Rootbound

Bella nodded. “It’s very old script. You two keep watch, I’ll read.”

I put a hand on her shoulder and turned.

At least I was right about one thing. Finley had found me, though I’d hoped we’d have more time.

Her blue eyes flashed with anger and the blue stone on her finger caught the light. Damn it, I was in trouble. With the blue sapphire, Finley had access to even more power within water, and more speed.

I had to end this fast.

“Peta, stay with Bella.”

“Lark—”

“Please.”

She let out a pitiful mew and hurried back into the room. I pulled my spear from my side, linking the two pieces together.

“Finley, I am leaving, and I’m taking the ring with me. I don’t want to hurt you, so please give it to me.”

“You think you can face me when I wear this?” She lifted her hand, a haughty look in her eye. That was not the girl I’d known. Damn the sapphire, and damn me for giving it to her.

The bed to the right of me shimmered and water spilled up and out of it. Shit sticks, this was going to get ugly fast if I didn’t do something.

“Bella, stay where you are!”

Gritting my teeth, I pulled the spear back and threw it at Finley. I didn’t want to hit her, only wanted to distract her. The spear shot forward, to the left of her head. She jerked away, her eyes wide.

She might be a ruler, but a true fighter she was not.

I leapt at her while she was distracted, tackling her to the ground. If I could knock her out we’d be gone before she woke up. Sure, she’d be pissed as hell, but when had that stopped me before?

Finley rolled with me across the floor as she flicked her one hand at me. Lines of power raced along her skin and I clamped my mouth shut. The water from the bed roared out and filled the room in a matter of seconds. Finley floated in front of me, a smug smile on her lips. Again, not something I’d ever attributed to her.

I swam for her and she easily dodged me. There was no choice, I had to tap into the earth or Peta, Bella, and I were dead. I held my hand out to the wall where the sand gathered and beckoned it forward. Spirit and Earth roared through my mind and I fought it, focusing on what I had to do. Balance. Talan had said it was about balance.

Easy to think, not so easy to put into practice. The sand floated through the water to me. Finley threw her head back, laughing soundlessly. I pulled the sand together, crushing it into a tight bond so it became shards of glass. Staring at Finley’s middle finger where the ring rested, I prepped my aim.

Power roared through me as I flicked my fingers toward her hand. The shards of glass shot forward, slicing through the water and into her finger. Blood spurted in a pink bloom and her finger fell, floating side to side.

I swam forward and grabbed the finger, and the ring. Gripping the ring, I felt the pull of the ocean and sent the water in the room to it. A ripple ran through my body, like the water took a part of me with it as it left. I slumped to the floor, gasping for air as I looked for Peta and Bella.

Sodden, and in her snow leopard form, Peta stepped out of the smaller room first. Bella was right behind her, gasping for air as well, green lines of power hovering over her arms.

“Easy, Bella. It’s done,” I said. I pushed myself to my feet, and glanced at Finley who clutched her hand to her. “I’m sorry, Finley, but I can’t leave this with you.”

I backed away, and Peta hurried to my side.

Finley lifted her head, her blue eyes watering. “Wait, Lark, please wait! I can’t rule without the ring. I’m not strong enough.”

“You are, but you’ll never know it as long as you wear this.” I pulled the ring from the finger.

“There was a voice in my head, I couldn’t stop what he wanted.”

Finley’s words sent a shiver down my spine and I paused in mid-stride. “Who?”

“I don’t know.” Her whole body shook. “I couldn’t stop what I was doing. I sent that assassin to kill you. I know I did. But I didn’t want to. The voice made me.” She burst into tears.

I glanced at Peta, unsure of what to do. The words didn’t feel like a lie, and Finley sounded more like herself than she had since we’d been in the Deep.

Bella went to her side. “The same thing happened to me. The stones are dangerous, and Lark is making sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Finley looked up at her, still clutching her wounded hand. “Lark was the one who gave it to me.”

I grimaced, Talan’s words once more making themselves known. “I didn’t know what they were. I thought they were best to be kept in the hands of those who understood the power.”

A shudder rippled through her. “I ache for the stone. Give it to me, for a moment.”

“No.” I took a step back. The need in her eyes was something akin to the human addicts I’d come across in the few human cities I’d been in. A desire so fierce, it overcame all common sense. Bella kept a hand on her.

“Easy, Finley. It will pass.”

A clatter of feet in the hallway snapped me around. I grabbed my spear from where it was buried in the wall. I dropped to a knee on one side of Finley and Bella as three Enders arrived, one of them Dolph.

She held a hand to them. “No, she has done no wrong. I think she may have saved us. Again.” Her blue eyes lifted to mine. “Lark, you have cleared my mind of his commands.”

“Who though? Who commanded you?”