Ambrosia Shore (27 page)

I appreciated his encouragement, but I knew Rayne was about to lose some of that confidence. I hesitated as I wrote:

So, try not to get upset, but I didn’t really lose the stone. It was stolen...by Voss.

It took a moment for Rayne to respond, like he went silent on the other end. But he finally replied with a landslide of words coming at me all at once.

I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING. TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED. DID HE HURT YOU AGAIN? DID HE SAY ANYTHING? WERE YOUR GUARDS QUICK TO RESPOND? DID THEY INCREASE YOUR SECURITY? ARE THEY GOING TO PULL YOU OUT OF SCHOOL?

I wasn’t surprised by Rayne’s response. I knew the news would upset him. I almost regretted telling him, but even if it caused him stress, I realized it was probably better that he knew the truth. I took a few minutes to explain everything to him in detail from the night before, as well as my conversations with Orion and Agent Duke this afternoon.

After a few minutes of worrying, Rayne was back to telling me everything would be okay, and I was more than happy to let him. I didn’t want to think about any of it anymore, not Voss, not the missing Briolette, not Rayne stuck in prison a billion light-years away.

I wrote:

I just want to imagine that everything is back to normal, that you’re talking to me from right across the street just like you used to.

WELL, THEN LET’S PRETEND I’M NOT A UNIVERSE AWAY. IF I WERE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU, SITTING INSIDE MY HOUSE, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING RIGHT NOW?

I didn’t even have to think about it. I immediately wrote back:

I would be sprinting out of my house to come see you of course!

He wrote:

GOOD, BECAUSE I’M WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR YOU TO ARRIVE AT MY DOORSTEP. IN FACT, I’M PICTURING MYSELF OPENING THE FRONT DOOR FOR YOU RIGHT NOW. AND I’M WEARING A HUGE GRIN BECAUSE I GET TO REMEMBER JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE. YOU’RE WEARING MY FAVORITE BLUE SWEATER, THE ONE THAT MATCHES YOUR EYES...

It was almost as if I could picture him standing there... his smooth skin, his inviting smile, the way he made me feel so alive and safe at the same time. Just the thought of him made my heart melt.

I drew a smiley face on the page next to his message, and wrote:

I’m grinning too, because it’s so nice to see your face. You don’t know how happy it makes me every time I see it. Now I’m reaching out my hand to hold yours. It’s like everything bad in the world is disappearing around us.

I could almost feel him near me as his next words appeared.

AND NOW I’M WRAPPING MY ARMS AROUND YOUR BACK TO PULL YOU CLOSER. THE ONLY THING I WANT, THE ONLY THING I CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT, IS HOLDING YOU TIGHTER AND KISSING YOU UNTIL I FORGET WHERE I AM.

Little tingles spread up my neck.

Now I’m kissing you back and wishing it would never end. It feels like, as long as we’re together, no one can ever hurt us.

Before I could read his next words, a knock tapped on my bedroom door, and my mom poked her head inside.

“Sweetie, time for dinner,” she said.

I pulled the diary closer into my lap and nodded. “Okay, just give me like, two more minutes and I’ll be right out.”

As soon as she agreed and the door was closed again, I hurried to read Rayne’s last message.

NOW I’M TRACING MY FINGER THROUGH YOUR HAIR, GENTLY BEHIND YOUR EAR, SO I CAN LEAN IN CLOSE AND WHISPER AGAIN AND AGAIN HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.

I thought I could die now and be happy. Rayne made me feel like, like something I couldn’t explain in words. All I could say was:

And I will never grow tired of hearing it, as long as it comes from you.

Then, as much as I hated to do it, I had to say goodnight. By the time I finished dinner, Rayne’s lights would be out in his cell, and we would have to wait until tomorrow to live again through our words.

Orion secured his gun in the holster under his suit jacket and turned to his team leader. “Keep the men in position,” Orion instructed. “Don’t move in until I give the signal.”

With twenty men watching his back, Orion entered the familiar warehouse with full confidence. When he exited the freight elevator on the sixth floor, he walked carefully into the large concrete room. Stark sunlight cut across the darkness in focused streams, coming in through the cracked checkered windows.

Voss emerged into the shadows from behind a pile of corroded debris. “You’re late,” he said dryly.

Orion concealed a smug smile. “Yes, I had some business to attend to.”

Voss didn’t move, holding back a few yards away. “Do you have any news to report, or are you just here to show off that pretty, politician face of yours?”

Orion laughed once under his breath. “The Council is moving forward with the public hearing just as I planned. Hamlin should be out of our hair soon.” Orion paused, taking a step forward, his tone turning sinister. “And you, Mr. Hastings…do you have anything you’d like to share? Find anything interesting recently?” Then, without waiting for a response, Orion reached for his gun and sent three bullets straight through Voss’s chest.

Voss collapsed to the concrete. Orion reached the man’s body in less than a second, scouring every inch of him in search of the Briolette. When he couldn’t find it, he shoved Voss’s body over with irritation and searched his back.

The sound of Voss’s devilish laugh burned Orion’s ears, then a hard jab knocked across Orion’s face, sending him to the ground. He rolled to his back and reached for his gun, pointing it back in Voss’s direction.

Voss stood over him with a self-satisfied smirk. “You didn’t really think I was that stupid, did you? Go ahead…shoot me again. I can do this all day.”

“Where is it?” Orion demanded. “Where’s the stone?”

“Perhaps once you follow through with your end of the bargain I’ll show it to you,” Voss said.

Orion jumped from the ground, still aiming his gun. “I’m afraid that bargain is no longer in effect. You’ve become a liability. Not only have you turned into an impulsive lunatic, but your resources here are running thin. You know it, and I know it. You’re of no real use to me anymore. Once I have the Briolette, the team I have waiting outside is going to take you back to Cayno where you belong.”

Voss’s eyes narrowed. “I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve been waiting a long time for an excuse to damage your pretty face.” Without hesitation, Voss sprang forward and kicked the gun out of Orion’s hand, then sent a blow across his face.

Orion’s neck whipped to the side. He struck back immediately, jabbing his fist deep into Voss’s gut. For a split second Orion’s eyes went wide with recognition as his hand hit. Instead of yielding flesh beneath his fist, his punch hit something hard. It was the Briolette, implanted beneath Voss’s skin.

Using the distraction, Voss threw his force down on Orion’s neck, shoving him to the ground. He threw a kick across Orion’s jaw and two more punches to his face before Orion swept Voss’s leg in retaliation, knocking him off his feet. They wrestled across the concrete through a mound of filthy debris, their legs twisting in struggle, hands clawing, fists flying.

They landed by a pile of old electrical wires. Voss reached for a wire, forced it around Orion’s neck, pulling and strangling until he couldn’t breathe.

“Your plan never would have succeeded,” Voss said as he pulled tighter. “Your sympathy for Hamlin made you weak. I’m glad this little charade is over, so I can get on with my plans for him.”

As Voss reveled in his triumph, Orion struggled to break free, gasping for air. A large shard of glass gleamed through the dust beside him and he reached out his hand. He pushed with his legs, with every last ounce of strength. His fingers touched the glass and he fumbled frantically. With his last breath, Orion grabbed the shard and plunged it through Voss’s stomach. Voss dropped the wire and groaned in pain.

Orion had to act quickly. He sprang forward at Voss, ripped the shard deeper across his waist, then jabbed his hand into the wound to pull out the Briolette.

Orion shoved the blood-covered stone into his pocket. Voss’s eyes raged as he staggered to his feet.

Filled with a new surge of power, Orion thrust his hands at Voss’s shirt, yanking him sideways to crash his head against a metal beam.

When Voss crumpled to the ground Orion pulled out his radio. “Move in,” he commanded with a wry smile. In less than thirty seconds his team would be dragging Voss into custody.

Suddenly, a loud roar of breaking glass thundered from behind. Orion whirled around in alarm, just in time to see Voss crash his body through one of the windows. Orion’s team burst through the doorway, rifles loaded, but it was too late. Orion ran to the massive window, now shattered to pieces, and found a thick, tattered rope hanging over the edge, attached to a metal beam that supported the ceiling.

There was no one hanging from the rope. Orion watched it swing limply through the air, cursing under his breath, knowing that Voss was already gone.

Go ahead and try to run,
Orion thought to himself.
 Now you’re nothing but a desperate man, at the end of your rope, with nothing left to live for.

To my surprise, Heather was waiting for me by my locker first thing Monday morning. After such a rough weekend, I wasn’t even sure she would show up at school, let alone be willing to make eye contact with me. Her glances were tentative at best, but there was no mistake…Heather was waiting for me, and she looked like she wanted to talk.

“Hey,” she said quietly.

“Hey,” I repeated back, feeling just as hesitant.

Heather pressed her lips together nervously then said, “So, I think I owe you an apology.”

I immediately shook my head. “No, I think I do.”

Heather looked at me sternly. “Are you going to let me say this or not?”

I held back a small grin. I could already feel Heather coming back to me.  “Yeah, sorry,” I said. “Go ahead.”

Heather folded her arms. “Well, what I was going to say…” She glanced down. “Well, I just, I guess I understand how big a deal it is that your father came back after all this time and everything, and…I might have overreacted a little when you told me you wanted to go work for him or his company or whatever it is. I mean, this whole thing with my dad was like…” Heather paused and finally looked at me with pained eyes. “It was like, the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me, the kind of thing that I never thought could happen to me, you know? And the thought of losing my own dad made me realize that you’ve hardly even had a chance to get to know yours, and I feel like a total brat for even thinking I had a reason to be mad in the first place. I just…well, basically, I’m just trying to say that I’m sorry, and I think it will be really cool if you can go work with your father after graduation.”

I couldn’t contain my grin. “Really?”

Heather rolled her eyes. “Um,
yeah
. Really…” Then she grabbed me for a hug. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to miss you like crazy when you go.”

The words choked in my throat. “I’m going to miss you too…like crazy.”

Heather pulled back. “Oh, there’s just one condition in order for me to forgive you.”

My shoulders tensed. “What?”

She laughed. “You have to explain to me what that freaky
voodoo
-thing was that you did to my dad the other night. I seriously thought you were going to suck out his soul and send him to purgatory or something.”

I tried to laugh to cover up the fact that I had no idea how to explain. “Oh that,” I began, “that was just—”

Suddenly, Justin Crane’s voice called from across the hall. “Hey, Morgan,” he said, calling Heather by her last name. I was never so glad to hear one of Justin’s interruptions.

He strode up beside Heather and gave her a big smile. “I just wanted to say congrats, you know, for your dad not dying and stuff.”

Heather raised one eyebrow. “Uh, thanks, I think.”

“Yeah, no prob,” Justin said. Then he pretended to punch me in the shoulder. “So, I’ll see you guys in fourth period, right?”

I laughed and shook my head. “Yep, we’ll be there.”

When Justin was gone, I turned to get my books out of my locker, hoping that Heather had forgotten all about her question regarding my so-called voodoo on her dad Saturday night. To my relief, she didn’t bring it up again. Instead she went on to tell me all about how her dad was like a completely different person now, planning family vacations, talking about quitting his job to follow his dream of opening a bed and breakfast. Basically, her entire family realized that life was short, and you had to make the most out of every moment together.

As Heather spoke, I could sense a change in her, a shift in perspective. For once, she actually sounded happy at the idea of spending time with her family, instead of making it sound like some kind of torture to be seen with them in public. Her dad’s heart attack was scary for everyone, but I wondered if, in a small way, it was kind of a good thing. Either way, I was incredibly grateful to have my friend back. I wasn’t sure we had much time left together.

By Wednesday afternoon, it was clear that all was forgiven on Heather’s end. I could tell we both had a quiet nagging in the back of our minds, knowing that this was the beginning of goodbye, but we both pushed it to the background, doing our best to make the most of our last moments of high school. After all, Saturday was already prom, and a week and a half later we would graduate. Then it would all be over, and everything would change.

As I drove home from school I admired the sky outside my window. Somehow, it still looked purple. I could hardly believe it. I knew the Water Briolette was strong, and I had kept it with me for weeks before I lost it, but I wondered just how long the effects of its power could last inside me. Of course, I certainly wasn’t complaining. Before I went to Ambrosia I had lived for months with the threat of death looming right around the corner, and even though I had no idea how long this could last, I still felt a sense of lingering freedom and strength from the stone’s presence.

Orion was waiting for me in the front yard when I arrived home. “I’m leaving to go back to Banya,” he said. “Rayne’s hearing is still expected to take place tomorrow morning. I promise to do everything I can to convince the Council to show leniency.”

“Thank you,” I said.

Orion opened the door to his car. “I’ll be back soon. For now, Agent Duke is in charge.”

I watched Orion’s rearview window disappear down the street, realizing that by this time the next day, there was a good chance Rayne would know the fate of his future—the fate of our futures.

As soon as I was inside, I pulled out the diary to make sure Rayne was still there. All day long I had worried that he would suddenly stop responding. I took in a big breath of relief when his wonderful, comforting handwriting appeared on the page.

I’M JUST SITTING HERE MISSING YOU LIKE I ALWAYS DO, AND EATING A BLAND DINNER WITH ASH AS MY ONLY ENTERTAINMENT. ALTHOUGH, I HAVE TO SAY, HE’S BEEN SURPRISINGLY QUIET THE LAST FEW DAYS. WELL, EXCEPT FOR WHEN THE INTERROGATORS COME.

I could feel my stomach get tighter as I wrote:

Orion just left to go back for your hearing. He says it’s still set to happen tomorrow morning. How are you feeling? Are you ready for this? How much longer do you think we’ll be able to talk?

I’M NOT SURE. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THEY’RE PLANNING TO COME FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TO GET ME READY. I CAN’T EXACTLY BRING THE DIARY OUT THERE WITH ME, SO YOU PROBABLY WON’T HEAR FROM ME FOR A WHILE AFTER THAT.

It was close to six thirty in Banya. I hoped that meant we still had another four hours before his guards would come to turn out the lights like they had in the past. I didn’t know what was going to happen tomorrow, and as much as I wanted to believe everything would work out, I knew there was a chance this could be the end for me and Rayne, for our hopes of being together. Orion and my father could fail miserably to convince the Council; Rayne could be sentenced to anywhere from a few years in prison to a lifetime in exile.

But I couldn’t let myself focus on that. I had to believe there was hope. I tried to think of all the possibilities for our futures if things did work out. I stared at the page pensively as I wrote:

Rayne, do you ever think about what our lives could be like when all of this is over? If they let you go?

In less than a second he wrote back:

OF COURSE I DO. ALL THE TIME.

I read his words thoughtfully.

Do you think you would want everything to go back to the way it was before? Or do you wish things could be different?

WELL I’VE HAD A THOUSAND DIFFERENT DREAMS OF HOW WE COULD PLAN OUR LIVES TOGETHER, BUT IF YOU’RE ASKING ME TO HELP YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN EARTH AND AMBROSIA, YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY, TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU. I DON’T WANT TO BE THE REASON YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME, OR THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

I know, but, what if I told you that I’ve already made up my mind?

His response was quick.

WAIT, YOU’VE ALREADY DECIDED?

I suddenly felt the need to explain.

I didn’t tell you earlier because I wanted to be sure, but I feel like I know what I need to do. I want to come back to Ambrosia to stay.

Rayne didn’t respond right away. I waited nervously for his words to appear. He finally wrote:

WOW, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. ARE YOU SURE? WHAT ABOUT YOUR MOM AND YOUR LIFE THERE? I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME YET. IF THINGS GO WRONG TOMORROW, I MIGHT BE STUCK IN PRISON FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. I MEAN, THIS COULD BE YOUR CHANCE TO GO BACK TO YOUR NORMAL LIFE, THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE. YOU KNOW, IT’S OKAY TO WAIT UNTIL WE KNOW MORE BEFORE YOU DECIDE.

I know, but despite everything that’s gone wrong since I found out about my father and Ambrosia, I still feel like this decision is the right one, no matter what happens. UCLA was Heather’s dream, not mine. I need to find my own path. I want to understand who I really am, where I come from, what I’m meant to be, and Ambrosia feels like the place for me to do that. I really don’t want to do it without you, but I will if I have to.

IF YOU’RE SURE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT, THEN I’LL SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR DECISION ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.

Really? You don’t think I’m crazy for wanting to do this?

NO, I DON’T THINK YOU’RE CRAZY. ACTUALLY, I THINK YOU’RE KIND OF AMAZING. WHENEVER I THINK I’VE GOT YOU FIGURED OUT, YOU ALWAYS TURN AROUND AND SURPRISE ME. IF YOU FEEL RIGHT ABOUT THIS, THEN I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU’RE MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE.

I wished I could reach through the pages of my diary and squeeze him as tight as my arms would let me. Somehow, Rayne didn’t just understand me, he believed in me.

Thank you. That means a lot to hear you say that.

I HOPE MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT THEY LET ME OUT OF HERE SO I CAN EXPERIENCE IT ALL WITH YOU. I CAN HARDLY IMAGINE HOW AMAZING THAT WOULD BE. WHAT IF I COULD GO BACK TO BEING A NORMAL WATER KEEPER, WITHOUT HAVING TO GIVE YOU UP. THAT WOULD BE LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE. AND MAYBE I WOULD BE ABLE TO VISIT MY FAMILY AT THE ORCHARD MORE OFTEN.

I couldn’t help but smile when I read his words. Rayne so rarely expressed his own wishes and dreams. He was always pushing them to the background, trying to make everyone else happy. But then he stopped and wrote:

SORRY, I DIDN’T MEAN TO GO ON LIKE THAT. I GUESS IT’S JUST HARD NOT TO DWELL ON ALL THE THINGS I WISH WERE DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW. IT’S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO GET MY HOPES UP LIKE THAT.

I shook my head as I wrote:

No, that’s not true. I think it’s good to keep hoping. It’s always better to focus on the positive. And I like hearing you talk about it, about the possibilities for the future. I’ve been thinking about it too. I mean, just imagine what it could be like…no failing Watermarks, no need to keep secrets, no Voss there to torment us, no one saying it’s wrong for us to be together because we’re from two different worlds…

I CAN ALMOST PICTURE IT. IT SOUNDS AMAZING. WE COULD BE TOGETHER LIKE A NORMAL COUPLE…. GO TO A NICE DINNER DOWNTOWN, MAYBE SEE A SHOW, OR TAKE A WALK THROUGH BANYA CITY PARK. WE COULD GO VISIT LIZZY GROVE WHEVENVER WE WANTED, OR THE BEACH, OR EVEN TRAVEL TO OTHER PARTS OF AMBROSIA. I COULD GO BACK TO BEING A NORMAL WATER KEEPER AND YOU COULD DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED. I BET YOU COULD EVEN GO TO COLLEGE IN BANYA. I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT I’M FEELING KIND OF GIDDY JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.

It was impossible not to swell with anticipation as the hope spread through Rayne’s words. We both wanted more than anything to be there, to believe it was possible. I still secretly hoped the Council would somehow let me into the Academy, so I could be a Keeper too, but it wasn’t important. Even if that secret wish never came to be, the rest of Rayne’s dream sounded just about perfect.