Storm: The Empire Chronicles (17 page)

“Is that really what you want?”

“No, but this has never been about what I want.”

“You do learn.” She straightened up. “I want to make sure everyone gets to enjoy this part. I’d tell you to stay here, but you don’t have a choice anyway.” She laughed before walking out of the room.

I focused on my wings, and they started to move. As I connected with my Pteron side the effect of the lightning diminished. But why had Tiffany left? I jumped to my feet. Lightning was my weakness. A line from my mother’s note returned to me.
Your greatest weaknesses might be your greatest tools
. Maybe Tiffany was using the water somehow to amplify her power? Did that mean I could do the same thing?

I
thought fast
. Jared was certain water was a weakness for Tiffany’s power. If we couldn’t get Tiffany to the water, we’d need to bring the water to her. There were two women who knew far more about the water than I did. And something told me the location of the haven wasn’t an accident. There was something else built right near the shore of the Long Island Sound, but it was a place I was sure Tiffany wasn’t welcome.

After the shock of hitting the cold water wore off, I swam faster than I ever remembered being able to swim. I spent most of my time under water, finding that faster than pushing against the surface. Finally, when I felt too exhausted to move, I saw the shore. I dove back under, hoping my theory on the dome being located exactly across the sound from the haven was right. I swam, searching for evidence of the large glass dome. Finally, I saw the shimmer of the translucent dome and pounded a set of numbers into a barely visible keypad, hoping the code Cleo had given me still worked. The door opened, and I swam inside. I pushed the button to close the door and swam over to the other side, grateful when I found the other button and the water started to subside. I swam up to the top, taking in large gulps of air. I wondered if Cleo would trust me. If she’d believe I was who I said I was. She had to. We had no other choice. This plan needed to work.

Once all the water disappeared into the drains, Cleo opened the door.

“Cleo!” I called out her name in relief.

She squinted her eyes to look at me. “Have we met?”

I decided to save the veil story. It wasn’t worth it. “I’m Taliana’s daughter. She and everyone else is in danger. We need your help.”

“Taliana’s daughter?” she repeated my words. “Which one?”

“Vera. Gareth’s daughter.”

“The elder one?”

“Yes.”

“Who is it, Mom?” Anastasia walked to the doorway.

“Anastasia, hi. Maybe you can help too.”

“You know my daughter?” Cleo asked suspiciously.

“It’s all a long story, but I’m really hoping I’m right and you know of a way to move water onto land.”

“Who are you?” Cleo’s eyes blazed red. It sent chills through me.

“I already told you. My name is Vera, and I’m Taliana’s daughter. We need your help. We have to defeat the strongest witch I’ve ever met. She’s going to kill everyone.”

“I want to believe you, honey. But I can’t do something like that without proof.” Her eyes turned back to the crystal blue they were before.

I let out a deep breath. I’d explained the seemingly unexplainable to people before. “We’ve met before, but you don’t remember it because the veil was erased.”

“The veil?”

“I’ve been inside your retreat before. I’ve had a Trident. I’ve ridden your super cool elevator.”

Her expression remained hard and suspicious. “Did your mother describe the retreat to you?”

“I know Anastasia has barely gone anywhere because you worry about her. She’s been to New York, and that’s it. You both want her to see more, and I promise I’ll take her one day. But right now we have to take down this evil witch.”

“Who is this witch?” Cleo hadn’t moved. She wasn’t offering me a robe this time, which was fine because I planned to dive right back into the water.

“I don’t know her real name. Now she goes by Tiffany but that’s an assumed identity. She’s the one who entranced my mother with the former king. She’s the one behind so much, and now she’s over at the haven trying to use the crystals to destroy everyone. She wants to wipe out the human race.”

“Where is the haven?”

“Right across the sound in the old mansion.”

“The witch has returned to her home?”

“Her home? I don’t know. Everyone called it a haven, but I’m new to all this witch stuff, and all this supernatural stuff really.”

“Do you think it’s the same one, Mom?” Anastasia touched the arm of Cleo’s robe.

“It has to be her.” Cleo spoke to herself. “Only Marabella would dare use that house.”

“That’s the name of the mansion.”

“Yes. It’s her family name.”

“And you know her?” Obviously they did, but I wanted to know why.

“She killed my eldest daughter.” Cleo’s eyes blazed red again.

“I’m so sorry.” I put a hand to my mouth. “But, does that mean you will help us then?”

“Why do you want to bring water to her? What do you hope to gain?”

“It’s her only weakness.”

Cleo shook her head. “Impossible. She used my daughter for her connection to water. Why would she do it if it was her weakness?”

“I don’t know, but isn’t it worth finding out?”

“Even if my mom won’t help, I will.” Anastasia stood stock still. “If there’s a chance it’s really her, I will kill her myself.”

“You’re not going anywhere without me.” Cleo pushed her daughter back behind her. “I never said I wouldn’t help.”

“We don’t have much time.” I wasn’t sure if we had any time.

“We will help you, but if I find out any of this is a lie, and you are trying to hurt my daughter, I will see to your death myself.”

I shivered, and it wasn’t from the cold water. This wasn’t the sweet Cleo I’d met last time.

“I am telling you the truth. I have Origin Crystals if those will help.”

“You can master the Origin Crystals?” Cleo’s eyes widened.

“Yes.” Mastering was probably a stretch, but I could use them.

“Then I know exactly what to do.”

“What’s that?”

“You trusted me enough to come here for help. Trust me enough to help.”

“I have no other choice.”

“Well then, I guess you’re going to have to trust me whether you want to or not.”

“I guess so.” I was out of options. I was taking a risk.

“Are we ready for this?” Cleo looked at her daughter.

“Yes. We’ve been ready for years.”

Cleo closed the door behind her and the room rapidly filled with water.

They shed their robes and hit the water. As soon as they did, the air buzzed and in place of their legs were long fins. Whether they claimed to be mermaids or not, that’s what they looked like.

“Hold on to my hand.” Cleo held one out.

I nodded and accepted her hand. I wasn’t going to argue.

They took off at an alarming speed and pulled me along. Their long translucent fins propelled us through the water, and in seconds we were outside of the mansion waiting in the water.

“Remember what I warned you about. If this is a trick, you will pay.”

“It’s not a trick. I promise.”

“Good. You are going to need a crystal.”

“Ok.” I patted the pouch at my side. “What do I do with it?”

“Share some of the power with me.”

“What are you going to do with it?” I hesitated with my hand on the pouch.

“She’s going to make the biggest storm you’ve ever seen.” Anastasia grinned.

T
he mansion heaved
to and fro as a strong wind blew the old building. The wind began to pick up outside, and I heard waves lap against the stone walls.

Tiffany walked back into the room alone once again.

“So it is you doing this.” She strode toward me with a satisfied smile on her face.

“Me doing what?”

“That.” She pointed out the window. “I was wrong about you. You do learn fast. Maybe I can find a use for you after all.”

“I’d never help you.”

“You would if it would save your mother. You’d do anything to protect the ones you love.” She cackled.

“I don’t trust you.” And her word meant nothing to me.

A loud clap of thunder filled the air as the room lit up with lightning.

“Then I guess I might as well get rid of your mom. That was the only purpose I had for her anymore.” Tiffany took a step toward my mom, and I didn’t hesitate.

I closed my eyes and felt the strength of the storm surrounding us. I reached out to the storm and absorbed the strength inside of me. I focused on the mounting energy and sent a bolt of lightning straight at Tiffany. A thunderous sound penetrated the castle as she convulsed before falling to the ground.

I heard a strange sound and turned in time to see a giant wave smash into the mansion.

Before I could react, the room began to slope, and we started to fall toward the water. I lunged for my mother. I yanked her chains free and took off toward the sky just as the stone building hit the water with Tiffany inside.

I looked down at the water. Tiffany was still unmoving.

In a flash a woman with long blonde hair grabbed Tiffany.

I swooped down in time to watch her seize Tiffany and shake her awake.

Tiffany’s eyes widened with a mix of fear and amusement.

Still holding my mom, I swooped down beside where Vera and another blonde treaded water beside the shore.

“It’s you.” The blonde holding Tiffany spat. Her eyes turned blood red.

Tiffany laughed. “You pathetic creature. You think there is anything you can do to me?”

“Yes.” The blonde stared into her eyes. “I will destroy you for what you did to my daughter.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Tiffany laughed.

“It will be my pleasure.” The woman’s red eyes locked on Tiffany’s before she pulled her down beneath the surface of the water. The younger blonde followed behind her.

My mom coughed.

“Mom? Are you okay?”

She coughed up water and blinked once. “Jared?”

“Mom.”

She choked up more water before opening her eyes to make direct eye contact. “No matter what you think of him, you need to save your brother.” Her eyes closed.

“Mom?” I called out her name. “Mom?”

Her breathing stopped and her body felt cold. Something was wrong.

We’re connected
. Tiffany’s words echoed through my head.

I glanced back down to the spot where Tiffany had been pulled deep under the water.

I
’d lost
my mother as soon as I’d found her. I stared down at her lifeless body, willing her to breathe again one more time. She couldn’t be gone.

I was standing next to what remained of the old mansion. Emma, Slade, Taliana, Gareth, and at least a half dozen witches who had been held prisoner by Tiffany, including Nadia and Elana had emerged from the haven as soon as Tiffany had disappeared. With Tiffany gone, all of the haven’s prisoners were free. Nadia used enchantments to hide us from the humans in the area.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” Nadia wrenched my mother’s body from my arms and lay her down on a white cotton blanket.

“I let her die. I should have understood what Tiffany meant.” I should have thought things through instead of being so brash. I always did that. It was my fatal mistake.

“But you didn’t. No one ever taught you about magical bonds. And even with the knowledge what would you have done? Let Tiffany go? She’d have never released your mother from the sleep spell, and she was the only one who could. You couldn’t have changed anything.”

“There’s always a way. We could have found a way.”

“Her death freed so many.” Gareth pointed to where Nadia stood with another half dozen women. “They have all been prisoners here. That’s how she’s amassed so much power.”

“This is what your mother would have wanted. And she’d want you to continue to protect the world from evil. She knew you had the potential to do so much.” Nadia’s eyes were full of unshed tears.

“It’s going to be ok, Jared.” Taliana walked over. “Your mother would never want you to feel blame.”

“How do you know? You didn’t know her.”

“But I do.” Nadia’s eyes met mine. “And she wouldn’t want you to.”

“I only just found her.”

“She’s always going to be a part of you.” A tear slipped down Taliana’s face.

“She was happy for you. Happy you’d found someone so perfect for you.” Nadia smiled.

“Where’s Vera?” I glanced around. How could I be so stupid? Had I let something happen to her too?

“She’s fine.” Taliana touched my arm. “She went for a walk. She wanted to be alone.”

“Why? Why wouldn’t she be here with me?” I needed her. She was the only one who could possibly make this better.

“You aren’t the only one blaming yourself,” Taliana said softly.

“Why would she blame herself?”

“She brought the Meres.”

“The Meres? That’s who that blonde woman was?”

“Yes. She created the storm.”

“I have to find Vera.” I spread my wings and flew off leaving the site that would forever haunt me. I flew as fast as I could searching for Vera everywhere.

Finally I found her sitting cross-legged on a large rock a little ways down the empty beach. I kneeled beside her. “It’s not your fault.”

“You found me.” She looked up at me through puffy eyes.

“Of course I did. I’m always going to find you.” I gently brushed some hair back from her face. “But you need to listen to me. Nothing that happened was your fault. If anything it was mine, but maybe everyone’s right and nothing we would have done could have saved my mom.”

“I’m sorry.” Fresh tears spilled down Vera’s face. “I’m sorry I let you down.”

“You didn’t let me down.” I sat down beside her. “You did an amazing thing. Tiffany is finally gone, and her death has freed so many other people she’d held captive here.” Saying it myself made it even clearer. Not that it made the loss any easier.

“Don’t waste your time trying to comfort me when you’re the one who needs the comfort.”

“Then comfort me too.” I put an arm around her.

She rested her head on my chest. “Okay.”

“My mom was happy for me. Nadia told me. She thought you were perfect for me.”

“She doesn’t think that now.” More tears spilled down Vera’s face.

“Sure she does. She knows I’m in good hands.”

She held onto me tightly. “I love you.”

“And I love you too. Don’t forget that.” I leaned back on the rock, taking her with me.