Sea Dweller (Birthstone Series) (6 page)

“Word of the king’s cruelty
traveled through the land and soon reached the shore where a tribe of seaside
dwellers lived. They didn’t use stones in their village and were fearful of
what the king would do when he discovered they had nothing to offer him. So the
tribe leaders gathered together and prayed to the great sea god, asking for stones
of their own. They hoped to use them to find a place where they could live in
peace.”

A group of people had entered
the square dressed like typical Vairdans. They went through the motions of
praying and soon began shaking their fists at the king and his warriors
standing on the opposite sides of the stage. Around the warriors, the peasants
had fallen to the ground.

“The next morning, the young
daughter of the tribe leader walked to the shoreline. It was there, she found a
strange stone sparkling in the sun. When she picked it up, she grew fins and
gills like a fish. She jumped into the water and found she could swim and
breathe underwater just as the sea creatures did. She knew the sea god had
answered the tribe’s prayers.” Suddenly, a woman entered the center in a
beautiful, green gown. Scales had been painted onto her skin and her hair was
woven into braids tied with seaweed. Gracefully, she began to dance around the
square, her movements fluid and effortless.

“After the girl returned to
land, she dropped the stone and her body returned to normal. When the tribe
learned about her discovery, they gathered on the beach where they found
hundreds of magical Sea Gems.” More actors entered the square wearing costumes
of scales and fins. Holding hands, they began to dance in a circle around the
old man. It was a ridiculous spectacle.

Somehow growing more
dignified, he went on. “After everyone found a stone and turned into a sea
breather, they plunged into the ocean, forever leaving behind the wicked land.
They vowed to never forget the goodness of the Sea Gems or the greediness of
the king who had driven them from their homes. For weeks, they traveled, eating
fish and learning more about the ocean than they ever knew. They encountered
sea monsters and underwater beasts but they became strong. They gained new
allies in the ocean and did not perish.”

The group of sea people acted
out fighting and swimming and I stifled a yawn.

“Long after they left the
mainland, they sensed a change in the sea. It sang to them, of land nearby.
When the tribe leader’s daughter first saw the islands, she led everyone to the
largest shore. Afterwards, they named the island “Vairda” in honor of her. The
people happily lived on the islands, never to be harmed or troubled by the
mainland king again. Vairda was crowned princess of the islands for the
remainder of her days. Never again was a magic stone found in the islands, but
no one forgot the power of the Sea Gem. The stone forever became a symbol of
hope in Vairda.” The girl playing Vairda stood amidst the other actors and
smiled nobly as they knelt at her feet. I rolled my eyes.

“From then on,” the old man
concluded, “a new Vairdan princess was chosen every year in honor of the sea
dwellers’ escape. And this year, we will choose another.” With gusto, the old
man bowed followed by Sai and the other actors. The crowd roared with delight
while I sat in stunned silence. Did the Vairdans actually believe this story?
Or was it just something interesting to tell around the fireside?

I had just decided it must be
the latter when the original host walked into the square again.

“This is the true history of
Vairda,” he said. “Because of the bravery of our ancestors, we live in freedom
and happiness on the island. There are no gems of power to be found here but
they aren’t necessary to remember our good fortune. There is no king to force
us to follow his laws. Instead there is freedom. There is peace. The creatures
of the deep protect our island from being discovered and the sea gods favor our
people. Long live Vairda!” The crowd broke into thunderous cheers once more
while I fought the desire to cover my ears.

I glanced around at the
elated faces, wondering how anyone could believe this nonsense. I would have to
ask my parents about it when I returned home. Maybe they could shed some light
on the story. Magic stones, sea monsters, people living in the water for weeks.
No wonder Vairdans were so proud of their native status. They believed they
were part fish. To them, I was merely a sad little human.

The crowd around me stood and
began to filter away from the main circle. I rose, disappointed. My interest in
hearing Vairdan legends had colossally waned. I hadn’t expected them to sound
so . . .  well, ridiculous. My parents had warned me but,
still
! Magic
rocks?

Lost in thought, I didn’t
notice Haji at my side once more. “What did you think?” she asked.

I cleared my throat, giving
myself a moment to choose my words. “It was an interesting story. Definitely
something new to think about.” My smile oozed politeness and I hoped my
response would placate her.

“You don’t believe it, do
you?” Apparently she wasn’t as placated as I’d hoped.

“I’m not really sure about
that yet. My parents have never said anything about an evil king or magical
stones.” I held my breath, hoping she wouldn’t be angry. I still felt I treaded
on fragile ground with my new friendship.

I needn’t have worried. Haji
simply shrugged her shoulders.

“You’ll have to let me know
what they say. Are you going to stay for the other stories? They’re taking a
break right now but the town performers will act out a few more once the
princess is crowned. Some are about the sea creatures and a few others are
about ships that tried to reach Vairda which the sea gods stopped so . . .,”
Haji’s voice trailed off and she blushed. “I know it sounds silly but it’s our
heritage. It’ll be entertaining at least.”

“Nothing else about the
mainland?” I asked. There had to be more I could learn about my homeland from
Vairda’s stories. I couldn’t believe the silly performance I’d just seen was
it.

“There’s not a lot most
Vairdan’s know. It’s been several hundred years since our ancestors left and
most everything was passed down in stories. For us, the most important story is
how our ancestors escaped.”

“I guess that makes sense.” I
bit my lip, trying not to show how let down I really was.

“Everything I know has come
from stories. I can tell you, though, that my parents say there really were
magical gems.”

I looked at Haji for a
moment. “It just seems a little farfetched,” I said. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Haji was firm. She
paused, watching me closely, as though gauging what my reaction would be.
Before I could answer her, however, her eyes darted to the center of the
village. “Oh look, they’re crowning the princess!”

I turned my gaze to where she
pointed and saw a group of five, elaborately dressed girls standing in a line.
Faema, in all her glory, stood proudly in their midst. I couldn’t stop a sharp
bite of jealousy from puncturing my heart. I sighed, my soul seeming to deflate
as the air left my lungs.

Corla stood close to Faema,
one of the candidates to be crowned. Her eyes scanned the crowd, searching the
countless faces. When they rested on me, her lips curled into a satisfied
sneer. Willing my face to remain emotionless, I glanced at Haji to see if she’d
noticed Corla’s expression. She looked back at me to offer a reassuring smile
but before it could reach her eyes, it had already melted from her lips.

“Your hair!” Haji hissed
under her breath, her fingers flying up to fumble with a black lock of hair
rebelliously fluttering outside of my scarf.

I blindly wrestled with the
fabric on my head while Haji worked to tuck the strands away but I knew it was
too late. I glanced up, my eyes meeting Faema’s. She offered me a brazen smirk
and her eyes danced with the flickering light of the torches. Corla grinned
smugly beside her as all my hopes of remaining undiscovered sank to the bottom
of the ocean. Faema had recognized me.

Chapter 5

With a sigh, I gripped the
soft fabric of the scarf in my hands and ripped the headpiece away. The azure
stone fell to the ground with a sorry little plunk. Ignoring the growing stares
of other festival goers, I pulled the ties from my hair, allowing the unmistakable
black waves to cascade past my shoulders and down my back where they mingled
with the green vines. There was no use in hiding anymore. Now that Faema knew
the truth, it would be no time before everyone else knew as well. I
straightened my shoulders and stared forward with as much dignity as possible.

Haji squeezed my arm to
reassure me, but I hardly noticed. I was too absorbed waiting for Faema’s
reaction. So far, she hadn’t done much other than grin as though she’d just
been given the gift of a lifetime.

Small gasps escaped from the
lips of people who now recognized me but I tried not to listen to them.
Instead, I trained my eyes on the man walking down the row of girls, a wooden
crown decorated with colorful rocks and pebbles in his hands. Nobody seemed
surprised when he stopped in front of Faema and placed it on her head. Proudly,
she stepped forward, her eyes leaving my face for only a moment. Then, with
feigned humility, she bowed to her audience while the islanders responded with
enthusiastic cheers.

The other girls filed back
into the audience while Sai left the crowd and joined Faema. When he reached
her side, she wrapped her arm through his. He remained perfectly still, rigid
but dutiful, and completely unaware that I was watching him from the crowd
below. Faema wasted no time. A moment later, she turned to him, wrapped her
arms around his neck, and lifted her lips to his. Sai’s eyes widened in
surprise and I waited for him to push Faema away.

But he never did.

The islanders’ cheers
exploded as he kissed her back.

 My heart collided with my
stomach and I nearly doubled over as the faces surrounding me began to mutate
into yelling, shapeless blobs. I gripped Haji’s arm for support and stared at
the ground, trying to catch my breath. I ignored the curious glances from
nearby onlookers, knowing they would wonder how I’d be affected by Sai’s sudden
interest in Faema’s lips. It had always been an island phenomenon that Sai had
chosen my company over anyone else’s.

Haji put her arm around my
shoulders and began to shove her way through the crowd, aiming for the fringe
of forest bordering the village. Before we could go very far, Faema’s voice
brought us to a halt. My brain yelled at me to flee but my feet stayed rooted
to the ground. My desire for another reason to despise Faema overrode all
logic.

“I am so honored to be
crowned Vairdan princess this year,” she announced, her fingers stroking Sai’s
arm as though it was her new pet. “I don’t think I could ask for a more perfect
evening. Not only do I have the support of my fellow islanders, and the love
and devotion of my dearest friend, Sai, but I also have a very close friend
here tonight who I was not expecting. I’m so pleased she came to celebrate with
us, to support me in my joy, to offer her happiness in our behalf as Sai and I
form a new special kind of relationship.”

My gaze locked with Faema’s.
Hot rage burned behind my eyes but I knew Faema would only see my fury as her
personal triumph. She smiled slyly as those in the audience tried to follow her
stare. She didn’t force the islanders to wonder who she spoke of for long.
Lifting her hand, she pointed directly toward me.

“Our sister from another land
has come to join us tonight. Let us welcome our
foreign
friend, Aylen.”

My legs twitched, whether from
a desire to kick Faema or the urge to buckle I wasn’t sure. Haji kept her arm
around my shoulders to offer her support. Or hold me back. Another islander
close by noticed my flushed cheeks and chuckled.

“Excited to be here, eh?” he
said, nudging me with a meaty elbow. “Look, Faema wants you to join her. Always
generous, that girl.”

Generous? I nearly gagged.

Meeting Faema’s eyes, I gave
a small shake of my head as she beckoned me forward. For the first time, I
looked at Sai standing beside his newly crowned princess.

When his eyes met mine, I was
somewhat satisfied to see horror splashed across his features. Good. Let him
feel a hint of what I’m feeling, I thought.

 His jaw clenched and
unclenched several times and he balled his fingers into hard, white fists.
Leaning into Faema, he whispered vehemently into her ear. She blushed for a
moment and her phony smile faltered for a fraction of a second.

“Apparently,” she said,
forcing a giggle, “my escort would like a
private
moment with me.” Her
tone, laced with suggestion, coaxed the crowd into whoops of delight. Sai
gripped her arm and led her out of the circle and into the throng. It was the
signal the crowd needed to disperse and search out new entertainment.

I moved to escape. Several
islanders tried to catch up to me, welcoming me to the festival. I struggled to
return the greetings, but all I saw was the cluster of trees ahead, promising a
cocoon of dark solitude.

When Haji and I finally made
it through the thick of the crowd, she walked with me to the edge of the
forest. Pushing deeper into the jungle, I suddenly realized she was planning to
lead me back to my parents’ home. I halted, reaching for her arm.

“Haji, wait.” She turned to
me, her eyes sympathetic as they searched mine. “You’ve been a good friend
tonight.”

Her forehead wrinkled in
concern but I went on before she could protest.

“I’m not ready to go home yet
and I need some time alone.”

“Are you sure? I’m happy to
stay with you.”

“It’s alright. I just need to
think. It’s been—” I choked on the sentence and began again. “It’s been a
strange night.”

Eyes wide, Haji nodded.
Grateful, I offered her a fleeting smile before I turned and plunged my way in
to the forest as quickly as possible. The trees enveloped me as I pressed on,
bare toes scraping over rocks and roots. I brushed my fingers over branches and
bark in gratitude for the silent music of the night. The sounds of Lailie still
echoed from somewhere in the distance, but soon, the call of the ocean drowned
out any other sound.

When the trees finally
thinned out, the moon’s reflection on the sea dazzled my eyes. The tide moved
methodically on the shore, breaking over the sand in rolling waves. It caressed
the beach with soothing rhythm as water and earth embraced like long lost
friends. I wanted to be a part of the dance.

I closed my eyes against the
images of the evening. The story I had heard. Tales of magical stones. A sea
providing a way for its people to escape a king. Faema’s smile. Sai kissing
her. Immediately I shoved that image away. Instead, I focused my thoughts on
the Vairdan legend. There couldn’t be anything in the story, could there? Sai
and the other islanders had always acted as though they were special, as though
the island, itself, blessed their presence. Was that why I didn’t fit in? Why
Sai had no interest in me as anything more than a friend?  Was it because I
didn’t arrive on the island with a magical gem?

I stared at the moon’s
reflection, grimly picturing Sai again. He’d always been my friend and now, in
one day, I wondered if that friendship had been ripped from me. I shook my
head. If Sai had made his choice, did it really matter anymore? There was
nothing I could do about it, but still,
I
had a choice to make. I would
either need to find a way off the island and back to my parents’ land, or I
would need to become an accepted Vairdan. I would need to understand the island
traditions.

I sighed in frustration and
scanned the ocean when suddenly, a glimmer on the sand caught my eye. I stared
at it for several moments, straining my eyes against the darkness in an attempt
to make out the object, not registering what I was seeing.

It was small. And it looked
as though it just skimmed the surface of the shore, as if floating above it. I
took a step in the direction of the object but halted, annoyed with myself.

“Stupid island stories have
me seeing things,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. Still, I couldn’t deny I was
curious. I eyed the tiny glimmer again before making up my mind to check it
out.

When I was only a few feet
from the object, I saw it wasn’t lit by the moonlight like I had originally
thought. Instead, it was its own source of light. It glowed from within.

I knelt in front of it and
stared for a moment, disbelieving my eyes. It was a stone — a small jewel,
really — and it hovered in the air several inches above the sand.

I swept my hand beneath it,
gasping when it began to drift downward as though drawn to my skin. It returned
to its original place once I removed my hand. I cupped my palm beneath it,
waiting to see if it would fall into it. It descended slowly but I took my palm
away again right before it touched me. Once more, it rose in the air. Slowly, I
moved my hands all around the stone, just centimeters from actually touching
it. When that didn’t produce any results, I leaned down, my face so close to
the stone I was able to see tiny pale veins coursing through its body. The
color, unlike anything I’d ever seen, was an iridescent pink and it burned in
the center, lit with an internal fire.

I placed my fingers above it.
Again, it remained stationary. Bit by bit, I moved my fingers closer to the
stone’s brilliant surface until finally, my thumb and forefinger grasped it.

A half second later I
regretted my decision. What felt like a jolt of lightening coursed through my
fingers, up my arm, and into the rest of my body. I gasped in shock as heat
overwhelmed all other senses. My entire being felt as though I’d exploded into
a blaze. Glorious, white flames danced before my eyes.

My blood seemed to move
through my body in rapid waves, pounding in my ears, head, and joints.
Inexplicably, I felt as though a part of me split away from everything else. It
was to that separate piece that I heard the stone speak. It was in a language
only my blood understood and ached to respond to. I remained still, counting
gasps until the sensation began to ebb from my trembling frame. Even as it did,
I was afraid to move.

When my breathing steadied, I
turned the stone over in my fingers. Its veins throbbed with brilliance and
inside its center, the core of light pulsed to the beat of my own heart. 
Awestruck, I touched my fingers to my face to make sure nothing had changed. No
gills. And no fins like a fish. So what had just happened?

Minutes passed as I
scrutinized my treasure. Every so often, I placed it above my palm and watched
as it sunk toward my skin, as though seeking a place to nestle.

I don’t know how long I’d
been staring at it when I finally looked up and blinked at the starlit sky. Was
the stone placed in my path as a joke? I shook my head in disbelief. Tales of
magical rocks played through my mind like a procession of performing monkeys
but I tried to push them away. My discovery couldn’t be correlated with the
story I’d heard tonight, could it? I had to admit there was something special,
even powerful, about the stone. But, if the Vairdan legends were true, a jewel
like the one I’d found hadn’t been seen on the island since the arrival of
Vairda’s first settlers.

I stared at the stone again,
immersed in its beauty and the life it exuded.

If it really does have
powers like the legends
, I asked
myself,
what does it do?

As soon as I asked the
question, a queer jolt coursed through my body. A whisper of knowledge rippled
through my blood, like a lost memory only my instincts understood.  My eyes
settled on the sea and an image drifted through my mind, so fleeting it almost
escaped before my confused brain could clamp down on it. I closed my eyes,
searching out the thought and suddenly I envisioned myself in the water, alone,
swimming as only a Vairdan could. No, swimming better than a Vairdan. I was one
with the water, one with the sea, and I had never been apart from it. In my
blood coursed the salt of the ocean and through my body ran the veins of the
Sea Gem, claiming me as kin. I was powerful in the water, as if my hands and
feet were made to control it. I was a sea dweller returning to where I
belonged.  

 I opened my eyes with a
gasp. Something had changed. I still held the stone, but it had molded into my
palm and the skin on my hand looked different in the whitewash of moonlight. It
shone, like the stone.

I put my fingers to my face
and examined my forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth. They too felt odd. There were
no gills or fins but there was something different. A new layer. A firm,
translucent skin stretched tightly over my original skin, forming a coating.

It began at my hair line,
molded into my forehead and temples, and spread over my face. My nose and ears
were completely covered but I was still able to open my mouth, the strange skin
having stopped at my lips. From my mouth it spread down my chin and neck, over
my shoulders and chest and the rest of my body, including under my clothing.

I stood and turned around a
couple of times to see myself from different angles in the moonlight. My body
glistened as though wet but felt soft, like flesh. With my nose completely
encased, it took several moments to work up the courage to shut my mouth. It
was then I realized the skin produced air. I inhaled several times through my
nose, wondering if the air would run out but the new layer seemed to create
enough for each breath I took. My lips curled into a smile.