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Cold water lapped at my feet as I leaned back on the sand. A cool wind wafted across the beach, shuffling the hairs on my head. In Florida, people would be all wrapped up in sweaters and pants, shivering from what they perceived as chilly, but I lay on the sand with only a t-shirt and shorts, like the few other folks walking Long Sands beach.
September in New England was a crapshoot, but in Florida, it still sweltered with high temperatures rivaled only by the high humidity. This was heaven to me.
Shadows approached, shattering the peace that blanketed me. I didn’t say a word when Ben took a seat on one side of me and Danny on the other. I didn’t even look at them; I just shifted, resting my wrists across my knees.
“You about ready to return?” Danny answered.
“Where, Florida?” I asked, really hoping they were going to continue the training despite the sea of reapers watching us.
“Yes.” They both said in unison.
“Training’s over?”
Ben nodded slowly, like he wasn’t completely sure. “At least in our realm.”
“Why?”
“Because, you’re talent is beyond what we are used to.”
Ben now had my full attention. “What do you mean?”
His sigh was quiet, and he picked up a handful of wet sand, letting it sift through his fingers in damp chunks. “We’ve never encountered a descendant who could go on the offensive like we can. At least not with the elements we control. Most of the others we encountered had the ability to deflect, like you did with Joe in the cafeteria, but none of them could produce fire at will or turn a wall of water into a fancy-ass ice sculpture. And no one could pull us to a different location than where we started. The ability to bend elements to your will is a gift. One we can use.”
I just stared at him.
“Now we need to make sure you can do it in this realm just as easily as in the reaper realm.” Danny added.
“Why does that matter?”
“It’s nearly impossible to tap into your gifts in Purgatory. So if you can master them in both the reaper realm and the real world, you’ll have an easier time tapping into it in Purgatory.”
I stood and wiped the sand off and scanned the nearly abandoned beach before turning back toward the frigid northeastern ocean. “So, how do we get back to Florida?” I asked, bringing my gaze to Ben and Danny as they stood and did the same.
“Easy,” Ben said and they each wrapped a hand around my arm.
The transition was less jarring this time and when I opened my eyes, we were sitting on the swing set in the back yard of Julia’s aunt’s house. I sighed and slowly pumped my legs, letting the swing flow forwards and backwards while I digested everything they said.
Based on Fate’s directive, I had six days to master this stuff and then I’d be riding the highway to hell. I wasn’t ready for that and every time I thought about it, Isabel’s broken body came barreling through my mind. If a reaper couldn’t get by this fabled creature, what kind of chance in hell did I have?
Thunder rumbled in the distance and I glanced at the building clouds that were so prevalent during the summer season. Since I arrived in Florida, I don’t think there was more than half a dozen days that were thunder-free.
“Did you know Isabel?” I asked without looking.
Danny and Ben replied yes at the same time and I nodded.
“If she couldn’t get by Leviathan, how are we going to?”
“Fire, water and a little magic,” Ben said.
I couldn’t help it; I laughed and cocked my eyebrow at him. He sent a smile in return.
“Look at it this way, if we don’t succeed, none of us will have to worry about it ever again.”
A chill danced down my spine despite the humid warmth surrounding us. “What do you mean?”
Ben glanced at the sky and bit his lip before bringing his gaze to mine. “We will die and we aren’t sure what will happen to you despite our sister’s claim that you’ll step into your father’s role. But that’s only if you somehow manage to avoid getting mauled by Leviathan.”