Page 51 of Echoes of the Tide

The thunderhead was massive, but they always were. Dark purple and raging, with lightning arcing in between the billowing heads. It went on for miles, as far as the eye could see. But, like most, it was clustered together. They would have hours before it reached them, and he was particularly good at telling when they would get too close to him.

“Oh,” she whispered. “So the rumors are true, then.”

“What rumors?”

“That we can’t live above?” She turned her head to look at him, gazing up with those sad brown eyes. “I had hoped for a second that maybe you were showing me we could live here. That the storms and the earthquakes and the volcanic eruptions were all made up, so we had to stay down there. When I was a little girl, I used to dream that there were still people living in thesun. That if I was really good, someone would let me come and live with them.”

His heart broke for her. The People of Water did not need the sun like hers did. He didn’t need the air or the wind or all the things that only earth could give them. The ocean was made for him and his people, while the land was made for hers.

Everything in him screamed to hold her tighter against his chest. To let her sob out her frustrations of her life and to absorb it into the hard muscles of his chest. But he knew that’s not what she needed right now.

She didn’t need to sit in those terrible emotions or thoughts. What she needed was to sit in the sun and experience this for a few moments so she could hold them to her heart forever and never forget them.

So he released her and nudged her forward. “Go on. Explore your sun and all the sights you might never see again.”

She looked back at him for a second and then she was off. Racing across the top of this tiny island that wasn’t all that big. But it was enough for her to run. She leapt between the rocks, poked around in the pools of water that still had some crustaceans and small snails inside of them. She triumphantly held up a crab for him to see, and splashed in the warm water that she swore was almost hot.

Ace had her moment in the sun, and he encouraged every second of her child-like wonder. He named every crab. He splashed the water back at her. Even grabbed a handful of seaweed and tossed it at her head.

There were only a few hours left of sunlight, though. And soon enough, the sky turned pink as they prepared to say goodbye to the sun. Unfortunately, that also meant the storm was too close for comfort.

But he couldn’t rush her. Not when she’d finally settled on the warm stones and was staring out at the sky that was filled with a rainbow of colors.

Her eyes were wet, glimmering with unshed tears that she kept dashing away so she could stare a little longer. Maketes lowered himself into the waves, swimming so he was right between her legs.

She didn’t look at him, but he hadn’t expected her to.

“We have to go back soon,” he said, remorse filling him at even having to say the words. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. You gave me a gift that no one else could ever have dreamt of. This was so beautiful. To know that even though it’s dangerous to live here, even though there is a storm at my back, right now, all I can see is a sunset.” She hiccuped, the sound somewhat a cross between a gasp and a sob. “I never would have seen this if it weren’t for you.”

“I only gave you what you deserved to see.”

“No, Maketes. You didn’t. I’m a convicted criminal who has stolen from good people. I don’t deserve any of this, and yet, you are the one giving it to me.” She turned that teary eyed gaze down to look at him and framed his face with her hands. “Thank you for this. It was the best afternoon of my entire life.”

He didn’t fight against her when she leaned down to kiss him. How could he? He wanted those lips against his, and he greedily took what she offered. But only for a few moments before guilt crept in.

Maketes leaned away and tilted her chin up. “Look at the sunset, Ace. You deserve to see it for every second that I can let you.”

“My name isn’t Ace,” she whispered, her gaze locked on the darkening sky. “It’s just what I prefer people to call me. My name is Maura.”

“Maura,” he repeated, and then shook his head. “Ace is a wonderful name, too.”

“Thank you. For everything, Maketes.”

He leaned down and rested his head in her lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her for a little while longer. “You’re welcome.”

CHAPTER 21

What was she supposed to do now? She sat there, watching the sunset and the sky change from pink to red to a deep purple. Small sparks of light filled the sky, and she realized she was seeing stars for the first time as well. A million stars, all laid out in front of her as a galaxy revealed itself right above her head. It was so beyond beautiful.

She knew whatever her people were trying to find was dangerous. The rumble of thunder was an ominous warning that her thoughts were correct. Whatever Jacob wanted to do with that key? It wouldn’t just affect her own people.

Whether it was weapons or some other kind of terrible thing that would poison the water, it was something the undine had to consider as well. And now that she had grown ever closer to Maketes, she didn’t think she could take that key and not warn him.

It all felt too real. Talking to him through a droid was so much easier and yet, this was so much more than she had expected.

Running her fingers through his hair where he rested his head in her lap, she turned her gaze from the sky to him. Maybe it was wasting precious moments. Maybe she should have staredat the sky and the stars for every second that she could. But when she looked down at him, all she could see were the stars decorating his skin. Tiny flecks of starlight, each one bright yellow and so lovely it hurt to look at him. They decorated his neck, his shoulders, dotting down the valley of his spine and the muscles in between his shoulder blades.

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