Page 56 of The Ember and the Emerald

“You should be.” His jaw tightened. “Something in me doesn’t want you to die, even though your survival marks the betrayal of my dearest friend. This time loop you believe we’re in… It would explain why I feel as if I’ve met you, a stranger, a thousand other times.”

My pulse leapt. Could he feel our shared blood? See the echo of himself—or of his queen—in me?

“Let’s talk again after I dominate in the Ring,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. He would be more inclined to believe me then. “And don’t worry. Like I told you, I have no intention of killing Ian. Only binding him.”

Ahav’s eyes darkened. “If he is the monstra clonemaker, as you claim, I’ll kill him myself.” He left then, sealing the door behind him. The air went with him, the room shrinking until every breath scraped.

Okay, so, I’d made a mistake, accusing Ian without a surefire backup plan. If Ian fell, the bond controlling the monstra would snap, and Jasher would be dragged to the grave with him.

Dread thickened my blood to an icy sludge. “New plan,” I announced to my roommate. “Tonight, we learn how to sever your tie to Ian without the Ember.”

Jasher shrugged, unconcerned. “You can’t save me. We’ve passed the tipping point. There’s no stopping the momentum now. Can’t you feel it?”

The pressure? Yes. There was never a moment I didn’t. “I won’t let you die,” I vowed. “I’ll search every book.” This was Elowen’s room. Perhaps she’d left an instruction manual. A clue. A potion. Something! “I’ll summon her.” Yes. That.

I rushed to the pool, calling, “Elowen. Let’s talk. I’m ready to bargain.”

Minutes passed without a disturbance. I tried her magic phrase. “Until the end.”

Nothing.

I huffed, frustrated.

Jasher flipped his coin, infuriatingly calm. “You should dance for me before I die.”

“You’re not going to die,” I snapped. “But please, tell me more about the dancing.” This was the second time he’d mentioned it.

“Remember,” he stated. Flip. Catch. Flip. Catch. Kevin stood with his arms raised, as if cheering.

Discouraged but not defeated, I perused the bookshelves for anything related to the monstra, family legend, emeralds, embers, breaking codes, or the history of Hakeldama. I found mathematics manuals. More math. Math, math, math. Gardening. Nothing I needed.

Wait! I focused on the spine of a single book. Was that…surely not…

I withdrew the leather-bound tome, and my jaw nearly unhinged. It was. I now held the king’s journal, as if someone had stashed it there, just to stop me from showing the king.

Prickles erupted over my nape.

The sound of rippling water reached my ears. Clutching the tome to my chest, I spun. Elowen rose from the water, climbing the steps with a slow, elegant roll of her hips. Water droplets clung to her crimson hair and skin.

Finally!

The affection flowed from the memory I’d unearthed. I still didn’t comprehend the nuances of our relationship, but like my mom, I was starting to trust her. I wondered how she’d acquired the scars.

Today, Elowen wore a bikini made of crimson seashells and red moss with a sheer short skirt. Bangles clinked on her wrists and ankles. A crown of coral protruded from her head, and shards of colorful glass dangled from her ears. A perfect perfume of coconut and sunshine wafted from her, as if she’d just come from a tropical island.

“Hello, Rye.” She stopped a few feet away and studied me with great curiosity.

Perhaps I peered at her the same way. I felt as if I’d waited my entire life for this moment. “Elowen,” I acknowledged with a dip of my chin. “Thank you for coming.”

“Forgive me for staring, but until this point, I’ve only seen you in visions. I didn’t allow myself to spy on you, though I knew we would meet,” she admitted, clearly proud of herself. “I’m glad you drank the serum. This azure hue suits you.”

My shoulders popped straight. “You turned me into someone I’m not. I’m no longer me.”

Jasher rose and pivoted, facing us, fully invested in our conversation.

A tinkling laugh left the water maiden. “Do you think I’m trying to turn you into Andrea?” She smiled. “You, Moriah Shaker, are not Andrea, and you never will be.”

“But I’m a Smurf,” I all but shrieked. “At least to others. Your serum altered my DNA. I’m now craving water and having visions. Something I didn’t do pre-serum. I even foresaw the assassination of the queen.” Among other things.