Flood Rising (The Water Keepers, Book 4) Read online

  Even though Ash wasn’t locked up in a prison cell down in the basement anymore, the Council still kept him under close supervision. A Court guard escorted Rayne up to the fourth floor, joining the other guard already standing outside Ash’s room.

  “You have twenty minutes,” the guard said to Rayne.

  After a loud knock on the door, it swung open. Ash’s face appeared through the doorway, wearing a grin. “Hey, snowflake,” Ash greeted, “come on in.”

  Rayne felt relieved at the familiar face. It even felt good to hear his old nickname from their days as roommates back at the Academy.

  Rayne chuckled as he entered the room. “Wow, I haven’t been called that in years. I’m surprised you even remembered.”

  Ash shrugged. “Once a snowflake, always a snowflake, my friend.”

  “I have to admit,” Rayne said, “I never really understood why you guys called me that. We don’t even have snow in Banya.”

  Ash smirked. “Oh, you know the old saying… pure as the driven snow…”

  “Seriously? That’s where that came from?” Rayne shook his head and laughed under his breath. “I guess I was always the strait-laced one in the group.”

  “Don’t worry,” Ash teased, “I forgive you.” He plopped down in a green velvet armchair at the center of the room. “So, what’s new? I haven’t seen you in almost two weeks. I was beginning to think you forgot me.”

  “I know; I’m sorry. I meant to come sooner,” Rayne said.

  Ash grabbed a handful of nuts off the side table and tossed a few in his mouth. “Come on, I’ve been locked up in this room for over a month. You have to fill me in on all the dirt.”

  The last time Rayne came to visit, Ash was still beating himself up for his past mistakes. Rayne expected his friend to sound somewhat upset, as usual, but Ash’s tone was surprisingly light.

  Rayne sat in the armchair beside him and eyed his friend. “You seem like you’re in a good mood.”

  Ash lifted both eyebrows. “That’s because I am. Guess who finally called me into his office for a meeting…”

  Rayne’s eyes grew bright with understanding. “Ambassador Thompson?”

  “Yep,” Ash said with a grin.

  “So, the Council has finally come to their senses and decided to take you up on your offer to help?”

  Ash rolled his eyes. “More like they’ve tried every possible thing they could think of to track down my devil of a father on their own, and failed miserably. I guess they’re finally desperate enough to use me.”

  Rayne glanced over with concern. “I’m sure they’re just being cautious.”

  “Of course they are,” Ash replied. “I’m the son of a monster. They wouldn’t be letting me do any of this if it weren’t for Hamlin. He was the one who convinced them to give me another chance. Not that I deserve it.”

  Rayne wanted to protest, but Ash continued without pause.

  “Anyway,” Ash said, “all the intel I gave them checks out, so I guess they’re ready to take a chance on trusting me.”

  Rayne looked at Ash intently. “I’m sure Hamlin had a lot of sway in their decision, but the only reason they listened to him is because they know what a good agent you are. That’s why they’re willing to work with you.”

  Ash shrugged. “You don’t need to give me a pep talk. Honestly, it doesn’t matter either way.” Then, his eyes narrowed and a wicked grin tore across his face. “All I care about is getting my chance to finally stare my father in the eyes and tell him how happy I’m going to be when he’s sent back to exile to rot in Cayno for the rest of his life.”

  Rayne wasn’t sure how to respond. He knew Ash had suffered at his father’s hand all his life, and he hoped he would have the chance to find some semblance of closure, but the anger in Ash’s voice was a little disconcerting.

  “I think we can all agree,” Rayne finally said, “that Voss Hastings has to answer for the terrible wrongs he committed.” Rayne took a quiet breath and glanced at his friend with concern. “I just hope you’re able to find some peace in your life so you can move on.”

  Ash smiled. “Oh, I think I will.” He leaned forward in his seat. “And how would you like to help me get there?”

  “Just tell me what you need,” Rayne said. “You know I’m willing to help any way I can.”

  “I was hoping you would say that. The Council agreed to let me assemble my own team for the mission.” Ash rolled his eyes. “With their approval, of course. But you know they can’t say no to letting me bring along their golden-boy.” The corner of Ash’s mouth curled upward. “That’s you, in case you were wondering.”

  “Me? Join the mission?” Rayne said. “Oh, uh… I don’t know…”

  “Come on, buddy. I need someone I can trust out there. What’s wrong? I thought you would be jumping at the chance.”

  Rayne squinted. “Normally I would, it’s just... well, Sadie’s been going through a lot lately. The Council is squeezing every ounce of energy out of her they can, and I really want to be here for her.”

  “Listen,” Ash said, “I know you’re worried about her, but when you think about it, Sadie wants my father to suffer the consequences he deserves just as much as we do. She would understand.”

  Rayne’s resolve faltered. He looked at the floor. “I want to go,” he began, “but Sadie seems even more stressed out and tired here than she did back in California. More than anyone should on Ambrosia, especially here in Banya. I’m worried her Watermark still isn’t working right. I told you how she didn’t heal right away when I first brought her here, right? After you… I mean, you know, after…”

  “After I shot her,” Ash said plainly. “It’s okay, you can say it. I’ll be the first to admit I was completely messed up in the head to help my swine of a father.” Ash took a breath and stared at his hands. “So… speaking of your girlfriend… did you get a chance to, you know, talk to her for me?”

  Rayne hesitated. “Oh, right. Um, I did, but… she refuses to come see you. I tried to tell her how bad you feel about everything, but—”

  “No, it’s okay,” Ash cut in. “I was expecting that.” He paused for only a moment, and then went on with the conversation as if he hadn’t asked in the first place.

  “So anyway,” Ash continued, “according to Ambassador Thompson, there have been an alarming number of violent Healing Water thefts on Earth this month. And how much do you want to bet that my father is behind all of them? You can’t tell me it wouldn’t feel good to be there when we take him down.”

  Rayne gave Ash a meaningful look.

  Of course it would feel good. Voss had caused more suffering than any other criminal from Ambrosia, especially to Sadie and her family.

  “We both know what my father is capable of,” Ash went on. “And I can guarantee you he’s planning to do more than just steal a few bottles of healing water. We need to get out there and stop him, now, while his resources are still low.” Ash looked at Rayne intently. “Come with us,” he urged. “My father hurt you and Sadie just as much as he hurt me. He hurt her family, her parents. This is your chance to make things right for her.”

  Rayne glanced up quietly. “Okay. I’ll think about it. How soon do you need an answer?”

  “By Tuesday at the latest. We’re heading out in a week. No pressure, though; just talk to Sadie over the weekend and let me know what you decide.”

  Rayne nodded. “I’ll let you know.”

  Ash smiled. “Actually, I was thinking about bringing Honeycutt and Jax in as well. You know, bring the old gang together. What do you think? It could be just like old times.”

  Rayne should have been fine with the idea, but at the mention of Jax’s name his body went stiff.

  “You don’t exactly look excited,” Ash said. “What’s the problem? I thought you loved those guys.”

  “Yeah, they’re great. It’s just…” Rayne paused and shook his head. “Never mind. It’s fine.”

  “Okay, I’m not an idiot, Rayne. Some
thing is obviously bothering you. And those guards at my door are probably planning to shove you out of here any minute now, so you better start talking.”

  Rayne took a breath. “It’s just… I’m probably blowing this out of proportion, but I get the feeling that Jax is interested in being more than friends with Sadie.”

  Ash shook his head. “Even if he is interested, I highly doubt a guy like Jax is Sadie’s type. You have nothing to worry about. Jax is all about living the high life and popularity and putting on a good show. From what you’ve told me, Sadie’s not into that kind of thing.”

  “Actually,” Rayne replied, “she keeps coming home and telling me how he’s changed and wants out of the spotlight, and how she wishes people could see the real him… I mean, with all the training in the mornings, they’ve been spending a lot of time together. I think they’ve been getting really close.”

  “Okay, I see your concern,” Ash said, “but Sadie was friends with a lot of guys back in California, right? And you never had any problems with them, at least not from her end. So maybe you just need to trust her, you know?”

  “I do. I do trust her,” Rayne said. “Honestly, I don’t even think she looks at him that way.” Rayne swallowed. “At least, not yet. But, what if…what if Jax is what she actually needs? I mean, maybe he would be better for her in the long run.”

  Ash scoffed. “Seriously? You’re joking, right?”

  “No,” Rayne insisted. “I’m serious.”

  “Okay, just let me stop you there,” Ash cut in. “Rayne… buddy… you have absolutely no reason to doubt yourself. I have nothing against Jax at all, but he’s not the right guy for her, okay? You are.”

  Rayne sighed. “You know I want to believe that, but—”

  “But, nothing,” Ash said firmly. “Listen, I hate to be the one to bring this up, but I was spying on the two of you for months, and let me tell you, if there’s one thing I learned, it’s that you and that girl are head over heels in love with each other. I don’t care how great a guy Jax is, Sadie is in love with you.”

  Rayne felt the truth in his friend’s words. Sadie loved him and he loved her. He just needed someone to reassure him. He sighed, exhaling his relief.

  “Maybe just a word of advice, though,” Ash added.

  “Sure,” Rayne said. “What is it?”

  “The truth is… you have a bit of a tendency to…” Ash hesitated to say it, “to… smother her.”

  “I do?” Rayne said. Then he grumbled to himself, “Of course I do. I’m the most overbearing boyfriend in existence. She must be so sick of me patronizing her all day.”

  “It’s okay,” Ash said quickly. “Don’t worry, we all know you mean well. No need to go crazy with the self-doubt again. All I’m saying is just try easing up a bit. Give her a chance to figure some things out on her own.”

  Rayne slumped down into the chair. “I know you’re right. I just can’t help it sometimes. I want everything to be perfect for her.”

  “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that,” Ash said. “Just try to remember, she’s not your assignment anymore; she’s your girlfriend. Sadie’s a strong girl. She can handle it.”

  “She’s definitely strong,” Rayne agreed. “She’s more than strong… she’s like… the blonde equivalent of Superwoman and Mother Teresa combined.”

  Ash laughed. “I guess that’s one way to put it. It’s true though, just look at her father. Strength runs in her family.”

  7. GLIMPSE

  When Orion asked me about my plans for the weekend, I didn’t tell him about the party. Not only did our conversation at the testing center leave me feeling uneasy, but I knew if I mentioned I was planning to venture out to the city, Orion would tell me not to go. He didn’t like me leaving campus, worried that just stepping foot outside the Academy grounds would be enough for every person in Banya to figure out that I was Hamlin Fairbanks’ secret Earth-born daughter.

  Of course, I didn’t want anyone to find out any more than he did. Even if my father was still the beloved leader of Ambrosia instead of a disgraced ex-Ambassador who everyone believed was in prison, I still wouldn’t want them to know. The media was annoying enough when they followed Rayne around like a bunch of wolves fighting over a piece of meat, I could only imagine how they would react if they knew who I really was.

  Worst of all, the Council basically broke their own law in order to admit me to the Academy. Only natural-born citizens were permitted to attend. The Council said they were allowed to make exceptions as long as the majority agreed, but I was told that if the people of Banya found out they would have the right to sign a petition to have me removed, and there would be nothing the Council could do about it. That would mean the end of my career as a Water Keeper forever.

  I understood the risk, and I knew I needed to be careful, but that didn’t mean I was going to hide in a corner the rest of my life, especially when there was a fascinating new world out there just waiting to be explored. I spent so much time focusing on my goals of becoming a Keeper and learning my abilities that I hardly took a moment to breathe, let alone to discover the mysteries of Banya.

  When Agent Kelsey escorted me down the hallway to the Threshold, I wanted nothing more than to put the week behind me and find something fun to help me get away from it all.

  I couldn’t wait to step through the Threshold wall and feel Rayne’s arms wrap around me. But as Agent Kelsey opened the door, and the undulating blue and silver light of the Threshold waved before me, I knew right away that Rayne wasn’t there.

  I had worn one of his big sweaters over my t-shirt that afternoon, like I often did on the days I needed a little extra comfort. I wasn’t sure if it was just in my head, but it felt like I could sense a hint of the warmth from his essence through the fabric. That sensation was faint, though, and I was almost positive that I couldn’t feel Rayne’s actual presence nearby.

  I searched through the Hall of Clocks for him anyway, wondering if my ability to sense Rayne’s presence wasn’t as strong as I thought it was, but I didn’t find him anywhere.

  I wondered if he had taken me up on my offer the night before when I told him I was perfectly capable of riding the campus shuttle to my apartment alone. But if that was his intent, I knew he would have let me know ahead of time. He would never purposely just leave me there wondering. It wasn’t like him.

  I felt suddenly worried and pulled my phone out to call him. But right as I grasped the device in my hand, an image flashed through my mind, causing me to freeze. I hadn’t moved a muscle, yet the Hall of Clocks seemed to disappear around me. A vision of Rayne appeared in front of my eyes, like I had lapsed into a dream despite being fully awake.

  I could see Rayne hurrying across a large room with marble floors, clutching his phone in one hand. He pushed through a set of large wooden doors adorned with ornate carvings, and then emerged outside. I realized the doors looked familiar, and when Rayne stepped forward to the grand stone staircase outside, I recognized the Court of Ambassadors building immediately.

  As he moved quickly down the steps, Rayne pressed a button on his phone and held it up to his ear as if he were making a call. My mind held to the vision intently, wondering what it could possibly mean.

  The phone in my own hand vibrated, causing me to flinch. And just like that, the vision disappeared.

  It only took a second for my eyes to adjust, placing me right back in the Hall of Clocks where I had started, but my mind wavered. I tried to focus on the ringing phone in my hand. The screen said the call was from Rayne.

  I answered hesitantly, not because I wasn’t positive I wanted to talk to him, but simply because I could hardly believe the coincidence. It was like all I had to do was envision Rayne calling me in my mind, and suddenly my wish had come true.

  It was even more astounding when Rayne answered on the other end and said he was, in fact, just now leaving the Court of Ambassadors, exactly like I had imagined.

  “Wow. Really?” I said, stil
l in a daze.

  Rayne’s tone was apologetic. “I know. I’m sorry. I thought I still had time to beat you there, but I guess you were done a little early.”

  I forced my mind back to reality. “Oh, um, that’s okay,” I said. “I guess I figured you were still at the farmer’s market with your brother. I’ll just take the shuttle home. No big deal.”

  Rayne apologized again, said he would meet me back at my apartment, and hung up the phone.

  As I wobbled toward the doors, the blue and silver light from the Thresholds danced across the walls of the Hall of Clocks, even more mystifying than usual. The room was bustling, mostly with Backers commuting home from a typical day’s work on Earth, but their movements all faded to the background.

  I was completely bewildered. Had I really just seen a vision of Rayne’s exact location? Did I really just watch him pick up his phone and call me from the other side of the city? Was that even possible? Was there any chance it was real?

  As I sat at the shuttle stop and waited for my ride, a new thought popped into my head… why not? Why not believe that it was real? I had been shot in the head and recovered without a scratch. I had used some kind of miraculous healing energy inside me to save my father from the brink of death. I had moved to a place where people lived for hundreds of years, where nobody ever got sick, where the trees and countryside shimmered with light from the Healing Water naturally streaming through their veins.

  So, why not believe that it was real?

  And then, a more important question came to the surface. What did I need to do to make it happen again?

  I had to wonder if this little vision of Rayne could be part of my newfound ability to connect with a person’s thoughts and inner being. With my healing abilities I was restricted to testing outside the border of Ambrosia because I needed an illness or injury to heal, and those didn’t last around here for more than a few minutes, or seconds even.