《Tales from Michele Inoue》 Story 01 - Finding Athena - Part 01 Finding Athena Part One WAVES RUSHED ACROSS MY FEET and they sunk deeper into the sand. I looked out at the ocean spreading as far as I could see in front of me. In the twenty years I''ve lived I''ve lost count of the times the beauty of the ocean in the morning took my breath away. At this time in the morning there were only a few groups scattered around the beach, which was nice. This beach was special. It wasn¡¯t one of the main beaches that the tourists flocked to like Waikiki, sure, but it was special to me because my mother used to take me to this beach after school. She always said the same thing. As a wind brushed past me, I could almost hear her voice in the wind. ¡®Kalani, the faster you finish your homework, the faster you can go to the ocean.¡¯ I looked out at the clouds wondering if she was up there watching over me. If she was, she''d be upset that I was at the beach and not at home working on the final paper I had to write for class. I heard a mother nearby calling for her kids, and they complained they had to stop playing. As the went silent, I chuckled thinking she must''ve given the look that all mothers learn. My eyes drifted down to the waves washing over my feet as I walked up the beach. Something white floating in the water just a bit further out in the water than I was caught my eye. It took me a second to realize that it was clothing and there was also a head with brown hair. ¡°Someone¡¯s hurt! Call 911!¡± I called out to the family that was now taking out food from their cooler. I saw the mother scrambling to take her cellphone of her bag. I dropped my slippers that I had been carrying and ran out further into the water towards the floating person. As I got closer, the blood in the water started to wrap around my legs. Relief tightened my chest seeing he person was floating face up. At least they could breath if they were still alive. I pulled their head out of the water as I pulled them towards the shore. It was a young woman around my age. Her wet short light brown hair fell back revealing where the blood was coming from, a large gash on her forehead. As I pulled her up onto the beach, I could hear sirens already heading towards us. I placed my fingers against her wrist to check for a pulse. Blood started to ooze out of slashes on her wrist as well. Did she slash her wrists? Was she trying to kill herself? My gaze shot to the ocean. There was not a single boat out to sea. Where did she come from? If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I lifted up her arm to take a closer look at a bracelet around her wrist. It was a simple metal rectangle with black cords that tied it around her wrist. There was one word etched into the metal, ¡®ATHENA¡¯. * * * I sat on my bed in my room with my laptop open. I had multiple tabs and the report I was writing opened. I had been staring at the screen for the last hour since I got home. My mind kept going back to the girl I had fished out of the water. The paramedics had taken her off to the hospital and I was interviewed by the police. I had gotten caught by a TV reporter before I was able to get out of there. The mother who had called for the ambulance had told the reporter about me and my heroic act. Heroic act? I was glad I was there to help but being praised for it made me uncomfortable. ¡°Kalani! Dinner! I got plate lunches, yeah?¡± I heard my dad shout from downstairs. Walking into the living room, I saw my dad had already set my plate and a glass of soda to drink on the coffee table. I picked up my plate, and flopped onto the couch. I turned my attention to the TV. When dad was home, it was always the same, dinner and the six o''clock news. My dad, having retrieved his beer from the fridge, joined me with his plate. After the intro music to the news ended, they cut to the familiar news anchor. ¡°Good evening, Honolulu. I''m Kenji Mori, and this is your local news at six. We begin tonight with a heroic act that unfolded earlier today at one of our beautiful beaches. A young man is being hailed as a hero after rescuing an unconscious woman from the ocean. Our Jaden Lee, has the story.¡± The scene cut to the reporter that had interviewed me. ¡°I''m here at Kaalawai Beach, where a local resident, Kalani Kapule, demonstrated tremendous courage earlier today. Kalani, can you please walk us through what happened?" I cringed as soon as my face appeared on the screen, I cringed even more hearing my voice. ¡°Well, I was just taking a walk along the beach when I noticed something white in the water. As I got closer, I realized it was a woman. I jumped in to bring her back to shore.¡± ¡°That''s truly remarkable, Kalani. Can you tell us about the condition of the woman when you pulled her from the ocean?¡± the reporter asked. ¡°She was unconscious but breathing. She had a pretty bad gash on her head which I put pressure on until the paramedics arrived.¡± There was so much nervousness in my voice. ¡°Can you tell us what went through your mind during the rescue?¡± the reporter asked. ¡°It all happened so fast, but I knew I couldn''t stand by and do nothing. Instinct kicked in, and I focused on getting her out of the water and ensuring her safety. I''m just grateful that I was able to bring her to shore in time.¡± I had said. ¡°Absolutely. Can you provide any update on her condition? Has she regained consciousness?¡± the reporter asked. ¡°I''m not sure about her condition right now. The paramedics arrived quickly and took over. They''re doing everything they can to help her, and I''m praying for her recovery.¡± I awkwardly did something like a bow signaling I wanted the interview to end. The reporter picked up on my body language. ¡°Your quick thinking and actions undoubtedly played a vital role in saving her life. Thank you for sharing your story, Kalani. Your bravery is an inspiration to us all. We sincerely hope that the woman regains consciousness soon and is reunited with her loved ones. Back to the studio.¡± The news cut back to the news anchor in the studio. ¡°Thank you, Jaden, for that inspiring interview. Our thoughts are with the woman as she continues to receive medical care. We urge anyone with information that could aid in identifying her to contact the HPD. Remember, together as a community, we can make a difference¡±. My father muted the TV. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he asked. ¡°You just got home! When did I have time to talk story?¡± I said shoveling macaroni salad in my mouth. ¡°I might''ve just gotten home but you could''ve sent a text.¡± My dad¡¯s frown then turned to a smile. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± ¡°You are? Thanks.¡± I smiled and he patted me on the back. Story 01 - Finding Athena - Part 02 Finding Athena Part Two I had wondered if there was any more news on the girl I rescued, so I watched the morning news as I ate cereal. They said that she had woken up but didn¡¯t remember what happened, or who she was. My mind was elsewhere as I sat through my classes that day. I was thinking about how scared she must''ve been to wake up in the hospital with no memory. No one knows who you are and you¡¯re all alone. The slashes on her wrists flashed through my mind¡ªmaybe forgetting wasn¡¯t that bad a thing. As the day went on, my drifted further and further from class. Eventually, I skipped the rest of my classes and was heading to the hospital she had been taken to. I walked through the doors to the hospital and walked up to the information desk. The nurse behind the counter looked up from her computer. ¡°Aloha. I was wondering if it would be ok if I could see a girl that was brought in yesterday. I don¡¯t know what room she¡¯s in.¡± ¡°No problem, what¡¯s the name of the patient?¡± The nurse readied her fingers on the keyboard. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I saw on the news she has amnesia. Maybe Jane Doe?¡± The nurse lifted an eyebrow in suspicion. ¡°What¡¯s your relation to the patient?¡± ¡°I pulled her out of the water yesterday. I just wanted to check on her.¡± ¡°One minute. Have a seat over there.¡± She gestured to the chairs in waiting area and picked up the phone. I did as I was told and sat there waiting until I heard someone call my name. ¡°Kalani!¡± Officer Keoni Nakamuro, the officer that had interviewed me yesterday, waved at me as he walked over from the elevator. I stood up and shook his outreached hand. ¡°How are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing ok. I was worried about the girl from yesterday and wanted to visit her. You haven¡¯t identified her yet?¡± I asked. ¡°We''re checking everything, but nothing yet,¡± he replied. ¡°Would it be ok to talk with her?¡± I asked. ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea. She could use a friendly face that isn¡¯t hospital staff or police. Someone around her age.¡± He paused and frowned. ¡°However, she is under a psychiatric hold.¡± ¡°Psychiatric hold?¡± I asked. ¡°The doctors are just watching her for a few days to make sure she¡¯s not a danger to anyone else or herself,¡± he said, assuringly. The image of her slashed wrists flashed to the front of my mind. My face fell. ¡°You saw her arms, yeah?¡± Officer Nakamuro said. I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m waiting to hear back from her doctor to clear it. Honestly, she seems fine. I think she would like to thank you for what you did.¡± As his cellphone rang, he took it out of his suit jacket pocket. He made eye contact with me to excuse himself as he stepped away to answer. I took a seat again with so many questions running through my mind. Why was she in the water? Where did she come from? I had thought she had fallen off a boat but there were boats in the water from what I could see. Why would someone cut their wrists, then walk into the ocean? Where did the wound on her head come from? Why was I here? Why did it feel it was so important for me to see her? Officer Nakamuro turned to look at me, said a few last words before lowering his phone. He waved me over. ¡°You¡¯re clear to go up to see her.¡± Officer Nakamuro walked towards the elevator. He pushed the button and the elevator doors opened. I followed quickly after him as we walked through the halls of the hospital. Reaching her room, he slid the door open and walked in ¡°Athena, someone is here to see you.¡± he announced. Stolen novel; please report. I walked into the room and saw her lying in the bed. She had been staring at the window as I walked in and turned towards us. She was now in a hospital gown; her arms were wrapped in bandages. Her brown hair that was an inch from touching her shoulders, partly covered a large bandage on her forehead. Her light brown eyes met mine and her frowning lips transitioned to a smile. ¡°This is Kalani. He¡¯s the one that took you out of the water yesterday.¡± Officer Nakamuro pushed me in front of him. All the nerves in me could managed to say was, ¡°Sorry for bothering you. I wanted to see you¡ªhow you were.¡± ¡°I wanted to meet you. I saw you on the news.¡± Her voice was soft and shook a little. ¡°I saw you on the news too. Well, your picture.¡± My face flushed. She flushed too and looked down at her hands in her lap. ¡°I wanted to thank you for helping me,¡± she said. I smiled at her as she looked up at me. ¡°I¡¯m glad I was walking down the beach at that moment.¡± ¡°This seems like a silly question but, you don¡¯t know who I am? I feel like I¡¯ve met you before.¡± She smiled. ¡°No, sorry, I don¡¯t. I¡¯d never seen you before.¡± ¡°Maybe I opened my eyes for a second and saw you on the beach.¡± ¡°It must be hard. Not knowing who you are. Not knowing if anyone out there is looking for you.¡± She nodded, looking up at me. ¡°Kalani, is it?¡± I nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked, instantly turning red. ¡°I mean what should I call you?¡± ¡°I call her Athena,¡± Officer Nakamuro said, taking a seat on the chair for visitors. ¡°A lot better than Jane Doe.¡± ¡°Athena? From the bracelet?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s the only lead we have. It looks like a custom made name bracelet so, Athena.¡± Officer Nakamuro let out a yawn. Had he been up all night trying to find out who she is? ¡°I don¡¯t know if it is my name or not, but I like it,¡± she said. Her voice was already sounding it was taking more energy than she had to talk. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked. ¡°Tired. I still get dizzy spells, and my head hurts when the medicine wears off. I¡¯m alive though.¡± Her eyes fell to the bandages on her arms. After taking a breath she gazed back at me. ¡°Thanks to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a bother and you should rest¡­but can I come back to visit you tomorrow?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re not a bother." She smiled, the rosiness in cheeks the only color in her pale face. "If it¡¯s not a bother to come back to see me tomorrow then I¡¯d like that. It was nice to have someone to talk to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the nurses and myself shouldn¡¯t take that as an insult, right?¡± Officer Nakamuro said, a chuckle in his tone. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Athena¡¯s cheeks were now red as she gazed down at her hands again. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­nice that someone knows me outside the hospital and wants to see me. Not because it¡¯s their job.¡± Officer Nakamuro frowned. ¡°You have a point there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come back in the afternoon tomorrow. I have classes in the morning,¡± I said. ¡°Classes?¡± There was a light in her eyes. Was she excited to learn about me? ¡°I¡¯m a student at UH, uh, University of Hawaii.¡± ¡°Manoa?¡± She said slowly as if she was reaching into some old file in her memory. ¡°Yes.¡± I looked over at Officer Nakamuro. ¡°She seems to know Honolulu. When she was told she was at a hospital, she asked if it was the Queen¡¯s Hospital. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s someone who was just here on vacation.¡± ¡°The place names do sound familiar. Even the name of the beach where you found me.¡± She looked at me, her eyes looking even more drained. ¡°You¡¯ll really come back tomorrow?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± I smiled and followed Officer Nakamuro out the door. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the doctor. I don¡¯t think there should be a problem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Why can she remember the names of places, but notthing about her?¡± ¡°My guess is either the head injury or dissociative amnesia. I¡¯m not a doctor though. I¡¯m just going from what I¡¯ve seen in my job.¡± He pushed the button for the elevator. ¡°Dissociative amnesia?¡± I asked. ¡°To put it simply, she might be blocking it out due to trauma. A way to protect herself from what happened. It¡¯s strange though, we ran her prints, blasted her story on the news and no one¡¯s come forward.¡± ¡°That could be a good thing,¡± I said. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°If she''s blocking out that someone hurt her, then maybe it¡¯s best they don''t find her.¡± I didn''t notice how much worry was in my voice, but Officer Nakamuro did. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When someone comes forward, they¡¯ll be checked out,¡± he assured me. When we exited the elevator, he told me to check in with the nurse when I came tomorrow and I thanked him for his time. As I walked home, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her. I was worried someone had hurt her and dumped her in the ocean. I was worried about what happened to her that brought her to a point that she wanted to end her life, if that was the case. I worried that she would disappear if she remembered who she was. Story 01 - Finding Athena - Part 03 Finding Athena Part Three The next day, I hurried across campus to catch The Bus as soon as my classes had ended. When I reached the hospital, I went straight to the reception desk and put on the visitor pass. Back on her floor I checked in at the nurse¡¯s station and then went to her room. It seemed like everyone in the hospital had started calling her Athena Doe. ¡°Is this a good time?¡± I asked as I walked into her room. ¡°You came!¡± She sounded surprised. ¡°I¡¯m not busy. I¡¯m just lying here, healing.¡± ¡°I promised to come, didn''t I?¡± I sat down in a chair next to the bed. ¡°How¡¯s your head feeling?¡± ¡°Better. I¡¯m not as dizzy anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± My heart was pounding fast. Why was I so nervous? ¡°What are you studying at UH?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still working on my required classes. I haven¡¯t picked a major yet.¡± She smiled again. ¡°What were you doing on the beach that day, Kalani?¡± ¡°I go to the beach a lot. Especially when I need to clear my head.¡± ¡°Clear your head? Was something troubling you?¡± My eyes wandered down to the bandages on her arms. I didn¡¯t want to trigger her or remind her of something bad. ¡°Nothing serious. Thinking over school. It had been a little while since I had been there. My mom used to take me there a lot.¡± ¡°Used to?¡± ¡°She passed away a few years ago. In this hospital..." ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! Is it hard to be here?¡± Athena¡¯s face filled with concern. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Really. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± A bird flew by the window grabbing our attention. Athena stared out the window after the bird. There was a longing in her eyes. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I asked. She jumped a little as if she had forgotten I was there. Her cheeks rosy as she looked at me. ¡°I was just thinking of how wonderful it feels to fly. Soaring through the air and gliding on the wind.¡± ¡°You make it sound like you miss it,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡± She looked down at her hands, embarrassed. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s a clue to who you are. Maybe you¡¯re a crane.¡± ¡°A crane?¡± ¡°There is an old fairytale, I think from Japan, of a man who saved a crane from hunters. The crane appeared to the man as a young woman. She lived with him and hid in a room to make things for him to sell to repay him for saving her. She told him to never open the door while she was working.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°He opened it, didn¡¯t he?¡± she asked. ¡°He did. He discovered it was the crane he saved.¡± ¡°What happened then?¡± she asked. ¡°The crane left. Since the secret was out, she had to leave.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be something! To be some magical, shape-shifting being, but I lost my memory so I¡¯m stuck like this.¡± Athena raised her hands to motion to herself. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ll be! Well, until I remember, or they find out who I am.¡± Her bright smile enchanted me. The way her smile lit up the room; she was breathtaking. When she blushed, noticing how I was looking at her, I looked away. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s a good thing.¡± My eyes fell to her bandaged wrists. ¡°You can be whoever you want to be, and even when you know who you are, you can choose to still be the person you want to be.¡± ¡°Whoever I want?¡± Excitement filled her face. ¡°Where do I start?¡± ¡°Your name?¡± I suggested. ¡°My name¡­I heard the nurses call me Athena Doe; I like that.¡± ¡°Alright, you''re Athena Doe. So, Athena, where are you from?¡± I asked. Her nose crinkled a little as she thought about it. ¡°I think I¡¯ve always been here.¡± ¡°Alright you¡¯re kama?¨¡ina, a local, not a tourist.¡± I thought for a moment. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°I like the story of the crane. I''m a magical being from another realm and came here for a reason. And-¡± She stopped and looked down at her hands. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can you be my best friend who knows my secret?¡± I smiled. ¡°Of course. Since I¡¯m your good friend I would want to visit you a lot while you¡¯re in the hospital.¡± ¡°As to be expected from my best friend,¡± she laughed. Her face went pale and she closed her eyes. ¡°Are you ok!?¡± I stood up and leaned over her. ¡°Should I get someone!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ok. Just a dizzy spell.¡± She looked up at me. ¡°All part of the healing process. Where were we?¡± ¡°Magical being from another realm,¡± I said. I sat back down not sure if I was making the right decision in relaxing. ¡°I¡¯m all alone here. No family,¡± she said as her voice shook a little. ¡°It¡¯s scary, but you have your best friend by your side,¡± I said assuringly. She smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± The door slid open and a female doctor with her long blonde hair tied back into a bun walked into the room. Her name tag said Dr. Malia Ito, Neuropsychologists. When she saw me in the room she let out a little gasp of surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t realize you had a visitor. I¡¯m Dr. Ito.¡± She held out her hand for me to shake. ¡°This is Kalani. He¡¯s the one that pulled me out of the water,¡± Athena said. ¡°The hero! What brings you by here?¡± Dr, Ito asked. ¡°I wanted to make sure she was doing ok.¡± I reached for my backpack. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be in the way. I¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Athena¡¯s face lit up again. A thought occurred to me. ¡°What story genre do you want to like?¡± I asked. ¡°Want to like?¡± Dr. Ito looked at us confused. Athena thought for a moment. ¡°How about mystery or suspense?¡± she answered. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I lifted my backpack to my back. ¡°Kalani, can I have a quick word outside?¡± Dr. Ito slid the door open. I nodded hesitantly. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Athena said. I nodded at her and walked out of the room. Dr. Ito slid the door closed. ¡°Thank you for taking the time to speak with her. I think it would be a good thing for her to have someone to talk to. We never know what topic might spark her memory. Though, I wanted to warn you that we also don¡¯t know what might trigger her. Something might send her into a PTSD related flashback. Would you be able to handle that if it happened?¡± ¡°PTSD?¡± The cuts on her arm flashed in my mind again. ¡°I can handle it. I¡¯ll be careful with her.¡± ¡°Good." Dr. Ito smiled, relief filling her. "You have a nice day.¡± ¡°You too,¡± I said. She slid the door open and walked back into Athena''s room as I headed for the elevator. Story 01 - Finding Athena - Part 04 (END) Finding Athena Part Four (END) The next day I skipped my afternoon class and went to the hospital sooner. When I walked out from the elevator the nurses greeted me by name. When I slid the door open to her room, she was standing at the window looking out. She turned, smiling when she saw me. ¡°You came!¡± she chirped. ¡°As your best friend, I¡¯m a little hurt that you thought I wouldn¡¯t come today.¡± I dropped my backpack next to the chair. I walked over to her at the window. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should have more faith in my best friend. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She looked out the window again. ¡°Is it ok for you to be out of bed?¡± I asked. I looked out the window. It was a windy day and the palm trees swayed in the breeze. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a lot better today.¡± She turned towards me and her face paled again, her body swaying like the palm trees outside. I reached out for her as she fell towards me. ¡°Are you ok?¡± I asked, holding her tightly in my arms. I moved her back towards the hospital bed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She climbed back onto the bed and laid her head on the pillow. ¡°I guess I pushed myself too much.¡± ¡°I think I should get a nurse¡­¡± I said, turning for the door. ¡°No!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I have a checkup later today, so I¡¯ll just tell them about the dizzy spell then.¡± I paused for a moment, then sat down in the chair. I felt better knowing she was going to have a checkup later. She looked towards the window. There was a melancholy in her expression as she looked towards the sky. ¡°Something bothering you?¡± I asked her. ¡°They still haven¡¯t figured out who I am. I¡¯m not among the missing persons reports, my fingerprints brought up nothing and no one is looking for me.¡± She looked out the window. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of what happens next when I have to leave the hospital. Where do I go? What should I do?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t completely alone. You have your best friend. I don¡¯t think my dad would mind you staying with us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so kind of you. I couldn¡¯t impose on you like that. Besides, I''m an adult, or so they say, so I should be able to take care of myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok to ask for help. Especially with everything you¡¯ve been through.¡± I smiled. ¡°You''re so sweet. The perfect pick for a best friend. Sorry for the serious talk. I¡¯ve been thinking too much and starting to lose it a little with all the free time here.¡± ¡°That reminds me. I brought you something.¡± I picked up my backpack and took out a book from it, handing it to her. ¡°Something to read while you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Shadows of Forgotten Memories,¡± she read the title. ¡°By Evelyn Rivers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a suspenseful mystery about a woman who loses her memory,¡± I said. ¡°That sounds interesting.¡± She smiled. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I hope you like it and it doesn¡¯t cause any problems.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what I need to jump-start my memory again.¡± I shook my head in awe. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, frowning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You speak so normally I forget that you have amnesia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the strangest thing, isn¡¯t it? I know what the chicken in the hospital dinner I¡¯m going to eat tastes like, but I have no memory of eating chicken before.¡± ¡°That must be hard,¡± I muttered, not sure what else to say. ¡°Sorry, more serious talk. I had a session with Dr. Ito a while ago. We started talking about what comes next, and how I feel about all this. It¡¯s just a lot on my mind.¡± ¡°You can talk to me. Best friends are the best therapists, yeah?¡± I smiled. ¡°If you can¡¯t talk to your friend, are they really your friend?¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± She smiled. ¡°Just voicing my worries as I did helped a lot. Thank you.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± I replied. ¡°You listened. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Her eyes met mine. I smiled and nodded. ¡°Anytime.¡± That afternoon we talked for hours. We talked about the trees swaying in the wind. We talked about going together to the beach to see the sunset after she was released. We talked about ways for her to make money, even writing her story into a book. We talked about how easy our friendship had come. We talked until it was time for them to run tests on her. * * * That night, I sat on the sofa in the living room and waited for my dad to come home. ¡°Dad!¡± I called as I heard the front door open. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he replied, walking into the living room. ¡°Can I talk to you?¡± ¡°Sure, let me put this down.¡± He carried the bag of fast food that would be our dinner into the kitchen. He walked back into the room and sat down next to me. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Athena,¡± I said, not knowing where to start. ¡°Athena? The Greek goddess?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°The girl I pulled out of the water last week,¡± I replied. ¡°They identified her?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s what we all call her because of the bracelet she was wearing. It had Athena written on it,¡± I said. ¡°We call her?¡± ¡°Detective Nakamuro, the nurses at the hospital, and me.¡± My dad looked at me as if I had grown a third eye. ¡°I went to see her, and we became friends. I visited her a few times,¡± I confessed. He nodded. ¡°Ok. What about her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing good and they¡¯re talking about what happens next.¡± I paused. ¡°When she¡¯s released and still hasn¡¯t been identified.¡± He looked at me, seeming to know where this was going. ¡°Could she possibly stay with us for a while?¡± I blurted out quickly. ¡°Kalani!¡± I knew that tone in my dad¡¯s voice¡ªhe thought I was crazy. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t have a place to go then she will have to go to a homeless shelter.¡± I countered. ¡°Kalani. You do realize what you¡¯re asking, right?¡± ¡°We have the space. We can put a bed in the office.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about. You¡¯re asking to take in a person who currently doesn¡¯t have a name or social security number so she can¡¯t work.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll have it a lot harder if she has no one to turn to.¡± ¡°Kalani!¡± he exclaimed, a master at only using my name as a counter argument. ¡°Mom always said to help those in need. To show them kindness and compassion.¡± My dad opened his mouth to reply but froze. I saw the signs that tears were working their way to his eyes. I didn¡¯t want to bring up mom, but she had always wanted us to help where we could. ¡°At the very least she can stay with us as she looks for a place to go,¡± he conceded. I wrapped my arms around him. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°You have to take care of her though. Ready her bed and everything.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not a pet!¡± I chuckled. My dad¡¯s face filled with a chilly seriousness. ¡°No, she isn¡¯t. She¡¯s a human being.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she has everything.¡± * * * The next day I was strangely focused and filled with a new purpose. I paid attention to the lectures in my classes and instead of skipping my afternoon class again I went despite how excited I was to offer Athena a place to stay when she left the hospital. Just like the times before, I hurried to the hospital as soon as I finished my classes. I hurried up to her floor and walked to the nurse¡¯s station. As I walked up the nurse''s eyes opened wide in surprise and she frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t sign you in,¡± the nurse said. ¡°She¡¯s not here. She was discharged this morning.¡± I blinked at her, running what she had said through my head multiple times. I couldn¡¯t have heard what she said correctly. ¡°She got all the help we could give her,¡± the nurse said sadly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have insurance or even an identity. It¡¯s been a week, and she¡¯s stable.¡± I stared at her. ¡°You kicked her out with no warning?¡± ¡°She was told about it a couple days ago.¡± The nurse said quietly. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you?¡± I remembered the melancholy look on her face as she looked out the window yesterday. There was fear in her eyes. I hadn¡¯t noticed it. Why didn¡¯t she tell me? ¡°No, she didn¡¯t tell me.¡± I felt all happiness leave my body. ¡°She left you something. She asked the nurses here to help her with it.¡± The nurse picked up a paper gift bag with a sparrow standing on a tree branch. She held out the two handles for me to take. I looked inside and saw there was what looked like a children''s book inside. I pulled the book out and let out a gasp. It was a copy of ¡®The Crane Wife¡¯, the Japanese story about the crane I had told her about. There was an envelope sticking out about halfway through the book. I pulled it out and saw my name was written on it. I pulled out the letter inside.
Kalani, Thank you so much for being my best friend. I wanted to give this to you as thanks for everything you did for me. Before you ask what you did, you know what you did. You pulled me out of the water that day and you pulled me out of the darkness I found myself in after. I wanted to give back the book you lent me but I started reading it and want to find out what happens to Susan in the end. I thought this would be better to give you. Nurse Darling was wonderful and picked up the book I wanted. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you I was leaving the hospital. When you brought up thinking about taking me in, I knew I couldn¡¯t trouble you anymore. I decided to leave it to fate, and I hope we might meet again. I promise I will continue to be who I want to be. Aloha, Athena Doe
As I read the letter again, a tear from my eye dropped onto the paper. I quickly took a breath and wiped my eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no contact information for her?¡± I asked the nurse, letting myself feel a little hope. ¡°A way to get a message to her?¡± The nurse, who was wearing a name tag, Grace Darling, shook her head. ¡°Are you going to be ok?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Would it be ok to leave my contact information? Just in case she comes back or asks.¡± The nurse smiled at me. ¡°Of course.¡± After leaving my phone number, I left the hospital and found myself walking down the beach where I had found her a week ago. The sun was setting and the sky was filled with purple, pink, and golden colors. It was an especially gorgeous sunset tonight as there was just the right amount of clouds in the sky to showcase the colors. As the wind blew past me, I could have sworn I heard someone say my name. The voice sounded like hers. I turned around quickly, but there was no one there. I turned back to the sunset, feeling she was somewhere on the island looking at this same sunset. I smiled. I realized that she had not said goodbye in her letter, but said aloha. It was a hello and a goodbye. We¡¯d find each other again. The End Story 02 - Flooded Flames - Part 1 Flooded Flames Part One of Six As the shadows of her nightmare wrapped around her slowly loosened their grip, Talia''s senses sharpened to the sensation of something solid and cold against her neck. With a start, her eyes flew open, focusing on the wide-eyed red-haired man straddling her. Whatever he was holding against her throat stung. She called upon the icy power flowing through her veins and a patch of ice formed on her neck, preventing the object from cutting further into her skin. ¡°Damn it!¡± the man exclaimed. His breathing stopped as fear filled his jade-colored eyes. She wasn¡¯t sure if the panicking heartbeat she heard was his or her own. The only other sound in the room was the trickle of the water in the small moat around her bed. Feeling the weight of the man on top of her, she gasped as her power reached out to the water around her. She felt it stand at attention at her order and strike. A spear of water stuck the man on top of her, sending him flying into the wall. He slid down the wall, unconscious. She turned her attention to the clank of metal hitting the ground. A knife? The bastard had a knife to her throat. While she was sleeping! She threw the blankets over her to the side and jumped out of bed. The adrenaline pulsing through her body focused her vision in the moonlit room. She could see the red-haired man was young, maybe even younger than the twenty-three years she appeared to be. Did the Fire Kingdom send someone so young to kill her? She stepped towards the fallen man slowly. He made it all the way to her bedroom, so he must be skilled. His red hair meant he had some of the royal family¡¯s blood in him. They¡¯d never send an important member of the royal family into the Water Kingdom, though. They were too important. If he had royal blood in him, that meant that he¡­ Almost in reply to her thought, the man¡¯s eyes shot open, and a blast of heat erupted from him. The blast threw Talia back onto her bed. She quickly pulled down her midnight blue nightdress to cover herself as she sat up. As the man charged at her, she let out a load scream to alert the guards, calling on the water again. This time, it wrapped around his legs and arms. Once it pulled him to the ground, it froze him into place. The man¡¯s light green eyes glowed as the freckles on his cheeks faded into his reddening face. The drips of water from his icy restraints confirmed what she feared¡ªhe was heating and melting the ice. There was the sound of footsteps in the distance, but they wouldn''t be there in time. The man was already on his feet, readying a fireball in his hands. ¡°Your Highness!¡± a dark blue, short-haired woman, clad in a twilight purple-colored nightdress, ran in from an adjoining bedroom. Her bright silver eyes wide in terror. ¡°Wisp, assassin!¡± Talia called out in warning to her lady-in-waiting. The man turned and hurled the fireball at Wisp. His attention locked on the dark blue haired woman as she quickly called the moat water to protect herself. Readying another attack, the man didn¡¯t notice the water behind him being controlled by Talia. The water formed into an enormous bubble and enveloped him. A thick sheet of ice encased the aquatic bubble, sealing him in. Realizing the bubble of water dosed his fire power and every beat of his heart was another moment without air, fear filled his face. The water around him boiled, but it did nothing to the thick ice that encased him. It only boiled away enough water inside to give him air to breathe. As the footsteps of the guards drew closer to her bedroom door, Talia focused all her power into keeping the ice from melting. The doors to the room shot open and several guards poured in. They surrounded the bubble just as darkness started to fill Talia¡¯s vision. She let go of her power, causing the bubble to burst. As she fell back onto the bed, the water returned to the moat. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Your Highness!!¡± Wisp screamed as she ran to Talia¡¯s side. Talia, fighting the exhaustion demanding her to sleep, felt Wisp¡¯s arm wrap around her. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Talia breathed as she turned her attention to the man that had been holding a knife to her throat only moments before. The guards quickly held him. His jade eyes rolled back, and he fell forward as a guard smashed the hilt of his sword into the back of his head. Wisp¡¯s hold on her tightened as they dragged the man out of the room. ¡°Take him to the dungeons and st-stand guard at the door,¡± Talia stammered. As the door closed, Wisp¡¯s arms tightened even more around her. Talia didn¡¯t know how long Wisp held her before she pulled back to look at her. Wisp¡¯s silver eyes opened wide, her hand shaking as her fingers reached for Talia¡¯s throat. Her finger softly swiped against her skin. Wisp gasped, looking at the blood on her fingers as she pulled her hand away. ¡°Oh gods, what did he do to you!?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. That might be the power surging through me, blocking me from feeling it though.¡± Talia chuckled a little as she sat up. Worry twisted Wisp¡¯s lips into a frown. ¡°You should lay back until an Earth healer comes.¡± ¡°I should be over seeing the bastard¡¯s execution right now,¡± Talia muttered, laying back. The worry furrowed Wisp¡¯s brow and filled her light blue eyes. She asked the question that Talia didn¡¯t want to ask. ¡°How did he get as far as your bedroom?¡± ¡°Not just my bedroom. He was on top of me with a knife to my throat when I woke up.¡± Talia shivered as a cool breeze blew in from her bedroom tower¡¯s balcony. ¡°On top of¡­ h-he didn¡¯t¡­¡± Wisp couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask the question in full. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± Talia assured her. At that moment, a young woman from the Earth Kingdom hurried through the bedroom doors. Gods, she was young. She must have replaced her predecessor, who was killed recently. ¡°Y-your Highness. I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°I only need your powers, not your name,¡± Talia shot at the scared blonde creature, who only cowered more. ¡°Forgive Her Highness¡¯s crassness. She does not like to get attached,¡± Wisp said, chuckling when Talia glared at her. She then added, ¡°Her bark is worse than her bite.¡± The blonde woman¡¯s body relaxed a little as her lips fluttered into a smile for a second. She lowered her head. ¡°Your Highness, if I may.¡± Talia sat up and hung her legs off the side of the bed. The cowering young woman took that as a sign to approach her. She kept her head down, only lifting her eyes enough to look at Talia¡¯s neck. Talia could feel the fear radiating from her. ¡°How old are you?¡± Talia asked. The woman lifted her shaking hand towards Talia¡¯s throat. ¡°N-nine-¡± a breath forced itself on the girl. ¡°I have seen nineteen years.¡± Talia exhaled and closed her eyes as the warmth from the woman¡¯s hand flowed into her body. Gods, she really was young. The girl had no idea how young she was compared to the woman she was healing. It looked like only four years separated them, but her nineteen years were nothing to the hundreds Talia had lived. That was a secret that only Wisp, and her ancestors before her, knew. Feeling the warmth fade before the woman pulled her hands away, Talia opened her eyes. She was met with a kind smile on the young woman¡¯s face. Talia looked away from her with a huff. ¡°Your job is finished. You may leave.¡± The woman bowed, backing to the door before turning and walking out of the room. Wisp let out a sigh. ¡°Poor thing. Her first summons-¡± ¡°And she should learn her place,¡± Talia spat, cutting her off. Wisp rolled her eyes before nodding. Her face softened and worry took over again. ¡°Do you want me to stay with you so you could sleep again?¡± Wisp asked, picking up a robe from a chair. Another cool breeze entered from the balcony. Talia took the cloak from Wisp as she held it out for her. She wrapped it around her thin nightdress and stepped out onto the balcony. When Wisp followed her, Talia looked out from her tower at her kingdom, lit by the moon and stars above. Tonight, the waterways that ran through the palace and the nearby town reflected the cosmic glow above. Talia turned to the only person she¡¯d dare call a friend. ¡°Even without the attack, I wouldn¡¯t be sleeping,¡± she admitted. ¡°You had another¡ª¡± There was a knock on the bedroom door. A guard was already in the room by the time they walked in from the balcony. He bowed and drew his fist to his chest. ¡°Your Highness, we contained the man. Should we proceed with execution?¡± he asked. Talia pulled her robe tighter as she walked over to the guard. ¡°Not yet. I want to talk to him first when he regains consciousness.¡± ¡°As you command,¡± the guard said, lowering his head even more. Wisp walked over to her as the guard left the room. ¡°Are you sure you want to keep him alive?¡± Talia nodded. ¡°I want to know who sent him. If the Fire Kingdom sent him, then they will get the war they¡¯ve been after.¡± Story 02 - Flooded Flames - Part 2 Flooded Flames Part Two of Six A cold sensation against Asher¡¯s head cut through the blackness as he noticed the sound of flowing water. The back of his head throbbed. Shifting his arms, the bindings around his wrist tightened. Damn it, he was still alive. Forcing his eyes open, he lifted his head out of the half-centimeter of water that covered the floor. Before him, his eyes focused on a frame of ice that had bedding on it. There was a perfectly good bed, and they dumped him on his side in the water? How rude! He could¡¯ve drowned! They¡¯re terrible hosts. Though he supposed that if he expected better treatment, he shouldn¡¯t have tried to kill their queen. He stared at the water as the fog in his vision cleared. It wasn¡¯t deep enough to drown in sadly. He had failed, but since he was still alive, he had also failed at failing. He let out a sigh, pushing himself up to a sit. Get ahold of yourself, Asher, he told himself. There¡¯s still hope. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d keep you alive after that. He took a breath as he took in his cell. The water he sat in, the surrounding cell, a mixture of bars and almost transparent waterfalls, all designed to confine someone with his power. He glanced up at the earthen roof above him. If the rumors were true, then if he managed to blast through it, he¡¯d find a moat or lake waiting above. The shallow pool his cell was submerged in was in the middle of a large room. Surrounding the bars, a narrow, shallow moat fed the water he stood in. The cells he was once held in the Fire Kingdom were similar, but with flames and lava discouraging your departure. Like those cells, there were no windows, and only a door served as the only entrance to the large dungeon room. He realized escape wasn¡¯t an option. Not that running ever was. There were only two ways this had to end, with the queen, or him, dead. He guessed that getting killed as he escaped after killing her would¡¯ve been an option as well. Since he failed to kill the queen, he could only pray his execution would come quick, and be public. His thoughts traveled back to the queen. He had been so close to completing his mission. His knife pierced her throat, but he stopped. Why did he stop? The sound of the dungeon door creaking open tore him from his thoughts. A pair of guards walked in. ¡°Inform the queen he¡¯s awake!¡± the guard locking eyes with him ordered the younger guard with him, who quickly ran off, leaving the door open. Good, we can get to my execution quickly, Asher thought. It made sense she wanted to be present for it¡ªhe had tried to kill her. The guard that remained stepped up to the moat. ¡°How long have I been knocked out?¡± Asher asked. Not answering, the guard¡¯s eyes, filled with spite, narrowed on him. So much for making new friends, Asher thought as he looked away. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He went over the failed assassination attempt in his mind. Everything had been going as planned. He had reached the bedroom in the tower he was told was hers with no issues. Creeping up to her in bed, he sensed her power and knew it was her despite no one ever laying eyes on her. He was above her, pushing the knife into her throat, and then¡­he stopped. One look at her porcelain skin, red lips, framed by her icy blue hair, glowing in the moonlight, and he couldn¡¯t do it. He didn¡¯t know why. His ears twitched as he heard footsteps in the distance. Holding his breath, he focused intently on the sound. Each step provided valuable information: the delicate swish of a dress mixed with the urgency in her pace. Judging from the change in the footsteps, she had descended a set of stairs and was now advancing down the hall. He counted down. 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ The porcelain-skinned queen burst through the door into the dungeon, her golden eyes locking onto Asher immediately. There was a flicker of surprise in her gaze, but it quickly turned to rage. Something in him made him look away from her eyes. His gaze drifted down. He noticed her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath. He was thankful the gold-trimmed, dark blue gown she was wearing covered more of her form than her night dress did. ¡°Your Highness! I believe I have you to thank for the incredible hospitality of your kingdom. You¡¯ll forgive me if I don¡¯t stand and curtsy.¡± He raised his bound wrists. ¡°I¡¯m a little tied up.¡± ¡°Are you trying to be funny?¡± the queen spat back. ¡°Apparently not,¡± he muttered. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. ¡°Forgive me for not introducing myself when we first met in your bedroom.¡± He jumped up onto his feet and lowered his head in a mocking bow. ¡°My name is Asher.¡± Her eyes narrowed at him. The water he stood in splashed up and froze around his feet. He might¡¯ve gone a little too far. His eyes met hers and the chill in his feet shot through him. ¡°How did you make it into my tower?¡± she sneered at him. His lips felt dry as the chill reached them. When he licked them, they felt cold against his tongue. Was she freezing the water inside him? ¡°Did I impress you with my stealth? By chance, I happen to have some free time. I could give you some training if you¡¯d like. First tip, rethink the shoes. I heard you coming down the stairs down the hall.¡± The chill throughout his body pierced him like needles. How fast could he push her to kill him? ¡°Were you sent here on orders?¡± she asked. Asher just clicked his tongue and looked away from her. She raised her hand. The water from the pool around him gathered and encased him. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy repeating myself,¡± she drawled. ¡°So, I will only say it again once and very slowly so I know you understand me.¡± His body started to panic as it realized the air it wanted wouldn¡¯t come. Just a little longer and his wish for it to end would be granted. ¡°Did someone send you, or did you come on some personal vendetta?¡± she repeated. His body convulsed, demanding air, and taking control over from his brain. As death¡¯s shadows drew in for him, he crashed into the ground. The water rushed back to the pool in the cell. ¡°Answer!¡± she screamed at him as he pushed himself back up. ¡°Does it matter?¡± Asher croaked, gasping for air. ¡°W-what?¡± she stuttered, caught off guard ¡°Does it matter why I¡¯m here? Under the king¡¯s order or because you killed someone I knew. Does it matter? You¡¯re going to have me killed anyway.¡± She smiled, amused. ¡°On that point, you¡¯re correct. It doesn¡¯t matter in terms of if you live or die. However, it matters to me if you¡¯re a lone assassin, or the first here on orders.¡± ¡°So, you want to know if you can feel safe sleeping again?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. She understandably glared at him, but there was a fear hidden behind the rage. He had struck something deeply hidden within her. ¡°Sleep tight. I¡¯ll most likely have you killed in the morning,¡± she sneered as she turned to leave the dungeon. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for¡­¡± Asher muttered, sitting on the bed. The queen paused at the door, looking back at him. ¡°You want to die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone truly wants to die,¡± he replied, looking into her golden eyes. He caught the quick twitch of her eye. He filed that away in his memory before continuing, ¡°I see no point in putting off the inevitable.¡± ¡°So, you were the first?¡± He let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°How do you figure that?¡± ¡°Someone with a vendetta would want to stay alive until it was achieved,¡± she replied. ¡°Vengeance for daddy and all that.¡± He nodded slightly. ¡°Sound logic, but not the entire truth in this case.¡± Her eyes filled with amusement. ¡°The sooner you give me the information I want, the sooner you die.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for such a short time, but you already know how to mold me to your will. A promising start to our friendship.¡± He smiled at her. She blinked, entertained by him. ¡°Sleep well,¡± she says before finally walking out of the dungeon. Story 02 - Flooded Flames - Part 3 Flooded Flames Part Three of Six A cool breeze drew Talia¡¯s attention to the window as dawn¡¯s light trickled into the room. The soft breathing of the woman next to her soothed her, but not enough for her to sleep more than an hour. The dark blue-haired woman pulled her hand from hers as she turned away from her. She felt the absence of Wisp¡¯s hand instantly. She cursed herself for her weakness. She learned quickly not to get attached to Wisp¡¯s ancestors of secret keepers. Their lives were too short compared to hers. To keep them at a distance, she forbade generations of secret keepers and guards from talking to her. All these years in this tower for her protection, for her people¡¯s protection, took a toll and froze her heart. When the last sliver of it was about to freeze over, Cosma, Wisp¡¯s great-grandmother, was born. Cosma had differed from the keepers before her. She was the first born with dark blue hair, the sign she had royal blood. As soon as she could talk, she questioned why Talia had ordered them not to talk as when she brought her food or bathed her. She didn¡¯t care about any punishment she received for talking. She only cared about the loneliness in Talia¡¯s eyes. So, they talked¡ªa lot. And that last part of Talia¡¯s heart cared about her¡ªa lot. It hurt when she died, but her daughter was already by Talia¡¯s side, then her granddaughter, and now Wisp. All with dark blue hair, and all with Cosma¡¯s caring heart. Talia¡¯s thoughts drifted to the red-haired man in the dungeon. He was so infuriating. She hadn¡¯t expected him to answer her questions without encouragement, but his defiant and sarcastic attitude boiled her blood. She let out a heavy breath as she felt heat rising in her cheeks. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Wisp said in a raspy, sleep laded voice. Talia only made a noise affirming she was awake. Wisp turned and laid her head on Talia¡¯s chest, tucking her arm around her. How many times did she do this as a child when she had a nightmare and climbed into Talia¡¯s bed instead of her mother¡¯s? ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep, did you?¡± Wisp asked, looking up at her. ¡°I did, but only for a short time. It was enough¡­Thank you,¡± Talia said, the words fighting not to leave her mouth. As Wisp frowned at her, Talia added, ¡°The sooner that man is dead. The sooner I¡¯ll be able to sleep.¡± ¡°Shall I bring us breakfast?¡± Wisp sat up, already knowing the answer. ¡°Please,¡± Talia said, sitting up. Wisp had already grabbed her robe and was holding out Talia¡¯s for her to take. Talia wrapped her robe around her as her thoughts returned to the red-haired man. ¡°Wisp,¡± she called out to her. Wisp stopped at the door and looked back at her, smiling. ¡°Can you also have food brought to Ash¡ªthe man in the dungeon?¡± Wisp¡¯s smile brightened, and she lowered her head, receiving the order. * * * Talia ran her finger along the scene of cherry blossoms on a cliff overlooking a beach with sea turtles on the back of her mirror before picking it up. She looked at her face and frowned at the whiteness of her skin. She¡¯d like to tell herself the whiteness was from the icy power in her veins, but she knew it was because she never left the tower. She quickly returned the mirror to the table. Why did she care how she looked? She was going to question the prisoner in the dungeon, not go to a ball. Most days she had no reason to dress in more than something a bit better than a nightdress, but today she wore a gown. She only dressed in gowns when the generations of keepers and personal guards changed. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Talia took a deep breath as she stood. She dressed in another gold-trimmed dark blue gown, but this one covered her more. She didn¡¯t miss that the red-haired man¡¯s eyes went to her chest as soon as she walked into the dungeon. Slipping a foot into one of her shoes by the door, she paused. First tip, rethink the shoes. Her blood boiled as she flushed. Deciding to go barefoot, she slipped off the shoe. Making her way through the tower she caught a group of guards by surprise when she rounded a corner. She chuckled, watching them squirm, but she hated that the red-haired man was right. She slowed as she stepped from the stairwell into the hallway leading to the dungeons. ¡°Thank you, Wisp.¡± Asher¡¯s voice floated from the dungeon ahead. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± the usually calm Wisp snapped. ¡°Only the queen can call me that!¡± ¡°Sorry, I thought that was your name,¡± Asher replied. ¡°Her name is Whisper,¡± Talia said, walking into the dungeon. Wisp, on her knees reaching for a tray with a plate and a glass on it floating across the narrow moat, bowed her head. Asher, who was sitting on the bed, leaned back on his elbows. Wisp picked up the tray and looked at Asher. ¡°If you thank anyone, thank her. She¡¯s the one that ordered me to bring you food.¡± Talia smiled at the glare that Wisp gave him. ¡°That is enough, Wisp.¡± The dishes on the tray clinked together as Wisp stood. ¡°If you need anything else, let me know,¡± Wisp said, before walking out of the dungeon. Talia turned her attention to Asher, who was staring back at her, confused. ¡°You asked her to¡­¡± His voice trailed off as his eyes drifted down her gown to her bare feet. His lips twisted into a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t hear you.¡± The sooner this man was dead, the better. She glared at him, feeling herself flush. ¡°I hope you found your breakfast acceptable,¡± she said through gritted teeth. Asher jumped to his feet. ¡°It was delicious. As expected from this wonderful establishment I find myself a patron of.¡± She considered the smug man. She guessed he liked to act in control despite being the prisoner. Two could play that game. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll join you for breakfast tomorrow.¡± She stepped up to the edge of the moat around the cage. She could almost feel the fear and disappointment that flashed across his face before he pulled his lips into a pout. ¡°Tomorrow? But you promised you were going to execute me today.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll depend on our conversation.¡± ¡°Something I¡¯ve been breathlessly waiting for.¡± The water under him splashed as he walked up to the bars between them. He dipped his hand into the flowing water of the waterfall. As he did, Talia must¡¯ve had a puzzled look on her face, because he explained, ¡°Cleaning my hands after breakfast.¡± She watched him dry his hands against his tunic. ¡°How are you so insufferable?¡± ¡°A natural gift,¡± he replied. ¡°Who sent you to kill me?¡± she asked, feeling her patience running thin. ¡°Right to it, I see. Is the executioner scheduled to come, or can we take our time and talk?¡± Ignoring him, she asked again, ¡°Why did you try to kill me?¡± His eyes locked on hers. He opened his mouth to say something witty, she assumed, but he closed it again. ¡°To end your bloodline.¡± ¡°End my bloodline, why?¡± Worry filled his eyes. A crack in that armor of his, she thought. He took a breath and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°A choice? Who ordered you? Those in control in the Fire Kingdom?¡± He nodded. ¡°I made a deal with them.¡± ¡°What deal?¡± ¡°They have my sister. If I end your bloodline, she¡¯d be let go. If I died trying to end it, she¡¯d be let go.¡± Talia¡¯s chest tightened. He was doing this for his sister? The truth of what he was saying was clear in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why you want to die?¡± He stared at her with a puzzled wonderment in his eyes before as he looked away from her. ¡°You¡¯re nothing like we were told,¡± Asher muttered as he stared at her. ¡°What were you told?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re an evil queen with a frozen heart. Breed and raised generation after generation to be even more ruthless than the one before. That¡¯s why I needed to kill the princess, too.¡± ¡°Princess?¡± Confusion flashed in her eyes before she shook her head. ¡°Right, my daughter.¡± He stared at her, taking her in. ¡°You¡¯re only a little older than me, right? Twenty-three or twenty-four?¡± The question caught her off guard. ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Asher said slowly, as if he was figuring something out. ¡°The announcement of the birth of the princess was over ten years ago.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Talia exclaimed. His thoughts were heading down the path it shouldn¡¯t. ¡°You would¡¯ve been around thirteen¡­¡± His eyes widened. ¡°There¡¯s either no princess or you¡¯re not the queen.¡± There was no use in hiding it. He wouldn¡¯t be alive much longer anyway. ¡°The announcement was a lie. There is no princess.¡± ¡°Why would you lie about that? What is the Water Kingdom hiding?¡± Talia narrowed her eyes and turned to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± he called after her. ¡°When you kill me, please make sure they know. I don¡¯t want them to think I ran away.¡± Dread filled her as she faced him. She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± His eyes shot to hers, and the pain in them stung. ¡°W-why? They¡¯ll kill her!¡± ¡°If we announce your execution, regardless of the reason for it, the Fire Kingdom will have an excuse to attack.¡± He looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Shit. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t matter if I succeeded. They just wanted to start a war.¡± ¡°One where many people in both kingdoms will die.¡± He stared at her, trying to process what he was learning. ¡°Why would they¡ª¡± ¡°Because the Fire Kingdom won¡¯t let go of its grudge.¡± Story 02 - Flooded Flames - Part 4 Flooded Flames Part Four of Six ¡®Because the Fire Kingdom won¡¯t let go of its grudge.¡¯ Asher laid on the bed, going over the conversation with the queen, as he stared up at the earthen ceiling above him. He thought back to everything he¡¯d been told about the royal family of the Water Kingdom. They were recluse, having not attended gatherings for the royalty of all the kingdoms for hundreds of years. Citizens of the Water Kingdom that defected or married into other kingdoms have reported never seeing the royal family. They never leave the enormous tower in the center of the palace. Royal guards and noticeboards made announcements about the royal family throughout the villages in the kingdom. He looked towards where the queen had been standing before she hurried off. Only a chosen few had ever seen the current queen¡­her icy blue hair¡­ her smooth white skin¡­and those red lips. He took a deep breath. Was she really the queen? She could be one of her servants, taking her place to protect her. Maybe Wisp was really the queen? Remembering the contempt for him in Whisper¡¯s eyes made him apologize again to her in his thoughts. Whisper had the dark blue hair that marked her with royal blood, but her age made even less sense. His own red hair marked him with royal blood, and he was nothing more than a casted off descendant of a servant of some prince that couldn¡¯t control himself. Because he and his sister were born with red hair, they were taken to the academy together, instead of being sent to different orphanages after their parents died from the plague. He scoffed, looking at the bars to his cell. Some good all that government ran assassin training did. After being captured, the more he learned, the more he realized how much the Fire Kingdom didn¡¯t know. The only thing he knew for sure was that the Water Kingdom was hiding something about its royal family. The dungeon squeaked open. Whisper walked in carrying a tray of food. ¡°Dinner,¡± she murmured as she walked up to the moat. She placed the tray onto the water, and with a wave of her hand, a current moved the tray as the waterfall parted to let it float into the cage. Asher sat up as the tray floated into the bed. He picked it up and placed it on the bed next to him. The plate, filled with things from other kingdoms, was missing something from Fire Kingdom. He had never seen fish on a plate to eat before. He looked at Whisper who stood watching him, waiting. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. That only caused the hatred in her eyes to burn stronger. ¡°What did I do to you?¡± ¡°You tried to kill her!¡± Whisper hissed. The pain in her eyes caused his chest to tighten. That was a stupid question. Of course, she¡¯d hate him. Her reaction only confused him more. It was the same hatred he had when he was told what would happen if he ran from this mission. Despite being her servant, she cared about the woman that called herself queen as much as he did his sister. If she really was the evil queen he was told she was, wouldn¡¯t her servants revel in her death? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It wasn¡¯t personal.¡± Whisper shook with the rage building in her. ¡°Not Personal!?¡± ¡°I think trying to kill someone is very personal,¡± the queen said, walking into the dungeon. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Whisper lowered her head in a bow. ¡°Wisp, you may go,¡± the queen tilted her head towards the door. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll ready your bed.¡± Whisper gave Asher one last look before walking out of the dungeon. Asher turned his attention to the queen. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of a second visit from you today?¡± She stepped up to the edge of the moat. There was something different about her. The movements of her body oozed her authority, but her eyes, turned to the water before her, were filled with worry. He looked behind her with a frown. ¡°No man hooded in black behind you? You¡¯re here to have dinner with me, then?¡± She looked up at him, as she let out a sigh that carried a hint of the laughter that flickered in her eyes. It was a beautiful sound. ¡°I said breakfast, not dinner,¡± she replied. ¡°I look forward to it,¡± he smiled. Seeing her cheeks pinkened, as his own flushed, he turned his attention to the fish on his dinner plate. ¡°I¡¯ve never had fish.¡± ¡°Never?¡± The surprise in her voice caused his attention to return to her. ¡°That surprises you? Have you ever had blazed fire pepper steak?¡± She thought for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Not for a long time. Anything imported from the Fire Kingdom is banned here.¡± Asher nodded as understanding filled her eyes. He registered what she said. ¡°Not for a long time? Exports to the Water Kingdom have been banned for hundreds of years.¡± A twinge of fear flicked in her eyes as her lips tightened in frustration. ¡°When the royal family wants something, there are ways.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true in all the kingdoms,¡± he replied, filing her reaction away to think about later when he had nothing better to do than stare at the bars of his cell. ¡°You¡¯re obviously here to talk to me. Do you mind if I eat while we talk?¡± She smiled. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m quite interested in what you think of fish.¡± He stared at the fish on the plate, unsure. ¡°It was deboned. You can eat it just how it is.¡± There was a reassurance in her tone. He quickly took a bite of the fish. His mouth exploded in flavor. He couldn¡¯t believe people in the Water Kingdom ate this normally. He looked at her as something else hit him¡ªhe trusted what she said and ate without a second thought. ¡°I take it you like it,¡± she said, smiling. He couldn¡¯t look away from her golden eyes. Her smile made them even brighter. He had so many questions about her. She was so mysterious. He shook his head to smother the embers of the feelings starting in him. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°The Fire Kingdom is preparing to attack,¡± the queen reported. ¡°There are reports of a large movement of troops heading towards the border.¡± ¡°What?¡± Fear gripped him. If that was true, then his sister was running out of time. ¡°I see you realize what that means.¡± Her golden eyes returned to the water in front of her. Fear and worry weighing her down. ¡°You¡¯re worried about your life?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the lives that¡¯ll be lost,¡± she shot back. She glared at him, causing a sting in his chest. He didn¡¯t know what to believe. His whole life he was told of the ice hearted queen of the Water Kingdom. She stood before him now, worried about the lives of people that had never laid eyes on her. ¡°You¡¯re worried about your people?¡± Her eyes narrowed, as if he had insulted her. ¡°Is it not the duty of the royal family to ensure the safety of their people? To care about their well-being?¡± ¡°Not where I grew up.¡± As disbelief filled her eyes, he added, ¡°They sent me here to kill you or die, and will kill my sister if I don¡¯t. Needless to say, that¡¯s not for our well-being.¡± Pity filled her golden eyes as they stared into him. ¡°You know what the troops gathering at the border means.¡± He nodded as his stomach turned. He took a breath to put it into words. ¡°We¡¯re still alive, so they¡¯re sending another assassin. Meaning my sister is dead, or will be shortly.¡± ¡°Tell me about the others.¡± ¡°When our parents died of the plague, my sister and I were taken away to a remote village.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°Because we have royal blood, they wanted to make use of our power. We were trained to be weapons for them.¡± ¡°How old were you?¡± she asked. That was what she asked? Not how many there were, or where the village was? ¡°I was eight and my sister was three,¡± he answered. The shock that filled her eyes puzzled him. Was she pretending she had a heart to get information out of him? It didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Your sister was trained as well?¡± she asked, her mind processing something. He nodded. ¡°Why would they kill her?¡± His chest tightened as an ember of rage ignited in him. ¡°To control me.¡± ¡°Why you?¡± she asked, looking him over and summing him up. ¡°I am the best.¡± She laughed, raising an eyebrow. ¡°And yet you failed.¡± Hearing her laugh caused his traitorous heart to flutter. The sound of her laugh and the sparkle in her eyes was so much better than her ire, and he wanted more of it. ¡°I was distracted,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Distracted?¡± He stood, walking up the bars between them. He could no longer lie to himself about why he had failed so miserably. ¡°I was distracted by you.¡±