Soul Control (30 page)

He shook his head and got serious. “No.” Then he went into covert mode. “We shouldn’t be here, Saydi.” He put some distance between us.

It was driving me crazy, him being right in front of me and wouldn’t come near me. “Nathanael! They’ll never know.”

His features tightened, voice tighter. “That’s exactly why we shouldn’t be!” Then his face softened and his tone lightened. “I’ve got to get to my room.” Swimming to the edge, he jumped out and grabbed a towel, wiping his face.

I pulled myself out too, feeling the tears come. “I don’t...know what...the big deal...is?” I replied.

Gently his arms wrapped me up from behind, securing my back to his chest, then slowly and lovingly he caressed down my arms, linking his fingers through mine. He swayed us gently in front of the water. It rippled at his command, poising in a peak, then rose, weightless with each soft movement he made, waltzing along with us. All the hurt and turmoil dissolved.

“Feel me, Saydi,” he breathed. The second he said it, our hearts found each other and kissed, causing us both to unexpectedly gasp air through our teeth at the same time. You could feel it as they raced in rhythm, our individual souls consumed the other, so deep was the love. We were complete.

“Do you feel us?” he murmured, touching his lips to my ear.

“Yes.”

As he held me tightly against him, his desire to love me, be with me, hold me, raced through my veins. It was unrelenting, an unimaginable devotion.

Laying the wave back in the pool, he turned me into his arms. His eyes were unguarded, allowing me to see all of him. “We have to stay true. Everything we do is being counted.” His voice was sandy. Taking my hand, he said, “Come on, I’ll walk you back to your room.”

It was silent as we walked, both of us not wanting to get to the door where we would have to say good bye. Yet he was insistent, even though I didn’t completely understand.

We faced each other once there. “Did you feel what I felt back there?” I asked.

Resting his lips on my forehead he softly replied, “Mm-hm.”

“I thought we couldn’t feel each other’s deep-rooted emotions?” Then for some strange reason, his ears caught my attention, it was as if I were seeing them for the first time.

They called out for me to caress them and when I did, he pulled his shoulder up, shivering a little. “Don’t!” He chuckled.

“Sorry, I love them.”

“Well, love something else that isn’t so ticklish.”

I giggled, nuzzling closer into him. “Okay.”

He sighed. “Saydi.”

Yielding to him, I surrendered. “What was that we felt?”

“Apparently we defy all logic in our illogical world. It’s different for us, I’m assuming, because...” He kissed my nose lightly. “We’re soul mates, in the literal sense. And that is exactly why I’m leaving you here. I love you.”

He hurried away.

The constant losing him was really getting to me. It was time to make my parents understand what was going on. After getting dressed, I went down to the lobby to find them... They were already walking through. “Mom, Dad!” I called, trotting over to them, determined to have them listen. “Nathanael’s here and I was just with him.” Crossing my arms, I waited for the talk.

They both blinked and waited like they knew there was more.

I obliged them. “Nathanael hasn’t turned and it’s not right that you won’t let him prove to you he hasn’t. How can he prove to you he hasn’t if you don’t let him?”

With both of them studying me, my determination wavered and the earlier strength disappeared. My eyes cast to the floor.

A finger slowly lifted my chin. “We really do have to work on that,” Nathanael said, touching his lips to my cheek. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner,” he nodded, reaching for Dad’s hand and then, with Dad’s permission of course, kissed Mom’s.

My jaw, I’m sure, hit the floor. “Wh... What?”

Nathanael smiled. “Your parents just called me and told me to meet them here.”

“Nathanael, son, it’s nice to see you again.” Dad gestured his arm to the side. “Come, let’s sit down.”

Once we were comfortable, Dad started. “We did believe they had turned you, son. However, with Mora’s insistence...” Nathanael shuddered. Dad went on, “We found it very interesting that you actually left town so you could be true to our wishes.”

Nathanael looked as confused as I felt. “How did you know that, and how did you know where I was?” he asked.

Dad smirked slightly. “My boy, you know we have our ways.”

“Yes, I do.” He grunted.

I just sat there, moving my eyes from Nathanael to Dad then to Mom—who was smiling at me—back to Nathanael.

Dad sat back with his ankle across his other knee, cheek resting in his hand. “We’ve been watching you closely.”

That gave me the willies. “What? Why would you do th...”

Nathanael put his hand on my leg and shook his head.

“But they’re being...”

With tight lips, he closed his eyes and shook his head again.

I huffed and waited for Dad to continue.

And he did, paying no attention to my protest. “We came to realize you weren’t acting like a young man who was plotting his next move. Rather, you were acting like a young man who was extremely hurt and had no idea what to do next.”

Nathanael ran his fingers through his hair. “You’d be correct on all counts. I did come here because it was impossible to stay away from Saydi, but also it gave me space to think.” He clasped his hands together between his knees and looked to the floor. “Though I tried and tried, I couldn’t come up with a way to prove it to you and that scared me.” Without looking up, he put his hand on my knee. “Because the thought of not being with her...” he trailed off.

Mom reached over and touched his knee, getting his attention. “Nathanael, we know what it feels like not...” She lovingly looked at Dad. “John and I don’t want to keep you from Saydi. For her safety, we will do anything and for her happiness ...” Mom smiled at me. “We will do anything.”

He nodded and smiled. “Thank you for trusting me.”

Dad had a huge grin on his face. “You make it easy. You’re a trustworthy young fellow. Please don’t prove us wrong.”

“Sir, that will never happen,” Nathanael said with conviction.

With all the niceties out of the way, Dad nodded and went immediately to work. “We’ve been watching the papers. It’s starting to move to the small towns and hamlets, working its way out.”

“Yes, I’ve been keeping track, too,” Nathanael concurred.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” Dad said.

“What?” I breathed.

Nathanael sat back. “They’re advancing faster than anticipated, and more have been summoned.”

I shook my head. “More what?”

There was a hint of deep concern on Nathanael’s face when he spoke. “With us losing time because we haven’t been working on your Spirit Light, the word was sent out that more Pyre were needed to ensure victory.”

“Oh.”

“Father still wants me near you, and he was even helping me with ideas on how to get your blessing.” He nodded at Mom and Dad. “Because he’s sure the ultimate weapon to steal the Spirit Light is gaining strength right now.”

Dad spoke, “What’s that?”

Nathanael leaned forward and clasped his hands together, resting his arms on his knees. “Well, everyone knows what we’re doing here and everyone knows who the other is. We are also all playing nice at this point, because Saydi isn’t eighteen, correct?”

Dad nodded and leaned forward as well, wanting to hear it closer.

“I’m playing the biggest part. Father believes I’ve turned and I’m putting strong suggestions in Saydi, fooling her that I love her...right?” He cast a glance my way and put his hand on my knee again, giving it a little reassuring squeeze. “And we all know that for my suggestions to work, Saydi would have to have some desire to want to love me.” He lifted my hand to his lips and slightly snorted. “Father has no misconceptions that Saydi does desire to love me. However, he also believes she is stronger than that and when she found out who I was, she simply pushed those feelings aside and began to use me instead, not allowing herself to fall for it—keeping me close.”

It was all so confusing. “How does that get my Spirit Light?”

Nathanael rotated his head, eyeing me. “Sweets, what do you do when you’re using someone? You have to lie continuously, you play with their emotions, steal their heart, their feelings, and cheat them into believing you care. . . all those wonderful traits a Pyre loves in a person.”

Dad pushed against the back of his seat. “Whoa! That is a twist and a good one.”

Nathanael nodded. “Yes it is. Now when you forbade me to see Saydi, it cast suspicion on her, that perhaps her feelings were real, that she really did love me. It made no difference to them, because if that were the case, he knew I would be more able to tempt her with her guard down.” Shaking his head. “Either of those two scenarios works for them.”

Dad smiled at me. “Well, we know the whole truth.”

“Yes we do,” Mom agreed.

And it was back to work for Dad. “I know it’s impossible to know how many more Pyre have been summoned, but more Tovs have been deployed in the field as well. I understand the Pyres are a tad bit concerned with the amount of Tovs helping Saydi.”

I felt a little animosity toward my parents. “So, basically because you wouldn’t listen to me, we’ve added hundreds more to the battle?”

“There’s no blame here, Saydi, and I wouldn’t say hundreds,” Nathanael attempted to console.

Fine! I’ll give him the ‘no blame,’ but...

“Can I ask something?”

“Of course, honey,” Mom said.

“Can they not just kill me to get it?”

A couple of gasps later, Nathanael furrowed his eyebrows. “No, because if they do, your Spirit Light no longer belongs to you.”

“Oh!” Then I thought for a second. “How come they’re waiting to start this thing?”

Nathanael sighed with a hint of frustration. “Because you’re not eighteen yet, and also leading up to battle they gain many more Spirit Lights. That’s what’s happening right now as they work their way forward.”

Again, I had a legitimate question. “Do we know where this battle is going to be?”

Dad smiled nervously. “Not yet. It could be in the middle of Main Street, or it will just begin. There will not be any warning on the day of, but Nathanael might be able to get us a lead if his father is willing to divulge that information to him.”

So many questions still needed answers, so I kept firing. “Can’t we figure that out? Wouldn’t it be close to where the Rondure is?”

Dad nodded. “Yes, where the battle is, the Rondure will be close by.”

“Well?” I pushed.

“Saydi, honey, just leave it at that.” Mom was stern.

The tension was rising, I tried to lower it. “So much for shopping,” I joked.

They laughed.

Mom touched my arm. “Saydi, we’ll shop. Nathanael will go back tomorrow as planned, and we will return on Sunday, and then...let the games begin.”

Snapping my head at him, I asked, “You’re going back tomorrow?”

“I have to go back tomorrow. Father will know you were here...”

That made me shudder.

Nathanael squeezed my hand. “I’ll tell him we ran into each other and with some begging and pleading...” He chuckled. “And of course, a suggestion or two, I was able to obtain your parents’ blessing to see you again. It’s perfect.”

We sat in silence at his last comment, then Dad rested his chin in his hand and watched Nathanael thoughtfully. “Well, son,” he said, sitting up. “I’ve made a decision.”

“What’s that, sir?”

“I’m going to trust you with my daughter’s life.”

Nathanael glanced at me. “And you can, sir.”

“What I’m about to show you will give her the death penalty if certain people were to find out.”

Nathanael strangled. “Sir?”

Dad dug into the inside pocket of his suit and pulled out the scroll. I gasped. Nathanael glanced down at me, then slowly turned back to Dad and took the scroll Dad handed to him.

“Read it,” Dad encouraged, and sat back, putting his hand on Mom’s leg, watching for Nathanael’s reaction.

Nathanael untied it and unrolled it across the table in front of us. I read it with him over his shoulder and when he was done, he peeked over at me with tears sitting on the brim. Then he rolled it back up gently, tied it and handed it back to Dad. He put his hands together in a prayer fashion against his lips, thinking.

From the depths of his chest a sob came forward so hard he couldn’t stifle it, even though he tried. He grabbed and hugged me. “It can be destroyed?”

I wrapped my arms around his head. “Yes.”

His shoulders folded in as his chest heaved and cried.

I soothed him while Mom and Dad looked on. You could see the approval in Dad’s eyes; he could trust Nathanael unconditionally. After a few minutes, Nathanael pulled himself together. Mom dug in her purse and handed him a couple of tissues.