And I did. So badly that I wasn’t sleeping well at night. Mostly because of dreams where I was burning down the town. Sometimes Eliana was in the way. Sometimes Ashlyn or Fenris. Oanen was never in the way, though. Even in my dreams, I knew he was gone.
I grabbed my jacket and locked up as I left. I’d held off on my plans for the lake in hopes that Oanen would find my mom. That hope was now dead. With Oanen on his way home, the time had come for me to get serious about finding the Isle of Woe and the oracle.
First thing I needed to do was check the boat I saw at the lake.
The drive didn’t take long. I managed to arrive just before dark. The boat I’d spotted on the previous trip to the lake still sat off to the side, buried under a few inches of snow. After I brushed it off, I walked around it, looking for holes. It appeared solid. There were oars and even a life vest under it.
I took a picture and sent it with a message to Ashlyn.
How sturdy is this boat?
Her reply only took a few moments.
It’s sturdy. That’s one of the rules. The mermaids can’t sabotage the boat before it gets in the water. You’re not leaving now, are you? It’s too dangerous at night.
No. Not leaving now. I’m checking it for tomorrow. I’ll let you know for sure when I leave.
She didn’t answer.
I checked the boat one more time then got back in my car for the drive home. On my way through town, I picked up three times my weight in water softener salt. The clerk didn’t say anything, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes.
When my house came into view and I saw a light, for a brief moment anticipation exploded inside of me. Oanen. He was home. The thought had barely formed before I realized how impossible that would be unless he’d suddenly developed the ability to open portals like Adira. Flying would take him a few days to get back.
Eliana sat at my kitchen table when I walked in. Her expression sent a bolt of fear through me. I stopped just inside the door, afraid that whatever news she had would upset me enough that I would hurt her.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen to Oanen?”
She stood and put her hands on her hips, scowling at me.
“No, you idiot. Something’s going to happen to you. What are you thinking, going out on that lake alone after what we heard in the hall?”
Relief coursed through me. The fire that had scorched in my middle didn’t cool, though.
“You didn’t tell Oanen, did you?”
“No, because I’m going to talk you out of it before he even gets here.”
“That’s why I need to do this, Eliana. I can see your face turning red and know it’s not anger. It’s the heat rolling off of me. What do you think is going to happen to Oanen when he comes back? He’s going to want to see me; and no matter how much I’m trying not to be, I’m desperate to see him. Every time I think of him I get warmer. He won’t stay away because he’ll feel how much I need him. Do you see the problem? I’m going to cook him like a Thanksgiving turkey. I need to go to the lake. I need to try to get answers. I need Oanen to be okay when he sees me next.”
She exhaled heavily and dropped her hands to her sides.
“I know. I just need you to be okay, too, and I don’t trust those mermaids.”
“Neither do I. I have a ton of salt in my trunk. Ashlyn said to weight the boat, and I figure I can throw it in their faces if they try to tip me.”
“Good. We’ll stop and pick up some vinegar tomorrow morning, too. It’ll burn them like the salt.”
“We?”
“You’re not doing this alone.”
The heat slowly eased up as I faced my friend.
“You’re amazing, and I love you,” I said.
She grinned and crossed the room to wrap me in a hug. All the build up from the week slowly faded away as I returned her embrace.
“You’re going to make me fat,” she said, her head resting on my shoulder.
I snorted.
“I thought I was empty calories.”
She giggled. “You are.”
When I was pleasantly drained, she pulled away.
“Did you eat dinner yet?” she asked.
“No.”
While she and I made sandwiches, she asked questions.
“What time are we leaving? How long do you think it’ll take us to get to the Isle? And what’s the plan for when the mermaids get us in the water? Because, according to Ashlyn, that will happen.”
I looked at Eliana.
“You’re making my Grinch-size heart grow way too big. I love that you’re willing to go with me, but you can’t.”
She started to frown, and I held up a hand.
“Hear me out.”
“I’m listening,” she said.
“Did Oanen tell you what happened at the pool?”
She shook her head.
“He didn’t say where you guys went or anything when he came back. Just went up to his room.” She gave me a sheepish look. “I could tell he was hurt and had new burns, though.”
“Well, I took Oanen to the pool, thinking the water might be the answer to me not burning him when we touch.”
“I’m sorry it didn’t work.”
“It might have if the merbitch hadn’t talked a siren into singing for us. Needless to say, things got hot. Whatever’s inside of me just exploded out. It sent Oanen flying. I could hear him hit the side of the pool even under water. I can’t even imagine what would have happened to him if we hadn’t been submerged.” I held her gaze, silently pleading with her to understand. “I’m dangerous. I don’t want to be, but I am. If they get me in the water, I’ll get mad. I won’t be able to control what happens, and anyone in the water with me will get hurt.”
“So that’s your plan? Boil the mermaids?”
“I don’t think it’s a plan as much as a foregone conclusion. It’s not like I’ve ever made myself intentionally hot. It just happens with anger and passion.”
She flushed at the word passion but nodded.
“It makes sense. The two emotions are very closely related.” She smiled slightly. “It makes you taste good.”
I laughed hard.
“You pervy little succubus. I’m your personal fury snack shack.”
Her smile slowly faded as we brought our plates to the table.
“What if you go in and you don’t get hot? They might get close enough to hurt you. What if your furnace doesn’t work when you’re hurt?”
I shook my head as she took her first bite.
“First, I think my furnace works harder when I’m hurt. Second, if I go in, it’s going to piss me off. I hate lake water. It’s gross. Once I’m in it, I don’t think they’ll be able to get close. At the pool, my heat dried me within seconds of getting out of the water. The merbitch was in the pool with us, but she never got close. I think it’s because I made the water too hot around me. My heat will be my personal protection bubble.”
She held out her hand.
“Phone please.”
I gave my phone over and ate my sandwich as I watched her install an app.
“What’s that for?” I asked when she gave it back.
“I’m still going with you to the lake. But I’ll stay on the shore and watch your progress on my phone. That app will track you. You should probably put your phone in a baggie before you get into the boat.”
She had a valid point.
“And we should probably pack you a lunch and something to drink,” she added.
I lay in my bed, quietly contemplating the hairline cracks in my ceiling while trying to ignore the faint scent of scorch rising from my sheets.
After Eliana called the Quills to let them know she planned to spend the night, we’d packed my provisions and sealed up my phone. With nothing else to do, we’d gone to bed early so we could wake well before dawn and head into town for the vinegar Eliana wanted me to take.
Even though there was nothing left to do at the moment but sleep, I couldn’t stop thinking.
What if there was no island? What if what we’d overheard and the map in the library was just some big prank to get me into the water, like Ashlyn said? Or, what if the island was real, but there was no oracle there?
The scent of scorch increased. If there was no oracle, there’d be no answers. Without answers, Oanen was as good as stuffed and served on a platter.
A scuff of noise preceded Eliana’s entry. She wore a long, white virginal gown that made me grin.