Savine felt a knot form in his throat. His mother, who’d sacrificed her own life for his, was in an unmarked grave all these years. “We’ll do it immediately. Bring me to her.”
Raikin cleared his throat before he said, “There is much to do here, my king. Perhaps we should wait?”
“I have waited over twenty-five years to be at her grave. I won’t wait any longer.” Savine turned from his adviser and began making his way to the familiar path that led out of the residence and up to the hot springs his mother loved so much.
She’d never gotten over the loss of the sea. Orofine was far inland and high up a mountainous canyon. The water that ran through it was swift and shallow. He remembered her shifting into her finned form and splashing in the rapid’s spring runoff before shifting back and seeking the comfort of the hot mineral springs. She and Darby had taught him to swim in those springs and in the high alpine lakes above Orofine.
Beyond the springs was a copse of red cedars, hemlock, and spruce. Trees that thrived in damp forests that not only called Orofine home, but also his mother’s former coastal homelands. It’s probably why she’d always been drawn to this place. The feel and scent of this forest was home to her. The aerated water coursing through the river made the air smell clean and pure.
In the center of a ring of trees, with scattered ferns and coral mushrooms growing, sat a large agate stone.
“Here is where she rests,” Darby whispered. “The agate is from our nation, plucked from the ocean. I thought it would bring her peace to have part of our home with her.”
Savine nodded. “Leave me,” he murmured as he knelt beside his mother’s grave.
Morgan
Morgan looked down at the dark precipice over Sapphire Falls.All down the stairs and across the rocky outcropping along the edge of the canyon, Morgan had been working up the courage to jump again. She had to go home if she was ever going to find herself again and let go of the angry, insecure person she’d become. Hell, she’d almost let herself smash into the ground today because she couldn’t control the writhing shadows that threatened to overtake her and Rylo.
But knowing that this jump could hurt or kill her was terrifying. This morning when she’d tried, she’d been in a bad head space. She didn’t want to die at the falls, but she also really didn’t care what happened. Now she just wanted to be home, not dead, not here. Home.
“Morgan?” Avery’s voice shook with concern.
Morgan snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her sister. Despite the small scar that she bore on her forehead, she looked unscathed by the bear attack that had mutilated her own body. Whether Morgan stayed or not, she knew Avery was going to be alright. She was building a life here—a life that didn’t need to include Morgan.
“Yeah, Ave?”
“Are you ready? Susan and Rue just signaled that they’re below the falls. We should do this before any of the Nepheli catch on to what we’re up to,” Avery said, stepping a little closer to her.
Morgan nodded before she moved to hug her sister. “I love you, Ave. You can go to Savine right away now and I’ll let Mom and Dad know you’re safe and happy.”
Avery sniffled near Morgan’s ear. “I love you too, Mor. Be safe.” Avery planted a hard kiss on her sister’s cheek before Morgan scooted forward toward the edge of the cliff.
Without hesitating another moment, she leaped into the darkness. Immediately, she felt the wind whip around her before the icy water pulled her farther into the falls. That would beSusan’s help, Morgan knew. Down she tumbled as she held her breath through the cold pull of the falls. Her body slapped into the icy waters of the pool and she kicked up, gasping for that first breath as her body churned and tumbled through the thrashing current.
There was no bright light and no high pitched sound. She hadn’t been transported, and she knew it immediately, even through the sting of being hit by such cold water. She swam hard, fighting the current, thankful that she wore clothes light enough to manage the thrashing rapids below the falls. Her muscles spasmed in the frigid water and her body shook, but she still took long, even strokes toward the shore. Suddenly, the water began to warm and gently pull her along. She flipped over to her back, letting her breathing steady as Susan’s magic wrapped around her and brought her back to the rocky shore.
Susan was by her side, pulling her up from the water and giving her a steadying hand as Morgan found her footing. Avery and Susan were right. There was no way back home.
“I’m so sorry, Morgan,” Susan said as she led her to the others. Rue was ready with a wool blanket that she draped around Morgan’s shoulders. The length of it dragged the ground, but Morgan didn’t care.
Rue handed her a warm mug. “Drink, friend. It will help you.”
Morgan didn’t argue, just mechanically sipped at the spicy liquid. Immediately her cold muscles began to thaw.
“Morgan!” Avery yelled as she ran down the steep canyon trail. She was by her sister’s side in minutes, holding her in a tight embrace. “Are you okay? Are you freezing?”
Morgan was cold, but it felt like the cold had seeped deeper into her than just surface level. Even her insides felt numb. “Yeah, I’m okay. You were right though, Ave. We can’t go home.”
Kyla appeared behind Avery and Morgan looked at the tall, stately woman. “Can you take away the rest of the cold?” Morgan asked.
“I can warm you with my essence, yes. Do you want me to help you with what you are feeling?” Kyla asked, her hair tinkling as the bells and bobbles moved with her.
What was Morgan feeling? Nothing really, all the pain and sorrow that she’d felt was numbed. “No. Just warm me please.”
Kyla nodded, but her face was turned into a frown as she touched Morgan’s arm, sending a comforting warmth into her bones.
Rue and Kyla’s eyes snapped up to the night’s sky. “Someone is coming,” Rue murmured. Morgan saw what Kyla and Rue had already detected. Wings like the depth of night glided across the starry sky, followed by others. Selene. She watched as at least a dozen Nepheli landed in front of them.
