The Secret of Strange Waters (The Light Keeper Series Book 2) (17 page)

OWEN DROPPED
ME OFF
, and then took Granny home. About twenty minutes later he showed up at the house. “Lily,” I heard him call.

“In here.” I called him to my room. He walked in wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and socks, with damp hair. “What did you do, run straight here from the shower?” I teased, pulling my hairpins out. One was tangled. “Ouch!” I tried to free it, only making it worse.

“You women, using all this crap in your hair. Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked, his fingers gently pulling free the tangled pin.

“Thanks,” I said, reaching for the next pin, but he pushed my hand away.

“Allow me,” he said. It felt really relaxing having someone do my hair. Well, undo my hair. I closed my eyes and relaxed for the first time that day. Once all the pins were out, he swept his fingers through, gently pulling free any tangles. “There. All done,” he said softly, averting his stare once he saw me notice.

He watched as I brushed out my hair and wrapped it in a ponytail; then he followed me to the living room. We sat on the couch watching TV and talking about how great everything was at the wedding. Everything had gone over perfectly as planned. It was nice to spend time with him, but all I could wonder was when Talon would be home, and if this still was his home.

We finally found a show and stopped flipping channels. I was deeply focused on the documentary about UFOs when the others returned.

“So what took you so long?” I asked Talon. I was expecting he’d have something to say about his mother, but instead he said he had to clean up. “Did your mom help you? I saw her outside.” I looked at him, awaiting my answer.

“Nope, she came to give me something I’d forgotten. She was passing through on the way to her boyfriend’s house.” He seemed very stiff, his emotions masked. It really hurt me, the way he acted like nothing had happened, like nothing mattered.

I’d had enough of the cold shoulder. “Can I see you in your room?” I said. He hesitated, but led the way. We sat on the bed and he stared at the floor, looking as if he were bored.

“So, what’s going on with us?” My hands went tingly, and I grew warm as the sensation rushed up my arms and crept into my chest. I felt as if I might pass out.

“There‘s not an ‘us’ right now, Lily.” He watched as my expression registered the pain in my heart.

I blinked, trying to understand. “What? Talon, I know you needed to leave. I understood that and I gave you space!” My mouth fell open as I paused, trying to find my next words. “I’ve missed you so much. I need you.” I touched his arm.

“No. No you don’t. You’ve got Owen,” he accused.

“What? That’s ridiculous! Owen is my cousin! He—”

“Name one thing you do with me that you don’t do with him.” Bitterness steeped in his tone. “I share you with him for everything!”

“Well, I don’t
kiss
him, or make out with him!” I frowned.

“No, just everything else. Aside from kissing and making out, I share you with him for everything else. That’s all I have over him, and it’s not much.” He spoke the last part quietly, knowing it was going to sting.

“Is this about sex? You know why we don’t,” I lowered my voice. “It’s you who insisted on that, not me.”

“No, it’s not about that. You don’t play with me, like you do with him, or share secrets. ” He gritted his teeth. “I’m tired of sharing you.”

“You don‘t! I love
you
. I‘m with
you
, Talon.” I couldn’t believe this was where we’d ended up. “I thought this was about Henry Oliver and Kevin.”

“Yeah, it is. It’s about everything—Kevin, Henry Oliver, the fact that I killed them both, and somehow it’s all connected to you and this Light.”

“So what does that have to do with me and Owen?” I defended.

“You risked your life for
him
. You didn’t even think about us when you decided to do it. What would I have done without you? What if it had been you instead of Kevin lying dead out there on that road? And the fact that I love you so much, that I’d do such a thing trying to protect you, when all the while you were out there for him.
Because
of him! You could have called me to go after him, to find where he’d gone off to, but you can’t sit back when it comes to him, and the fact that I’d do it all again. I’d kill him again, even deliberately if I had to, for you. To keep you safe.” He shook his head. “I know you say you love me, but sometimes, I think you love him more.”

“That‘s not true! He’s my cousin, my friend.” I sighed, realizing that he blamed Owen for the accident as much as me. He’d never forgive either of us, or himself.

“If I love him at all, it’s as a cousin, and it’s nothing compared to the way I feel about you. You mean
everything
to me. Please don’t go away. I can lose anything, everything but you.” And I meant it. I’d lost everything once. It was nothing compared to the pain and the void I felt when he left.

“I’m not going anywhere. This is home now, and you know I hate living with my mom. But Lily, I need time. We can’t be together until I deal with this. It’s not forever, but please try and understand. It’s what’s best for now.”

“It’s what’s best for you, not me. I love you, and I thought you loved me, too.” I started to stand, but he held me there beside him.

“We’re bonded now, forever, no matter what.” He looked deep into my eyes, and I understood what he was saying. He knew we’d be together no matter what, if not as a couple then as family; brother and sister by marriage. I stared at him, and the tears filled my eyes. I didn’t want that bond. I wanted more. I’d always wanted more. “I can‘t handle everything. It‘s too much.” I nodded. We had rushed in, and now he was regretting it. It was what he wanted. I was going to try and understand, even if I didn’t. He wiped my wet cheeks and stood.

“Wait here, I got something for you,” he said softly. He left and came back with a bright pink box.

“I got this for you. Mom saw that I’d left it in the car and brought it down on the way to her boyfriend’s house. That‘s why she was here.” He urged me to open it.

I peeled the wrap off the package to find a flask. But not any ordinary flask. This one was glass, wrapped with a silver overlay that was an intricate pattern of flowers and leaves. Lilies. They wrapped the entire bottle.

“This is beautiful, but—”

“It’s a flask for your Water. I wanted you to know that I love you for who you are.”

“But, I’m not taking the Waters anymore.” I shook my head, feeling really sorry he’d go to all the trouble, and wondering why he did. “I’m not having any more visions if I can help it. I don’t think they’re helpful, anyway. Life’s meant to be lived without knowing tomorrow.” More tears threatened as I thought of my tomorrow without him.

“It’s part of you, Lily. It always has been.” He grasped my hand. “Remember when you said that you were glad I had my wreck? That because that happened, we were brought together? I thought about that, and I think you are right. It’s the only way I could accept it—to think of you, to think of all of the things that have happened since we met.

“There was a reason for you to come here and find Alyssa—a reason for us to find the Water and figure out how it enhances your powers. This—all of this—was meant to be. Like your gift, you can’t avoid it. It would be like denying who you are, and even though you may not believe me right now, I love who you are, Lily.”

“But it doesn’t change anything. It only causes more problems.” I frowned.

“I think you could learn to use it to your advantage, if you practice more. Give yourself time. We both need time, Lily.” I looked at the bottle. It was really pretty and unique. Talon always gave me interesting presents. “I didn’t get you anything.” I felt a little embarrassed since everyone else exchanged gifts except me. I noticed he was wearing his new watch.

“Yeah, you’re giving me something.” He pulled me in and gave me a hug, and then pecked my forehead in his usual spot. It hurt knowing the intimacy between us was gone. Before the next tear could fall, I wiped the last one away.

I was giving him what he wanted no matter what, because I didn’t have a choice. I would give him time and space, and with everything I had in me, I would try to understand. I understood that Talon needed to deal. And maybe he was right. Maybe a little time and space would do us both some good, even if it didn’t feel that way now.

“I’ll try,” I whispered. And then I pulled away, feeling jilted. Someone was coming down the hall.

“Don’t mean to interrupt, but I really need to talk to the two of you,” Hunter said. He peeked around the door and drummed his fingers on the wall. I was relieved. I headed to the living room and took a seat at the kitchen table, where Owen and Holly sat waiting.

Talon took a seat at the opposite end from me and Hunter, to my right next to Holly. Owen sat at my left, where he leaned on the table.

“Well, I was gonna make this a sort of wedding gift to the two of you, but I ain’t so sure you’re gonna like it.” He gave us both an apologetic look as Holly spoke up.

“Maybe we should wait till tomorrow.” She shook her head at Hunter, and a silent battle played back and forth with their expressions.

“No, it’s fine. The day is already ruined anyway,” I assured. Talon sighed and sank in his seat.

“What happened?” Owen asked. I looked up to see that he didn’t mean Hunter. It was Talon who spoke up.

“Lily and I are going to take some time away from our relationship, for now.” He looked at me as if he was already having regrets. Maybe it was the look on Owen’s face that had him second-guessing. Owen wasn’t smiling, but his interest was piqued.

“Aw man.” Hunter shuffled his feet and stared at the floor like he had done something wrong. He was having second thoughts about sharing whatever his big news was.

“Spill it, Hunter. It’s really okay. I am totally fine.” With those words, my jaw set tight, and I gave Talon a glance of my greens. I was determined he’d never see my sadness over us again.

Hunter sat up straight in his chair. “I tested the Water, and there’s
nothing
in it that is not in the water from our taps. I compared the two and they are exactly the same.”

“No way they’re the same!” Owen leaned across the table closer to Hunter. “That is impossible. What about the healing, the strength, the—”

“I know, I know.” Hunter held up a hand and shook his head. “There is no difference.”

“So test it again,” I said with a shrug. There had to be some difference, some sort of higher level of some substance, or traces of something that could cause bioluminescence.

“I tested it five times. I could test it again, but I am almost out of test strips and I don’t think it would be any use.” He took Holly’s hand and held it on the table.

“It’s like it is magic or something.” Holly shrugged. “Hunter was very thorough,” she assured. Of course he was. Hunter never did anything half way.

“Magic.” Owen gave Holly a look like she’d lost her mind, and was about to continue when I spoke up.

“Why couldn’t it be?” I waited for them to laugh, but none of them did. “I mean, I glow. I have a Light. Why couldn’t it be magic?”

“If it is magic, then are you suggesting that some sort of wizard or witch enchanted it?” Talon said, with laughter in his voice.

I threw my hands up. “I am saying it shouldn’t be that farfetched.”

Holly spoke up. “If it is magic, then who did it? And no telling how old that well is. So what happens if it runs out? I mean, once it is gone, then what happens to Lily?”

“Magic.” Owen repeated. The word hung there in silence as we all considered the possibilities. No matter how many strange things happened to us, it was still hard to wrap our minds around the word.

* * *

It was eerily quiet in the house. The movie we watched ended, and the TV screen went blue, casting a glow across the room. Talon was across the room from me on the floor. I expected him to retire to his bedroom, but he fell asleep before the movie was over. Hunter was in Talon’s usual place in the recliner, kicked back with Holly nestled in close, also sound asleep. The only person I knew to be awake was Owen, and that was only because he wasn’t snoring. Part of me wanted to be mad at him for my current situation with Talon, but it wasn’t his fault, no matter how Talon tried to put the blame on him. Talon was the one with the issues, and while I longed to be near him, I was mad at him. It was a very confusing state and the reason I couldn’t sleep.

Things had gotten so crazy lately. I couldn’t help but have a million things stomping around in my brain. Being honest with myself, I had to take the blame for my part. If my stupid gift would have given me a vision about Talon breaking up with me and why, I would’ve changed things. I wouldn’t have let it happen. Instead I got visions that I couldn’t interpret properly, that kept me from going all the way, and led to me accusing Talon of kissing the orange-faced menace, Meagan. My insecurities and worry made things worse with Owen too, and I still blamed myself for Kevin’s death. I was both thankful for the Water and wished I’d never found it. Too many thoughts, too many regrets, and they were starting to drag me down. I contemplated talking to Owen, who was curled up on the floor beside the couch where I lay. I wondered if he deliberately stayed closer to me, positioning himself between me and Talon. Then I wondered if he put himself between us in other ways, if not accidentally, but deliberately. No, it wasn’t his fault. Talon needed to get a grip. I guess it was just easier to leave me than deal.

I shouldn’t let it bother me
, I told myself. No matter what I decided to do about my gift, I was going to be okay. I was a Light Keeper, whatever that was, and with that had to come some perks, even if I couldn’t see them now. I was strong, and if I decided to stick with the Waters, I was going to be stronger. Should I learn all I could, like Talon suggested, and embrace that part of myself? Every challenge I faced from that point on would be handled much differently than it would had I been that normal girl I longed to be.

Finally, the thoughts started to ebb as my brain settled into a deep sleep. The dream that came to me would challenge Talon’s claims that my dreams had no meaning, that they were just figments of my imagination messing with me on a colossal level.