Page 39 of The Powers of Nyx
I spared Maeve a look before putting up imaginary blocks inside my mind to keep my more self-deprecating thoughts to myself.
“Nice try, Sweetheart, but we can still feel how you’re feeling,” Adrian piped up from the front seat, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. “Seems you need more lessons with Hawk.”
Grumbling under my breath about nosy mates, I settled in for the last leg of the drive. The sky turned shades of purple and gold as twilight came down upon us. My mind felt hazy about everything that’d happened today, and it only grew more confusing as we finally pulled onto a long strip of road curving the beach.
Reaching over Elias, I turned the window down an inch and sucked in a deep breath; salty, briny air hit my face, dredging up old, long-since forgotten memories of days at the beach with Kerry and Andrew when Eloise had been a toddler. I closed my eyes as the sound of waves crashing against the shoreline and the screams of seagulls hit me.
“Look,” Elias murmured in my ear.
I opened my eyes and startled at the heads bobbing in the water. There were maybe twenty, peering at our car through the waves. As we passed, they dipped below the surface once more, disappearing from sight.
“Were they...” I trailed off and swallowed hard.
“Mermaids,” Adrian finished, glancing back. “Distantly related to your sisters.”
My stomach dipped, and I quickly sat back from the window and turned away from it.
The road continued along the coastline for maybe another mile, winding with no end in sight. At some point, my stomach grumbled, and I was reminded sadly of not having a coffee this morning, and nothing for lunch thanks to the crash. Apparently, magic and sex kicked up an appetite.
More promises ofsoonfollowed that obvious revelation. I crossed my arms and checked behind us every so often for the SUV carrying my sisters.
“It’s camouflaged, so we won’t see it,” Maeve said after my third check. “They’re close by, though. Don’t worry.”
“It’s hard not to,” I grumbled, resting my head back against the seat. “This situation is just so…complicated.”
Maeve gave my knee a hesitant squeeze. “You’ll be reunited with them in minutes.”
I frowned, and turned to Maeve, who watched the ocean. I followed her stare. My heart skipped a beat as I took in the sight.
The ferry, I thought, would be like the ones in Seattle or New York. I’d been on one once, years ago. We’d driven on, gotten out to take photos, and it’d been a fun experience ending with Thea puking everywhere because her motion sickness had kicked in. Too much rocking, and horrible weather.
But the one I spotted sitting alone at the end of an old, wooden dock was notthat.
“It looks like a pirate ship,” I said, sitting up a little straighter as I took in the three large masts and sails billowing in the breeze. “Why are we getting on a pirate ship?”
Adrian snorted a laugh as he followed the winding road down to the small parking lot in front of the ship. “It’s a ferry.”
“Nooooo,” I drawled, as he pulled into one of the spaces, though left the car running. “Thatis theJolly RodgerfromPeter Pan. Look! I think I see Captain Hook up on the starboard aft!”
Elias sighed, and Maeve sent me a look. “That is nowhere near correct, and the Captain is Vale. He’s Fae.”
That would have landed with Thea, I thought with a disgruntled look at all three of my mates.Shewould have gotten it.
Suddenly, another SUV pulled up beside us, and a lone figure dropped from the sky. My skin prickled at the sight of Hawk; he ran a hand through his shoulder length hair, pushing it back from his face.
But I clambered over Elias’s lap, earning a warning growl from him, and threw open his door. I heard screams as soon as I was out, familiar, excited screams that brought tears to my eyes. The doors to the other SUV flew open and soon enough, I was on my knees with Maisie in my arms first, her little body trembling and tears rolling down her plump cheeks.
My throat tightened with emotion, and tears burned the corners of my eyes. I bit my tongue to hold them back.
Ginny wound her arms around my neck and buried her face in my hair. She shook with sobs, and I tried to reassure them that they were okay—we were okay—but I wasn’t even sure if I believed myself.
Eloise hesitantly exited the SUV with wide, tearful eyes, and only ran up to hug me when I motioned for her to do so. She curled in on herself as soon as I pulled her into my arms,reminding me of when she was a child and would seek me out after a bad dream.
A hand touched my head, and when I looked up, I met Thea’s stare. “Thank you,” I whispered, “for taking care of them when I couldn’t.”
Thea smiled, though lines of stress formed around her mouth, and her tired eyes drifted from me towards the ship-ferry thing. “Can’t believe we’re ditching this place and catching a ride with Captain Hook.”
“I fucking knew you’d think the same thing,” I said, grinning.