Gaia's Secret (33 page)

And with that, he and his entire house
disappeared.

Tran was right. Cicero followed the rounded
symbol on his compass, and it took us all of one day to reach our
destination. Much faster than we had anticipated. But that last day
was never ending.

What would I say to Dad? Where would I even
start? It felt like ages since we had sat in our Subaru, arguing
about my future—the future he wouldn’t disclose to me then. I had
been adamant about moving forward. Would I have been as desperate
for change if I’d known this was going to happen?

Tran’s words had imprinted themselves on my
brain.
There is a responsibility that comes with knowledge
.
What was this supposed responsibility? As much as I wanted to trust
this family I’d known all my life, time only proved that I couldn’t
rely on them.

Alex rode in silence, bringing up the rear of
our procession. His withdrawing continued. Not even my ability to
sense his emotions could penetrate the barrier he was building. It
was like the time before he left—shrinking back into himself, his
face a mask of emotion. It hurt all over again.

I couldn’t ask him about it. I tried to
convince myself that my fear of confrontation had nothing to do
with this Vera girl who managed to weave her way into every
fleeting thought and feeling I had. But my mind kept returning to
her, along with the realization that he hadn’t denied anything. As
far as I knew, he could be dating her. And, although I didn’t quite
understand why, it was the deciding factor that made it difficult
for me to say anything to him.

The sunlight became softer, the shadows
became longer, and Cicero stopped.

The trees here were grand—the grandest I’d
seen—verdant and buzzing with life, covered in thick layers of
bright green moss. The earth was dark with moisture, soft and
pliable as I stood upon it. Soft chirps and melodies rang high in
the trees, vines swaying in the light breeze. The air here was rich
and aromatic. Just through the trees I caught a glimmer. Water.
We’d reached Lake Amadis.

And for all its grandeur—for all its magic—a
difficult truth began to set in.

I was off Calyx before anyone said a word.
“He’s not here.” My voice was flat.

Cicero exchanged a look with his wife.

“No. Not yet.” Cicero’s voice was too calm
for my liking.

The others dismounted. The air was cool, and
the breeze rustled through the trees, announcing its arrival even
before it brushed over my skin. Cicero and Alex went to hunt for
our dinner, and Sonya sat, mending arrows beside the fire she had
made.

“Can I check to see if Stefan’s written?” I
asked.

Sonya didn’t look up. “He hasn’t.”

“How do you know? Have you checked?”

“I will. Once Cicero returns.”

I watched her, attaching silver and green
feathers to the end of an arrow, and my frustration surged. Her
pack was right beside her, the pack that contained the book.

Later, once they fell asleep, I would read it
myself and plan my course of action.

Be patient with them. You know they are just
trying to keep you safe.

No. I was done being patient.

Sonya and I sat in silence: her preoccupied
with arrows, me simmering in frustrations. He was supposed to be
here. We were running behind. And he should’ve been waiting.

I could take Cicero’s maps or his
compass—which direction should I go first? But I’d feel guilty if I
left them without the means to return. Best leave Cicero’s compass
to him—after all, I couldn’t even read it. After about an hour of
silent planning, I decided I needed to move and clear my head.
“Mind if I walk along the lake for a bit?”

She looked up and smiled, but it failed to
touch her eyes. “Not at all.”

I started to walk away when she spoke again.
“Oh, and take your time. We’ll have dinner ready when you
return.”

“So you can discuss things without me,” I
mumbled and kept walking.

I meandered through the dense foliage;
brilliant blue glistened ahead. The breeze whispered through the
trees, and the melodic chiming sounded again. This time it was
right overheard. Craning my neck to focus, I peered up into the
green. Thick vines cascaded from above, but there was something
mixed in with them. Smaller vines shaded a silvery blue. Clusters
of them hung amidst the green like tinsel in the forest, and as the
breeze blew through them, they clanged against one another, filling
the air with harmonious melodies. Natural chimes.

I took a step forward when something squeaked
at my feet.

I glanced down at a cluster of white
mushrooms with large black spots. The biggest one stood directly at
my feet, its umbrella tilted back as if it had eyes and was looking
up at me.

Just as I was thinking I’d imagined the
squeaky sound, it moved.

It scrambled off into the bushes with a trail
of smaller mushrooms following right behind, all of them squeaking
angrily along the way.

I sighed. Once I found my dad, I would ask
him to take me far away from here—preferably somewhere without
plants.

When I emerged from the tree cover, my breath
caught. A crystal clear blue lake filled the crevice between
mountains still covered in winter’s snow. Bright orange and yellow
flowers rimmed the perimeter, filling spaces where trees weren’t,
their vivid shades just as rich on the water’s reflective surface.
The lake rippled gently in the soft breeze beneath a sky streaked
with shades of bright orange and blazing pink. The moss covered
ground tried to dip its fingers into the water, disappearing just
beneath the surface.

I took off my boots, pushed up my leathers
and stepped in the water. It was cold to the touch, but refreshing.
It had been days since I’d had a bath. I braved a glimpse of myself
in my reflection. My eyes were sunken, my long hair a tangled mess
and there were dark streaks of dirt on my cheeks. I really did look
like a refugee. No wonder I’d frightened the mushrooms away.

I scooped up handfuls of water, wiping them
over my face. The thought crossed my mind to just get it over with
and take a bath, but the cool breeze deterred me. I didn’t want to
air dry in this cold evening air. Plus, seeing how the water here
was so clear and pure, it didn’t seem right tainting it with my
filth.

The perimeter curved until I stood at a small
inlet, a single large boulder standing in the center of it. I
stopped walking and gazed at the pristine lake. The water rolled
gently, lapping at the base of the boulder. The breeze lifted
strands of my hair into my face, and for a moment I closed my eyes,
allowing my senses to drink in the nature around them. The sound of
the water licking at the shore, the cool air tickling my skin, its
fresh scent filling my lungs. My mind shut down. All my
frustration, all my anxiety, all my planning, all of my doubts—they
were lost in the tranquility of my surroundings. I’d almost
forgotten what it was like to be alone.

Over the course of the past week, I’d been
forced to deal with everything under constant surveillance. Soon I
would have Cicero’s map in my hands, and Calyx, my devoted
traveling companion. After tonight, I’d be alone, like I was right
now.

But when I opened my eyes, I realized I
wasn’t alone.

Something shimmered on the lake’s surface,
off to my left. At first I thought it was a reflection, but when I
noticed the glimmer was localized, I wasn’t so sure.

The shimmer moved.

Swirls of water twisted and bubbled, flowing
swiftly across the surface of the water, straight for the boulder.
It paused, swirling and bubbling in place, and then continued
forward—a small, localized current of water—moving straight for the
rock.

Curious, I took a step forward and the
movement ceased.

For a few minutes, the water was still, the
evening quiet.

The bubbling returned, but more violently
this time. The water churned and swirled, and then it rushed
towards me.

I took a quick step backwards and froze. A
narrow column of water rose from the lake’s surface. Water fell
away, leaving behind a girl. Her skin was ivory, her hair long and
golden as it floated around her face like she was still underwater.
Her slender, elegant frame was covered in a shimmering gown
seemingly made of water. Two exotic blue eyes stared at me as she
raised one of her delicate fingers to her full red lips. Then she
pointed beyond me.

My eyes followed the direction of her finger.
There, spread out on a rock, was a familiar white shirt, brown
pants, a pair of leather boots, and a sheathed sword. Alex’s
clothes.

When I turned back around, her large red lips
pulled up into a smile, and she disappeared back into the
water.

I couldn’t believe it. This woman, magical
creature—whatever she was—was spying on Alex, and she expected me
to stand by and let her.

I wasn’t sure what to do. Should I let him
know? My pride said to leave him be. He obviously wasn’t dressed
and I didn’t need him thinking I was spying on him.

Except, if I was bathing, and someone had
been spying on me, I would want to be told—immediately.

My mind was made up.

I took one step back in the water.
“Alex.”

The bubbling surged and the girl appeared
before me. This time, her face was livid. She glided forward, arms
extended as if to embrace me, but just as I braced for contact, her
shape disappeared, transforming into water—water that washed over
my entire body.

The surface of the lake stilled, and I was
left drenched, freezing, and overwhelmed with Alex’s amusement.

Heat licked up my neck and face as I glanced
up. Alex’s head was poking out from the side of the boulder, his
dark hair matted to his head, part of his bare chest exposed. And I
felt ridiculous.

His brow was arched and he had a smirk on his
face. “I never knew you for a spy.”

Don’t think of him naked….don’t think of him
naked….

My cheeks burned. “I thought you were
hunting.”

“I was.”

His amusement rolled over me in waves.

This was what I got for being nice.

“Do you normally bathe with your clothes on?”
he asked.

My blood ran hot as he eyed me up and down. I
scowled. “Do you normally bathe with an audience?”

He looked satisfied. “So you were spying on
me.”

“No…I….she…” I stammered, pointing at the
water as his smirk stretched slowly into a smile. “You’re
impossible.”

He stared at me with that stupid grin on his
face as I glared back at him, starting to freeze. I wrapped my arms
around myself, trying to hold in my body heat and my composure—any
ounce of pride I had left.

“Aren’t you cold?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Well, then why are you just standing there
with that look on your face?”

He raised a brow. “You
do
realize my
clothes are behind you.”

My entire body felt like it was burning from
the inside out.

“Well, are you going to turn around or not?”
Alex asked.

Flustered, I spun around and shut my eyes
tight. Alex chuckled as he moved through the water. Why in the
world did I feel so embarrassed? I wasn’t the one naked.

I felt him walk behind me and listened for
his soft steps as he moved to his clothes.

“I wasn’t spying on you.”

He didn’t respond. It sounded like he was
pulling on his boots.

“Really,” I continued. “There was this girl,
only she came out of the water and she wasn’t like any girl I’ve
ever seen…”

“That was Amadis.”

“That
thing
has a name?”

“
She
—” I heard him tug on his other
boot “—protects this lake.”

I was appalled. “Wait, you
knew
she
was watching you take a bath?”

“Daria, honestly, I didn’t see her. Besides,
I don’t exactly have any other options, now do I? Unlike you, I
like going to bed dry.”

I couldn’t see, my fingers and toes were
going numb, and I was now standing in a puddle of my own
precipitation. It seemed to be taking Alex a bit longer than
necessary. I wouldn’t put it past him, in our current situation, to
make getting dressed a drawn out affair.

My irritation surged. “What are you doing?
Ironing your shirt?”

Nothing.

“Have I ever mentioned how adorable you are
when you’re angry?”

I opened my eyes. He was standing before me
fully clothed, his dark hair dripping around his face. His green
eyes were bright with amusement, and that arrogant smirk was still
on his face.

I’d had it.

I yanked up my boots and marched past him,
back towards camp.

He chuckled, bounding after me.

“I don’t see what’s so funny,” I said over my
shoulder.

“You wouldn’t.”

He caught up and walked beside me. I could
feel him watching me, but he said nothing else.

When we returned to camp, Cicero and Sonya
were seated beside the blazing fire with a kettle right beside it.
They eyed us as we approached, glancing from Alex to me with a
startling amount of apprehension.

“Should I even ask?” Cicero looked at
Alex.

Alex plopped down on a log. “Daria made a new
friend today.” He smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes and sat beside the fire,
trying to warm my fingers and toes.

Cicero grinned. “Ah, you met Amadis.”

“Yes, I met Amadis.” I motioned to my
drenched clothing.

Sonya got to her feet and walked over to me.
“I’m sorry, I forgot to warn you. Amadis doesn’t like other
females—definitely not attractive ones—and especially not when men
are present. She’s…insecure.”

Alex snickered and began eating his dinner. I
had the sudden urge to walk over and hit him.

“Here.” Sonya handed me a bowl of steaming
broth before I could act. “This should help.”