!” I screeched on instinct, and everything went dark. I stood silently as Valentina pointed her flashlight back up to me, casting the little building with light.
“My phone?” I asked in vain, and she held it up, water dripping in globs from the shiny new device.
“Turn it off, turn it off!” I said quickly, and Valentina obliged, scrambling to hit the off button. When I saw my phone’s light dim, I breathed out.
“And yours?” I asked, feeling a sudden pang of regret.
Valentina closed her eyes. “Dead. Don’t you think I would have called you guys hours ago for help?”
I set the brick down in front of me and rubbed my hands on my face. “Not really. You were kind of mad when you left.” I breathed out, frustrated. “Valentina, why is this whole Order thing so important to you anyway?”
It was quiet, aside from the sounds of the rain hitting the roof. Seconds went by, turning to minutes. When I was sure Valentina wasn't going to answer me, I started moving again, reaching for the ladder.
Valentina spoke, stopping me in my tracks, her voice small. “If I join the Order, there’s no more ‘sorry, I can’t make it to your 8th-grade graduation’, or ‘I’m going to Paris with some stupid girl’s dad for a hopeless fling’.” She was talking about her mom, I realized. “What happens when I turn eighteen? Do you think my mom will give a shit what happens to me then? If she can’t even pay attention to me now, forget it. And Adan… What happens when we graduate? If we go to different schools? When he settles down with someone? I’ll be alone, Harper.” The words were spilling out of her then, truths I always wondered about but never got to hear out loud.
“If I join the Order, I’m guaranteed at least five other members to show up to everything in my life. To support me. To be literally obligated to be a part of my world, even if it’s superficial and elitist and dumb.” And there it is, I thought.
I opened my mouth to speak, but she continued. “I am going to find whatever it is the scroll is telling us to find, Harper. I thought it would be down here, but it isn’t. But it doesn’t matter. Because when I find it, whatever it is, I’m dragging Adan to the final meeting place, and he and I will both be inducted into the Order, where we will have no choice but to be there for each other forever.”
I pressed my lips together. “You know what, yeah. That makes sense.” I looked around as if I
could see through the building and across the island. “How did you get here anyway? I didn’t see a jet ski or anything.”
She ran a hand through her hair. “I took the ferry. I didn’t want to be tired out when I got here. Which, by the way, I’ve been stuck in here for hours, so if we could get on with getting me out of here, that would be great.” Oof, I couldn’t wait to tell her how I’d also hitched a ride here, and we had no way off this island. That was going to be fun.
I picked up the ladder and flung it over the well, hooking it onto the sturdiest side I could find.
“Incoming,” I warned. Valentina stepped back as the metal thwacked against the brick.
I leaned slightly into the opening, my back arching uncomfortably, and pulled up on the ladder as Valentina stepped on it. Her weight almost knocked the wind out of me, but I held on firmly. She climbed up as quickly as she could. The moment she neared the top, I let go of the ladder and grabbed onto her arms instead, pulling her up and out of the well. Her descent from the edge was a little awkward, and she ended up practically falling on top of me, our bodies tangled in each other’s coats. Her face was inches from mine, and I could see she was shaking. I was shaking too.
“Thank you.” She breathed.
I swallowed. “You’re welcome.”
In a flash, her lips were pressed against mine, the warmth from her mouth lighting up my entire body. My hand moved from her back to her neck, and I leaned in slightly, moving deeper into the kiss. And just as soon as it began, she pulled away, dragging the rest of her body up with her.
“Sorry.” She muttered, looking down. “We should dry off.”
Valentina beelined it back towards the house, leaving me in the dark.
“Hey, what about the -” I sighed. “Brick.” I groaned and reached my hand out to where I’d left it, fingers tracing over the familiar engravings.
“Got it,” I whispered to myself, scooping it up. I rushed after Valentina, a wild mix of emotions running through my mind.
***
“This better not become our new thing,” I said.
“What?” Valentina looked over at me, her body only inches from mine on the antique loveseat we were sitting on. It wasn't that comfortable - the piece had a wooden backing digging into my shoulder blade with floral cushions to match the walls.
“This.” I gestured around me, referring to our current predicament. “One day, that dryer is definitely going to kick it, and we’re going to get stuck in wet clothes all night,” I said, my humor an attempt to lighten the mood. I looked at the questionable blanket from one of the bedrooms I had spread across my bare legs. Valentina had barely been drenched in the storm, so she sat next to me in jeans and a sweater, a much more conservative look in comparison to my tank top and underwear.
“I’ll make a mental note to bring some backup clothes next time. Hey, maybe I can even call my interior decorator to expand the closets.” She joked, and I laughed. Her own laugh turned into a sigh, and her fingers rubbed circles over her closed eyelids.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell Adan you were coming here.” She said. I cringed, silently praying the rice my phone was currently sitting in would do the trick. Thank God this place had the essentials. Tonight though, I was in no rush to get back. Not anymore, anyway.
I threw my head back against the couch and looked straight ahead at the fireplace sitting cold and unused. “I didn’t want him to follow me.” I felt movement next to me. When I turned my head in Valentina’s direction, I saw she’d done the same. She was watching me, waiting for me to continue.
“For you? You know he would. And with the storm… it was just too dangerous.” I waved my hand in front of me, like that explanation pretty much covered it. “It would have been stupid to bring him out here like that.”
“But not too dangerous for you?” She said quietly. My gaze flickered back down to her lips, and my mind traveled back to that kiss we shared just before. I forced myself to look back into her eyes, but I felt my gaze land back on her lips again.
I smiled, like that was somehow an answer to her question.
“Oh,” Something flashed in Valentina’s eyes, and she shoved her hand in her pocket, grabbing something and tossing it to me. “I found your lighter.” She said. I held my palm open and examined the familiar square of metal. I flicked the gear, and a small flame appeared.
“You found it,” I smirked. “Or you looked for it?” A small smile played at her lips, giving her away.
She sighed like she couldn’t be bothered that I caught her doing something good for once, but her smile was still there. Valentina didn’t meet my eyes, as she said. “I, I just didn’t want to come back empty-handed… is all.” She glanced up at me, and something warm spread across my entire body, giving me goosebumps. I was probably grinning like an idiot, but I didn’t care.
“You know,” I said, breaking her gaze and surveying the room. My vision danced on the assortment of memorable furniture. “I think my grandfather brought me here before. I didn’t realize it last night, not with all the fear and darkness, but now that I’m here, it brings up some memories. I remember being here with him. I wonder why?” The dizzying wallpaper caught my eye, and my brain danced, tugging at a memory just out of reach.
I held my lighter up and turned it, the name FONTAINE catching the light. Something else clicked in my mind, the wallpaper fading once again into the background.
“The brick!” I scrambled up, attempting awkwardly to drag the thin quilt with me but ultimately giving up. Modestly be damned at this point. We’d been so busy warming up and drying off when we came in, I forgot all about the brick. I jogged to the kitchen table where I’d left it and brought it back in. Valentina stood and walked over to me, our eyes glued on the heavy cube in my hand.
“The six families,” Valentina whispered, her finger dragging across each of the engraved names.
“And the rose compass, I was right. And -” We both sucked in a breath. I held the brick closer, verifying I was reading the old letters correctly. Like the rose emblem, it was much more faded than the names of the six families.
“Malloy.” We said at the same time.
“Wait, what does this mean?” I asked. Our hands were both clutching the brick now, its rough edges digging into our skin.
“Well,” she looked down, thinking. “There’s obviously a connection between the Order and Malloy. We know they were both here at one point and time, and they both marked this brick.”
“Right,” I said, encouraged. “So maybe this is what Cunningham wanted us to find! When he gave us the coordinates to Castle Hill, I was sure that was our final destination. And maybe it still is! I’ll bet anything that the induction ceremony is tomorrow at Castle Hill. But this brick… He wanted us to find something and somewhere.”
“A brick Harper? You think the Order pointed us in the direction of a brick? Maybe there’s something else here.”
I leaned back and forth on my feet. “The rose compass crest, they put that on the back of each scroll. Maybe to lead us to Rose Island? It was just an accident that Shane chose to dump me on this stupid island last night as part of his little revenge scheme. I bet the Order was hoping we would find this.”
Valentina started pacing, her eyes on the floor. “Sure, that all makes sense, but what does the brick mean? That’s why I went into the well in the first place, Harper. When you said there was a brick with the Order’s names on it, I figured it had to be pointing to something. But I was in that well for hours, and there was nothing in there.” Pointing to something, I thought. The brick was pointing to something. Marking something.
I was quiet for a moment, and Valentina stopped.
“V, why do Pirates leave their mark?”
She raised her eyebrows. “So they know where to find their treasure.”
“And why would the Order mark their names on that same brick? Why would they adopt Malloy’s emblem?”
Valentina pivoted on her heel and stood directly in front of me. “Because they found something?”
“V, what are the chances the treasure was buried in that well, and the Order of the Six found it 100 years ago?” I imagined stacks of gleaming bars of gold filling the entirety of the well, just waiting to be discovered. This time I started pacing, the brick feeling light in my hands.
Valentina rolled her lips. “Well, our families didn’t come from money. Actually, they did, but not one hundred years ago… From the stories I heard, the Six were a bunch of fishermen or something until they hit it big.” She paused, and we made eye contact. At the same time, we both turned and peered out the kitchen window, our eyes landing on the mansions lit up across the ocean. “One hundred years ago, like… when the Order was formed.” She finished.
“But even if they had found Malloy’s treasure, and even if it was millions, our families collectively have way, way more than that,” I said, gesturing to the cumulative billions sitting gracefully along the coast.
Valentina stood beside me. “But that was a lot of money one hundred years ago. It might explain why The Order bought up so much property the year it was formed. If they didn’t want to alert anyone that they found it, they probably invested much of it to make it seem like their wealth came from savvy business decisions. From there, they just got richer.”
“Which is probably why Cunningham sent us on a wild goose chase to Rose Island. He wanted us to understand how the Order was formed.” I whispered. “Sounds like a lot of work for something that could have been easily explained in a mission statement.”
A grin spread across Valentina’s face. “Harper, we did it. We finished the riddle.” She turned to me, her hands latched onto my arms. “And if we can get your phone on before 6 o’clock tomorrow, maybe we can get off this island and make it to Castle Hill.” I squirmed, her optimism seemingly overreaching for our current situation.
My hands moved to Valentina’s back. Something nagged at me. There was more to this story. “But I have so many questions… Like what about the shipwreck they found a hundred years ago? If Malloy was in a shipwreck, why was his treasure buried on Rose Island? And, why here, anyway? Did he not have someone to pass the treasure along to? There’s so much more that we need to-”
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