Rising Moon (The Rune Stone Trilogy) (2 page)

             
Aylin took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She tried to ignore the idea that this young woman could be her last piece to her puzzle. It didn’t seem possible for her search to be so easy.
"
Do you work here?
"

             
"
Yes, are you looking for…
"
She
finally
looked up at Aylin with golden eyes. Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. She held a book in midair, not quite on the bookshelf. The rosemary overpowered the oak and cedar when she looked up at Aylin, and she could taste it in her mouth. 

             
Now Aylin smiled down at her.
"
You’re new here, aren’t you?
"
She squatted down to her level.

             
The girl's
eyes wid
ened with fear. "Who are you?" s
he whispered. The waves that had been radiating from her diminished to barely a ripple and fading the longer she looked at Aylin.

             
"
I’m Aylin, what’s your name?
"
Aylin asked gently, almost cooing.

             
"
I-
"
The young woman tore her eyes from Aylin’s and looked down at her trembling hand.
"
I have to go.
"
She dropped the book she had been holding, hurried to her feet and disappeared around the bookshelf.

             
Aylin stood in place for a moment, her eyes fixed on where the young woman had slipped around a bookshelf. She could have followed her and forced her to speak, but she knew it wouldn’t have done any good. No, it would be wise to let the woman come to her, letting the young woman make the decision for herself to seek out Aylin. It could be detrimental if she forced herself onto the young woman. Aylin would need to force herself to have patience. 

             
After a sigh she casually walked around the bookshelf and towards the front door. The tingle that rose to her shoulders told her
that the woman watched her
very closely. Aylin squared her shoulders and pushed open the front door and stepped out onto the sidewalk without looking back. Aylin crossed the street toward the café with a determination to give El a piece of her mind for sending her into the bookstore without any type of warning.

             
"
You should have warned me,
"
Aylin scolded her best friend when she sa
t down at the table in the café,
"
I scared her.
"
Eliana had been munching on a salad and looked fairly amused.

             
"
No. This was much better. Payback, if you will,
"
El said with a wave of her hand.

             
"
Four years and you still hold it against me?
"
Aylin raised a dark eyebrow.

             
"
Damn straight I do.
"
El winked.
"
So what do you think?
"

             
"
She is definitely the third, there is no doubt about it. I’m surprised that we didn’t have to go looking for her.
"
She looked down at her sandwich.
"
Does it mean something that she came to us instead?
"
she shrugged, answering her own question.
"
But I think
it’s going to be very difficult
, especially now that she’s already running away from me. I have a feeling she has no idea of who she is. Can we be a little more tactful from now on?
"
Aylin asked.

             
"
Yeah, sure. We’ll approach her like a little scared bunny. No sudden movements.
"
El shrugged.

             
"
Good. We’ll give her some space, let her calm down again. No popping in on her.
"
Aylin narrowed her eyes.

             
"
I already agreed,
"
Eliana snapped.
"
What did she smell like?
"
She leaned towards Aylin.

             
"
Oak, cedar, and rosemary.
"
Aylin tried not to look at El, but it was impossible to not see the hint of satisfaction on El’s face.
"
Very earthy.
"

             
"
It is only a matter of time then,
"
El nodded. Then she pointed to the vegetable sandwich in front of Aylin.
"
Now you eat. I promised a short lunch.
"

             
"
Well, since we are here,
"
Aylin picked up a quarter slice of the sandwich,
"
I might as well tell you about the dream I had last night.
"

             
"A dream?" El’s eyebrows rose with interest.

             
"It started out like a normal dream. I stood on the shore, in the cove of Orca Point, watching the sea. The strange thing about it was there was no color. Everything around me was in black and white, making the water a black mirror. I could tell it was nighttime because the moon was low on the horizon and larger than I’d ever seen. I could see the sky clear of clouds, but it was also starless."

             
"Another warning sign," El rested her elbows on the table and had leaned forward.

             
"Yes. The air was so thick with humidity I felt uncomfortable. But then I had the chills, and became freezing cold. It was at this point I saw the fog traveling above the water, creeping slowly toward me. As it came closer the harder it became to breathe." Aylin brought a hand up to her throat as she had in the dream as she’d fallen to her knees in the sand. "I could feel my heart racing as the fog reached me. The fog was too thick to see through. As the rest of the air disappeared around me I fell onto my back and looked up to the black sky, thinking it could swallow me whole."

             
El shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the thought of being suffocated.

             
"When the fog finally reached me I was too weak to move. It felt like icy fingers on my skin, and it was numbing. I couldn’t take a breath, and all I could think was that it’s too early. We haven’t found the third yet. It isn’t supposed to happen like this. Just as I started to lose my vision I realized I’ve failed. I thought my end would be peaceful, but my only thought was I failed." Tears stung her eyes at the fresh wave of sadness and she quickly blinked them away.

             
"Aylin, but it was only a dream," El reached out and touched her hand.

             
"There’s more."

             
"Go on."

             
"My lungs were screaming for air, and I could feel the pressure building inside me. Just when I thought this was it, a sound broke through. My head rolled to the side to see someone breaking through the brush in the woods. They rushed toward me and I tried to call to them, but I couldn’t. Just before I woke up he came into view as he dropped to his knees next to me."

             
When Aylin finished a fresh wave of chills ran down her spine, despite the humid air around her. The feeling of the fog clinging to her skin was still fresh. El took a long sip of her lemonade in deep thought.
"
Okay,
"
she said as she set down the glass lightly,
"
so you were trapped on the beach, unable to breathe. Suffocating?
"
Aylin nodded, her skin paling from the memory of the feeling.
"
Then a handsome knight in shining armor appears.
"

             
"
I don’t remember what he looks like, so how do you know that he’s handsome? And now I’m thinking
,
what if he wasn’t coming to save me?
"
Aylin asked.

             
El shrugged.
"
Now you’re over-analyzing
it
. You knew he was too late to save you, which means you knew he was there to help not hurt.
"
She leaned back.
"
I think I would take it as a sign that the hourglass is running severely low.
"

             
Aylin nodded.
"
That’s what I was afraid of.
"
She pushed away her sandwich, unable to finish it.

CHAPTER THREE

             
Willoughby Island is a small, irregular shaped island. A peninsula juts out on the northern end and it holds a state park with a small mountain and many hiking trails. There is room enough for only a few campsites near the shore. The town is located in the large part of the island with the shoreline filled with beaches and cottages. The shoreline varies from smooth sand to sharp rocky coves. The trees stand tall and thick on the exterior, allowing passing boaters only occasional glimpses of windows or rooftops.

             
Blake held a map of the island in his hand, and a duffel bag
lay
at his feet as he watched from the upper deck of the ferry as they approached the island. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, and he had a sick feeling deep in his gut that made it difficult to take in the natural beauty before him. The elder couple standing next to him continued to try to make conversation with him, and he knew more about them than he ever wanted to know. They were celebrating their fortieth anniversary, and they had first met each other on this island. He was a fisherman; she was a waitress that served him lunch everyday. It was destiny.

             
Blake didn’t think that what he had set out to do had anything to do with destiny. It was about rescuing and salvaging relationships, flying halfway across the country and finding his runaway.

             
The ferry docked at a small ramp near the marina, and from the top deck of the ferryboat he could just see the main marina. He could see the sailboats and small yachts anchored inside the cement walls, protecting the boats from heavy waves. Following the older couple off the boat, he declined a ride into town with them. He could see the edge of town down the road from where he stood on the shore, and he needed to stretch his tight legs after a full day of traveling.

             
The single lane road led him into the quaint downtown. He passed by three restaurants, all advertising fresh seafood in their small buildings. Two of the restaurants were converted houses with large porches and manicured gardens lining the porches. He stopped when he came to the city park. A large white washed gazebo stood in the middle of the lawn. A man playing fetch with his dog
could be seen
on the opposite side of the gazebo, along with a few children trying to fly their colorful kite. According to his travel guide the Chester Inn should be on the same street as the park. He turned right and
spotted
the Inn immediately. A large Victorian style mansion that
had been
converted into a hotel stood out from all the other buildings on the street. Brilliant white on the outside, it had a large wrap around front porch filled with rocking chai
rs and benches. A
welcoming place to sit on a hot afternoon with a large glass of iced tea.

             
When he entered the hotel he had to stop at the view of the interior when he first walked in the door. The counters and tables were made of dark marble and the dark wood shined under the glossy polish, mixing together to make a formal lobby. A small table in front of the door held a large arrangement of flowers perfuming the air, and the desk was located just behind. The woman greeted him with a friendly smile, and his check in was done with ease. Surprisingly an elevator had been added in the old building, and when he stepped onto the ornate carpet that lined the bottom of the elevator he looked up to the mirrored ceiling. He felt a long way from home.

             
Blake stood on the sidewalk on Second Avenue. The short walk from the Inn to this point told him why Terra had picked this place to escape to. It looked just like home, except for the fact that this was an island. In this town it was easy to pick out the residents from the tourists, the tourists with their bright new shoes and casual dress code, even though they mingled together like old friends. The air smelled salty and warm with the promise of a hot summer on the way. The storefronts were filled with merchandise from clothing to flowers, pastries to beach toys. He could guess that in a few days the streets would be bustling with the summer crowd.

             
Taking a deep breath, he returned his gaze returned to the store directly across the street from him. It hadn’t been difficult to find, since it was the only bookstore on the island. Barely two blocks away from the Inn, it had been a short walk. Whale of a Tale Bookstore was smaller than he had guessed after looking at the amount of business they do each year. There were a few people sitting in chairs in the windows of the store, oblivious to everything around them, fully engrossed in their books.

             
They reminded him of Terra. He took a deep breath, knowing he was only putting off what he came to do. He had to face her. The anxious feeling in his gut traveled up, forming a hard lump in the base of his throat. He tried to push it down by swallowing, but it had little affect. Considering the fact that he didn’t know if she worked today, and if she did work when she would be done with her shift, he decided waiting outside for her wouldn’t be the best idea. If he waited she might spot him and slip out through the back. He needed to confront her and get this over with.

             
Blake walked into Whale of a Tale Bookstore, barely taking in his surroundings, and approached a young man behind the register.
"
Excuse me, is Terra working?
"
he asked with a hushed tone.

             
"
Yeah. She’s in back.
"
The man raised a questioning eyebrow that rose above his small square glasses. After giving Blake a once-over he relaxed his brow.
"
I’ll go get her.
"

             
"
Thank you.
"
Blake gave him a quick nod and turned away from him. He didn’t want to answer anyone’s questions. He was here to ask the questions.

             
A few moments later Terra emerged from the door marked Associates Only. The sight of her made him pause, forgetting the anger he felt towards her. She looked so young still. He had expected her to look older, harder around the edges. It tugged at him that she looked the same as she did when she left their town. The only difference he could see was the distance in her eyes. Standing only feet from each other, she might as well have been on the other side of the earth. The tell tale sign to him that the wall she had built around herself the last few years was still solid, and she wouldn’t easily let him in.

             
Her face broke into a large smile, warming her eyes.
"
Blake!
"
she almost shrieked and ran into his arms. The weight of her body crashing into his didn’t move him an inch. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. Her body thinner than last time he saw her, and her skin was pale.
"
What are you doing here?
" s
he cried.

             
"
I am checking up on my little sister.
"
He pulled away from her enough to look down into her watery eyes.
"
You left town while I was away, and you haven’t called me since.
"
He stopped himself before he asked why she left, he knew that this was not the time or place for such a conversation.

             
"
I know,
"
she looked down at her shoes so she wouldn’t see the hurt in his eyes.
"
I’m sorry,
"
she said quietly, barely a whisper. She stepped out of his arms and chewed on her lip. She blinked away her tears and wiped her face with the back of her hands. She sniffed and looked back up to him, trying to summon up some kind of strength.
"
How long are you staying?
"

             
"
I don’t know.
"
He welcomed the slight change of subject.
"
As long as it takes. I have a room at the Chester Inn.
"

             
"
Great!
"
She perked up.
"
That’s close to here. Wait, why do you have a room? Blake, you can stay with me.
"

             
"
I wasn’t sure what I would find when I came here,
"
he said with a shrug.
"
I didn’t know if I’d be welcome in your new life.
"
Now it was his turn to look away from her. He had never felt so unsure about his role in her life.

             
"
Of course you are. You are always welcome in my life. It’s not a new life…
"
She looked away from him and looked outside. She had so much to say to him, but she couldn’t say any of it here. She blinked and shook her head.
"
No, I have a spare room. It’s a really small house, but we can get along. Can you hang around for half and hour? That’s when I get off.
"
She looked at her watch.

             
"
Of course, I’ll be next door,
"
he nodded, pointing towards the café.

             
"
Okay, thank you.
"
She took a step towards him, but then thought better of it. She smiled at him and he turned to walk out.

             
No, he wouldn’t allow her to feel uncomfortable around him. No matter what happened before she
was
still his younger sister. Whether she ran away to
start a new life or not he needed
her to know that he’ll always love her. Even if that love hurts him. He turned back around and took two long strides towards her and hugged her tightly. After she squeezed him back he let her go and left.

             
Blake felt rattled by the sight of Terra. His mom had been right, there was something wrong with Terra. She had never seemed so shaky, like she was a ball of nervous energy. Sure, she seemed happy to see him, but what
would come
next after the surprise wears off? He didn’t know if she would ask him to leave her alone, and if she did then he would believe she would never go back home. She had never seemed restless in their small town until last summer when she had become jumpy and scared like a skittish cat. She had spent a lot of time away from them wandering in the woods. Terra claimed she keeping herself in shape with hiking. But in his heart he felt that she didn’t want to be around them anymore. When he would drop by her home unexpectedly she would seem startled by the sight of him. Most of the time she wouldn’t even let him in the house.

             
Then this past spring he started traveling for work, having to go into Wisconsin to help out with the lumberyard. He’d received distraught phone calls from his mom when Terra wouldn’t show up for work. Once when his mother stopped by her house after she hadn’t shown up for work for a week straight, Terra screamed at her. Terra told their mother to never stop by the house without calling. Terra then stopped answering her phone. A week before he was supposed to head back home from Wisconsin, he received a phone call in the middle of the night from a sobbing Terra.

             
"
Blake, I don’t know what’s wrong with me!
"
she cried. Her words were slurred, like she had too much to drink.

             
"
Terra, calm down. What’s going on?
"
he asked, feeling very awake even though he had been in a deep sleep. It hadn’t taken much to rouse him to full alert when his sister sounded so unbearably miserable.

             
"
I can’t do this anymore. I can’t hide anymore.
"
She sniffed.
"
I just can’t Blake. I don’t understand.
"

             
His heart hurt at the sound of her crying.
"
Wh
at happened? Talk to me," h
e pleaded.