Rive (15 page)

She pushed the energy out and opened her eyes. Violet light poured out of her like a million flashlights. The ground rumbled beneath their feet. She stood tall, but Rylan crouched to keep his footing. The waves grew choppy, and clouds rolled in around them, turning the bright sunny day into a gray one. The island in the water trembled and contorted. With a great thunderous noise unlike anything she’d heard before, it split in two, one half sliding into the ocean.

“Holy crap!” Rylan shouted over the noise. He pulled her into a hug. “That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!”

She laughed. The ground still shook from her efforts, but her light had quieted. “Wow. I can’t believe I did that.”

He shook his head back and forth. “That’s amazing.”

She cocked her head to the side. She felt something weird swelling inside of her. “Something’s happening.”

“The portal? Did something find us?” He grabbed her arm, ready to whisk her away.

“No, it’s something else. Something here.” She closed her eyes, trying to listen to what she was being told. Then she realized.

Her eyes flew open. “It’s a wall of water from the island being displaced.”

“Tsunami. Oh. Let’s get to higher ground.”

They lurched, only for a second, and then re-appeared on the tallest mountain on the island. It gave them a birds-eye view of the island and the water around them. Waves rolled onto the beach where they’d been standing only a moment before, all the way to house they’d stayed in.

The lopsided half-island she’d destroyed looked sad in the distance.

“Oops,” she said. “I hope that doesn’t affect any populated islands.”

“It won’t,” he said. “But next time we will plan more carefully.”

She pushed a stray hair out of her eyes. “We should go.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I’m sure this will attract attention.”

They held hands and she braced herself for the movement.

“Well, well, well,” a male voice said. “Fancy seeing you two here.”

They both whipped around in the direction of the voice.

Victor stood behind them, flanked by some of her guards, arms crossed over his chest. “Why did you run? Why didn’t you tell me about this?” His gaze rested on Celeste. She was surprised to see the hurt in his face. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Victor, I…” She threw a glance around the flooded island. “It’s nothing personal. I was just trying to stay safe.”

Rylan wasn’t so nice. “While the board was arguing, she was in danger, and she was afraid she’d bring it to everyone else. This was the perfect solution.”

“It was most definitely
not
the perfect solution,” Victor said. “I was worried sick. Mateus and Regina, worried sick. Resources wasted looking for you. Your parents? Tink? What about them?”

Celeste looked towards her feet.

Victor threw his arms up. “For real? You told my boyfriend, but not me?”

“He’s your boyfriend now?” Celeste asked, allowing herself to smile.

“Not the point right now!” Victor shouted.

Rylan put his arm around her protectively. “You don’t need to yell at her. It was her decision. She made it. End of discussion.” He pointed at Victor. “You wanted to sneak out too. Don’t pretend you didn’t have the exact same idea. You’re just pissed because we kept it from you.”

Victor looked off to the side, gazing off into the distance. “It was strategically sound to leave the compound, yes, but not like this.”

The female guard, Ina, was looking all around her. “What happened here?” she asked in her strange voice. “Was there a tsunami?”

“What?” Victor said. He made a slow circle, taking in the island around him. The flooded home, beaches, palm trees washing up with the tide. Even the jagged half-island off in the distance. “You,” he whispered.

Celeste’s stomach clenched while she watched it hit him and the guards. That she had done this, that she was capable of such destructive force. Ina smiled, like it was funny or something.

“Yes, I did this.”

“Oh, my God!” Victor said. “I’ve never seen anything like this,
Tuatha, Sidhe
or otherwise. Maybe one of the ancients, but…” He staggered back, finally crouching to the ground, resting his arms on his knees. He faced her. “What are you?”

“I’m just me.”

“No, you’re more. All this time, I’ve been thinking I need to protect you. But that’s not right. You can protect yourself. And others.”

“All right, all right. That’s enough talk,” Rylan said. “We need to move along if we’re to keep her hidden. It’s not her damn job to save the world.”

“No!” Victor grabbed her arm. “We need you.”

“You don’t need her!” Rylan pushed Victor’s arm off.

“I don’t need either one of you to tell me what I’m doing.” She put a restraining hand on Rylan’s chest. “What’s going on?” She directed her question to Victor. “What are you not telling me?”

“The compound,” he said. He dropped his head, shaking it back and forth.

“What?” she asked. “What happened?” Guilt settled in her chest.

“It’s been attacked.”

“What? Has anyone been hurt?” Celeste said.

He nodded. “Several people were hurt, and some of the potentiates are missing. They, um,”—he closed his fist—“they tried to take Ashley. She’s hurt.”

She dropped to her knees, processing all the different emotions she felt: anger, fear, guilt.

Rylan kept his hand on her shoulder. “What do we need to do?”

“We have to go back,” Victor said. “We all need to go back. Circle the wagons, come up with a game plan. This isn’t working.”

Rylan crouched next to her. “Babe? Tell me what you want me to do.”

She pulled him up, wrapped her arms around him and nestled against him. “We have to go back.”

“Done,” he said. They flew through the air in a whirl of colors and darkness.

Chapter 17

She was back in her room, waiting for the board to call her in. As soon as she’d come back, she’d rushed to the potentiate dorms. Flowers and bouquets had been piled in front of the rooms of the three missing people.
Children. Missing children,
her mind corrected her. The potentiates were terrified, anxious. Ashley was nowhere to be seen, but Victor assured her she was safe and resting somewhere on the compound.

After doing her best to re-assure them, she’d retired to her room to dress and shower.

Guards were everywhere now. She’d agreed to let them stay even though it was obvious she could probably do more destruction than they could. At least they were trained in these matters.

She hesitated in front of her closet door, eyes roaming her clothes. She needed to look confident for the others. She chose nice black slacks and a cream blouse. Mature, but not old-lady.

Once she was dressed, she left her room. Rylan was waiting outside. He took in her black pumps and outfit. “Dressing like a leader,” he said. “Smart.”

She smiled. “Not that. I want people to feel confident and calm. Being all raggedy won’t do that.”

“Thinking like a leader. Even smarter,” Rylan said, kissing her on the cheek.

The center was crowded. She stepped around
Sidhe,
scared human relatives, and potentiates as they made their way through the hallways. She held her chin up.

She entered the boardroom. Regina’s eyes narrowed as Rylan followed her in, but she didn’t say anything. He stationed himself in the corner, next to Victor.

Usha, as usual, was his quiet silvery self. Mateus was grim with a stubble. She’d never seen facial hair on his normally perfectly groomed self.

She sat down. Betty, the other
Tuatha
, was nowhere to be seen.

“Why?” Regina said. “Why did you run?”

“Because it seems like they were after me. You guys”—she glanced around the room—“we’re paralyzed with inaction. It was the best way.”

Regina slammed her fist down on the table. “It was not the best way!” she yelled. Our children are missing! Gone!” She slumped back in her chair. “We have to get them back.”

“We will,” Mateus said. “We must. Who are these
Sidhe?
What do they want?” He rubbed his temple.

“They want to kill the
Tuatha
, that is obvious,” Usha said. He examined his fingernail. “And they want to kill anything that could become
Tuatha
.” He put his hand on the table. “What else do we need to know?”

Celeste glanced at Rylan and Victor. “They are called Rive.”

“Rive?” asked Usha. “Meaning to split or divide? Interesting choice of words.”

Mateus’s head snapped up. “What else, Rua? What else do you know?”

“There is a betrayer. Someone you trust,” Celeste said.

“How do you know?” Regina said. The anger was gone from her voice.

“A spy,” she said, after another glance at Rylan.

Regina folded her hands primly in front of her, eyes down. “What else did your spy tell you?”

“That was pretty much it. They want to destroy us.”

“Why?” Regina said. “Why would they want to destroy us?”

Usha sighed. “Oh, I don’t know. Unfettered power. The ability to control the paths between the worlds.” He tossed his hair back. “Get rid of you, they can come and go as they please.”

“But that would be destructive,” Regina said. “The
Sidhe
, even the bad ones would flood the earth. They would destroy all humanity!” Her skin paled. “Oh, God. Is that what they want?”

Mateus stood from his chair. “We can’t allow that.”

“No, we can’t,” Celeste said.

“What about this betrayer your spy alluded to? Did they give any clues?” Mateus stopped his pacing, standing beside his Victor.

“No,” Victor answered.

“Then we can trust no one.” Mateus’s eyes traveled around the room.

Regina pushed the palm of her hands together, rested them on her fingers. “We have to trust some, or else we won’t be able to function.”

Usha dipped his chin. “We must hide the potentiates and the
Tuatha
. We can send them out with trusted guards to move them every few days to secret locations.”

Victor spoke up. “That’s a good idea. I’ll implant some of my most trusted comrades with every group. If there someone is acting off, they will report back to me.”

“So we do trust some?” Usha said with a most devious smile.

“You don’t have a choice. I have to trust you. I have to trust Regina. And I trust my father, and Celeste, and Rylan. I’ve known some of the
Sidhe
guards since I was an infant. I trust them, too.”

“He’s right,” Regina said. “We’ll do what we must. We cannot allow them to kill us all.” She stood. “You must all scatter. I will stay, pulling together all the loyal
Sidhe
I can. We will fight this Rive, or so they call themselves, until they are all dead. Every single one.”

“You need to hide,” Mateus said. “They’ll be after you. I will stay with the force. It is my duty.”

Regina smiled. “It is my time. I will stay with the force. You must go. You have a son.”

Emotion filled Mateus’s face. He sat next to her, facing her. “No. I will stay with you. They will be drawn here.”

“All right,” Regina said tears spilling from her face.

Usha stood. “Order must be maintained. I will stay and fight.”

Regina stood. “Guards!” Her primary guard, Conor, appeared. Celeste almost flinched in her chair. He still creeped her out.

“My lady?”

“There will be a battle here soon. Get us ready.”

He smiled his creepy stalker smile. “With pleasure.” He disappeared.

Usha put his hand on Regina’s shoulder. “I will set up the guards units tonight. We’ll start sending out the
Tuatha
in small groups first thing tomorrow morning.” He swallowed, an uncharacteristic display of emotion. “I hope to see you again.”

“I hope so too, Usha,” Regina said.

He disappeared from the room like a puff of smoke.

“We need to get our potentiates back,” Regina said. “Who do we trust?”

“Me,” Victor said. “I will find them.”

Mateus swiped his hand across his brow. “Bring them here if you do. We’ll funnel them into hiding.”

Regina smiled. “Thank you, Victor. There is no one I trust more to bring them back.”

Victor dipped his chin in acknowledgement.

Regina stood. “Does everyone understand what we’re doing here?” She faced Celeste. “You will go into hiding,” Regina said. “You are their biggest prize.”

Celeste glanced back at Rylan. He was tense in the back, watching the scene unfolding in front of him. “No,” she said quietly.

“What?” Regina and Rylan said in unison.

“You must be safe,” Regina said.

“I agree,” Mateus said.

“I can destroy them all,” Celeste said. “You don’t know what I can do.”

Regina flinched back into her seat. “Leave us.”

Mateus immediately stood. “I’ll begin preparations.”

“Um, no. I’m not going anywhere,” Rylan said.

“Neither am I,” Victor chimed in.

Celeste twisted in her chair to face Rylan and Victor. “I appreciate all your support, I really do, but I do think we need to talk alone.”

Rylan frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He gently tugged on Victor’s arm to get him out the door. Celeste watched them leave. Mateus’s chair was already empty.

Celeste fiddled with her sleeves while Regina sat still in her chair, poised and prim as normal.

“I know you have great power,” Regina said. “It spills out of you. It is your very essence and it has gotten stronger.”

Celeste met her gaze. “I do.”

“But that doesn’t mean you have to save the world. You have duties as a
Tuatha
. You must attend to those. To do so, you must be alive.”

Celeste pushed away from the table, unable to sit still any longer. “You can’t ask me to sit around and do nothing while the whole world goes to shit.”

“I’m not asking you to do nothing. I’m asking you to stay alive so you can clean up what’s left after all of this.”

“I can stop them,” Celeste said. “That is my duty.”

Regina closed her eyes, tilting her head back. She was watery again, a churning water fall contained inside human form. Her power never ceased to amaze Celeste.