Page 83 of Beacon

I peered back up at Owen, waiting patiently. I took another steadying breath. “I want…to talk…with you. I have…so much…I want to say.” My eyes widened at all the words I’d managed to string together.

“I know you do, and I want to hear every last thought.” His fingers grazed my cheek; I yearned to lean against his soft touch but shyness kept me paralyzed. “You’re so brave, Marisa.” For a beautiful moment he continued caressing my cheek…until he realized what he was doing and yanked his hand away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t—”

“No—” I managed, wanting him to understand how much I welcomed his touch. But he didn’t reach for me again. Instead he blushed and lowered his gaze, and in this manner we stood together on the boat.

The sun was sinking lower in the sky, bringing night ever closer. I was desperate to dispel the awkwardness that had settled around us in order to venture out onto the water. Once I was certain I’d regained my balance I pulled away from Owen, settled onto the boat, and gave him an inquiring look, my silent request for us to set sail.

He gratefully seized the distraction and hastily settled across from me to take up the oars. “Are you ready?”

The heated moment that had passed between us caused my words to once more recede, so I simply nodded. He accepted my silence and pushed away from the dock to row out onto the sea. The water seemed calmer than it had when we’d first ventured onto the ocean, as if the connection I was rebuilding with it caused it to sense my lingering reservations and respond by doing its part to alleviate them.

Owen didn’t row too far before he paused; the boat bobbed gently as we silently stared across the golden-caressed sea. All the words I’d carefully gathered throughout the day lay forgotten, lost in this moment with Owen as we basked in the beauty of the settling dusk. For as much as I wanted to speak to him, I never tired of these tranquil moments of simply being in his presence.

But though my words had retreated to the wings, another part of me vied for center stage, one that had been absent as long as my speech: my song, reawakened by my rekindled connection to the sea. Its energy caressed my powers beneath my skin as I dipped my hand into the water, causing them to hum and tingle the longer my fingers grazed the surface.

Before I could fully consider the implications, I began to hum. My powers immediately stirred, just as they had yesterday when I’d first shown them to Owen. His breath hooked and he watched, mesmerized. At first my magic was only a single drop of light that extended from my hand, but it slowly grew, causing the water it touched to soar into the air.

They didn’t get very far before fear over the potential consequences of my magic seized its unrelenting hold on them, giving my powers little chance to stretch and play after their long slumber. Fear forcibly yanked them back down, forcing them to vanish into the night.

“What happened?” Owen asked.

I struggled to find the words to explain the tempestuous sea raging within me. “Afraid. I miss magic, but it has power to hurt.”

Owen’s warmth washed over me as he leaned forward. He smelled like the sea during rain, a scent that was both refreshing and intoxicating. “The storm that took your mother’s life wasn’t your fault. You would never choose to use your magic in such a way.”

He’d said as much yesterday, but his words didn’t change the fact that Ihad, a truth I could never get away from, no matter how desperate I was to escape. By Owen’s expression, he knew I hadn’t taken his words to heart. He considered.

“This magic is the same you used to rescue me. I can still remember the song you sang as I regained consciousness on the beach.”

Embarrassment warmed my cheeks. I’d never admitted that had been me, though it hadn’t been difficult for him to guess.

He reached for my hands. “Even when I believed you to be mute, part of me always knew that song had come from you. That is the magic I know—the one that both saves and creates beauty. I’d love to see more…if you’re willing to show me.” He gave my hands a reassuring squeeze.

Despite the all-encompassing fear still shrouding my heart, my desire to share myself with him was stronger, a wish that bloomed from the ashes of my past like a phoenix being reborn. And though I wanted nothing more than for it to soar, part of me was still wary of it taking flight.

“Powers…not what…they once were,” I shakily managed. “Part of me…holding them back.”

“That’s understandable considering how long it’s been since you’ve used them. I’m guessing you buried them when you stopped speaking?” He seemed unsurprised by my nod. “Rather than trying to return your powers to the level they once were, simply focus on recapturing the joy they used to bring you; falling back in love with your magic might help you no longer be afraid of it.”

I yearned to reconnect with the magic that used to be such an intricate part of me and had once been a source of joy. This desire, along with his encouragement, was enough for me to find the courage to dip my hand back into the water. Owen kept hold of my free hand, quietly lending strength to my magic. His presence allowed me to remain calm in order to maintain control.

I began humming one of the songs I’d discovered as a child, picking up right where I’d left off after I’d stopped using my powers. My magic began as a drop of silvery light that glistened against the ocean like one of the stars reflected across its surface. Gradually this spark began to grow, as if my powers dipped themselves into paint to caress the sea’s canvas.

A splotch of color here, a dip of color there, each caressing the ocean to bring back the color that had faded as dusk had melted into night—not just the hues of gold, orange, and pink sunset but others, including lilac, green, and silver, all which blended seamlessly with the blue of the ocean.

Each note caused the rippling water to slowly rise and twirl into the air like dancers in a ballet, a performance that lit up the velvety night like fireworks. My magic breathed life into the ocean, causing it to gently turn our boat as fountains of glistening water surrounded us. With every note I felt my magic seep into my heart, healing the last of the pain that had shrouded it for so long.

Gradually the magic faded, withdrawing the color and light until all that was left was the starry night and a calm ocean, a calmness that mirrored my own inner peace after ten long years. With it came a reverence that settled over us with the stillness brought by the silence. Even when my powers had faded, Owen didn’t let go of my hand and I didn’t relinquish my hold on him.

I glanced towards him to find him staring not out across the water but at me, his eyes wide with wonder. “That was beautiful, Marisa.” He seemed absent of his usual shyness as he scooted closer and extended his hand, pausing inches from my cheek, his smoldering look a silent inquiry whether he could touch me.

At my breathless nod his fingers grazed my skin. As always, his touch was the most alluring, almost magical sensation I’d ever experienced, one I wanted nothing more than to last forever. But as wonderful as it was, it brought with it my usual confusion, one I could finally voice.

“Why…are you…touching me?”

He immediately froze. “Would you like me to stop?”

I shook my head before he could withdraw the touch I so longed for. “We’re…alone. I thought…only pretend.” He had no reason to continue our charade when our only audience was the ocean…one that seemed rather attentive to our every move.

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