| |
Street lights flickered on above Skye and Hunter as they neared the steps to Marine Parade. Skye’s feet sank in the loose sand, deepening her stride, and her necklace from Ethan swung free of her T-shirt.
Hunter caught sight of it. “From Ethan?” he asked, his voice huskier than usual.
She nodded, feeling her face heat.
He cleared his throat. “Is there anything I should know? I wouldn’t blame you if there was.”
She shook her head, touched by his obvious distress, “No, nothing. I don’t have feelings for him like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like this,” she smiled, reaching up on her tiptoes to touch her lips to his. His arms closed around her holding her close, and for an exquisite, overwhelming moment, everything was Hunter.
He gently disengaged her hands from where they had crept around his neck and she blinked dizzily, running her hands through her tousled hair, composing herself. He smiled at the effect he had on her, and she chuckled. But her smile faded as their mission returned to her thoughts.
They walked to Bliss in silence. She held on tightly to his cold hand. Now that she had him back, she felt like a line was forming to tear him from her life. And she was the one insisting on giving her father, definitely first in the queue, the chance to do it. Who would be standing in that line behind her dad? Mike? Rowena? Morgan?
Morgan. She stared at the pavement, not seeing it. Memories surged up, tumbling the grains of her brain, making her realise just how much she had lost in the ocean’s embrace. How could she have abandoned her best friend so completely and not known that she had? And now she might be leaving her again. Could she really do this?
Their conversation only that morning... How can you help me, Skye, when you can’t even help yourself? Her throat tightened at the distance between them. She’d put it there. She hadn’t been there for Morgan, just so much blank space, useless to her friend. She was done with having no power and no answers.
Something had to be done, and the sense that she was the one to do it was growing stronger. Maybe it could only be done from within enemy walls, which meant going back to Lithus. She shivered.
The closer she drew to Bliss, the more she realised that everyone couldn’t go on being tortured like this. The people she cared about most that she might have to leave behind; the curse that could take Hunter at any time, or her, along with the entire Nemaro race. She had a mission to save them all. She didn’t know how yet, but she was determined to figure it out.
She cleared her tight throat, hoping to sound calm, strong. “Hunter, do you think it will always happen like that?”
“Like what?”
“That the sea will wash part of me away?”
“It’s impossible to know that. You are a complete unknown. Breathing water the way you did... And even before that: seeing the Nemaro, remembering us – that never happened unless the human was...”
“Dying.”
“Yes.” Hunter’s voice took on that squashed tone that told her when he especially hated what he was. “I can’t believe I’ve done this to you: Prison or death. Returning with me might be the only way to save your life. What a choice. If it is even a choice.”
She squeezed the fingers laced through hers, conscious they were warmer. His wry smile told her he appreciated the comfort, even as he freed his hand from hers. Her heart stung, but she got it. He was protecting her from him. Some things couldn’t be fixed so easily. That at least would change if she went through with this. And going through this had to be the fastest way to find out how to end all of this suffering. She just had to not forget who she was this time.
He was right. This was a bad idea. But he also said she was kind of unique, with no way of knowing what would happen. Maybe it would take a complete unknown like her to uncover what nobody knew?
Telling her dad was futile if she didn’t tell him the whole story: what Hunter had done when he saved her. What the cost of that would likely be. But even so – even if the only way to figure this out was go back to the sea, how likely was it her father would just say, ‘Yes Skye, by all means go and be virtually imprisoned by the people that took Ellie from me, and potentially risk forgetting us forever. You have my blessing.’?
If he believed her, he probably still wouldn’t let her go. Would her dad rather risk seeing her dead than hand her over to the people that took his beloved wife from him? She stopped short on the footpath and looked helplessly at Hunter. He looked as overwhelmed as she felt.
“Maybe the lives will stop leaving you?” he tried. “Let’s give it some more time. You can’t go back to the ocean. You’d be giving up too much. Let’s leave here,” he repeated, “and go far away.” The gravel in his voice betrayed his confused emotions. “This is all my fault,” he said again.
“All your fault for saving my life,” she countered. “I would one hundred percent be dead if you hadn’t given everything that you had to me. That’s the only reason your people are dying now. I can’t see Dad believing I might be safer breathing water. But I have to tell him. It would kill him if he thought I drowned like Mum.”
He shook his head, whether in agreement, or denial, she couldn’t tell, and in silence they crossed at the bend to Bliss, now closed for the evening.
Skye didn’t have a key, so she rapped on the glass. Was anyone there? She was suddenly desperate to see Morgan. She couldn’t do this without Morgan’s blessing. But what if she had to?
She smiled even though her heart pattered when her best friend emerged from the door at the bottom of the stairs and stopped short when she saw them together. Then she began to run to them.
Unlocking the door, she searched Skye’s eyes, relief filling hers, and threw her arms around Skye, “You’re properly back,” she quavered.
“Yep. I’m back,” Skye croaked.
For a long moment they clung to each other, and Skye felt the sob in Morgan’s chest before they drew apart. They both sniffed fluidly at the same time and laughed.
“Gross,” Morgan sniffed again, hunting for a tissue in her pockets. Successful, she wiped her eyes and nose, and fixed Skye with a stern look. “You better not ever leave me like that again. Ever,” she demanded. “I need the full-package Skye in my life! Oh, perfect timing too, by the way. Mum’s bringing your dad back to stay the weekend. Mike’s going to meet us here.”
Skye took a tremulous breath, the precious moment trampled by the enormity of her mission. Her dad, and Mike, and the Lauders, all at once. Should she tell Morgan first? “I’m fully back...for right now...” she ventured.
Morgan’s smile faded. She searched Skye’s face again, then looked past her to Hunter, who raised innocent hands under her accusing stare.
“It’s not what you think,” Skye began to defend him, putting her hand on Morgan’s arm.
“How do you know what I think?” Morgan accused fiercely, shaking Skye’s hand off. Spinning away, she pushed back inside.
Taken aback, Skye stared after her. Then she looked at Hunter. “Can you give us a minute?”
Hunter looked confused.
“I need to talk with Morgan alone,” she explained, “just me and her.” His face cleared with comprehension, and when she followed Morgan inside, he turned towards the sea to wait.
Morgan hadn’t gone far. She stood facing Skye’s mural. Skye joined her, following her gaze across the painted waves and hint of swimmers. Skye’s skin prickled, a twisted mix of dread and longing sweeping through her. Despite what Morgan said, Skye thought she had a pretty good idea of what Morgan might be thinking right now.
“I haven’t been here, right?” Skye broke the tense silence. “How can I help you when I can’t help myself?” She heard the breath that Morgan drew in shudder, and slipped an arm around her. It only took a second before Morgan’s stiff resistance gave way, and she leaned into Skye’s embrace. Skye rested her head on Morgan’s shoulder, feeling sobs shake her friend, and her own eyes welled up again.
“Sorry,” Morgan said thickly, scrubbing at her face again with her crumpled tissue. “I don’t know why I’m being such an idiot about this. He was a – a jerk. Right?”
“Yeah. Total jerk.”
“I could really use a coffee,” Morgan declared shakily, sniffing again. “How about you?”
“You have to ask?” Skye followed the familiar coffee banter routine with only half of her thoughts on it. The other half was conflicted. Should she tell Morgan what she’d seen of Jarrod darkly confused but genuine feelings for her friend?
“And what about your sea boy,” Morgan called. “What would it be – his second coffee ever?”
“I think the first one practically blew the top of his head off,” Skye grinned. “Yeah, make him one. It’ll make him think you’ve forgiven him.”
“Forgiven him for what?” Morgan’s eyes sharpened, her face tightening.
Skye’s tentative decision to return to the Nemaro hovered on her tongue. She trapped it behind clenched teeth. Morgan was too vulnerable for the truth. Besides, it might never happen. She might chicken out, give up on finding answers, and drown on dry land instead... She turned her face aside for a brief moment to hide the horror that blanched through her.
“For being related to certain jerks,” she met Morgan’s eyes again, keeping her tone as dry as she could. Morgan’s eyes were watchful, and her wary smile didn’t reach them. Skye realised how long it had been since she really saw Morgan smile with anything resembling joy. Since Hunter brought her back from Lithus and away from Jarrod.
She walked towards the cafe kitchen. “Hey Morgan?”
“Uh huh?” Morgan tamped the grounds for their coffee.
“Um...that jerk we were just talking about?”
Morgan’s hands went still. She stared blindly at them for a heartbeat, then looked up at Skye, her face so vulnerable that Skye’s heart hurt.
“Well... Mags, it wasn’t all his way, you know? Like, all those conflicted emotions and stuff?”
“What do you mean?” Morgan hungrily searched Skye’s face.
“Skye!” A joyful, familiar call made them spin towards the glass doors.
“Dad!”
He crossed the café in strides and crushed her in a bearhug that reached her soul. Happy Dad – he was back! Her already welling eyes overflowed. But with his arms tight around her, the reality of her pending choice and what it could do to him smothered the moment. She tried to paste a convincing smile on her face and hide her trepidation as he drew back but it was already too late.
“Skye? What is it?”
He sounded so anxious. Was he worried that she thought less of him? “Nothing Dad,” she hugged him again, “It’s nothing. I can’t believe you’re here!” Her happiness burst out again and his returning smile made everything feel okay. For a second.
“Is Mike still on his way? All of us, together again!” He looked past her to Morgan and beamed, his gaze moving around the café. Then he froze, happiness draining from his face. His hands tightened on Skye’s shoulders.
“What – who is that?” His hushed voice was strained.
Skye turned to see that Rowena had followed her father into the café, with Hunter in tow. Rowena’s smile dropped as she took in Daniel’s expression. She looked from him to Hunter in confusion at first, and then with dawning suspicion, her forehead puckering. “This is Hunter: Skye’s friend,” Rowena introduced, sounding over-bright. “And ours of course.” She put her hand on Hunter’s back, gently propelling him forward.
Skye’s heart thudded as Hunter paced slowly closer. Only his eyes betrayed his emotions: shame, fear. Vulnerable hope.
“Hunter, meet Skye’s father, Daniel.” Rowena introduced them when they reached him.
“Hello,” Hunter said softly, and Daniel shivered.
“Go on, don’t be shy,” Rowena urged, the corners of her eyes tight with concern, while her tone tried for cheerful. “Morgan, why don’t you start coffees for everyone, love?” There was a brittle quality to her voice, and Skye recognised denial in it. “Daniel?” Rowena prompted, “Won’t you shake hands?”
Skye’s father slowly stretched his hand towards Hunter, who took it, his face like marble. As their palms touched, Daniel flinched, recoiling, and snatched his away. His breathing deepened and he took an unsteady step back, his shoulders sagging as if exhausted.
“Daniel? What’s wrong mate?”
Skye turned. Mike had arrived. His usually welcome voice felt like grating metal to Skye’s frayed nerves.
Daniel gave a start, blinking and swallowing. He looked around at the watching faces. When his gaze slowly returned to Hunter, his expression hardened, refocusing with a cold rationality that scared Skye more than his shock had. Instinctively, her hand stretched out to rest on Hunter’s arm.
“Step away from him, Skye,” Her father ordered, his voice quiet and careful.
“No, Dad.”
“Do as I say. He’s one of them.”
“No Dad, he’s not.”
His eyes flickered to her, and back to Hunter.
Hunter slowly raised placating hands, his eyes fixed on Daniel.
“He was there,” Daniel hissed. “I dream it over and over. He watched while they tried to drown me.” He looked at Skye again. “You were there too. You must have seen him. He is one of them.”
“No, it wasn’t like that. Hunter saved me.”
“What are you two talking about?” Mike demanded as he joined them. “That day in Ciarlan Cove when you... Are you saying you weren’t trying to –? Are you saying – what exactly are you saying?” Mike looked from his brother to Skye and Hunter. “All I’m hearing is ‘crazy’.” In a lower voice he muttered to Skye, “You know better than to encourage this, Skye.”
Daniel ignored him. “You have to stay away from him Skye.”
“Dad, I can’t. I won’t. I...I can’t.” The pain on her father’s face cut her. “He’s...he’s a part of me. We’re, like...joined.”
A different kind of anger flooded her father’s face, and his scowl at Hunter was mirrored on Mike’s face.
“I don’t mean like that,” Skye flushed. “It’s... That day you nearly drowned, I did too. At Ciarlan Cove. Hunter saved me. Something happened to us when he did. It changed us. Both of us. We’re...connected. We’re – we’re all connected. If I stay away from him, from...from them, they could all...die...” Her voice dropped on the last word. Saying it out loud to her dad made it real. They could all die. She could die. Hunter could die. She began to tremble, staring at her father’s horrified face.
He took a long unsteady breath, gazing hard at her, and then at Hunter. “Good. Let them.”
