I brought the orb closer to the sunlight and stroked the glass with my fingers. Smooth and translucent, the orb had a purple iridescent film on the outside as if it had been dipped in soap. As wide as the length of my forearm, it had no seams; the glass was blown into this shape. No bubbles or other flaws marked its surface.
It sat inert in my hands. No glow. No singing. No magic.
“Why glass?” I asked Nodin. “Why not metal or silver to contain the storm’s energy?”
“Only glass will work. I don’t know why.” Sadness blanketed his face. “Now even the glass won’t work.”
“Do you have one of the old orbs?”
Nodin stared at me as if deciding what he should tell me. Finally he said, “Kade keeps one in his sleeping quarters.” He scooted closer to the edge and hung his legs over. “It’s one of the smaller orbs. And it’s...full.” He swung his feet and looked down at the beach.
“So if the orb breaks...”
“Exactly.” Nodin spread his hands wide. “It would kill anyone standing or sleeping within ten feet.”
“Why keep it?”
“Don’t know. It’s a suicide waiting to happen.” He gestured to the sea. A single figure stood at the end of a rocky outcrop.
“Or it could be a strong desire for privacy.”
Nodin laughed. “It does guarantee him his own cave.”
We sat for a while in silence. Each contemplating our own thoughts.
“I’ll need to examine Kade’s orb,” I said.
“You’ll have to ask him.”
“Me? I thought...”
His brown eyes sparked with glee. “Yes, you. I’m beginning to like you, Opal. But not that much.” He grabbed the sphere and returned it to the back of the cave. “If you want to see Kade’s orb before dark, you better hurry. Once the sun dips below the sea, it turns black fast.”
I followed Nodin down to the beach. The sun hovered near the edge of the horizon, casting shadows along the water’s rippled surface.
“Good luck.” Nodin waved.
I wondered if Zitora should be the person to ask Kade about his orb. The Stormdancer didn’t have a lot of confidence in me. I tended to agree with him, but I knew I would try to discover the problem. It was too important and I wouldn’t feel right unless I made the effort.
The wind whipped hair into my eyes when I stepped out onto the black rocks. I pulled the leather tie from my messy ponytail and tried to recapture all the strands into a neater knot. Funny how I hadn’t noticed the wind on the beach. Calling to Kade had proven futile. My shouts drowned by the sea’s song.
I hadn’t noticed how uneven and jagged the rocks were, either. Waves crashed into them, sending spray high into the air. Water soon coated my skin and soaked my clothes. The rocks became slicker with each wave. I was glad I wore my brown boots, even though they filled with water; their thick soles helped me navigate the slippery and rutted outcrop. At one point I climbed over a few sharp boulders, and at another I leaped over a gap. The tight knocking of my heart warned my body to turn around and go back to the beach, but I was determined. Stupid?
No. Determined. Until I reached a space too big to cross. Too big for me. Kade was three rocks farther out. Each separated by a large opening. Had he swam or jumped? It didn’t matter. All that mattered was he heard my shout.
He spun around. And I wished I had waited on the beach. With an angry scowl, Kade moved. I would have marveled at his speed and grace as he flew over the gaps, except he aimed toward me.
An errant wave knocked into me and I grabbed a rough edge to keep from falling. Pain laced my palm and blood welled.
Kade stopped before spanning the space between our rocks. His mouth moved, but the wind snatched half of his words.
“...idiot...dangerous...go back!”
I understood his intent and turned to retrace my steps. The waves grew in size and frequency. They hunted me, attacking when I was vulnerable.
“Opal,” shouted Kade.
I looked back in time to see a giant blue-green wall of water rushing toward me.
The roar of the wind and sea ceased the moment the monster wave engulfed me. For one heartbeat, my world filled with gurgling sounds and foamy green light. Then the force of the crashing water slammed me into an unyielding object. The sea grabbed my limp body and tossed it about. Confusion dulled the pain until my forehead smacked into a jagged rock.
My vision clouded with blood and saltwater. Kade and the outcrop grew smaller as the sea sucked me into her liquid embrace.
5
I tried to swim. But each wave pushed me under and my waterlogged pants and boots dragged me down. I managed a few panicked gulps of air before the saltwater closed my throat.
A sense of inevitability pervaded my body and I relaxed. The underwater half-light was a beautiful canvas for my memories. My sister Tula arrived to welcome me into the sky. I was surrounded by warmth and love.
She frowned at me. “Silly girl. Take a breath. You’re surrounded by air.”
I opened my mouth to argue and coughed out a lungful of water. My stomach heaved with the effort to expel the salty liquid. Once I regained my composure, I froze in amazement. I sat in the middle of a bubble of air. The blue-green walls appeared as solid as glass, but moved like water.
Eventually my bubble floated to the surface of the sea. I bobbed in the waves, staying dry as land drew closer. Kade still stood on the rocks, but his eyes were closed and he held his arms straight out to the sides.
Once I reached the shallow water, my bubble popped. I splashed back into the cold sea. The waves pushed as I crawled from the water and collapsed onto the sand. Soon voices wormed through my water-filled ears. A crowd had gathered.
My sodden state was met with a mixture of emotions. Zitora was concerned and fluttered around me like a mother. The glassmakers smirked and tried to conceal their laughter. Raiden tsked and muttered under his breath about stupidity. Tal helped me to my feet and stayed beside me.
“What made you go out there?” Zitora asked.
“I wanted to talk to Kade. Nodin said I should go before dark.”
A burst of chuckles escaped from the siblings. Raiden scowled at them. “Opal, you shouldn’t have listened to him. He was fooling with you.”
“I didn’t know it would be so slick.” I shivered. The weak sun floated on the sea, painting a bright ribbon of red light along the waterline.
“You three stop laughing.” He scolded the glassmakers. “If Kade hadn’t seen her, she would have drowned. Then no one would want to help us!”
They sobered in an instant.
“Sorry,” Nodin muttered before they shuffled away to check on the kiln.
“Now you know to avoid climbing on the rocks.” Zitora smoothed my hair from my face and wiped sand off my cheek. “You’re bleeding.”
Her finger traced a line of fire across my forehead. She repeated the gesture and the pain disappeared.
“You’ll have a slight scar, but it could have been worse. You need to wash and change into dry clothes. There’s a freshwater pond behind the stables. Let me know if you have any other injuries.” Her eyes promised to question me further. Probably when we were alone. She left with Raiden to retrieve our saddlebags.
Tal lingered. He kicked the sand. He peered past my shoulder then back to me. “Before you talk to Kade about what was so important, make sure you thank him first.”
I glanced behind me. Kade reached the beach with a light hop. He walked toward us. “Thank him?”
“For saving your life.”
“Ahh... My bubble of air.”
“A Stormdancer power.” Bitterness warped Tal’s words. He turned and hurried away.
I wanted to chase after Tal, especially when Kade drew closer, but I waited
for him. Cold fingers of air stroked my wet body, raising goose bumps on my skin.
His wet tunic and pants clung to his muscular frame, but at least his angry scowl had turned into tired annoyance.
I braced for his lecture.
Instead he gave me a wry smile. “Don’t know why I was mad,” he said. “I’ve fished out so many clan members I’ve lost count. And I’m sure you weren’t warned to stay off the rocks. Not that it would change anything. No matter how many times you warn a person, he still has to climb out there just to see for himself.”
He sighed and gazed out to the horizon. The sea had turned a slate gray.
“At least I won’t have to fish you out tomorrow. I can save my energy for the storm.”
“A storm’s coming?”
“Yep. Nasty one, too. That’s why the waves are so greedy.”
He walked by, but I touched his arm. He jerked away as if stung.
“Thank you for fishing me out.”
He nodded and continued past.
“There was a reason I wanted to talk to you,” I said to his back.
He paused.
“I want to examine your orb.”
His shoulders stiffened. “Why?”
“To compare it to the new orbs.”
Kade made no reply as he strode away.
* * *
The simple state of being warm and dry felt wonderful. I wore tan-colored linen pants and a light orange tunic made of the same material. The nicest part of being a student at the Keep was being able to wear what we wanted on a daily basis. Formal occasions, though, either called for our official robes, or fancy dress.
In the main living cave, my brown leather boots steamed beside the campfire. I lounged as close to the heat as possible in a chair made of wood and canvas. The glassmakers, Tal, Raiden and Zitora ringed the fire, talking in low voices which echoed off the shale walls. Fish soup bubbled over the flames and my stomach growled loud enough for Zitora to pause and smile at me.
As we ate the tangy soup, Nodin and Indra discussed the kiln watch schedule and Zitora and Raiden talked about recent Council decisions. Each clan elected a member to represent them on the Sitian Council, which met at the Citadel. With the three Master Magicians, the Council consisted of fourteen members who decided on laws and policies for Sitia.
My father loved dissecting the Council’s decisions, but I never had much interest. Even now when I could have learned more about the Stormdance Clan’s internal policies, my mind wandered. Where was Kade? Didn’t he need to eat?
I eventually dozed in my chair.
“Opal.” Zitora woke me with a nudge. “Time for bed. Do you want to sleep down here near the fire or go to another cave?”
Confused, I glanced at Raiden.
“Some prefer their privacy. There are many places to sleep and a few have fire rings or coal stoves. Most of us just sleep here.”
I was used to sharing a room. First with my sisters, and then at the Keep. “Here’s fine. This way you can wake me when it’s my turn to watch the kiln’s fire.”
“You’re not on the schedule,” Nodin joked.
“I know. The three of you can shorten your shifts to two hours and I’ll take the last shift.”
Varun drew breath, but I said, “Don’t argue with the expert.”
“I assume you mean an expert at glass and not at swimming?” Tal teased.
I remembered Kade’s comments on the beach. “So, your superior attitude comes from having never been fished out?”
Indra laughed and flicked her long ponytail. “He’s been fished out countless times.”
Tal shot to his feet and scowled down at her.
“Now he’s going to run outside and pout,” Indra said. “You have to learn how to laugh at yourself, Tal.”
“I’m going to sleep in the stables. The horses smell better than you.” Tal stalked from the cave.
Indra sighed. “I’m surrounded by boys,” she grumped to herself. “I’m glad I have my own cave. I enjoy my privacy after dealing with these children all day. I’m going to bed.” She made a dramatic exit.
We folded the chairs and stacked them against the back wall. Raiden handed me a cot and helped to set it up.
“We do have a few comforts,” he said. “No sense sleeping on the cold hard ground.”
Within seconds of getting comfortable, I fell asleep. The wind whistled in my dreams as I ran from the waves. The sand sucked at my feet and hindered my movements before melting under me. I slogged through thick molten glass as a huge wave grew behind me. Riding on top of the wave was Blue Eyes. He beckoned to me. His voice echoed in my chest. “Finish the job.”
I woke with a start. Nodin shook my shoulder. White ash clung to the ringlets in his hair.
“Must have been some nightmare,” he said.
I shuddered. “You have no idea.”
A haunted expression gripped him. “I know all about nightmares.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“I know.” He straightened. “It’s your shift.”
Nodin stole my cot as soon as I vacated it. He was probably asleep by the time I left the cave.
The cold drove out the last vestiges of sleep from my mind. I glanced at the sky. No stars. No moon. A heavy presence pushed down from above, adding to the moisture in the air. Probably clouds filled with rain, although I couldn’t smell anything besides the salty air.
The sea moved like a living being. Its chest rose and fell; waves crashed and drew back as it breathed, the rough surf a testament to its displeasure.
Protected by the wind, the kiln’s fire burned hot. I poked the sand mixture inside with a rod. It needed a few more hours to melt into the required consistency. I added a handful of coals to the fire.
Now what? I hiked down to the beach and checked on the horses. Quartz nickered in greeting. The small stables had been constructed from bamboo stalks lashed together. The three stalls smelled clean and the walls protected the horses from the wind. Tal snored in an empty bay. His long arms hung off the edge of his cot.
I returned to the kiln’s cave. The fire warmed me and its familiar roar masked the alien sounds from the sea. I squirmed into a comfortable position at the entrance and rested my back against the wall. The perfect spot to see both the sea and the kiln.
It wasn’t long before a weak light diluted the black sky to a charcoal gray, which weakened into a drab gray. Clouds boiled on the horizon. The water underneath the sky churned the color of a two-day-old bruise. I stepped closer to the edge of the cave. Lightning snaked from the clouds followed by the rumble of thunder. It would be a bleak day. Depressed, I huddled in my cloak as I descended the trail and walked onto the beach, thinking to feed the horses their morning grain.
A spark of joy touched my soul. Startled, I looked around for Zitora. Had she uncovered her glass unicorn? Instead Kade strode toward me, holding a ball of fire.
As he drew closer, the song in my heart expanded. It buzzed along my skin, vibrated in my blood. He stopped and held out the sphere to me. His orb.
I grasped the ball. Energy sizzled and popped up my arms and down my spine. Light swirled inside, changing colors at an amazing speed. The sweet harmony of pure magic sang in my ears. Overwhelmed, I sank to the sand and cradled the orb in my lap.
Kade knelt next to me. “What’s the matter?”
“It...” Words to describe it died in my throat.
“What?” he prompted.
“It calls...no, sings to me. Silly, I know.”
“Not silly at all. It sings to me, too.” His gaze met mine.
It was the first time I had a chance to see him in the daylight. His amber-colored eyes held flecks of gold. Even though he radiated the air of someone much older, he had to be close
to Zitora’s age. Straight hair fell to his shoulders, but the color reminded me of the sand from the Jewelrose Clan—a mixture of golds, browns and reds. Small droplets of mist clung to his long eyelashes, thin mustache and anchor-shaped goatee underneath his bottom lip.
“Full orbs sing to Stormdancers, but I’ve never heard it call to anyone else.” Kade touched the orb. “Is it the energy inside or the glass that sings to you?”
I concentrated on the sphere, running my fingers along the surface. It was smaller than the one Nodin showed me. About eight inches wide it was the size of a cantaloupe. I ignored the swirling light and focused on the glass.
No marks. No flaws. Thick glass. Thicker than the empty spheres? No. Denser. The glass had absorbed the magic used to trap the storm’s energy. The vibrations felt different, so I thought magic hadn’t been used to form the glass.
“Have any of these orbs shattered?” I asked.
“A few over the years.”
“Do you know why?”
“Young fools trying to stuff too much energy into one sphere. Or they can shatter when a Stormdancer loses control of the waves and wind around him.” Chagrin tainted his voice. “In that case, the sphere is dashed to pieces on the rocks and if the Stormdancer is lucky, he’ll be rescued before his head meets the same fate.”
“Talking from experience?”
“Unfortunately. It’s a hard skill to learn, keeping a bubble of calm around you while the storm rages.”
“Kade! What are you doing?” Raiden’s voice called. He and the others stopped about twenty feet from us.
Kade stood. “She wanted to see the orb.”
“Are you crazy? What if she drops it? You both could be killed.”
I gained my feet and scanned their faces. They truly didn’t know. Not a clue among them. Even the glassmakers.
I dropped the orb.
6
The orb bounced on the sand and rolled a few feet. Horrified cries filled the air until the onlookers realized the orb hadn’t shattered.