Perilous Light (The Afterglow Trilogy #2)(15)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

It turned out that Samantha and I were the only ones onboard that lacked sailing experience. Bry took charge immediately, and Naomi, Ada, and Henry all seemed eager to help.

***

There was tension in the air as we squeezed into the tiny kitchen to discuss our plans while eating dinner. After a few hours on the deck, it was apparent that I wasn’t the only one worried. Everyone felt nervous about how things would go when we reached our destination, the city of Alak, and faced the committee. I tried to play it cool, but I was getting anxious. So far, no one had told me anything about how we were going to convince the committee to side with us.

“So pretty much everyone hates Energo because Blake has been breaking all the rules, right?” Naomi gave me an icy stare.

“Blake has been doing more than breaking the rules. He has been murdering innocents, and destroying cities,” Ada said in her singsong voice. The contrast between her words and voice threw me off for a minute.

I paused from inhaling the fish on my plate long enough to ask, “I get that. So why won’t everyone want to join us and fight against him?” We hadn’t eaten all day, and I was starving.

“It is not that simple, Kevin. You are a Winthrop. You represent the royalty of Energo, and it will be hard to convince the other leaders that you can be trusted. For years now, your mother’s Guardians have been working with Blake, and they may believe you are no exception.” Samantha explained.

“So why pick me for this job? Why did Theodore want me to go?” I struggled to keep the anger out of my voice.

“You were picked because you are our only chance. Being a Winthrop means some will not trust you, but it also guarantees you respect. Besides, you are brother to the Essence. As angry as everyone is with Blake and Energo, they still owe allegiance to the Essence. They need her.” Naomi seemed tired.

I was afraid to press too hard, but I needed more answers. “So what happens now? What do I do?”

“You let your instincts take over.” Ada’s voice might have sounded like a fairy, but her brother’s certainly didn’t. With his deep baritone voice, Bry would have a successful career in narrating movie trailers back home.

“My instincts?”

“It is in your blood to lead. You need to listen to yourself to know what to do.” I seriously had no idea what Bry was talking about and turned to give Samantha a quizzical look. She acted as though she didn’t see it.

Frustrated that I had no inkling of how to persuade the Pact to join us, I struggled to fall asleep that night. I decided to get some air and went up on the deck. Bry was examining the single large sail, but he didn’t seem to notice me.

I saw Samantha at the back of the boat, and went to join her. “Hey.” I wished I didn’t always have to feel so awkward with her. I actually started to feel guilty about how much I’d nagged Charlotte about being antisocial. I had developed a new understanding of feeling uncomfortable.

“Hello, Kevin.” Samantha turned toward me momentarily before returning her attention to the water.

“You ready to face the Pact leaders tomorrow?”

“Ready may not be the correct word, but I am determined. The Pact might not want to help, but I think in the end, they will realize that our cause helps everyone.”

“Blake’s been pretty ruthless, huh?” I asked, struggling to see anything in the dim light.

Samantha turned toward me again. “Percy had his suspicions about what Blake had become, but Blake killed him before he could tell me. I think Blake is pure evil.”

“Pure evil? That’s an intense accusation.”

“As I told you, Percy never explained it to me, but I think he is tied with some higher power. As children, we were told stories about a man who was able to stand against the Essence. It seemed he had been imbued with a power much like the Source, but rooted in evil, not good. Everything has its opposite.”

I was too stunned to answer for a moment. Defeating Blake if he were merely a powerful man was scary enough; finding out he might be even stronger threw me. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I remembered how skillfully and almost super-humanly Blake had fought at Bellgard. I had assumed it was just from years of experience.

“So if Blake is that powerful, how are we going to defeat him? I mean, even if all the nations join us, is it going to work?”

“We are not ready to defeat him yet. Right now, all we can hope to do is hold him off. Our only chance is to get the support of the Pact and to find your mother. Charlotte has enormous potential, but if she is not properly trained, her abilities are limited. Only another Essence can teach her.” For the first time, Samantha looked vulnerable. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, but I was afraid of her reaction.

“So what you are telling me is that if either Charlotte or I fail, Blake wins?” It was scary even to say it.

“Yes. So failure is not an option. You must convince the Pact nations to join us.”

“But what if I can’t? Everyone keeps telling me how hated I am. How do I get supporters?”

“You can do it. As Bry said, you need to go with your blood. It should come naturally.”

“Whatever that means.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“Figure it out, and fast. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day.” I watched Samantha walk across the deck. She disappeared into the darkness as she headed to the lower level of the boat.

Go with my blood? Maybe if I could figure out what that meant, we’d have a fighting chance.

Chapter Eight

Charlotte

The river appeared out of nowhere. One minute we were moving through a dense forest, and the next, we stopped in front of rushing water. The wind moving through the trees must have masked the sound. I loved water, but the thought of getting wet, especially wearing a long dress, didn’t appeal to me. After a few hours of hiking, I wished that the traditional women’s clothing in Energo included pants. Horses would have been a faster travel option, but we were afraid of attracting any unnecessary attention. Even if Blake discerned I was back, we didn’t need to give him any additional advantage. Although I didn’t voice it, I worried that Blake knew we were heading for Icentris. He must have known that James would lead us to my mother. I tried to shake my fears aside. Thankfully, the morning had been quiet, with no sign of Blake or his men, but we all realized that could change at any time.

Liam stopped beside me at the edge of the river. “Are you sure I can’t help you with that pack?”