“You were saying?” Conner laughed. “You wanna try that again?”
“Maybe I’ll try a different tactic,” said Jake as he pulled back his fist.
“Seriously, Jake?” Seneca stepped in and pulled his arm down. “We need to work together to figure this out. Let’s just go over all of it from the beginning—before Rileau’s friend gets here.”
“Tell him to stop fooling around, and maybe we can get this right,” Jake retorted.
“All right, no more goofing,” said Conner as he stretched out each syllable to sound robotic.
Jake shook his head and threw his arms in the air in exasperation. As he glanced out across the emerald pond, he wondered if a fairy lurked beneath the surface. His thoughts shifted to the time when he’d almost drowned. He’d encountered an overprotective fairy who dwelled in the lake near Kryt na nOg. Just as his mind began to replay the experience of his body being thrashed around by powerful waves, he saw something moving in the corner of his eye. He turned and saw what appeared to be a haze of low blue fog just above the surface of the water. It headed in their direction as it separated into four parts. As it drew closer, it became clear that it wasn’t fog. They were beings of some sort.
“Check that out. What are they?” asked Jake in a low voice.
“What’s what?” Conner asked.
“Those four things coming at us—right there skimming along the water,” said Jake. He turned to make sure they were looking at the same place.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t see anything on the water,” said Seneca as she stepped forward and squinted.
Jake moved behind her and directed her shoulders to the area where he had spotted them. “Right there—those wispy translucent things over the huge cluster of lily pads. It’s like they’re floating right on top of the water,” he said. “Tell me you see them hovering and heading this way.”
“What does translucent mean?” asked Conner. He scanned the area but shrugged when he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “I see nothin’, dude.”
“Nope, I don’t see it or them either,” replied Seneca. “Where exactly are they?”
“Come on, you guys!” Jake shouted in frustration. “See over there? Look at them now—they’ve changed direction and are heading toward the cluster of dense trees over there.”
“Now they’re by the trees?” asked Conner. “I thought you said they were over the water.”
“They were a second ago, but they’re moving fast!” Jake yelled. He ran to the edge of the pond and skidded into the slimy embankment. “The last one just went around those cypress trees. Didn’t you see them?”
“They had to be crazy-wicked fast, ’cause I saw zip, nada, zero!” said Conner. “Like blink-and-they’re-not-even-there kind of speed.”
“Cut it out, Conner. There’s no way you didn’t see them!” said Jake. “There were four of them going across the pond. They passed the trees and then drifted into the woods.” He looked at Seneca for acknowledgment, hoping she’d caught a glimpse of them.
“Sorry, but we didn’t see anything, and we’re right beside you,” said Seneca. She shrugged. “Maybe you’re just imagining it or something.”
“Listen! I’m telling you exactly what I saw!” he yelled. “I don’t know why you guys didn’t see them.”
He ran to the edge of the pond and looked out across the water. He slumped back up the embankment when he realized they had vanished.
“Describe exactly what you saw,” said Seneca softly to ease his anxiety.
“Okay. There were four of them; they all looked the same. They had nearly transparent skin. Maybe it was actually blue or a bit of indigo—a really pale color, but it sparkled,” said Jake.
“Like when we consumed the Himalayan crystals?” Seneca asked. She was fascinated by his description.
“Yeah, a little—maybe.” He pondered his experience of flying and having his body glisten from the effects of the crystals. “It was really shimmery on their wings.”
“They had wings? Were they like mine?” Seneca couldn’t hide her excitement.
“Actually, no, they were nothing like yours. As a matter of fact, I’m calling them wings because I don’t know what else they could be. They were more like long streamers of really delicate wings, but without cartilage. They sort of draped down and trailed behind them as they glided along,” replied Jake.
“Humph. Those don’t sound like wings at all.” Seneca snorted and folded her arms.
“What stood out the most were their enormous almond-shaped eyes. I think they were either a really pale blue or silver—I couldn’t tell,” said Jake. “They didn’t get close enough.”
“Anything else?” asked Conner. “So far, they sound harmless.”
“They were all wispy looking and moving in sync—not exactly flying, but they weren’t walking either. They were magnificent.” Jake’s voice trailed off when he realized he probably sounded as if he were losing his mind. The scene was so vivid for him. He wanted his description to paint a picture for them. He shook his head in frustration.
“They were in the air but not flying?” Conner asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, not flying. More like hovering or floating, I guess. It seemed effortless. They moved around like schools of jellyfish. They moved with a pulsating motion as they glided along. They were upright and had super skinny legs. They sort of bowed out as they moved.”
“And they weren’t actually touching the ground or water?” Seneca asked.
“No, not at all. They weren’t small either,” Jake said. “They were as tall as I am, with really broad shoulders and extremely narrow torsos. Odd but beautiful in a way. They were awkward looking but graceful at the same time.” He paused to think about what he’d just said and bobbed his head in confirmation. He felt he had summed up their description accurately.
“Amazing. Sounds like an epic event. Wish I had seen it.” Conner tried to sound empathetic, but he knew it wasn’t working from the expression on Jake’s face.
“Look, I don’t know what to tell you—they were there.” Jake let out a loud sigh.
“Let’s just say you’re right—and I’m not saying you are,” said Seneca. “If they appear and move in such a way that Conner and I can’t see them, you know what it means, don’t you?”
Her eyes grew wide as she stared intently at Jake. He returned a glare but didn’t reply as he stroked his fingers through his hair.
“Great!” Jake moaned.
“What does it mean? I’m confused,” said Conner. “You guys have gotta fill me in here.”
“She’s saying it’s a power I’ve picked up from the crystals,” said Jake.
“Exactly,” replied Seneca. “You have a new ability.”
“That’s cool, I guess, but—” Conner stopped in midsentence and decided to keep his opinion to himself. He knew Jake was on edge, so criticizing his newfound ability was probably not wise.
“But what?” Jake asked.
“Never mind—just forget I said anything,” said Conner.
“Tell me. I can take it,” said Jake.
“Okay, here it goes,” said Conner. “I just don’t know how that ability is going to help us defeat Brigara. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s fierce and all, but having the power to make those fire spheres would be better.”
“Oh, is that all? Yeah, you’ve got a point there,” said Jake. “Fireballs would be astounding!”
“You two are kidding, right?” Seneca said. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You mean to tell me that being able to see things that no one else can see isn’t awesome?”
Jake and Conner exchanged looks of puzzlement, shrugged, and then shook their heads.
“Come on! You saw those wispy things, and we didn’t even know they were around. You totally warned u
s,” said Seneca. “What if they were evil or wanted to attack? We’d be dead meat right now.”
“Hmm. Nah, I still vote for the fireballs,” said Conner.
“I kind of have to agree with him,” said Jake.
“You two are so dense! Anyone can make a fire sphere. Rileau told me,” she said. “I really doubt that anyone can be taught to see what can’t be seen with the naked eye.”
“Well, you have a good point there, but I’m not sure how it will come in handy when we have to square off with our bio teacher,” said Jake.
“Oh, wow, I just realized something,” said Seneca.
“What—that we’re right?” asked Conner. “And that a flaming fire sphere trumps seeing better than anyone?”
“No, don’t be ridiculous. And no, you’re not right,” said Seneca as she glared at him in frustration. “Jake, don’t you remember what happened with Leander?”
“Yeah, I think so. You mean the cuffs I saw?” asked Jake.
“Cuffs? What cuffs? You never said what you saw,” said Seneca. “You never even mentioned you actually saw anything.”
“I know. I was confused, and we were focused on getting the portal. I didn’t think it was worth talking about,” said Jake.
“Well, we’re going to talk about it all right! I’m sure it’s super important, and we should probably tell Rileau about it as soon as we get back,” said Seneca with authority. She stood up and shook her finger an inch away from Jake’s nose. “I mean it—tell him!”
“Settle down, Seneca—it’s nothing,” he groaned. “I’ll talk to him.”
“You can’t hold out on stuff. It might be significant to saving all of us.”
“Calm down. I said I’d tell him. Just chill already!” Jake huffed.
Her wings suddenly flashed in a full spread. She thrust them hard to create a swell of wind. Jake was lifted off his feet and blown into Conner. The impact sent them stumbling with legs entangled. They hit the ground hard and tumbled over into a heap.
“Okay, that came out of nowhere,” said Conner as he pushed Jake off his chest and got back on his feet.
“Whoa! When did you learn that?” Jake asked as he winced. He’d hit the ground hard, and a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. “Now who’s keeping stuff a secret?”
“Cool, huh?” Seneca replied. She smirked in satisfaction. “That felt really good, actually. Sort of a cathartic release, I’d say.”
“Well, as long as you feel better,” replied Jake as he stood and dusted his pants off.
“I do, so thank you!”
“Okay, I agree with you. You can stop the badgering. I’ll tell Rileau about what I saw when we were at Leander,” said Jake with a huff. He knew she was right, but he didn’t care for her tactics in making her point.
“I thought Shayna had the gift of persuasion. That was unexpected and impressive.” Conner snorted as he braced for another blast.
Seneca smirked. She thought it was a funny comparison. She preferred the direct approach to getting her way. “And, Jake, don’t leave out the part about what you saw today. Conner and I didn’t, so you have to.” She acknowledged his slow nod as enough of an agreement.
“I’m getting tired of waiting. The sooner we get Shayna, the better. It’s time we learn how to use our powers. If this perplex is supposed to bond us together, then we need to make it happen already,” Jake grumbled.
“Maybe we’re in the wrong place, or Rileau’s friend is a no-show,” said Conner.
“This looks like the place he described,” said Jake. “There’s the fir tree with the swirl carved in the trunk right next to the pond.”
He slowly scanned the area and started to shrug but paused. He saw movement in the corner of his eye. He looked up just as a body dropped from the trees and landed right in front of them. He leaped back and startled Conner, causing him to let out a loud squeal. Conner stumbled awkwardly into Jake and stepped squarely on Jake’s instep.
“Ouch!” Jake cried, and he shoved Conner aside.
“Sorry,” Conner said sheepishly. He stared blankly. He was baffled by the sudden appearance. Seneca grabbed his arm, and he instinctively pushed her behind him.
“Did she just come out of the trees?” Seneca said quietly.
“Yeah, I think she did,” said Conner as he surveyed the mesmerizing girl poised before them.
Jake readied and widened his stance in anticipation of an attack. “Who are you?” he asked sternly. His voice bellowed deeply.
She smirked but did not reply. It was obvious she was waiting for them to take in her presence as she began moving slowly in a circle, making eye contact with each of them. She held her gaze beyond the uncomfortable point. She looked over her shoulder briefly and then drove her staff into the ground. She showed no signs of intimidation as she adjusted the long bronze sash slung low across her middle. She turned down the tops of her thigh-high snakeskin boots and positioned them just below her knees. She placed her hands on her hips, turned to face them, and glared but didn’t utter a word.
“I bet Shayna would have boot envy if she saw those,” whispered Seneca as she moved out into the open but remained close to Conner. He was too mesmerized to respond.
“H-hello,” said Jake. It sounded more like a question than he’d intended. His voice raised an octave. He scowled at how uncomfortable he felt when talking to girls.
“Hello,” she replied. She made eye contact with Jake for a brief moment before she acknowledged Conner and Seneca. “I am Wren.” Her voice was pleasant, and her expression was serious.
“I’m Seneca.” She felt extremely small and made an attempt to adjust her posture by raising her chin to add a bit of height.
“Hi. I’m Conner.” His tongue stuck to the roof of his dry mouth. An involuntary clicking sound followed. He resisted saying more.
Jake shot a look at him, but all he could do was shake his head in disbelief. He knew they were all taken aback by her presence, so he couldn’t fault Conner for his reaction.
She was a statuesque beauty adorned in a dark emerald full-length velvet cloak that draped loosely around her. She pushed back the oversized hood, revealing long, thick ringlets of scarlet hair that cascaded down her bodice and well beyond her waist. Her hair was held in place by a delicate, intricately detailed antique gold and jeweled headdress. It came to a point and rested between her perfectly arched brows. Her rich caramel skin was the perfect canvas for her large, vibrant hazel eyes. She smiled slightly for a moment, but her expression returned to its previous stern glare. She held her shoulders back with an air of confidence.
“Why aren’t you more aware of your surroundings?” she asked sternly. “Surely you have been warned of the danger that seeks you.”
“You just came out of nowhere—bam! Ambush, you know,” Conner said.
“We all come from somewhere. What an odd sentiment you have stated,” she said as she stepped closer.
“You just caught us off guard. That’s all,” said Jake.
“Certainly, you were told of my arrival. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here, correct?”
“Sure, we were told to expect you, so we weren’t completely thrown off,” said
Jake. “Just didn’t know you’d appear out of the trees.”
“Strange way to make an entrance, if you ask me,” added Conner. “Rileau didn’t mention we were training with a ninja.”
“Nor did he inform me you were slug-witted,” she replied flatly.
“Do you really think insults are the best way to start out when you first meet someone?” asked Seneca. She could feel her wings tingling, but she was mastering her control and kept them relaxed.
“You might only be insulted if you believe the sentiment to bear truth,” Wren snapped in response. “Your actions will determine what the mouth may or may not reveal.”
“Well
, aren’t you the bearer of positivity?” said Seneca sarcastically. “Rileau didn’t tell us you were so warm and friendly. Remind me to share the greeting we’ve received.”
She felt accosted by Wren and her demeaning remarks. Wren eyed her and seemed to measure her response before speaking. Seneca was pleased that her grumbling wasn’t lost on her.
“It would seem Rileau most certainly has had his hands full in dealing with the lot of you,” she scoffed as she unlatched the clasp of her cloak and removed it. “I am here as he requested and will do all I have promised.”
They kept their eyes on her as she stalked slowly to a row of moss-covered tree stumps of varying sizes. She considered a few options before deciding to toss her cloak and a gold leather satchel atop the largest of them. Jake caught a glimpse of the satchel and could tell it was stuffed with something lumpy. He was curious and made a note to inquire if she didn’t reveal its contents at some point.
“You must focus on the unexpected. Consider all possibilities of an attack—even ninja.” She looked squarely at Conner with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, that should come in handy.” Conner laughed. “Defense against ninja invasions is at the top of my list.”
He knew her comment was targeted as a jab, but he had dealt with harsher verbal squabbles from his siblings and teammates. He believed making light of the situation helped to diffuse matters. She tilted her head and examined Conner from head to toe, but she didn’t reply. Instead, she began tightening the laces of her gloves. She used her teeth as an anchor as she tied and knotted the excess laces around her wrists. She flexed her hands and seemed pleased with the feel of the gloves as she stroked them in admiration. Jake and Conner watched her in silence. Seneca observed them watching the ritual and rolled her eyes.
“Dense as mushrooms!” Wren muttered under her breath.
Jake was unaffected by Wren’s insult. He was distracted by the elaborate crest on her iron breastplate. It was composed of a symbol with three interlocked fish set in a raised position at the center of a gold shield. He figured the symbol represented something important since it was also on her gold-armored wrist and forearm bands. She was a warrior from head to toe. He found her staff to be the most impressive. He was enamored by the intertwined roan-colored wood. It was just a few inches taller than she. It had gouges and scrapes in various places. He deduced it had likely been involved in a multitude of battles. The topper was a crystal amethyst globe held in place by four gilded supporting prongs. It had a hazy glow, and he sensed it had magical elements; he was convinced it was powerful.