The Descendants Read online

  “I don’t have the answers yet. I need more time.” I want to roll my eyes, but I know this isn’t the time to try him, especially not while I’m standing over Brent. “Rose isn’t about to divulge a life’s worth of secrets to me. I have to find the answers myself.”

  “I don’t think you’re taking this seriously, Katrina.”

  Katrina.

  The way she says my name … I shake it off. I need to concentrate on what he’s saying. “Of course I’m taking this seriously. But you’ve given me no clue as to what I’m searching for, and no one is willing to tell me. It makes my mission a bit complicated, don’t you think?”

  Erebus continues. “You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out, but I will confess, I wasn’t happy to find out that Poseidon’s spawn was spying on me. He would be dead if I didn’t think he could help you.”

  I frown. “How? How can Johnny help me?”

  The woman stands and begins to step back onto the roof, the moonlight providing a blue halo of light around her, her hair and clothes covered by a long, black, hooded trench coat. “You have two days.”

  I want to gasp, scream, lunge at him—her. So I scream, “I need more time!” Then I slap a hand over my mouth, but it’s too late. Someone must have heard that.

  The woman stands but makes no move to step toward me. “You’ll find a way because if you don’t …” She points to Brent’s hospital bed, so I turn my head with a jerk. His chest rises and falls, but that’s not all that’s moving. His bed sheets pull at his sides as his body climbs higher and higher through the air until he’s hovering six inches above his bed. A swirl of blue light circulates the air surrounding his body. His center thrusts upwards as his hands dangle helplessly by his sides.

  “No need to repeat myself,” she says in a sinister tone before letting him fall back to his bed.

  There’s a loud knock then a rattle of the door. “Kat!” Another rattle. “Open the door.”

  Whipping my head to face the woman who stares back at me from the roof, I debate whether to go to Johnny first or slam the window in Erebus’ face, but her voice distracts me again.

  “I’ll see you soon, Katrina.”

  “I’m coming!” I slam the window shut with one final glare toward Erebus, who has already vanished, then turn for the door.

  When I reach the door handle, I realize there is no lock. I pull it open and fall into Johnny’s arms. He holds me while I tremble but he doesn’t ask what just happened. I think he has a pretty good idea. After a moment he steps away to examine the window, opening it with a flick of his wrist before approaching.

  “Johnny, stop! He’s gone. Please don’t provoke him any more tonight.”

  “What is going on in here?” A nurse charges at the door, a furious look on her face.

  I panic and raise my arms to her, freezing her in her tracks, then slam the door in her face and seal it from intruders. Luckily, using powers on a Normal also strips just enough of their memory, so she’ll never make sense of her confusion when she comes to. We don’t have time to deal with hospital regulations.

  When I face Johnny again, he looks at me with a glare that could slice through me. “What are you doing with Erebus?” he shouts. “Are you trying to get killed?”

  I’ve never heard Johnny yell before. I don’t like it. My voice is shaky and a tear slides down my cheek. “I didn’t know he was in here! She just appeared in the window.”

  “She?”

  I nod. “He took a woman this time.”

  Johnny frowns, then shakes his head. “What did he want?”

  My mind roams back to the energy source, convinced the Apollo Beach Energy Plant has something to do with it. But what? Even if all coastal plants are connected in some way, wouldn’t this be something Erebus already knows? He doesn’t need me to tell him this. It’s possible all Solstice settlements are disguised as coastal plants, and if so, perhaps Erebus is trying to find them all so he can destroy them.

  I turn back to Johnny, crying harder now. “He gave me two days. Only two days. I don’t even know what he’s searching for. He said he would have killed you by now if he didn’t think you could help me.” I can barely hear myself through my sobs. “If I don’t get him what he wants in two days … everyone I love will die.”

  He pulls me against him. “Kat, no one is going to die. Did you tell him why we’re here? Does he know your plan?”

  It’s impossible for Johnny to know that no one will die, but his words calm me. I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath, remembering why we’re here in the first place. “No, he doesn’t know. He must have been following us, though. He was waiting for me. I thought…” My voice shakes, and Johnny brings me into his arms again. “I thought tonight was the night he was going to possess me.”

  “Hey.” His voice is gentle, probing me to look up into his eyes, so I do. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. He may be threatening, and he may have a hold on Brent, but he’s weak. He can only win if you start believing him. Don’t let him hold that power over you.”

  “How much better than him am I if I’m tied to him by blood? I’m not afraid of him. I’m afraid of what will happen to me when I’m possessed by him. He’s killed so many by the hands of his Followers.”

  Johnny looks down at me with so much tenderness I want to invite him into my heart to live. “Just because you have Equinox blood doesn’t mean you’re anything like him. You’re not his Follower. You’ve been given a gift, and you can use that gift however you choose. That’s a powerful thing, Kat. Don’t forget your role in all of this. I can see how that might be tough to remember with all that’s going on, but your purpose is why you’re standing here right now. My purpose is to keep you safe because without you, nothing else matters. Nothing.”

  When Johnny presses his lips into mine I taste my salty tears. I also taste his love.

  Seven of us surround Brent’s bedside: Johnny, Alec, Arabella, Kaleb, Khloe, Trisha, and me. I was pleasantly surprised to see Khloe and Kaleb arrive with Arabella and Alec. We may need all of our energy to make this work.

  “We shouldn’t use all our energy at once,” I say, remembering how powerful our combined energy can be. Imagining all of that inside Brent is worrisome.

  I look around to make sure everyone is paying attention. Everyone’s eyes are glued to me, looking as confident as I should feel. They trust me.

  As soon as they got here, Johnny and I filled them in on my recent encounter with Erebus, and then I explained my theory about Brent’s coma and what we need to get him out of it.

  “We don’t know if this will even work, so let’s go slow,” I say, gazing down at Brent’s bare stomach. The Equinox symbol is still glowing. “I’ll start. Johnny, you follow. Then Alec and Arabella. If it’s not enough we’ll call on Trisha, Kaleb, and Khloe. Okay?”

  Everyone nods, and I take a deep breath, readying my energy. To begin, I place my right hand on Brent’s stomach directly over the Equinox symbol. Johnny is squeezing my left hand. I squeeze it back. On the other side of the bed, Trisha grips Brent’s hand and squeezes her eyes shut, as if praying. My heart aches for her. This has to work.

  When I close my eyes I bring forth energy in a way I’ve never tried before. I start from my toes, which tingle at the power coursing through my body. I pull the energy upward through my legs, stomach, and chest, then through my arm and into my palm. At the same time I’m pulling energy from my mind down into my hand. Once energy from all corners of my body connect at my palm, I release it into Brent.

  Once I feel the circulation of energy meet Brent’s skin I open my eyes and watch the translucent white glow fill his body. He’s now illuminated by my light. I nod at Johnny, who rests his hand beside mine on Brent’s stomach. The transfer of energy from skin to skin zings through my body like a pinball machine before finally hitting its target and sticking there. Brent’s glow increases, and I nod for Alec to join us.

  Alec’s hand moves to the other side of mine. I noti
ce he’s careful not to touch Johnny. He meets my gaze, and I feel his energy punch through me. I’m not just feeling the release of energy transferring into Brent, I’m feeling the release of energy racing through me. The two guys I’ve given my heart to in different ways are now tied to me, to each other, to create something more powerful than we’ve ever experienced. It’s too much for me to handle, so I focus back on our hands.

  I almost forget about Arabella, but she’s covering our hands before I need to say a word. The effect of Arabella’s light joining ours is instant. Something is happening.

  I let out a startled breath as Brent’s glow increases and intensifies to the point of almost blinding us. Our energy combined pours into Brent’s body, creating an electrocution straight into his darkness. But it’s not the light that has us stunned into disbelief. It’s the darkness pouring out of him in clouds of smoke. The black vapor is swirling so chaotically, it’s like it doesn’t know where to go. I realize it has to go somewhere because as much as I want this dark energy to die, I know it can’t.

  My shock turns to relief, and relief turns to happiness.

  “It’s working!” Trisha screams, echoing my thoughts. The emotions running through her must be intense. Her eyes are raining tears of relief and happiness.

  We can’t stop now. I motion with my left hand for her to open the window. “Let it out. We need to get it out of here.”

  “I’ll help!” Khloe follows Trisha to the window. They open it and begin blowing the darkness into the night. Kaleb follows their lead eagerly and I can’t help the smile that’s spreading across my face.

  Through my tears I see my friends, descendants of gods and goddesses from ancient history, coming together for something so good not even the God of Darkness can stop us.

  When what seems to be the last cloud of darkness floats from Brent’s body, we release our hands one by one and wait.

  And wait.

  And wait.

  And wait.

  Nothing changes right away. Brent’s heart monitor registers the same jagged heart rate as before, and my hope is fading.

  Johnny is gripping me. Or maybe I’m gripping him. I’m not sure who’s supporting who, but moments later a breath of life swishes through the room. Our eyes shoot to Brent, who appears to be gulping in air as if he’s been starved of it for weeks.

  It isn’t until his eyes open that the group of us begin to breathe. Really breathe.

  I point to the window and we all rush to climb out onto the roof and collapse under the moonlit night while Trisha stays by his side and welcomes him back to life.

  Chapter Nineteen

  He’s become predictable. Erebus is still looming close by with the potential to attack any time, especially because the New Year’s Eve Festival is currently in full swing on Summer Island. Rose and the Elders reassured everyone of the Island’s restored safety, as it’s once again protected with Enchanter magic. An Equinox can’t step anywhere near it; their darkness simply won’t allow it.

  I’m reassured of his distance simply because we have a deal. Two days. He’s giving me two days to find information he seeks on the energy source, whatever it is. Meaning tonight will be one of celebration, and there is a lot to celebrate, especially with Brent out of the hospital.

  After we told Dr. Floros what happened, he was pretty quick to give the all clear, but not before slipping me a folded piece of paper, which I opened as soon as I got home.

  Kat, there’s a woman at the energy plant who will want to meet you. A chemist. Go see her as soon as possible and tell her what you did for Brent. She goes by the name of Circe. Johnny can get you in to see her, but tell no one else.

  I don’t ignore the note. In fact, it’s burning a hole in my jeans pocket now. I’m just not sure what to do about it. I need time to think about attempting a visit with the crazy chemist—I guess I know her name now. Besides, Johnny will never let me into the energy plant because that would mean defying my father and Rose’s mission to keep me away from the facility.

  Rose, Paul, Charlotte, and I spend almost the entire afternoon walking around Summer Island, tasting food from various vendors, enjoying handcrafted items from the local shops, and listening to music from a lineup of semi-popular acoustic bands gracing the main stage.

  Under any other circumstances, this would be an event I wouldn’t miss. Today, I just want to escape the thumping crowd. Of course, I might change my mind when Johnny shows up, but he’s still working at the plant and doesn’t expect to get off for another couple of hours.

  At some point during the day I detach from my family and wander off to find my friends, who are banded together like an unstoppable clique. Brent is with them. It’s almost as if nothing happened at all. He’s got mounds of energy, and he’s cracking jokes as always. Trisha hangs onto his side, and I know she has no plans to let go. Matt seems to have found himself the perfect girl for the time being. Who knows, maybe this one will last. She’s a bubbly blonde named Carmen with almost as much giddiness as Trisha, and she already fits in well with our group. Arabella and Kaleb cling to each other as always as they pause to take a group photo on one of the green patches of grass. I watch from a distance, smiling at their happy faces.

  I miss them.

  It doesn’t take me long to remember why I miss them so much. Alec tosses a football to Kaleb, who practically flies through the air to catch it. Brent runs out and pretends to tackle Kaleb. “Whoa there, buddy. Didn’t you just get out of the hospital?” Kaleb teases as he pushes Brent off him.

  Brent shakes his head. “I feel better than when I went in. Let’s do this.” He shoves into Kaleb’s side and grabs the ball from him, chucking it back to Matt, but Alec swoops in to make the catch.

  The girls are lying out a blanket in the grass as I approach with a smile. “It’s so good to see Brent out of that hospital.”

  Surprisingly, Khloe is the first to respond. A genuine smile radiates from her face, reminding me just how beautiful she is. The tension between us has clearly faded. “Thanks to you.”

  I’m caught off guard by the compliment, but I smile back, not wanting to waste this opportunity to befriend Khloe. Trisha and Arabella like her, so she can’t be all bad.

  “It was all of us—” I stop myself, remembering that Carmen is a Normal, unawares that she’s surrounded by magic. But when I look at Carmen, her eyes are focused on the playful game of football, and not us. I decide to let the conversation fizzle right there, but by the twinkle in Khloe’s eyes, I know she understands.

  Trisha raises her arms, gesturing for me to sit next to her so she can hug me. She squeezes me with her everything, making me laugh. “It’s good to see you happy again,” I say.

  She pulls away from me, and for a second I think she’s going to cry, but she doesn’t. She continues to grin. “Thank you so much for what you did for Brent,” she whispers. “I still don’t know how you knew what to do, but I don’t care.”

  I’m surprised she hasn’t heard about the epic battle between Alec and Johnny, so I fill her in. Her eyes are wide through the entire story.

  “Where is Johnny?” she asks once my story is finished.

  “Working. He’s coming later. I thought I’d hang with you guys, if that’s okay. I know I’m the fifth wheel,” I joke.

  Trisha rolls her eyes and Arabella flips onto her stomach so she’s facing us. “You will never be the fifth wheel,” Arabella says. “Besides, you’d be considered the ninth wheel.” She giggles and nods at Carmen and Khloe, who are smiling at their boyfriends from the other end of the blanket.

  “Well, that happened fast, didn’t it?” I say in reference to Alec and Khloe, but I’m not jealous. I’m not even all that surprised. I saw it coming before Alec and I even started dating. It’s my fault for intervening in the first place. I’m sure they would have been together much sooner.

  Just then, Khloe faces us. “We’ll be back. Bathroom break.” She stands, pulling Carmen up beside before they turn on their he
els.

  “Wait for me!” Trisha hops to her feet, and Arabella follows.

  “You coming?” Trisha calls to me, but I shake my head.

  I’m enjoying this. People-watching and witnessing joy on faces of those I care about. It’s something I haven’t seen in a long time. Even if I only have today to feel carefree, I’ll soak it in.

  The guys spread further apart and chuck the ball to each other, always aiming perfectly and never missing a catch. My eyes linger on Alec, thinking about the last time we talked. The exchange at the boathouse doesn’t count. He was obviously hurting and seeing Johnny and me together didn’t help the situation. Before that, our last conversation was on Christmas Eve. I groan internally. I wouldn’t be sad to erase that conversation completely from my memory. It was one of the most painful exchanges I’ve ever had with anyone.

  Watching him now, I know things will never be the same, but never speaking to him again would be unbearable. There’s an ache in my heart where our friendship once was, and I can honestly admit that it’s the friendship I cared about most. It was the friendship I never wanted to lose, that nudged me into Alec’s arms that night, because I was afraid he would take it all away if I didn’t give him more.

  I’m so deep in my thoughts that I don’t realize someone is sitting next to me until they nudge my arm. I look left to see Alec smiling at me. He’s obviously happy, but his smile tells me more than words. He forgives me.

  “What we did last night was pretty incredible.” He’s avoiding the topic of us. This is probably a better conversation starter, though, so I go with it.

  “I’m just glad it worked. If it weren’t for your testosterone battle with Johnny I probably never would have thought of it.”

  Alec chuckles. “I’m sorry for that.” He widens his eyes and looks into mine. “I mean it, Kat. I said some awful things to you that day. And to Johnny. I was just so rocked by him coming back here.” He chuckles again to diffuse the seriousness of our conversation. “I had our whole future planned out.” He winks at me. I know he’s kidding, but part of me wonders if he did think about our future. He’s bringing it up, so he probably did. I don’t know if that makes me happy or sad.