Out of the Mountain (33 page)

Silas was helping Griffin and Jonah round up wood for the bonfire and everyone else was gearing up to take a swim. Now that I had a bathing suit that actually fit me, a simple black one-piece with a halter top, I felt a little better about the bare skin. Still though, catching everyone glancing at my marked outer thigh was making me feel odd. The nine marks were precise, and you could clearly tell that the design was meant to be tiger stripes. I liked the idea of it, but with everyone gaping at it at once, I felt self-conscious. Deciding I had enough of that, I ran for the rope swing and was the first to take a plunge into the cool water.

Briony joined right after, and a few others followed suit. I looked around to take stock of our guests as I swam. Tamora and Malachi were sitting at the water’s edge laughing loudly. Peyton, Genevieve, Willa, and Marlowe were playing some sort of game with the water, passing it quickly and randomly from person to person. Felix and Jonah were playing with the bonfire, manipulating it this way and that as they held conversation. Silas stood watch at the opposite side of the clearing from Rowan. That left Griffin, Finley, Briony, Luca, and me in the water. Adelaide and Tasmin had chosen not to come, which didn’t come as a surprise to any.

We swam for a while and when Griffin, Finley, and Briony decided to have a competition to see who could hold their breath the longest, I bowed out and swam to the edge of the pond. Darkness had fallen, and there was a bit of chill in the air as I pulled myself up onto the bank and sat with my feet still in the water. I sighed to myself as I tried to wring all the water from my hair. I had always kept it long while living with the monks, mostly because it was a part of my routine. I spent a lot of time playing with my hair and taught myself elaborate braids and styles. Now, though, it mostly got in the way.

“Mind if I sit?” Luca asked as he came out of the water. He was shirtless and his skin glistened. I tried to keep my eyes off his nice form. I patted the ground beside me, confused but knowing I was going to have to have a talk with him. Especially after what Rowan had done today.

“Of course not.” I smiled as he sat. His eyes found my outer thigh, and he looked up at me in question.

“So these have shown up every time, then?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s what you get for messing with blood magic. It’s kind of cool, though.”

“I like the design,” he quipped as he swept across my leg with the back of his hand. I stiffened as the heat of his hand drew a shiver from me. Our eyes met.

“Luca . . .”

“I had a feeling something was going on with the two of you.” He smiled a little, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“It’s hard to explain,” I said truthfully.

“It’s OK, Vivi, you don’t have to. I kind of knew it wasn’t going anywhere from the start, honestly. The two of you have this . . . energy surrounding you, it’s hard to ignore,” he admitted.

“I don’t know what to say about that. You are such a great guy, and I am coming to the conclusion that I am really screwed up in the head, but we can still be friends, right?” I asked, hoping it was possible.

“Always.” He smiled full and bumped my shoulder with his. I smiled widely back at him and gave him a quick hug.

“At least I was your first kiss. I get to claim that, right?” He winked, and I grimaced.

“You mean I wasn’t?” I shook my head no, and he laughed.

“That sneaky bastard.” He glared at Malachi, and I laughed, shaking my head again.
Malachi wishes.

“Well then, who?”

“Seriously? We are not talking about this!” I groaned, standing up.

“What? Why not? We are friends now, right? Friends talk about these things,” he quipped, and I groaned, shoving him playfully.

“Is there a problem here?” Rowan’s voice came low from behind us, and I jumped guiltily. Luca looked from between me and Rowan and rolled his eyes.

“Seriously?” he mouthed, and I pushed him into the water. He dragged me in with him. We came up sputtering and splashing, causing others to join in on what became an all-out water fight. It lasted only long enough for the water Conduits to join in and cause the others to surrender.

My hair was soaked again, so I conjured a towel and began trying to dry it as I walked closer to the fire to take the chill from the night air. I couldn’t help but feel relieved to have that talk with Luca out of the way. I was new to the dating scene, but something just hadn’t clicked with us in that way, and I could tell that he noticed it too.

A robe appeared around me, and I snuggled into its warmth. I didn’t have to look around to see who had covered me in it. It smelled of Rowan. I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but he didn’t leave me to wonder.

“It is difficult for me to see you so exposed around so many others.” His voice was apologetic from beside me. I turned to see his eyes were glowing.

“I was only letting myself dry a little before I changed.” I defended myself, embarrassed.

“I know.”

“I talked it out with Luca.”

“So I saw.” His lips quirked up, allowing me a view of that dimple.

“He took it really well, better than me, I think.” I admitted my confused feelings. I glanced over to see Luca laughing at something Tamora was saying. His posture was relaxed; his face was happy. He certainly didn’t look like he was too worried about the loss of our blossoming romance.

“The boy has a bit of a reputation as a flirt. I was fairly certain from the start that he was not serious in any way,” Rowan said, and I frowned at him.

“Well, regardless, it meant something to me . . . I’m just not exactly sure what.” I laughed at how confusing romantic feelings could be. Luca smiled at me when he caught my eye, and I returned the smile easily. A friend, that’s what Luca was to me.

“Your emotions are so very complex,” Rowan complained, confusion coating his face.
Ha, that’s what he gets for being nosy.

“Luca said that you and I have some sort of energy that surrounds us that people can feel?” I questioned.

“Our bond, I’m sure.” He glanced away from me quickly.

“Maybe so.”

“How’s it going?” Briony asked, joining us.

“As well as it can go, I suppose,” I replied with a smile.

“Luca told me you guys agreed it was better to stay friends.”

“I think it’s a good move for us both. He’s a great guy and should be available for real love to find him,” I said, and Briony nodded, looking at the ground. What was that about?

“He has a lot of silly little flings. I’m not sure he would know love if it kicked him in the teeth,” she grumbled, and I exchanged a confused glance with Rowan. She shrugged and shook her head, brushing off her thoughts and smiling at us.

“So does that mean that you two can be a thing now?”

“Rowan says no,” I quipped.

“Ugh, men,” she spat, and we laughed. Rowan didn’t join in.

“You feeling any better?” she asked more seriously.

“Actually, I have been. Keeping distracted helps me distance myself from it. Mostly I’m just angry now,” I admitted.

“That’s good. Anger we can deal with!” she yipped, smacking me on the rear.

“Hey!” I yowled, and she laughed.

“Take notes, Rowan. She doesn’t like it rough,” Malachi barked with a laugh, and Briony and I shared a look before we pounced on him. Teamwork.

***

We sat around until late in the night swapping strategies and ideas. Felix and Jonah had found ways to channel their fire through the wooden staffs. They made for very effective weapons. The invitations that Mauve sent out said that the coronation would be during the daytime, with the ball following as was custom. This meant that I was actually going to have to go through with the coronation; there wouldn’t be any kind of interruption. Nerves gathered in my stomach at the thought.

From what we knew about Narissa’s creatures, they couldn’t shift until the moon was full and in the sky. It would be dark when they attacked; that much we knew for certain. I could only hope that my borrowed powers would be enough to give us the upper hand and help save the innocents trapped within the Shade.

Silas had no way of knowing who in the other guard and novice training groups might be marked, and so he was doing his best to check them out and have them ready and assigned to duty the night of the ball. We didn’t know the entire plan, but what we did know was that they were coming to take me out and take over. It seemed ludicrous to even think I was central to their plans. I couldn’t imagine what Kieran and Narissa had cooked up in their twisted minds. I kind of hoped I would never have to find out.

After training the next day, Mauve came to escort me to dinner personally. It was odd, but I tried not to make a big deal out of it. Rowan followed behind us, a safe distance away. I tried to hide the suspicion on my face as she began to make small talk.

“How is your training going, my dear?”

“It’s going OK, I guess. I can’t really do very much yet.” I lied.

“I heard that you did very well in that obstacle course. I bragged about you to all of our would-be allies.” She frowned, and I stiffened.

“I am very good at running, jumping, and balancing, that much is true. It’s the fighting that has me stuck.”

“You will figure it out eventually, I’m sure.” It sounded like a threat.

“Is something wrong, Mauve?” I asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

“You cannot go now. We are so close! I do not want to take our victory without you by my side!” Narissa cried.

“Do not act as if you care for anything but the extra power and protection I would provide. I must go. Ambrosine demands it.”

“Why has she broken our deal? We were not meant to collect until years from now.”

“Something is amiss, and it is most certainly something on our end that has went wrong. She would not have called upon me otherwise.”

“If you go, you have no way of knowing how long you will be gone. Ambrosine controls the flow of time for all who enter.”

“I know how to word my bargains with her. Do not insult my intelligence, Narissa.”

“She is much smarter than you and I combined. It is best not to pretend otherwise,” she hissed.

“If I do not go of my own free will, you know what will happen,” he continued, eyes firm.

“So I am expected to do all the work, expend all my power, so that you can swoop in as prince and take the glory?”

“I expect you to fulfill your side of the arrangement we have made while I retrieve what is ours and hopefully still intact from Ambrosine. It will not be an easy feat to get in and out of that place unharmed. Would you like me to attempt to find the amulet or not?” He leered, and her eyes lit up.

“Yes! The amulet would be a nice gift to make it up to me, I suppose. Farran thought he was being clever hiding it with her.”

“I thought that might please you.”

“Yes, and while you are off traipsing through the forest, I will use my Creatures of Shadow to take what should have belonged to me long ago . . . and when you return, I suppose I will allow you to join me in the spoils,” she agreed, and he glared at her.

“It will be easy enough, I expect.”

“For me, it will.” She glowered.

I blinked, coming back to myself, still walking at Mauve’s side. She hadn’t noticed my distraction. I tried to keep it that way.

“ . . .and I just don’t understand why people cannot correctly RSVP!” She sighed in frustration.

“So inconsiderate” I agreed. I barely listened to her tell me that tomorrow my dress would be delivered and fitted as I thought about all the information I had just received. How had I gotten the vision of Narissa? I would have to try and touch Mauve again, and I was willing to bet Narissa had been using her to spy at that time. Which was what was allowing me even deeper access to her mind. She wasn’t being careful at all. That was both frightening and encouraging. She really had no idea we would be able to stand against her . . . and with Kieran gone? We might just have a chance.

***

After dinner I bathed while I waited for someone to hunt Farran down and send him to me. I settled in to finish the book and decided that I didn’t understand how I had survived my whole life without relaxing into a hot bath and reading a book. The monks really didn’t know what they were missing. Well, they probably did know, and that was probably the point of it. I couldn’t help but feel a little bit resentful at growing up so primitively. I hadn’t taken any sacred vows, and I didn’t reap any benefits of the lifestyle either. I couldn’t see the future or read minds . . .

Actually, maybe that did explain some of my unusual mind powers. I decided not to think too hard on it, because I would never know the answers. What I did need to do was talk to Farran. I needed to ask him who Ambrosine was before I felt comfortable sharing what I had seen with the others. I didn’t want to blindside him in front of everyone. I shut my frantic thoughts off and delved into my book again. The water was cold when I finished, and I couldn’t wait to fill Malachi in on the ending. Maybe I could convince him to read it on his own? Probably not . . .

I was wrapped in a robe and trying to brush my tangled hair when Farran knocked and announced himself at the door.

“Come in,” I told him, ripping the brush through the thick tangles and yelping in complaint when I pulled a clump of hair out in the process.

“Oh dear.” Farran frowned looking at the hair in my brush. His normally tan skin was washed of all color. Dark circles under his eyes. he looked awful.

“What’s the matter?” Rowan was in the doorway in a flash. I blushed.

“Nothing, shut the door.” He rolled his eyes and complied.

“I heard you were looking for me?” he asked watching me try to brush through the rest of the tangles with less force.

“Are you feeling all right, Farran? You don’t look so well . . .” I started, but he waved me off.

“All magic has a toll, and the magic I have been weaving is no simple trick. I’ll be fine. Here, let me have that,” he griped, taking the brush from my hand and sitting me on the edge of the tub.