Page 66 of The Forgotten Queen
He repositioned his feet on the edge of the cliff, soaking in the anticipation before the jump. The sun beat down on his head and chest, mixing with the warm summer breeze. Sweat trickled between the muscles on his back as adrenaline coursed through his veins.
One.
Two.
Jump.
He dove forward, feeling the heavy wind against his body as he fell. His arms went above his head, creating a straight line from the tips of his fingers down to his toes. Excitement pulled inside his stomach as he dropped. He hit the water, the weight of it filling his ears and pressing against his back. His mind flashed to Palmer. Was that how his brother had felt—overpowered by liquid? He kicked his legs, forcing his body back up to the surface. Marx’s head popped up into the air, and he sucked in a breath.
“You’re crazy!” Kase’s voice called to him.
He turned over his shoulder, seeing his friend standing on the beach. He flipped to his stomach and swam to the shore. When the water was shallow, he stood, sloshing through the swells.
“I’ve always hated heights.” Kase looked up at the cliff Marx had jumped from.
“How did you know where I was?”
“Louden told me.”
Marx puffed out a laugh. “Of course he did.” Louden wouldn’t give Marx a personal transporter to drive unless he promised he wasn’t taking it racing. He’d barely fixed the hydraulics on the machines they’d taken out the other day.
He walked to where Kase leaned against a rock and laid down on the hot beach. Gritty sand stuck to the back of his body as his arms spread out wide. He closed his eyes, letting the scorching sun dry him off.
“I found out some things about your wife’s family that I thought you might be interested in,” Kase said.
Marx opened his eyes, squinting against the light. He hadn’t seen Sydria since the newswriter’s interview the day before. He wasn’t avoiding her or the feelings she created inside of him. He’d just been busy. “What did you find out?”
“For starters, her aunt and uncle left town.”
The lines on Marx’s forehead creased. “For good?”
“It looked like it.”
“Why would they leave when their niece lives only a few miles away from them?”
“I don’t know, but I spoke with the owner of the cottage. Her uncle made no plans to return. They’ve only been renting that place for the past three months. Before that, I’m not sure where they were.”
“Three months?” Marx sat up, placing his hands on his thighs. “Isn’t that when Sydria’s accident happened?”
Kase nodded.
“If she was critically injured, how were they able to move her to a new house?” Marx asked, thinking out loud.
“I don’t think they could.”
He looked at Kase. “Unless the accident happened right after they moved here.”
“Possibly. But there’s something else. Sydria’s uncle, Von Nealman, was not the person who rented the house or paid for it. It was someone by the name of Otis Sutton.”
“Otis Sutton?” Marx questioned. “Who’s that?”
Kase shrugged. “Don’t know, but I do know that there isn’t a single record in Cristole that has Otis Sutton or Von and Edmay Nealman on it.”
“So they’re from another kingdom?” Marx had already guessed that much.
“Or they used made-up names.”
Marx fidgeted with his lips as he thought, trying to make sense of the information.
