Heiress: Birthstone Series Book Two (9 page)

I turned to Aluce with raised eyebrows and she gave me a
slight nod. My mother edged closer to my side, anticipating what I was about to
do.

I shifted the neckline of the dress and tugged at the ties
that kept my wrapped necklace strapped flat against my body. When the ties came
loose, I pulled the wrapped jewels from under my clothing.

Gil’s eyes watched me, his mouth puckered in bewilderment
until I held out the bundle in my hands. I waited for his reaction as I slowly
unraveled the cloth and revealed the brilliant colors of my gems one by one.

“Are you . . .” he began, before running a hand through his
hair. “You’re the Gem Heir.”

“Heiress, obviously,” I corrected.

“She needs training on most of them,” Aluce said. “She’ll
never be able to end the king’s reign if she doesn’t learn how to use them
properly. Would you consider yourself a Weather Gem master?”

Gil snapped his head up and turned to Aluce. “My father
trained me for years even with limited access to gems until he was killed for
keeping them illegally. That didn’t stop me from continuing to learn every
chance I could find. I don’t know if I consider myself a master, but I’m
capable. Very capable.

“I’d say you’re more than capable,” Aluce praised. “There’s
a merchant ship waiting to take us out of Analar. We can get you aboard if
you’re willing to come and help train Aylen on the Weather Gem.”

“A prison break and free passage out of here? In exchange
for training the heiress? I’d be a fool not to accept.”

“There’s one more thing,” Aluce said, her sly smile
returning.

Gil narrowed his eyes.

“Do you think you have a bit more power in that gem of
yours?”

After leaving the last bit of his money behind for his
mother, Gil led us back toward the wharf through dark alleyways and slummy
paths. With our new clothing, we blended in with Analar’s inhabitants better,
but I cringed anytime someone gave me more than a cursory glance.

As we neared the waterfront, the mist became thicker and
concealed us well. When Aluce nodded at Gil with approval, I realized Gil had a
lot to do with controlling it.

A few wharf guards strolled up and down the docks, their
faces stony and their eyes alert as they looked for any suspicious behavior.

“Most will be searching inland for us, but they keep the
shore well-guarded so be wary,” he whispered.

Several small fishing boats cluttered the docks. Gil led us
to one of the least colorful vessels and motioned for us to climb inside. Fog
swirled around us, blanketing everything in a white cloud. I shivered and ran a
hand across my damp cheek to wipe away the frigid moisture as it gathered on my
skin.

“A guard is coming!” my father whispered as he helped my
mother into the boat.

“It was only a matter of time before they realized an entire
section of the bay was completely covered in cloud,” Gil muttered.

Aluce jumped inside and grabbed my hand to pull me into the
boat with her. “Take care of him, Tereg,” she said. She motioned for Gil to
untie the vessel.

His hands flew as he tugged at the thick rope securing the
boat to the dock while my father disappeared into the mist.

Moments later, we heard a grunt and a splash. The patter of
rapid footsteps drew closer to us until my father emerged from the fog, a new
sword in his hand. The last rope pulled free as my father jumped into the boat,
followed by Gil.

Dad picked up an oar and began to row. “He’ll be sounding an
alarm soon. He should only be knocked out for a moment and the water is
shallow. Expect trouble.”

Aluce gripped my shoulder with icy cold fingers. “Use your
Sea Gem and help push the boat.” Without waiting for a response from me, she
began to tug at my clothes. Behind us I heard a shrill whistle call out through
the fog. Angry cries filled the air and harmonized with the sound of water
splashing. I pulled the dress up over my head. Closing my eyes, I focused again
on my pink stone until I felt the sea skin cover my body. As my father and Gil
rowed, I slid into the water silently, careful to not give away our location.
My mother followed.

Together, we pushed at the boat, lending speed to its
retreat. Gil kept us enshrouded in a large patch of fog as we drew further and
further from the dock.

“Where’s the ship we’re supposed to escape on?” I whispered
above the lap of water.

“Clear the mist, Gil,” Aluce commanded. Instantly, the white
cloud began to disperse, leaving us with a clear view of the bay.

“It’s already raised anchor!” My father pointed to one of
several ships already making its way out to sea.

I glanced behind us and saw a large fleet of vessels pushing
closer. Many had sails and the men on the boats looked as though they were
using stones to conjure up wind.

“Push!” Aluce commanded. I didn’t hesitate. My mother and I
hurled our strength at the small vessel and it coasted forward. The mist once
more gathered around us as we closed the distance toward the ship. The yells
and demands of the wharf’s guards drew closer but their cries slid off me
unheeded. I focused only on the ship that was to be our salvation.

Our breath became labored as we pushed the boat faster and
faster. I heard the sloshing of water against wood and knew another vessel was
close behind us. Gil stopped rowing and a gust of wind passed over our heads. I
risked a glance backwards and saw the other boat sway crazily in the water.

“Keep going,” my mother urged. I obeyed.

Finally, the ship loomed just ahead. The fog around us
became denser, making Aluce, Gil, and my father choke on the moisture in the
air. My mother and I steered the boat toward the side of the ship where a rope
ladder hung down from the sides.

“Aylen first!” Aluce hissed as Gil drove another gust of
wind into a boat approaching us.

I scrambled up and my mother followed. As I reached the top,
strong hands grasped my arms and yanked me over the railing before dropping me
unceremoniously onto the deck.

I jumped to my feet and waited for my mother to be helped
onto the boat by a large man with long gray hair and a short, trimmed beard.
One by one, the rest of our group climbed onto the ship. Once we were all
aboard, my father and Gil yanked the ladder up.

“I assume you’re the captain?” Aluce asked the man who had
helped us.

“I was. With all the attention you’ve brought to me, I’ll
never be able to work these seas again.” The captain rubbed a calloused hand
over his whiskered cheek and glanced out at the cloud covered ocean. His brow
pressed together in one worried line.

Aluce turned to Gil, her own features tight. “Do you have
any more power left in your gem?” she asked him.

Gil didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled out the stone and
gripped it in his hands. A moment later, the thick mist began to disperse. We
were able to make out a small army of boats and ships drawing closer to our
own. As we came into view, shouts echoed across the water. They were preparing
for battle.

Gil looked up to the skies, his teeth clenched. The breeze
picked up and pushed at our sails. The ship lurched once and began to gain
speed. The captain stalked away to manage the helm, cursing under his breath.

“Do it now, Gil.” Aluce commanded.

Gil nodded. His knuckles were white as he clutched the gem
and raised his arms. The air crackled and sparked. I looked up as the overhead
clouds lit up with a monstrous streak of lightning. It spread across the sky,
spider webbing in several directions, reaching down toward the king’s ships.
The water trembled and the air shuddered as the fingers of fire hit the ships,
igniting them with white, glowing flames. Men jumped from the boats while
others scrambled to put out the fires.

“Help him, Aylen,” Aluce said. “Use the Destruction Gem.
It’s the only way they’ll know for sure that you’ve come. It’s the only way
they’ll turn their eyes from Vairda.”

My stomach in knots, I nodded. I concentrated on the gem’s
dark and depraved emotions, the emotions I tried to avoid at all cost. I
pictured the ships and mainlander men on Vairda’s shore, destroying the
islanders. Burning Vairda. Murdering Sai.

It was enough.

With a chorus of shrieks, every ship burst into a shower of
flaming fragments. They rained through the sky and plunked into the water while
guards and soldiers screamed around them.

Aluce turned to Gil. “Finish it.”

Sweat trailed down the sides of his face and dripped from
his jaw and chin as he collapsed to his knees. He opened his fist and I saw his
Weather Gem flicker faintly, its heart thrumming its last beats. With a grunt,
Gil sent a final gust of wind into our sails that pushed the ship forward and
left the smoking, ruined remains of boats and men groaning behind us.

Gil fell forward. The dead stone rolled from his fingers and
stopped at my feet. I glanced up at the skies one last time. The churning black
clouds Gil had called forth slowly dissolved as they mixed with the innocent,
white puffs that shrouded the sun. Before I looked away, I noticed the strange
shapes the darker swirls of cloud had formed against the rest of the sky.
Squinting, I studied them for a moment.

They formed a message. Spelled out in writhing curls of
moisture where the entire island of Analar could see, were the words “Gem
Heiress.”

“Well done, Gil,” Aluce whispered, as the words slowly
dissipated and turned to rain. “Well done.”

“Why would you pack so much junk?” Haji asked. She yanked a
few strands of beads, several dresses, and what I guessed were sentimental
trinkets out of Faema’s flimsy bag. They landed on the sand in one messy heap.

Faema scrambled to catch a few of the last items as they
flew through the air. “It’s called being prepared.”

Haji paused to glare at Faema. “You think this kind of
clothing will be appropriate for the mainland? We can’t carry all of it. We
only have room for weapons and food. And we need good packs. Yours won’t even
last two days in the water.”

I stretched out on the black Nethran sand, and waited for
the girls to stop bickering. It had taken longer than usual to reach the island
because Faema had held us up with her sluggish swimming. Once we’d reached the
shore, Haji had grabbed Faema’s pack and begun to rip into it, realizing there
had to be a reason for her slowness.

“Where am I supposed to get a new pack?” Faema pouted.

“Maybe we can find a decent one in the city.” I bit into a
piece of fruit I’d snagged from a nearby tree and stared up at the sky,
wondering what the clouds looked like where Aylen was. Did she miss me yet or
was she too busy to even think about me? Was she safe?

“How are we supposed to get into the vault?” Haji asked as
she passed a much lighter bag to Faema. “And how did you discover this stretch
of beach? I thought everything in Nethra was heavily guarded.”

I smiled. “Aylen and I had an entire year to explore. And in
Nethra, she’s royalty. They stopped questioning her desire to familiarize
herself with the island ages ago.” I sat up, swiped a hand across my mouth, and
added, “As far as this beach goes, it’s too small and rocky for them to worry
about. It’s nearly impossible to find.”

Haji dusted herself off and stood. “So, what next? You think
Perin will offer to help us or do you think we’ll be on our own?”

I shrugged. “In the end, Perin follows Aluce’s lead and if
she thinks I need to stay here, he’ll agree with her.”

“What a wimp,” Faema said as she attempted to slip a random hair
trinket into her pack. Haji noticed and slapped it away.

“Honestly, Faema? What could you possibly use that for?”

“It’s pretty. But you wouldn’t know anything about pretty,
would you?”

I rolled my eyes. If this was how it was going to be the
entire trip, I wasn’t sure I’d get very far before I left both of them
somewhere to fend for themselves. Clearing my throat, I rose to my feet and
positioned myself between them.

“I hate to disrupt your girl time or whatever this is, but
you’re both too loud and there could be a guard nearby.”

“But don’t you see how she treats me?” Faema asked. She
glared at Haji.

I glanced back and forth between the two of them and sighed.
“You’re both going to destroy any chance I have of succeeding. I was an idiot
to let you come.”

Haji shook her head. “No, you weren’t. We’re just getting
off to a rough start. Things will improve.”

“They’d improve if Haji minded her own business.” Faema
muttered.

With a grunt, I stalked toward the pile of weapons I’d left
on the beach. I reached for my spear and a water tight pack of sleeping darts
and strapped them to my body before turning back to the girls.

“This is your last chance,” I warned. “If you two can’t stop
fighting long enough to get us out of here with enough gems, I’ll leave both of
you.”

Haji took a step closer toward me. An apologetic smile
turned up the corners of her lips. “I’ll make a promise. From this moment
forward, Faema and I will be best friends.”

“Right, and Aylen and I are long lost sisters,” Faema
muttered. But when I raised one eyebrow at her she managed a strained smile.
“Sure. Whatever. Just tell me what I need to do.”

I led them back into the water and to the Nethran entrance.
Once there, we formally presented ourselves to the guards and told them we
needed to speak with Perin. I didn’t want anyone to suspect I had other ways to
access the island before I knew whether Perin would help us or not.

Once they recognized me, most of the guards slapped me on
the back and asked to be introduced to my friends. Lirig, one of the younger
guards Aylen and I had met the first time we’d visited Nethra, raised his
eyebrows when he noticed she wasn’t with me. In the past, he’d always tried to
flirt with her.