Sea Dweller (Birthstone Series) (18 page)

“Too loyal,” I said,
following Perin out the door.

As Perin led us through
another wing of the building and down more stairs, I wondered at his earlier
comment about betraying my mother.

“Did my parents know the
necklace was hidden in Vairda?”

“Smart girl, Aylen.” Perin
said grimly. “Only sea dwellers and a small handful of rebels like Aluce are
privy to that information. If your mother had known, she would not have become
such a key part of the prophecy.”

“Meaning?”

“She would never have agreed
to go to Vairda and raise you there.”

We reached a dead end but
Perin surprised me by placing his hands on part of the wall and pushing. The
wall moved, revealing a dark, cobweb filled hallway.

“After you,” he said, making
room for Sai and me to pass. He grabbed the torch hanging on a nearby wall and
lit it.

“So she wasn’t just running
from the king,” I stated. “She was running from my future.”

“She wanted to protect you
from the inevitable. She realized you would be the one to fulfill the prophecy.
She didn’t want that for you. She worried what so much power and responsibility
would do to you.”

 “And you told her to come
here.” I said, stepping over a broken piece of floor jutting out of the ground.
So much made sense now. My mother’s fears. The strange terror that never left
her eyes.

“I regret tricking her. But
yes, I told her Vairda was safe. And it was, Aylen. The king would have found
your parents and killed your entire family if she had stayed.”

“But you did it for selfish
reasons. You needed me to fulfill the prophecy.”

“It wasn’t just I who needed
you. Nations of people need you.”

Sai halted. “That’s
ridiculous. You can’t possibly expect a sixteen year old girl to do something
no one else can.” Some of my earlier annoyance at Sai melted away and I tossed
him a look of gratitude.

“Can’t I?” Perin said. He
shook his head and frowned. “You have a choice, Aylen. But before you make that
choice, you should know some things. The king is no fool. He’s been looking for
you and your parents for sixteen years. We’ve struggled in recent years to keep
up with his movements and we’ve been hearing rumors that he has uncovered vital
information which could lead him to Vairda. The Wisdom Tribe has been able to avoid
capture for centuries, but all it takes is one mistake. One person can use a
Wisdom Gem for the king and tell him where you are and how to find you.”

“Is Vairda unsafe now?” Sai
asked.

Perin ignored the question.
Instead, he walked closer to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “You are
the rightful heiress to the necklace, and to the king’s throne. Aluce lives on
the island so she can keep watch over you and help you fulfill your purpose.
Now, the time has come when the mainland needs your abilities. Aylen, you must
find the necklace before anyone else does.”

“It could destroy me,” I
said.

“It won’t.”

“You don’t know that!” Sai
argued, his raised voice bouncing off the long, dark walls of the underground
hallway.

“Wisdom Gems don’t lie,”
Perin promised

“But you do.” Sai narrowed
his eyes. “You lied to Aylen’s parents when you told them Vairda was safe. They
walked into a trap set especially for them.”

“No. We put them where they
needed to be. If Aylen’s mother could have taken her daughter’s place, she
would have. It was only when the responsibility became Aylen’s that she fled.
I’m giving back to Aylen the choice that was stolen from her.”

“But it wasn’t your place to
do that.” Sai took a step closer but Perin didn’t back down.

“Maybe not, but I had to
decide between what my friend wanted and what several oppressed nations
needed.”

Sai opened his mouth to argue
back but I held up my hands.

“Stop!” I yelled. Both men
fell silent and I inhaled deeply, stalling. I wasn’t sure I had the courage to
make the right decision but it loomed in front of me like the midday sun. There
was no question in my mind what I needed to do, but after all my talk of
wanting to find where I came from and discover my past, I found myself sorely
lacking in the bravery it would take to move forward. I closed my eyes for a
moment and gathered any sense of valor I could find. Finally, opening them
again, I leveled my gaze at Perin.

“Sai is right. You weren’t
honest with us. Both you and Aluce have manipulated us and we were led here so
you could put us to work for your cause. Everything from finding the Sea Gem on
the beach and to being given the map to Nethra has been carefully planned.”

 Perin opened his mouth but I
held my hand up once more. “Even if Sai and I hadn’t done exactly what you
wanted us to, you would have found a way to lead us right where you wanted us.”

“We should go,” Sai said. I
shook my head.

“No, Sai. Even though we were
tricked into coming here, Perin is right about something. Had my mother been
the person born with all the bloodlines, she would have done everything she
could to remove my grandfather from power. My parents have been protecting me.”
I paused. “But now it’s time for me to make my own choice.”

Perin stayed silent but a
look of relief crossed his features. Sai noticed it too and glared at the
Nethran leader. I placed my hand on his arm and pulled his attention back to
me. “Vairda is at stake too. Whatever the islands may have been in the
beginning, they’re important now. The people of Vairda are important and
they’re defenseless.” I glanced at Perin. Taking a deep breath, I squared my
shoulders and tried to push away the nagging doubts lurking in the corners of
my mind. Finally, I nodded. “Lead the way.”

We continued down the
hallway, guided by the light of Perin’s torch until we reached a locked door
made of aged brass. Perin pulled out a small chain from around his neck.
Attached to it was a key.

“This has been in my keeping
for years,” he said as he fitted it the lock. “Few in our city know of this
room and I’ve never entered it myself. I’ve been told what I would find inside
in preparation for the day when I would lead the stone heir or heiress here.”

Perin pushed the door open.
We entered a small enclosed room where the walls, much like the tunnel, were
damp and streaked with mildew. Carved on the center of the furthest wall at eye
level was an inscription. Standing against the wall, beneath the inscription
was a small table with a tiny box covered in dust, sitting on top of larger
box. Perin strode toward the inscription, holding his torch up so the flames
would light the words. Once he was sure of what they said, he read them aloud.

“
In the tomb of the
mountain where the serpent beast spies, lies blood’s greatest treasure, the
king’s dreaded demise. Untwine the branches of the forerunner’s tree, to open
the door with the discoverer’s key. Stone into stone uncovers the trove, the
supreme creation for which all tribes strove.
”

I walked to the inscription,
running my fingers along the cool wall. Dust particles scattered, illuminated
by the torch light and I fought back the urge to cough. Sai hung back,
examining the room up and down.

“It’s the only clue we have
to where the necklace is hidden. We know it’s been guarded since the beginning
but few people know much more than that,” Perin explained.

 “The tunnel. With the door,”
Sai said, stepping forward.

“Of course,” I agreed. “But
the door wouldn’t open. So according to the riddle, we need to find the
discoverer’s key. What is that?”

“There was once a gem scout
who claimed to be the founder of several stones. Stories were told about how he
was able to find so many stones because he had a key that told him where to go.
Some of the details involving the key were only legend, as well as his claim to
have been the discoverer of so many stones, I’m sure.  Much like your Vairdan
stories, Sai. But from what legend says, once the key lost its power he passed
it down to a sea dweller that treasured it and took it with him when he was
exiled to a faraway land. And he used it in building the first city of his new
country. The necklace and the key to its chamber were not hidden far from each
other. That can only mean it is somewhere within the Vairdan islands. ” Perin
strode toward the table.

“What are in the boxes?” I
asked as Perin blew the dust from its surface.

“They’re yours. This small
one was put here for safe keeping until the stone heir or heiress came to claim
it.”

Perin plucked the smallest
box from the table and held it out to me. I hesitated for a moment before
taking it.

“Open it,” he commanded.

Gently, I lifted the lid.
Perin moved the torch closer so I could see inside the box while Sai positioned
himself at my side. Sewn into an aged piece of fabric was a glimmering red
jewel. From its center, like the Sea Gem, stretched golden threads of power.

“The necklace was made
knowing some gems had yet to be discovered. After your mother located and named
her own, this was found for you and set aside by those most trusted in the
mainland rebel movement. Aluce was one of those who arranged for it to be sent
here.”

“This is the same type of gem
my mother discovered?”

“Yes. And it’s yours. Your
birthright.”

I took one last look at the
glowing red jewel and snapped the lid shut.

“You’re the only other person
on earth besides your mother who can make use of that stone.” Perin said.
Turning back to the table, he picked up the second, larger box. With my hands
already occupied, he passed it to Sai.

“For me? You shouldn’t have,”
Sai said under his breath. 

“It may help you find the
key,” Perin offered, ignoring Sai’s tone.

“Another map?” I asked.

Sai picked it and examined it
before confirming my suspicions. “It’s Nethran made. It can’t open until we’re
underwater.”

“Take it with you and keep it
close. I’m not sure what’s on it, but I know it’s been sitting in this room for
many years waiting for the right person to come and claim it,” Perin said.

“Thank you.” I offered him a
weak smile, trying to be polite in spite of the swirling emotions threatening
to engulf me. Fear nearly consumed every other feeling but anger at having been
misled and manipulated by so many people was rapidly becoming my dominant
sentiment.

“We need to get home.” I
gripped the box containing my gem and stepped toward the door. “It’s getting
late and apparently, I have a necklace to find.”  

Perin led us toward the exit
the native Nethrans used, hoping to cut some time from our trip. “It leads to
some cliffs directly above the city where you can leave through water,” he
explained. “From there, I’ll put some guards in charge of escorting you part of
the way home. You’ll be riding kelpies.”

“I’m not riding a kelpie,”
Sai said.

“They’re much faster than you
can swim, even with the Sea Gem. The day is nearly gone. You need them.”

“They’re dangerous.”

“Only according to Vairdan
legends,” Perin sighed. “They’ve been valuable allies and friends of sea
dwellers for many years.”

“We don’t have much time,” I
reminded Sai. “My parents are going to wonder where I am and if I’m home too
late, they’re going to forbid me to leave again for several more days. It will
make finding the necklace all the more difficult.”

Sai didn’t respond, but I
knew it was his way of grudgingly agreeing.

We fell silent, concentrating
on trekking the myriad of stairs inside the mountain. When we finally reached
the opening, we found ourselves on the opposite side of Nethra from where we’d
originally entered earlier that day. This time, we stood atop a low, rocky
ledge, looking down at the city through mottled water. Perin picked up a conch
resting near his feet and blew into it.  Two men instantly appeared on the
surface of the water and looked up at Perin.

“I need escorts and rides for
our friends. They’re returning to Vairda tonight.”

One of the men made eye
contact with me and smiled knowingly while the other bowed his head in assent.
“Of course,” he said.

Perin turned toward me.
“These men will assist you home. You should stay close to them at all times
until they say you’re safe to continue on alone to Vairdan shores.”

“Is there any reason we
wouldn’t be safe?” Sai asked before I could.

Perin hesitated a moment.
“We’ve been watching for foreign vessels in the area between Vairda and Nethra.
There’s been little to no activity for years, but recently, we’ve heard sea
dwellers in other cities claiming they’ve seen ships. No one has been able to
confirm the accuracy of those sightings, but we’re being vigilant in case.”

“In case?” I asked.

“In case the king has learned
of your whereabouts and is sending his soldiers to . . . retrieve you.”

“How nice,” I said.