Kingdom Keepers VI(14)

“This is why Wanda…” Amanda muttered, her eyes brimming with tears, unable to contain her joy at the healing miracle.

“We are a team,” Ariel said. “Megara’s powers…well, this is child’s play for her.”

It might be child’s play, but Megara looked tired and drained. Clearly the healing had taken something out of her.

Ariel continued, “We ask that you come to believe in us. To rely upon us. We are at your disposal. We ask that you tell the others: you are not alone. You will do this for us? You will tell them about the power of our magic, please?”

“Yes!” Amanda said.

“Of course!” echoed Jess.

It is why all of you are here.





FINN MET STOREY MING outside the Radio Studio just after three that same morning, the sun far from being even a pink smudge on the horizon.

Finn had sneaked out of his stateroom, feeling a bit like a traitor for leaving Philby behind.

“This seems a little cloak-and-dagger to me,” Storey said. “Aren’t we basically going behind Philby’s back?”

Her concern about Philby made Finn wonder about her motive. Was she interested in Philby?

All things girl confused Finn. Specifically, Amanda confused him. They hadn’t had a chance to talk the night before. Finn wanted so badly to get things right with her again, but he had no idea how to rewind and reset his life.

And was he more interested in Storey than he’d admitted?

Storey challenged him with a take-no-prisoners look. “He put this call through last time, right?”

Finn hoped the heat he felt in his face wasn’t showing. “Right.”

Now he got it. She wasn’t suggesting that she and Finn liked each other and were cutting Philby out. Storey feared that Finn was betraying the other Keepers by asking her, not Philby, to connect him with Wayne.

“It’s just…like a phone call,” he said. “Think of it as a phone call.”

“But then why couldn’t Philby do it?”

“Is this about Philby?” Finn said, wondering who had made those words come out of his mouth. What a stupid thing to say!

“Is what about Philby?” Now Storey was blushing. “I’m not complaining. Am I whining? It’s early, if I’m whining—”

“You’re not whining.”

“There aren’t a lot of guys I would get up early for, Finn, if that’s what you’re asking. People,” she said, attempting to correct herself. “Not a lot of people.”

“I guess we should do this,” he said.

She stepped to within an inch of him, their faces almost touching. The landing outside the Radio Studio had felt chilly until that moment. “You think?” she whispered. “Me too.”

If he dropped his chin or leaned forward they would kiss. Until then Finn hadn’t realized how phenomenally perfect her eyes were. They seemed oversized and bottomless. He wanted to dive in there and swim around inside her thoughts and discover what she was really thinking.

Storey reached up and stroked his neck and ear. He felt shivers rip through him. “You are an incredible person. You know that?”

“You’re the one who keeps saving us.”

“I mean as a person. How you care so much about everyone. Think of them first. Put other people first all the time.”

“That’s not exactly me…” How could she smell so good so early in the morning?

“And you’re modest, on top of everything else.”

“You have me confused with a secret agent who looks an awful lot like me.”

“And funny.”

This was it. He was supposed to kiss her now. Everything inside him was telling him that; everything but his brain, which was screaming for him to turn an about-face and scram.

The elevator dinged.

Storey swiped her crew member ID badge to the left of the door and the Radio Studio unlocked. She grabbed Finn’s hand and pulled. She eased the door shut. Click. She paced her index finger in front of her very full lips and kept him quiet—though Finn hardly needed to be told; he couldn’t think, much less speak.

Soon, Storey had made contact with Lou Mongello of WDW Radio, whose Web-based radio show served as an interface to shipboard communication with Wayne. Lou, who sounded enthusiastic despite the early hour, patched them through. Soon Finn heard Wayne’s scratchy voice come through the headphones.

“We have managed to encrypt the transmission this time,” Wayne said. “No need for code speak.”

“O…kay. Is that why it sounds like you’re on the North Pole?” Finn said.

“Actually, I’m much closer than that. Much.”

“You’re on the sub!” Finn said.