Hearken (Daughters of the Sea Series) (35 page)

             
“Can I count on you to look after Stasia while I go get her?” Finn ignored Olivia while addressing the room. I loved the fact that he didn’t trust my safety to anyone else. Not that I needed anyone ensuring my safety. They should be more worried about themselves. But they would find that out soon enough.

             
“Her?” Olivia asked again, with suspicion evident in her sober tone. Finn’s essence darkened considerably next to me.

             
“Stasia’s cousin.”

Chapter 35

Olivia

              “Stasia’s cousin?” I demanded as we descended the stairs of the tree house. “Since when does Stasia have a cousin?”

             
“Since today. She’s claiming to be Luna’s daughter.”

             
“
Luna?
” I asked no one in particular. The last time I’d heard that name was in my Order History class. “I thought she had no descendants?”

             
“So did I,” he muttered under his breath. He spun around abruptly and grabbed my wrist to inspect the trace on my palm. I snatched it away from him out of reflex, but his face showed his satisfaction at its inactivity. I’d noticed it had stopped burning by the time we’d reached the tree houses; eliciting a mixture of emotions within me. I was overjoyed by the fact that she was no longer in danger, but that either meant she was dead or someone else had saved her. Neither of which I preferred.

             
“Are those Sebastian’s horses?” Finn asked me.

             
“Yeah.”

             
“Interesting,” he mumbled. He eyed them warily as we walked past.

             
“More like terrifying,” I interjected, and then chuckled. “It was one hell of a ride. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

             
“Had you never been on a horse before?” he asked curiously. I didn’t miss the amusement lining his words.

             
“It’s not like the beach is the horse riding capital of the world, you know.”

             
“True,” he laughed. “But the irony is impeccable.”

             
“What’s
that
supposed to mean?” I stomped in front of him and put my hands on my hips.

             
“Back in the day, knights were also called Paladins,” he smirked at me.

             
“And?” I prompted impatiently.

             
“Knights always rode horses.” He covered up another laugh with a poorly executed cough, and brushed past me.

             
“I’m descended from Calypso, a powerful Goddess who wiped out whole armies of knights on the regular,” I huffed back at him. “What did their impressive horse riding abilities get them? Dead! That’s what.”

             
He shook with laughter as we made our way to the base of his tree house. Moments later, we both stopped in our tracks when emphatic, angry voices floated down from above. Finn and I shared a sharp glance as another roar of shouts filled the air. We raced up the stairs and into the small cabin perched in the candelabra tree; not knowing what we’d find once we got there.

             
  “If you’re going to cheat, at least be good at it!” Ricker was yelling when Finn swung open the front door.

             
“Why don’t you tell me your secret then, since you’re such an expert!” Ian threw back him viciously. He slammed his cards down on the dining room table and stood up.

             
“Oh, good.” Ricker noticed us. “Finn, come tell this cheater he can’t put down an Ace - one, two, three. Everybody knows it can only be Ace, King, Queen-”

             
“An Ace goes either way, you jack-wagon!” Ian argued, and threw up his hands in disgust. 

             
“You can’t be serious,” I muttered under my breath. Cards? That’s what they were all upset about? I walked over to the table where Sean, Ian, and Ricker appeared to be playing gin rummy and snatched the cards out of their hands.             

             
“Hey!” Ricker cried. “We’re in the middle of a game!”

             
“Not anymore,” I informed him calmly, and tucked the deck of cards into my back pocket.

             
“Where’s Liam?” Finn asked the guys.

             
“If I had to guess he’s probably sulking somewhere, painting his fingernails black and listening to Megadeth,” Ian snickered. It was then that I noticed a fourth person in the kitchen. She had her back to us and appeared to be washing something in the sink; oblivious to the card game or our arrival. Her pale, long hair swished back and forth as her arms went to work, and she hummed softly. Something seemed very familiar about her. With Finn taking care of the guys, I slowly made my way through the kitchen towards her.

             
“You’re getting stronger,” she accused me without turning around. “It would appear you are somewhat of an enigma, Paladin.”

             
“What did you say?” I provoked suspiciously. She set down a towel and deliberately added a small clear stone to the collection she had laid out on the countertop. She spun around and met my gaze with light blue eyes and a quiet smirk dancing on her pale lips. Her ivory skin appeared even more translucent in the artificial light of the kitchen. Her eyes weren’t violet, but I knew it was her. It was definitely her.

             
“What are you doing here?” I narrowed my eyes at her and took a menacing step towards her.

             
“At the moment?” she smiled at me. “Making the most of captivity. My crystals needed polishing.”

             
“Captivity?”             

             
“It’s extremely difficult,” she turned back around and sorted through the tiny crystals, “to be born into a specific destiny, whether you want it or not. The divine fate you’ve been given begins to feel more like a curse. Wouldn’t you agree?”

             
“And what would you know about curses?” I crossed my arms skeptically and raised an eyebrow. I heard Finn filling the guys in on where he’d found Stasia and how she was doing, and I did a quick palm check to make sure she wasn’t in danger.

             
“I know we can never reach our full potential until we embrace our ‘curse’ fully.”

             
“Spare me,” I scoffed. “You sound just like my mother.”

             
“Fallon.” Finn entered the room and eyed the girl with firm resolution. “Time to come clean. Let’s go.”

             
I was able to put two and two together fairly quickly, as Finn grabbed Fallon’s wrist and led her out of the kitchen. This stalking, riddle-speaking, pale girl was Stasia’s cousin. She was also the sole descendant of the other moon Goddess, Luna, which added to her ‘cannot be trusted’ status in my eyes.

             
“Tell Carmen to come over here when ya’ll are done questioning moon-girl,” Ricker told me off-handedly as I followed Finn and Fallon out the door.

             
“Don’t hold your breath,” I threw back at him.

             
“What about our cards?!” Ian whined at me. I slipped them out of my back pocket and tossed them back into the house; making them rain down on the three guys hoping to continue their card game. I snickered as I closed the door. Not a single word was spoken as we made our way back to Stasia’s house, but I noticed Fallon staring up at the moon the entire time. I kept my defenses up in case she decided to snatch it from the sky and throw it at us or something.

             
Once inside, I noted Amphitrite and Natasha talking quietly in the kitchen, while everyone else was still gathered in the living room. Except Stasia.

             
“Where’s Stasia?” I asked whoever decided to answer.

             
“We took her into the bedroom,” Avery explained. “She started moaning, so I tried to ease whatever pain she was feeling. I’m not sure if it worked or not but she seemed to relax, so we took her back into the bedroom where she’d be more comfortable.”

             
I found a spot against the wall – close enough to take down Fallon if need be. Sebastian walked over and leaned up against the wall beside me. Oddly enough, his presence comforted me. I quickly pushed that thought aside. I didn’t have time to think about him right now.

             
Once Finn and Fallon entered the room, everyone except Natasha fell quiet as they inspected the new arrival with hesitation and curiosity. Meara stepped forward and her face lit up with compassion.

             
“Fallon.” She nodded respectfully.

             
“Geia mi̱triá.” Fallon grinned back at her. Finn cleared his throat and sent the moon descendant a severe look of warning to ensure she said nothing else.

             
“This is Fallon,” Finn announced as he directed her into an arm chair. “We found her lurking around in the cave systems within the island.”

             
“She is not to be considered a threat,” Natasha informed us and glanced pointedly at Finn. I felt the room relax, but I was with Finn. I wasn’t convinced of her intentions, and until then, she would be considered a threat to Stasia’s security.

             
“I believe she has knowledge that relates to Stasia’s odd behavior, the missing relics and Luna,” Finn expounded. “And I’ll keep her here until she tells us everything she knows.”

             
“Fallon.” Natasha glided into the living room. “Please excuse my son’s behavior. It is his job to be difficult. I hope you can understand. He is simply worried for Stasia’s safety.”

             
“As am I,” Fallon spoke up with confidence. “Which is why I have granted him the ability to capture and detain me for this long.”

Chapter 36

Olivia

             
I watched the corner of Natasha’s mouth twitch as she fought back a smile, but Meara did nothing to hide hers. Finn turned toward Fallon with malice. He bent down mere inches away from her face, while his eyes darkened considerably with anger. I felt Sebastian stiffen at my side.

             
“I will
not
hesitate to send you straight to the darkest depths of Tribeca,” he growled at her.

             
“I am on your side, Finn,” Fallon said simply, not fazed by Finn’s threat. “But I do not respond to threats or violence. I am your equal, and I expect to be treated as one.”

             
A collective gasp sounded throughout the room. I inspected the small, pale girl sitting in the arm chair and couldn’t help but be impressed by her fortitude. She glowed with power, and the unwavering confidence in her eyes told me she could back that glow up. I supposed being the direct descendant of any Goddess would warrant that type of strength and self-assurance. Stasia embodied that same commandment of respect and display of dignity. As much as I’d tried to hate her when I first met her, it was that courage that finally won my respect.

             
We waited for Finn to strangle her or rip her to pieces; either of which being something I’d gladly assist with. Oddly enough, he did neither. He settled for asking her a question.

             
“Why do your eyes change colors? I’ve never seen any other Auras’ eyes turn violet.” It sounded more like an accusation, but Fallon seemed to accept it as his form of a truce.

             
“I am a direct descendant of Luna. My essence is very strong, and-”

             
“Then why did Stasia’s eyes turn violet when she attacked Amphitrite?” Finn interrupted her. He stepped backward and sat down abruptly, and I could tell he was fighting his instinct to beat her to a bloody pulp. “She’s a Goddess of the sea, for God’s sake, not a cold-blooded, presumptuous Aura.”

             
“Unfortunately, the only Auras the world has ever known are the Auras created and shaped by the other, less dignified moon Goddess - Selene.” She smiled in spite of herself. “Stasia’s father was a direct descendant of Selene, which makes her essence very strong as well. But what truly sets us apart from other Auras is something else.”

             
“What?” Carmen pressed.

             
“Neither of us are one of the pure, undiluted Auras of today.”

             
“Which means….” Avery prompted her.

             
“Stasia is only half Aura – because her mother is Thetis. I am only half Aura as well. My father is Atlas.”

             
“This is like a bizarre episode of the Brady Bunch,” Avery muttered.