Fire Stones

Chapter 18

I found Chance in the locker rooms after school. He was wearing a tight black T-shirt that clearly showed off his muscles and loose cotton black pants.

“Missed you at lunch today,” I said, kissing him.

“I was practicing my fighting skills in the woods,” he replied. “With everything that’s been going on lately, school hasn’t seemed quite so important, you know? I need to keep my strength up if I’m going to keep you safe!”

I lightly kissed his nose. “How about keeping me company instead?”

“When?”

“After school…”

“Of course. Anytime.”

“So you’ll be my date to Haven’s party?”

Chance looked up at me, taken aback.

“Brandon’s mysteriously out of town – no surprise there – and it looks like we need an extra helper to host. I’m working that shift.”

Chance laughed weakly. “You tricked me, woman! I thought we were going on a date.”

“We are going on a date. The kind that involves aprons and nametags.”

Chance groaned.

“Come on – it’ll be fun. Besides, we’ll be able to spy on the others – if Brandon wasn’t the one who attacked me, we might be able to find out who did.”

“I can’t say I’m overly thrilled at the idea of spending time with Haven’s crowd,” Chance admitted.

“She’s not so bad,” I said. “Ever since we started out on swim team together. In fact, she’s been rather nice.”

“You’re too trusting,” said Chance. “She’s a Water deity. You can’t trust her.”

“Besides, she’s got a crush on Varun. I’m – uh – trying to set them up.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but the look of relief flooding over Chance’s face was worth it. If he thought Varun was interested in someone else, I reasoned, he wouldn’t be quite so worried about our friendship. “Come on, Chance – help us out. It’d be a big help to my mom and me – and besides, I’m sure you’d be making your dad really proud.”

Chance scoffed. “I can’t remember a time my dad’s ever been proud of me.” But he kissed me anyway. “But if it’s important to you, my darling, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You know that.”

And so it was agreed that Chance, Varun, and I would be staffing the party jointly. My white lie seemed like it was working – Chance was far less aggressive with Varun than he had been previously – and after all, it was true: Haven was working on getting Varun, and it wasn’t like he’d turned her down flat. I smiled cautiously as we worked together to fold napkins at the elaborate dining table that had been erected in the center of the garden: maybe the three of us would be able to spend time together after all.

To my surprise, however, both Varun and Chance – vanishing briefly into the kitchen – returned wearing not aprons and nametags but tuxedos.

“What’s going on?” I looked confused.

“Change of plans,” said Varun. “I told Haven I’d be her date tonight – but only if she let the three of us dress up. I told her that our skills would be better-served leading the dances on the dance-floor than serving cake. Besides, most of these kids will be bringing their refreshments in flasks. Not that I’m supposed to know, of course.” He winked.

Chance smiled too. He looked happier than I had seen him in a while. “We’re ‘hosting’,” Chance said.

I smiled. “I told you Haven wasn’t so bad,” I said to Chance. But I stopped short, frowning. “But I haven’t got anything to wear.”

Chance and Varun exchanged glances.

“Mrs. Peterson?”

“Room 44B!”

They vanished once again, only to return with a red silk dress that shimmered in their arms. The two of them seemed happy together – even brotherly! Now that Chance wasn’t threatened by Varun – and Varun seemed to be mulling over his other options – things seemed calmer between them. I remembered what Varun had said about missing the cousin he grew up with: for the first time, I could see the bond between them.

“Mrs. Peterson’s this crazy old lady in Room 44B – been living there for about thirty years. She used to be an actress – and her closet’s full of all these clothes she wore back when she was a starlet. She used to be just your size. Lucky for you, she’s got a soft spot for Varun here.” Chance laughed. “She agreed to lend out one of her dresses on the condition that he take her out tomorrow night.”

The dress was beautiful. In it, I felt more like Vesta than ever: powerful, regal, beautiful. A deity. The silk rippled along my skin, contouring to my curves. From the looks on Chance and Varun’s faces, they admired the effects of the dress, too.

It was the most magical night of my life. The band was playing music I remembered from my childhood – pre-Erosion music – and I spent the whole evening on the dance floor, letting my feet carry me from one side of the room to the other. I closed my eyes and let myself drift to the sound of the music – dancing first with Chance, then Varun – a passionate tango followed by a gentle waltz. Two pairs of arms around me – two pairs of eyes locking with mine. Both of them were behaving like perfect gentlemen – only the smoldering looks in their eyes betraying their true desires.

I was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. I turned around to see Misty – dressed in full Gothic regalia. She was no longer the old woman I had seen in the locker room, but the slightly punk teenager I recognized from wrestling class. She was wearing a high-necked black lace dress with spikes on her bracelet, her electric blue hair done up in a bouffant.

“I’ve been looking for you,” she said in an unearthly voice. “I’ve seen it in my visions – you have found three of the stones you need. One in the depths of the sea – one in the heat of the sun. One in the cove – between earth and water. And now one hidden away in the realm of the spirit.”

My eyes widened in surprise as she handed me a dazzling emerald.

“Not even Jana got this far. She found an emerald, but it was a false one. The true emerald was the one that I possess. The one I was charged with keeping until the worthiest Embodiment was found. I truly believe that you are that Embodiment, Mackenzie Evers. That this is your destiny. This is the Emerald, the fourth stone. The one that brings love and contentment. The one with the power to show the future. I am proud of you, Mackenzie.” She smiled an impish smile, her wise eyes betraying her age. “I knew it was you from the first.”

I was too stunned to reply. Before I could say anything, Misty turned on her heel and vanished.

I sighed. So I really was Vesta, after all. I clutched the emerald to my heart, walking over to the shore, away from the party. I looked out over the black water, over the waves. Tonight had been so lovely. Me with Varun and Chance together – experiencing tenderness and passion at the same time. Close to water, close to fire – close to both of the elements so near to my heart. But soon I would have to choose. Soon I would have to break somebody’s heart – and with it, my own.

The sound of footsteps disturbed my reverie. I turned around, but it was too late. A dark figure had rushed towards me, pushing me with all of its strength into the ocean. I stumbled forward, feeling salty water flood my mouth. “What the…” Salt stung at my eyes – a strong pair of hands held me under. I began to flail, kicking out at the figure, trying to call for help in vain. Was it Brandon? But this opponent wasn’t as large – wasn’t as sturdy. Whoever was attacking me was smaller, more compact.

At last I was able to get my head above water, scratching at my opponent’s face. At last I got a good look – and what I saw made my jaw drop with shock. Haven was standing before me, her soaking hair matted and tangled, a look of fury in her eyes.

“Haven?” I spluttered. “But I thought we were friends?” It was a stupid thing to say – but it was the first thought to come into my head.

“Well, you thought wrong,” Haven snarled. “I’m Water – you should have guessed that. And just because you thought you could come in here, take Jana’s place, snatch Varun…”

“I never wanted to do any of that!” I broke in hurriedly. “I only wanted to…”

“Abzu was right,” scoffed Haven. “The Fire clan can be so stupid, so trusting.”

“But I’ve never done anything to you.” Somehow the idea of Haven’s betrayal was worse even than Brandon’s. I’d trusted Haven, learned to think of her as a friend. I should have stuck to my first impressions. “I was on your swim team. I was…”

“You think that was friendship? I wanted to test your abilities – to see who you really were. Water or Fire. At first you almost tricked me into thinking you were one of us. But now I know the truth. You think you’re Vesta, don’t you? Of all the…”

I swallowed. Hard. If Haven had made an alliance with Abzu, then I didn’t stand a chance – particularly not so near the ocean. But surely Haven had supported her best friend Jana when she thought she was Vesta? Unless…

“You tricked her, didn’t you?” It dawned on me all at once. “You pretended to be her friend – pretended to think she was Vesta. You encouraged her. You faked the stones, made her think she was Vesta when she wasn’t, just to get her out of the way…”

“She was in my way,” scoffed Haven. “Of my destiny. Varun’s destiny.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Salacia – the wife of Poseidon. That’s my Embodiment. That’s who I’m destined to be. And when Varun and I Unify, our power will exceed that of any deity – Fire or Water. Vesta and Mars – that romance is nothing compared to Poseidon and Salacia. Nothing! So you see, Mac, I can’t let you live. I sent my assassin after you, but Brandon was too foolish to finish the job. You think he has a crush on you, too? Truth be told, he’ll do anything for me. He thinks he’s in love with me, poor deluded guy. I guess if you want something done right, you do it yourself.”

“And you think Varun will love you when he finds out what you’ve done?” I gasped, stalling for time. The longer I kept Haven talking, the better the chance that someone would find me. “Killing me won’t solve anything – it’ll only make things worse.”

“Too late,” said Haven. “I passed the point of no return a long time ago. Varun is my destiny and I’m here to see it happen – whether he or anyone else likes it or not.” She grabbed hold of my leg, then, yanking me underwater. I was pulled under, coughing and gasping for air as the waters surrounded me from all sides.

Varun! My mind cried out, but it was too late. I couldn’t fight out here. I struggled, but two arms – no, tentacles…two…three….four…eight of them wrapped around my neck, choking the life out of me, pulling me into the depths.

Haven?

I felt my life slipping away from me; I felt the pain pounding in my heart. It was excruciating, and I couldn’t breathe. Everything began closing in on me before I passed out.