Ripples (DROPLETS Trilogy Book 2) (9 page)

     I dashed up the stairs to my room seeking the comfort of my bed. For some reason I felt if I could get into bed I would be safe, as though my comforter provided some shield against the fears running through my mind. Not even bothering to change, I kicked off my boots and slipped into bed with my jeans and sweatshirt still on. I laid there thinking that my heart rate would slow down any minute now, but it didn’t. Every sound the house made, set my nerves on edge.

     From downstairs a small click reached my ears and a following creak confirmed my fears. Someone was inside the house. My breath shuddered and I held my knife close to my chest as I strained to hear any sound from below, but there was nothing to be heard. Time crept by slowly and even though it felt like an hour it was only mere seconds before one of the stairs creaked.

     I hopped out of bed, my knife held out in front of me. I knew it would do nothing against Morven but it was at least worth a try. Slinking over to the wall, I pressed my back against it and could just make out the upstairs hall through the crack in the door. My breath was loud to my ears and I worried it would lead Morven right to me.

     I still held the knife out to attack whoever came through the door ready to throw it if needed. Surprise was my only chance against Morven, because I knew he could over power me in mere seconds. I peered into the darkness waiting, and saw nothing.

     Out of nowhere a hand shot forward and grasped my wrist. I opened my mouth to scream but a hand clamped over my lips before I could even utter a sound. I struggled for a moment, but my efforts were subdued when the strong body pushed me up against the wall.

     “Let’s put this away shall we?” Zale’s breath wafted around my face and I almost fainted. I had been so sure it was Morven that my legs buckled. 

    The knife was taken from my grasp and Zale closed the door to my room silently. I watched as he walked over to the bed stand and flicked on the light. In the dim glow, he examined the dagger as though it were a treasure.

     “Where did you get this?” he asked, and I stared at him not sure what to say. He looked at me when I didn’t answer and took in my expression. I was still pinned against the wall, breathing heavily, my chest visibly rising and falling.  His brow furrowed. “Are you all right?”

     His tone suggested I looked crazy. He apparently couldn’t fathom why I looked the way I did.

     “Not really,” I said, shuddering a breath past my lips as the effects of draining fear left me. I brushed some stray strands of hair out of my eyes and met his gaze. He looked at me as though I were an animal.

     “Why did you do that?” I asked, finding my voice.

     “Do what?”

     “Tell me I’m in danger, disappear, and then creep into my house making just enough noise to freak me out?”

     His eyes lit with something akin to amusement, but he turned away before a smile could reach his lips.

     “You didn’t answer my question about this knife. Where did you get it?”

     “It belonged to someone I knew.” I shrugged.

     “You mean Patrick?” He raised one eyebrow and I froze.
How did he know?

     “H—h—how?” I couldn’t put my thoughts into words.

     “Yes, Lissie. I know all about you and Patrick, and how you fell so desperately in love with him.” He was again amused, as though he found the story impossible. “I asked Lord Morven about him, like you suggested last time and he told me everything.”

     I couldn’t move, couldn’t think. Here he was, the person I had loved, taunting me for how I had fallen for him. I tried to push my emotions down as best I could; masking the pain that threatened to tear me apart.  

     He continued, “He told me of how you somehow escaped Hyvar. But the question is, why did you leave him behind? Didn’t he satisfy you enough? Or did you just not want him anymore?”

     “Shut up.” I spit at him. “I did what I had to do.”

     “To save yourself you mean?” he asked, his eyes cold and unrelenting. This is what I had feared most. This is what had become of my escape, my decision to leave him behind.

     I didn’t answer and stared at the blade in his hands. I wanted to use it; the desire to hurt him for the things he was saying consumed me.

     “You see, when you broke into Hyvar and didn’t kill me I thought you were different from the others. Now after knowing your past, I’ve started to wonder.” Every word he spoke insulted my very existence. “So what is it? What made you leave?”

     Tears suddenly spilled over my eyes and ran down my cheeks quickly.
You did. You told me to.

    
“He did, he told me to save myself if I got the chance,” the words spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. “I left, but came back for him. And you know the rest.” I wiped the fast streaming tears from my cheeks and forced myself to stop crying.

     Surprise flitted across his face, but was gone in an instant. I wondered what Morven had really told him as he fidgeted uncomfortably; shifting his shoulders. I reveled in his discomfort.

     “Why are you here?” I asked him again, my voice angrier than I expected.

     He pulled his eyes from mine and set the dagger down on the bedside table. A sigh passed through his lips and he walked to the window. I followed his movements and inched closer to the knife, just in case.

     “Lord Morven is getting restless. He sent some men out to find you, including me. That’s what I meant by you being in danger, there are others here in town looking for you.”

     Comprehension dawned on me. Is that why he sent me into the house? Was there really someone out there tonight?

     “Don’t worry,” he said, and turned back to look at me. I was standing next to the bed my hand as close to the dagger as I could get if the need arose. “I sent them away. I told them you weren’t here, that I spoke to your friends and they said you’d been gone since last September. They shouldn’t come looking for you again.”

     A deep silence filled the room and I stared at him as if really seeing him for the first time. He was confident and full of pride that was obvious with the way he stood, but there was also a sense of vulnerability in his face. It was as though he was unsure of what was expected of him.

     “Thank you,” gratitude filled my voice. “That’s the second time you’ve saved me from Morven.”

     His shoulders tightened automatically and he turned around to glare at me. His eyes were fierce, all traces of vulnerability gone. The stories Kryssa told me washed back into my mind.

     “I didn’t save you from Lord Morven; I saved you from the Hyven soldiers. Lord Morven would take care of you, the soldiers would only hurt you in unimaginable ways. I’m lucky to be alive, after what they did to me. If it weren’t for Lord Morven, I would be dead.”

     I shook my head not even thinking, “That’s not true.”

     “How would you know?” he asked, his words were sharp. “You weren’t there.”

     I closed my eyes, frustrated by how blind he was. How could he not see, how could he not remember? It wasn’t worth arguing; and in surrender I reopened my eyes to sit down on my bed. I stared at the comforter for a long time, all the while feeling the weight of Zale’s powerful stare.

     “You’re right,” I admitted. “I wasn’t there when Morven told you all of these lies, but your fate is tied to mine in ways even you don’t understand.”

     I had been looking down as I spoke, but now looked up at him to see if he had heard me. His eyes were defiant and yet there was a burning curiosity in them that brimmed near the surface. He was trying to figure me out, just as I was trying to figure him out.

     He didn’t speak, but turned around to look out the window of my room again. His familiar silhouette covered the pane and I looked at his huge shadow spread across the floor. He was lost in thought and I let him think while I pulled a blanket over my shoulders. It was chilly in my room, or maybe it was the conversation that was chilling. Whichever it was, it made me shiver slightly.

     “I have to go back,” his deep voice startled me after the long silence. I knew what he meant and didn’t answer. “Lord Morven will be waiting, and you have to come with me.”

     “No,” I said, the word sharp.

     He turned to face me, “You can’t just sit here forever. He knows where you live.”

     “But you can tell him otherwise, he trusts you.” I pointed out wondering how close I could walk this line of deception.

     He shook his head quickly. “No, I can’t do that. He has done too much for me. I can’t lie to him; he’s my master.”

     The word master struck a nerve inside me, and the total brainwash Morven had accomplished on Patrick was disgusting. I wanted to hit something, and hit it hard.

     “Then go back to Hyvar, but I’m not going with you.”

     “I’ll make you. I’m stronger than you ten times over, it would be easy,” he said, so sure of himself.

     “But you wouldn’t do that,” I said, testing the waters.

     He stared at me again; something glinted in his eyes for a moment but then disappeared. “No, I won’t do that to you,” he acquiesced.  “So will you come with me?”

     “Unlike you, I don’t praise the ground Morven walks on. In fact, he disgusts me with the very air he breathes. So no, I won’t willingly go to Hyvar.” As I spoke Zale’s eyes grew frighteningly angry. He glared at me in a way that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. He wanted to kill me, I could see it in his eyes.

     “I’ve told you before, you should reserve more respect for Lord Morven.”

     “I’m sorry I offended you,” I snapped back. “But I lose respect for powerful merfolk who murder innocent human beings.” Zale froze and I could see the uncertainty in his eyes.

     I pressed forward while doubt still filled his mind. “He didn’t tell you, did he? Patrick was tortured in the Hyvar dungeons and Morven was the one in charge of all the beatings.”

     My words hit Zale like a slap to the face. He stared at me astonished by what I had just said. For a fraction of a second I noted his doubt, but a moment later the stony face of the warrior was back in its place.

     “You’re crazy,” he said and turned back around to the window.

     “What? The truth is crazy?” I asked from my spot on the bed. He sighed heavily, and for a moment looked exhausted.

     “Goodnight, Lissie,” he said and I expected him to open my window and leave the way Kryssa had but he didn’t move.

     “Aren’t you leaving?” I asked and he turned back toward me, the ghost of a crooked smile on his face.

     “No,” it was one word, but it had a strange effect on me. At once a knot gripped the pit of my belly while a sigh of relief passed through my lips. “I’m going to stay and make sure the soldiers don’t come looking for you again. They don’t really trust me.” The hint of a laugh played around his lips.

     “Or you’re waiting for me to fall asleep and then you’re going to take me to Hyvar anyway,” I challenged.

     He shook his head and looked at me in the dim light of the lamp. “Like you said, I would never do that.”

     “Why?” I asked, wanting to know why he hadn’t warned the Hyven, when we had snuck into Hyvar. Why he had only come to just talk to me two nights ago. And why he was in my room now, making sure the Hyven soldiers didn’t find me.

     “I don’t know,” he said and his eyes burned into mine. Deep emotions played across his face and then again disappeared. “Now go to sleep.”

     I almost refused, but decided against it. He wouldn’t hurt me; the only thing I needed to worry about was trying to fall asleep with him standing there.

     With an exasperated sigh, I leaned over and clicked off the light. Darkness shrouded the room and I rolled over to my side, pulling the blanket up to my chin. I snuck a peek at him as he stood at the window looking down into the yard. His gaze was fierce and his posture bespoke that of a powerful soldier, but for some reason, he made me feel safe and I wondered how that was possible, when I should be more afraid of him than anyone.

     I shut my eyes and fell asleep quickly, and for the first time in a long time I didn’t even dream.

Clammy fingers poked my cheek and with a grunt I opened one eye. Justin was standing at the edge of my bed, his face a few inches from mine.

     “Oh, good. You wake up.” He said, flashing his little baby teeth.

     “Yep,” was all I could manage to say. I wanted to add more, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for such young ears.

     “We wanna go downstairs, can we?” The innocent expression he wore made me wonder. I rolled onto my back and grabbed his chubby fingers with my hand.

     “Who’s we?” I questioned him.

     “Me and Kaleb and Emly.”

     I stared at him not quite believing, until I heard a gurgling noise. I sat up quickly and saw Emly lying on her back on my floor and Kaleb sitting beside her, tickling her tummy.

     “What is she doing out of her crib?” I turned my eyes on Justin; he smiled sheepishly. “Justin you can’t do that! I know you like being a big brother, but you can’t keep pulling her out of her crib. You could drop her.”

     “I wouldn’t,” his bottom lip poked out and small tears filled his eyes. I sighed and internally cursed myself as I hopped out of bed to look him in the eye; surprised to find I was fully dressed.

     “I’m sorry, sweetie. It’s just if you did drop Emly she could get really hurt, okay? So will you promise me not to do that anymore?” I asked. The other day I had caught him in mid attempt, standing on a chair and leaning over her crib to pick her up. It was a miracle he hadn’t dropped Emly and broken her neck.

     Justin nodded his curly head and sniffled as I shifted my focus to the gurgling Emly on the floor. She had rolled to her stomach and was attempting a crawl by rocking back and forth; Kaleb laughed at her.

     “Oh come on,” I said and scooped my giggling sister off the floor. “Let’s go eat breakfast.” I stopped walking when I didn’t hear any following feet.

     “Boys?” I said and turned around to look at them. Kaleb was standing content with his thumb in his mouth, but Justin stood next to my bed, his back turned to me. The normally active child didn’t move.

     “Justin? Are you going to come eat?”

     He didn’t budge and I stepped toward him as Emly grabbed a chunk of my hair and fisted it tightly. I wrestled with the hair for a moment as I got closer to Justin.

     Looking over his curly head, I saw what he was looking at and froze. He was staring at the hunting knife that had been left out of its sheath. Something then clicked in my brain, the reason why I was fully dressed and the knife. I whipped around, to look at the window, even though I knew he wouldn’t be there.

     “Why do you have that?” Justin pointed his little finger out at the dagger. It looked incredibly large next to his tiny hand.

     “Don’t touch it, because it’s very sharp.” I said. I put Emly back on the floor where she was happy to try and crawl again. Locating the sheath, I placed the hunting knife back inside.

     “It looks bad.” He said, his eyes wide as he stared at the now concealed weapon.

     “This is one of the knives we use for cooking at the restaurant. It’s broken so I’m going to have to fix it and then take it back. Okay?” I said, thinking quickly. He bobbed his head, all curiosity forgotten and turned to head for the door.

     I waited for his little brother to follow him before I stashed the dagger in the top drawer of my dresser, out of the way of curious fingers. Emly gurgled on the floor and I picked her up when something caught my eye. It was on top of the bedside table and shined brightly in the sunlight pouring in through the window.

     I peered at it for a second and then my eyes widened in disbelief. It was my bracelet, the bracelet Patrick had given me on the night we were captured. I picked it up with trembling fingers not believing what I was seeing. Where could it have come from?

     His name entered my mind before I could even stop my thinking but I tossed the idea aside. There was no way he could have had my bracelet. I had lost it when I had escaped from Hyvar. Maybe he had found it, but how would he know it was mine?

     I was unsure but fumbled with the tiny clasp anyway. My heart thudded heavily as I realized, I now had the one gift Patrick had made specifically for me. A smile spread across my face and I heard Emly gurgle at my feet.

     “Lissie? Is Emly up there with you? Justin said he got her out of her crib, again,” Jillian called up the stairs.

     “Yeah,” I yelled back still looking at the smooth pearls. “We’ll be right down.”

     I picked up the laughing baby and headed out my door, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off the shimmery stones, sanded so perfectly. For a moment, I felt closer to Patrick than I had since that horrible day in the Hyvar dungeon. 

     Throughout breakfast, Jillian and I talked of trivial matters. My heart felt lighter than it had in weeks and I knew it was because of the bracelet that was sliding against my wrist under my sweatshirt.

     The chatter was endless in the kitchen, Jillian was pressing me to attend prom. I told her I didn’t want to, but she was persistent. In reality, I think she just wanted to go shopping with me and get our nails done.

     When the phone rang Jillian rose to go and get it, I was surprised when she held it out to me. I took it curiously.

     “Hello?”

     “Hey! It’s Laura!” She screeched and I moved the receiver away from my ear.

     “Oh, hi.” I said, unsure of why she was calling me.

     “You heard we don’t have to work today right?’

     “No, why?”

     Laura went on to explain how her mom wasn’t feeling well and half the burners were having problems. I listened to her as she told me about how the maintenance was going to take a few days, which meant no work. She sounded excited, but she had school to keep her busy. I, on the other hand, would have to sit around at home all day.

     “Anyway,” she chattered after finally taking a breath. “We were wondering if you wanted to go shopping with us later today.

     “Sure,” I agreed, I couldn’t think of a reason to not go. “I’m free all day. When do you want to leave?”

     “Oh, once school’s done. We’ll come by and pick you up.”

     “You’re at school?” I said, surprised, because her mom had threatened to take her phone away if she didn’t get better grades.

     “Yeah,” and the way Laura said it made me feel stupid. “I’m in the bathroom. Jessie and I made plans in homeroom and I wanted to get you before you got too busy.”

     “All righty,” I said, she didn’t realize I never had plans anymore. “I guess I’ll see you later today then.”

     “Great! Bye.” The phone went silent and I sat for a second wondering what I had just gotten myself into, but pushed the idea aside. It would be nice to have something different to do other than waiting tables.

Four o’clock rolled around slowly. I had showered and dressed by three but received a text from Lauren, they were going to drop something off at her boyfriend’s house before they came here. It didn’t bother me; I just sat on the couch and watched the afternoon children’s TV show with Justin and Kaleb.

     I kept checking my phone for the time but it crept by at a dawdling pace. I had even got up and put my boots, winter coat, and scarf on. I tapped my finger in an annoyed manner until I heard the doorbell ring.

     “Got it,” I called to save Jillian the trouble of coming downstairs. “Bye Jillian!” there was a muffled response and I headed to the door quickly. “Watch the boys,” I said at the last minute to Caitlin and Sara, who had just returned from school. I opened the side door to reveal Laura on the steps, her tiny frame engulfed in a fuzzy coat with a matching knit hat over her long brown hair.

     We walked through the frigid air to the car and I hopped in the middle row with Chelsea and Hannah while Laura jumped into the front seat. I was surprised to see Laura’s boyfriend Joey was the one driving the large SUV. The other girls greeted me, and I noted Jessie was in the back with her gloomy boyfriend Ryan.

     Joey put the car into drive and sped down my driveway at an alarming rate. I had a feeling that this was going to be one of those car rides you couldn’t wait to be done with.

     “What have you been up to all day?” Hannah asked curiously.

     I laughed to myself. “Nothing really. Without work and school, there really isn’t much to do.”

     “Must be nice,” Chelsea said in an envious tone that made me wish Hannah was sitting in the middle instead of her.

     Laura took over the conversation from there and I figured out we weren’t just going shopping; we were going prom dress shopping. Internally I groaned. I was hoping to get some new clothes after just cashing my check yesterday, but prom dresses would afford me little time to do that. Maybe I would leave them to the dresses while I looked around on my own.

     Joey drove the usual forty minutes it took to get to the mall, in less than thirty. When he swung into a spot at fifty miles an hour and slammed on the brakes to cut the engine, I hopped out as fast as I could before he could start driving again. My stomach felt queasy.

     Chelsea and Laura bickered about which store we should go into, so Hannah led the way into the mall. I walked beside her, knowing she was the only person here I really felt comfortable talking too.

     We ended up in a popular store I had been into numerous times before. Laura located the formal dress section and after that we surrounded ourselves with dresses. I didn’t pick any out for myself; instead I helped the other girls choose theirs. When they realized I wasn’t picking anything out, they got upset I wasn’t going to go to prom.

     “Why won’t you go? Everyone is going to be there.” Laura always used that phrase as though it would change anyone’s mind.

     “There’s no point,” I explained and tried to turn the conversation but Laura called her sister over and told her the problem.

     “No point, Lissie, it’s going to be so much fun.” Chelsea actually sounded as though she wanted me to come.
There’s a first time for everything
.

     “Yeah, I’m going too. It would be fun if you came.” Hannah said.

     “Really?” I asked her.

     “Yeah, Trey asked me to go with him.”
Well, that was quick
.

     “We’ll find someone for you. If that’s what you’re worried about.” Laura’s eyes were wide with innocence. “Joey’s captain of the hockey team so he has plenty of guys who would go with you. Don’t you babe?”

     “Sure,” Joey said and shrugged. He flashed me a strange grin and then looked back at Laura.

     “See, it’s all settled!” The way Laura got excited reminded me of Nixie. A longing to see her filled me., but unlike Nixie, who I couldn’t disappoint, I could say no to Laura.

     “I appreciate it, but I won’t be going. Believe me, Jillian has been trying talk me into it since I got back, and she hasn’t made any progress.”

     “Whatever,” Laura said, peeved. I felt as though I had just turned down the ultimate honor of being invited to prom by the ever-popular Laura. How little she knew of what the world really had to offer.     

     Later, when we had all finished shopping, we headed to the food court for dinner. The girls had their dresses in tow and I had a bag with two new shirts and a pair of new jeans. We pushed some tables together and went separate ways to get our food. Once I had my styrofoam box of teriyaki chicken and fried rice, I made my way to our table.

     I grimaced when I saw Joey was the only one sitting at the red, checkered table. The way he had been looking at me all day gave me the creeps and he slapped his gum in his mouth as though everyone wanted to see him chew. His eyes constantly roved around the room, trying to make eye contact with any girl nearby. My heart went out to Laura; I knew she was just another girl in a long line of many.

     His gaze landed on me as I sat down and opened up my box of food. I didn’t appreciate the way his eyes slid over my body. “Aren’t you eating?” I asked, deciding to talk to him rather than suffer his stare.

     “Laura’s getting it,” he said offhand. I couldn’t help but think, since he was the guy, it should be the other way around. I nodded and couldn’t think of anything else to say.

     “You know the girls were right, you should come to prom. I have a friend who’s been looking for a date and I’m having a huge party at my house afterwards. It’s going to be rockin’.”

     “Sounds like it,” I said dully and continued to concentrate on my food.

     “But you won’t go,” he observed and leaned forward. “Why’s that?”

     I looked up at him; he had gotten terribly bitter when he had asked that question. To him I was strange, something he couldn’t understand.
If you only knew half of it,
I thought.

     I swallowed hard, but couldn’t think of anything to say in response. Instead I just looked back at him, feeling like a coward. I had faced worse than this, why couldn’t I say anything? Luckily, I was saved by Jessie and Ryan when they returned with their food. She engaged me in conversation and I was grateful, although I could still feel Joey’s words hanging in the air.