First World(75)

I turned to Francesca. “So where do we go first?”

Besides Earth, I had no idea about the other youngling planets.

“The day after your enlightening, you need to leave. You will head to Spurn.”

“Spurn? What’s that supposed to be?”

Samuel spoke up then. “That planet is ninety-five percent water. I have heard their inhabitants are hybrid fish.”

“Uh, Luce and I aren’t exactly strong swimmers.”

Lucy fidgeted nervously next to me.

Lallielle looked worried. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “We could drown in a bathtub – if it was too deep.”

“There is a section of land. It’s small, housing their materials for construction. No one resides there, but we can use that as our base,” Samuel explained stiffly. “The air content is the same as here and Earth, so we’ll be able to breathe.”

“How do you know so much?” Lucy asked him.

He shrugged. “We are taught of First World’s younglings during our years in the learning centres.”

Francesca spoke again. “For some reason you have to face Spurn first. But it should be an easy initial task. The order of planets is clear, but not the reasons for that order. The one warning I do have: don’t spend too long in the waters of Spurn. I sense an unusual darkness.”

Got to love random crazy talk from soothsayers.

“You’re seeing Aribella’s future very clearly, Frannie,” Lallielle said with suspicion.

“I’ve had almost seventeen years to piece together the facts, Lalli. Plus you know I see family better than I see others.”

Lallielle shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder why it is always my family that has to ‘save the world’.”

Francesca took her hand. “With power comes responsibility. We have always known that.”



Later that night, sleep eluded me. As I rolled over for the fiftieth time to stare at the ceiling, I contemplated how out of control my life was. Needing to escape, I hopped out of bed and stepped through my balcony doors onto the large deck off my room. As I stood at the railings, the cool clean air washed the sheen of restless sweat from my body.

My room was on the side of the house that faced the ocean. In the light of First World’s bright moon, I watched the cresting waves. I was becoming accustomed to the salty tang of the air. Although at first it had caused my curls to go haywire, after using an awesome spray from Lallielle, I had almost no frizz. It was magic in a bottle.

Yesterday I’d discovered swimming wasn’t quite as easy as I’d anticipated. I’d managed a short paddle; my slightly pink shoulders were a warm reminder.

Movement to my right caught my attention. I squinted into the darkness. There appeared to be a shadow beneath the overhanging cliffs. I watched for a few moments, but saw nothing more. I could have sworn a person was standing there, watching me. Shaking off my unease, I turned to make my way back inside.

I wasn’t surprised to see Lucy in my bed. She snuck in whenever the nightmares were bad.

“Couldn’t sleep either, Abbs?” She yawned loudly.

While the restless nights really affected her, I seemed to be able to go longer without sleep.

“Not really.” I climbed in beside her. “I enjoy listening to the waves. It’s calming.”

“Then you must be excited beyond belief that we’re heading to water-world,” she muttered, snuggling into the pillow.

No, not really.

Closing my eyes, finally tired, I drifted off.

I hadn’t dreamed of First World since we’d been at Deralick’s house. In fact, once the nightmares of killing the guard waned, my nights had been surprisingly dream-free.

But not tonight.

I was tormented with dreams of thrashing in endless water for hours, while boats filled with blank-faced people drifted past me. Shadowy figures rose from the depths, tormenting me with fear, but never fully revealing themselves.





Chapter 14





I kept my eyes closed.

“Come on, Abby. It’s not that bad. Open your eyes.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I don’t need to see.”

For the past hour Lucy had had me glued to a chair in my bedroom. She and Lallielle had been flittering around me, primping my hair, fixing my make-up.

Tonight was my birthday party. I wasn’t officially eighteen until the next day, and so far there hadn’t been any weird changes in powers or abilities. I hoped to skip all of that.

“Aribella, open your eyes.” Lallielle was smiling. Even through closed eyes I could tell.

With a sigh, my eyelashes fluttered open. Immediately, I was yanked to my feet by an excited Lucy.

Lallielle waved her hand. “Okay, I’m going to head down now. You both look stunning.”