ASHES AND OPALS
Late November 1985 — Oksana Plantation, Hawaii
The house was too quiet.
Jace sat on the edge of the bed in the guest room Geoffrey had given him, staring at his hands. They were clean. He'd scrubbed them in the shower until the water ran cold, but he could still feel the phantom weight of the drumsticks, the vibration of the last fill he'd played before everything went to hell.
The last show Dave had ever seen.
Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and golden and wrong. Outside, palm trees swayed in the morning breeze. Birds sang. The ocean whispered against the shore. The world kept moving like nothing had happened.
Like Dave wasn't gone.
Jace's chest felt hollow. Every breath hurt.
There was a soft knock at the door.
"Come in," he said, voice rough.
The door opened. Samantha stepped in, two mugs of coffee in her hands. She looked like she hadn't slept either: hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, eyes red-rimmed, wearing one of Erik's oversized tour shirts and a pair of borrowed shorts.
She crossed to him and held out one of the mugs.
"Geoffrey made it," she said. "It's Kona. He said it's strong enough to wake the dead, but..." Her voice caught. "Sorry. Bad choice of words."
Jace took the mug.
"It's okay."
She sat beside him on the bed, close enough that their shoulders touched. Neither of them spoke.
"I keep expecting to hear him," Samantha said finally. "Yelling about something. Complaining about the humidity. Calling me 'Sam-girl.'"
Jace's throat tightened.
"Me too."
"He died because of us," she whispered.
"He died because of me," Jace corrected. "Aldus was there for me. For the Brotherhood. Dave just... got in the way."
"Don't." Samantha's voice sharpened. "Don't do that. Don't take Dave's choice away from him by making it your fault. He chose to stay on that bus. He chose to protect us. That was his decision, and it was a brave one. You don't get to cheapen that by turning it against yourself."
Jace looked at her. Tears tracked down her cheeks, but her jaw was set, her eyes fierce.
"He loved us," she said. "All of us. And he went out doing exactly what he wanted to do… keeping his band safe. That was Dave. Loud, stubborn, ridiculous, brave Dave. So don't you dare dishonor that by turning his sacrifice into your guilt."
Jace's vision blurred. He set the coffee down on the nightstand and pulled her into his arms.
They held each other and cried.
* * *
Downstairs, the rest of the house was waking up.
Connor sat at the kitchen table; hands wrapped around a mug of tea he hadn't touched. His eyes were distant, unfocused. Every so often he'd flinch, like something had brushed against him that no one else could see.
Dr. Nancy Oksana watched him from across the table, her expression calm but assessing. She'd been there when he came downstairs, moving quietly through the kitchen like she lived there. Which, Jace supposed when he heard about it later, she kind of did: Geoffrey's house was as much hers as the main medical building on the plantation.
"Connor," Nancy said. "How are you feeling?"
Connor blinked, focusing on her.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not."
He managed a faint smile.
"No. I'm not."
Nancy reached across the table and took his hand. Her fingers were cool, steady.
"You felt him die," she said.
Connor's jaw tightened.
"Yeah."
"Tell me what it was like."
"Do I have to?"
"No," Nancy said. "But it might help."
Connor was quiet. Then he exhaled slowly and met her eyes.
"It was like someone lit a match inside my head," he said. "Not pain, exactly. Not at first. Just... heat. And this huge, loud presence, Dave's presence, you know, the way he always felt in my head when I wasn't blocking him out, it just... went up like paper. One second he was there. The next he was ash."
His voice broke on the last word.
Nancy's thumb moved in slow circles over his knuckles.
"And after?" she asked.
"After, there was just this... nothing. This cold, empty space where he used to be. And I knew. I knew he was gone. Not hurt. Not unconscious. Gone."
"I'm sorry," Nancy said.
Connor shook his head.
"I keep thinking I should've seen it coming. I'm the Visionary. I should've known Aldus would be there. I should've warned them. I should've..."
"Connor." Nancy's voice was firm. "You are not responsible for what Aldus does. You are not omniscient. You are a young man with a remarkable gift and a very heavy burden. But you are not God."
"Then why does it feel like I failed him?"
"Because you loved him," Nancy said. "And love always feels responsible when it loses someone."
Connor's shoulders shook. Nancy stood, moved around the table, and pulled him into a hug. He buried his face in her shoulder and let himself break.
"You're stronger than you think," Nancy murmured, one hand cradling the back of his head. "You've grown so much since I first met you. Give yourself credit for your own strength: mental and physical."
"I don't feel strong," Connor said, voice muffled.
"Strength isn't the absence of pain," Nancy said. "It's carrying the pain and not letting it destroy you. You're doing that. You're here. You're grieving. That takes strength."
Connor pulled back, wiping his eyes.
"Thanks, Nancy."
She smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"You're going to be all right, sweet boy. It's going to hurt for a while. But you're going to be all right."
* * *
Erik sat on the floor with his back against the bed, staring at nothing.
He'd cried himself out hours ago. Now he just felt hollowed out.
There was a knock at the door.
"Erik?" Geoffrey's voice. Quiet. Kind.
"Come in."
Geoffrey entered, closing the door softly behind him. He crossed to Erik and sat down beside him on the floor, back against the bed, legs stretched out. Neither of them spoke.
"I lost someone once," Geoffrey said finally. "My father. Albert. He was the Warrior before you. Served with Seamus Greene."
Erik glanced at him.
"I know."
"He died in battle," Geoffrey continued. "Fighting Aldus's forces. Protecting the Brotherhood. Protecting Aelin. I was... God, I was so angry. At him. At Aldus. At the universe for taking him away."
"How did you get through it?" Erik asked.
Geoffrey was quiet.
"I didn't. Not really. You don't 'get through' losing someone you love. You just... learn to carry it. Some days are heavier than others. But you carry it."
Erik's throat tightened.
"I keep thinking about what Dave said. On the PA. About making it worth it. And I don't know how to do that. I don't know how to make his death mean something."
"You live," Geoffrey said. "You keep fighting. You keep protecting the people he loved. You honor him by being the man he believed you were."
Erik looked down at his hands. Big hands. Scarred knuckles. Hands that could break things. Hands that hadn't been fast enough to save Dave.
"I have something for you," Geoffrey said.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
Erik frowned.
"What is it?"
"Open it."
Erik took the box and lifted the lid.
Inside, nestled in black velvet, was a ring.
Heavy. Masculine. A thick band of platinum with a large sapphire set into it, the stone deep blue and flawless. Around the sapphire, intricate engravings spiraled: Aelinian script, too fine to read without squinting.
"That was my father's," Geoffrey said. "Albert wore it in every battle. It was bonded to his Warrior Amulet. When he died, the bond broke. But the ring survived."
Erik stared at it.
"Geoffrey, I can't..."
"Yes, you can," Geoffrey said. "You're the Warrior now. Albert would have wanted you to have it. I want you to have it."
"But it's your father's..."
"And you're my brother," Geoffrey said. "In every way that matters. Albert served the Brotherhood. You serve the Brotherhood. That ring belongs with you now."
Erik's hands shook as he lifted the ring from the box.
It was heavier than it looked. Solid. Real.
"Did he... did Albert use it in battle?" Erik asked.
"Every time," Geoffrey said. "It helped him channel his power. Focus it. The Warrior Amulet and the ring worked together. My father said it made him feel grounded. Connected to something bigger than himself."
Erik turned the ring over in his fingers, studying the engravings.
"Try it on," Geoffrey said.
Erik hesitated. Then he slid the ring onto his right hand, middle finger.
At first, nothing happened.
Then the ring began to warm.
Erik gasped as the metal shifted, tightening smoothly until it fit perfectly: not too loose, not too tight. Exactly right.
The sapphire began to glow.
At his chest, the Warrior Amulet flared to life, pulsing with brilliant sapphire blue light.
The glow spread from the ring up Erik's fingers, across his hand, wrapping around his wrist like liquid light. His whole hand blazed sapphire blue, bright enough to cast shadows on the wall.
Then, slowly, the light faded.
The ring settled into a soft, steady glow. The amulet settled back to its usual sapphire blue.
Erik stared at his hand.
"What... what just happened?"
Geoffrey smiled.
"The ring recognized you. It bonded with your amulet. It's yours now, Erik. Truly yours."
Erik's eyes stung. He looked at the ring: at the way the sapphire caught the light, at the intricate script that had been worn by his predecessor and was now his.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Geoffrey pulled him into a hug, one hand gripping the back of Erik's head.
"Albert would be proud of you," Geoffrey murmured. "I'm proud of you. You're going to be all right, son. You're going to be all right."
Erik held on tight and let himself believe it.
* * *
Later That Morning
The plantation's main house had a large sitting room that opened onto a wide veranda overlooking the cane fields. It was there that Sidney gathered everyone: Jace, Samantha, Connor, Nathan, Erik, Ricky, Leilani, Geoffrey, and Dr. Nancy.
The television was on, volume low, tuned to a news channel.
"...a devastating loss for the rock band Battle Cry in New Mexico," the anchor was saying, her expression somber. "David Gipsen, the band's longtime bus driver, was killed last night when the band's tour bus exploded at a private airport outside of Albuquerque."
Footage rolled: shaky handheld video of the amphitheater, strobing lights, fans streaming toward exits. Then a cut to the aftermath: twisted metal on a runway, emergency vehicles, flashing lights.
"Authorities say the explosion occurred shortly after the band had boarded a private plane following their concert. The cause is still under investigation, but early reports suggest a catastrophic mechanical failure."
Samantha's hand found Jace's. He squeezed it, jaw tight.
"Gipsen, 57, had been with Battle Cry since their earliest days, known among fans and crew alike for his larger-than-life personality and unwavering dedication to the band. He is survived by..."
Sidney turned off the television.
The room was silent.
"That's the official story," Sidney said. "Mechanical failure. Tragic accident. The investigative team will find evidence to support it, because Geoffrey's people have already made sure that's all there is to find."
Geoffrey nodded.
"The Albuquerque operative cleaned the site. Any evidence of Aldus or his minions was removed. As far as the world knows, it was a terrible accident."
"What about the fans?" Ricky asked, voice hoarse. "They saw... something. At the venue. They felt it."
"They felt a storm," Sidney said. "They felt chaos. Some of them will remember more than others. But without proof, without corroboration, it'll fade into urban legend. 'That weird night in Albuquerque when Battle Cry's show got cut short and their bus exploded.' People will tell stories. But they won't know the truth."
"And us?" Nathan asked.
"You're in mourning," Geoffrey said. "That's the truth. That's what the world will see. You lost a friend. You're grieving. No one expects you to explain more than that."
Samantha's throat tightened.
"The fans are panicking. I heard it this morning. Music magazines already calling for statements, fan club letters piling up at the office. They think we're cursed. They think something's after the band."
"They're not wrong," Jace said.
"No," Sidney agreed. "But they can't know that. We let them speculate. We let them grieve with you. And the lore kids..." He paused. "The ones who were at New Mexico. The ones who yelled warnings. They'll know. They always do. But they've taken the oath. They won't break it."
"What about the ones who didn't take the oath?" Connor asked. "The ones who are just... suspicious?"
"Let them be suspicious," Geoffrey said. "Without proof, without corroboration, it's just another rock and roll legend. Let them tell their stories in their fanzines and their fan club meetings. The truth will fade into myth."
"And when we go back out there?" Nathan asked. "When we play shows again?"
"You be careful," Sidney said. "You watch your backs. And you trust that we've got the best people in the world making sure Aldus can't get close to you again."
Jace closed his eyes.
"I don't know if I can."
"You can," Sidney said. "Not today. Not this week. But you will. Because Dave didn't die so you could give up. He died so you could keep going."
* * *
Nathan found Geoffrey in his study.
"I need to call Galena," Nathan said. "Let her know we're safe."
Geoffrey nodded and gestured to the phone on his desk.
"Secure line. Goes through our network. No one will be listening."
"Thank you."
Geoffrey left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Nathan picked up the receiver and dialed the long series of numbers that would connect him across the ocean to Aelin.
The call connected after several rings and a series of clicks as it routed through the secure network.
"Nathan?" Galena's voice, sharp with worry. "Are you all right? I heard... Geoffrey sent word through the network, but..."
"I'm okay," Nathan said quickly. "We're all okay. Safe. We're at Oksana Plantation."
He heard her exhale, a shaky, relieved sound.
"Thank God," she whispered. "When Geoffrey's message came through, I thought... I didn't know what to think."
"I'm sorry I didn't call sooner," Nathan said. "It's been... a lot."
"Tell me."
So, he did.
He told her about the show. About Aldus appearing. About the chase through the desert, the shields, the rain, the way they'd barely made it to the runway. About Dave staying behind. About the PA system crackling to life.
About Connor's scream.
When he finished, there was a long silence on the other end of the line.
"Nathan," Galena said finally, voice thick. "I am so, so sorry."
"Me too."
"Dave was brave," she said. "What he did, that kind of sacrifice, Aelin will honor him. He fought for the Brotherhood. He fought for you. That makes him one of ours."
Nathan's eyes stung.
"Thank you."
"When you come home," Galena said, "I will surround you with as much love and solace as I can provide. You have my word."
Nathan smiled despite everything.
"I love you."
"I love you too, mo chroí. Come home safe."
"I will."
He hung up and sat there, staring at the phone.
Behind him, the door opened.
"Nathan?" Nancy Oksana's voice. Soft. Tentative.
Nathan turned and saw her standing in the doorway.
"How is Aelin handling this?" she asked.
Nathan sighed and replied, "As good as you might imagine. Galena's just relieved we're alive, but very sad about Dave."
"Aren't we all?" Nancy asked, "And how are you handling this, Nathan?"
"I'm okay." Nathan said.
Nancy furrowed her brow and walked into the room, saying, "Don't do that, Conjurer. Don't deflect and retreat into your head like I know you do. You lost someone you held very dear. You do not have to be stoic and strong for anyone, Nathan. Especially not yourself."
Nathan looked at Nancy for a few moments, tears springing into his eyes quickly.
"I was gonna cry before you walked in." Nathan admitted.
Nancy closed the gap and pulled Nathan to her, embracing him gently. Nathan hugged her, allowing his tears to finally fall, his shoulders gently shaking.
* * *
Leilani found Ricky on the beach.
He sat on the sand near the water's edge, knees drawn up to his chest, staring out at the waves. The sun was climbing higher, painting the sky in shades of blue and gold.
She sat down beside him without a word.
For a long time, they just watched the ocean.
"I keep thinking about what he said," Ricky said finally. "On the PA. That stupid joke about 'Flight Screw-the-Conqueror.'"
Leilani smiled faintly.
"That was very Dave."
"Yeah." Ricky's voice cracked. "He was so... loud. And ridiculous. And brave. And now he's just... gone. I can't believe he's gone."
Leilani reached over and took his hand.
"He loved you all, you know that?" Leilani asked. "He basically adopted all five of you. You were his boys. He told Papa that."
"He treated us like kids sometimes, too," Ricky managed, chuckling a little.
"Because that's how he saw you, I think," Leilani replied, "He died like he lived, Ricky… loud, stubborn, and on the job. Protecting and taking care of his boys."
"I don't know how to do this without him," Ricky whispered.
"You don't have to know right now," Leilani said. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"You just have to breathe. One breath at a time. I'm here. I've got you."
Ricky pressed his face into her hair and let the tears come. Leilani encircled him in her arms as he melted into her and cried quietly. She stroked his auburn curls, her own tears spilling down her face as she comforted him.
* * *
Mid-Morning
"There's a pool."
Ricky said it like he'd discovered alien life.
The rest of them stood on the back veranda, staring at what had definitely not been there yesterday.
It wasn't a small pool. It was a proper swimming pool, maybe forty feet long, cut into the hillside behind the main house. The water was a brilliant, impossible blue, reflecting the morning sky. Palm trees clustered at one end, providing shade. At the other end, a small waterfall trickled over smooth stones.
"There was not a pool here yesterday," Connor said.
"Nope," Erik agreed.
"There is definitely a pool here now," Nathan observed.
Geoffrey appeared on the veranda behind them, coffee mug in hand, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
"Good morning," he said mildly. "Sleep well?"
Jace turned to look at him.
"Geoffrey. There's a pool."
"Is there?" Geoffrey took a sip of coffee. "Imagine that."
"You built a pool overnight," Nathan said.
"I didn't build it," Geoffrey said. "It's been here for years. We just... had it covered. Thought you might appreciate having it uncovered while you're here."
"Covered with what?" Ricky asked. "An invisibility cloak?"
"Grass," Geoffrey said. "And sod. And a very good landscaping crew who work quickly when properly motivated."
Samantha laughed, the first real laugh any of them had heard since New Mexico.
"You had a pool hidden under your lawn?"
"Hawaii gets humid," Geoffrey said. "Sometimes you need to swim."
Sidney appeared in the doorway, looked at the pool, then at Geoffrey.
"You're showing off," Sidney said.
"I'm being hospitable," Geoffrey corrected.
"You're showing off," Sidney repeated. "But I'll allow it. Training resumes this afternoon. Enjoy the morning."
The water was perfect.
Not too cold, not too warm: just cool enough to feel good against sun-heated skin. Jace floated on his back, eyes closed, letting the water hold him. Around him, the sounds of his brothers echoed off the hillside.
Ricky had cannonballed in approximately three seconds after Sidney gave permission, sending a wave over everyone. Erik followed with slightly more dignity. Nathan waded in from the shallow end, moving with the careful precision of someone who'd grown up swimming in chlorinated swimming pools and cool lakes like Lake Tahoe, finding Hawaiian swimming pools suspicious, since the island they were on was literally surrounded by an entire ocean. He didn't really see the point of having one, but he wasn't about to thumb his nose at a good swim.
Connor sat on the edge, feet dangling in the water, watching everyone with a faint smile.
Samantha sat beside him, feet in the water too, wearing a swimsuit Leilani had bought quickly off the rack while traveling and bought too large of a size. It was a simple black one-piece with chains for straps and chained accents around the waist. It fit Samantha perfectly, which delighted Leilani completely.
"It's all yours!" she said when she saw Samantha in it, "The band is going to lose their minds when they see you."
She wasn't wrong. Samantha came out to a chorus of appreciative whistles, goofy cat calls, and the easily noticed fact that Jace seemed to forget how to breathe for a few moments and then every time he glanced her way after that. Samantha wasn't trying to inspire that reaction, but it was almost automatic for him.
Jace dunked himself underwater and stayed there until his lungs burned.
When he surfaced, Erik was swimming laps with the mechanical efficiency of someone who'd done this a thousand times. Nathan floated nearby, eyes closed, completely still for the first time since the runway.
Ricky had discovered he could teleport from one end of the pool to the other and was systematically terrorizing everyone by popping up beside them without warning.
"Ricky, I swear to God..." Erik sputtered as Ricky appeared directly in front of him mid-stroke.
Ricky grinned and vanished, reappearing at the shallow end.
"You're going to give someone a heart attack," Nathan called.
"You're all too young for heart attacks," Ricky said.
"I'm going to drown you," Erik said.
"You'd have to catch me first."
Connor laughed, really laughed, and slid into the water.
Jace watched them, only the top of his head, his eyes, and his nose above the water. He was like a sneaky water spy, quietly observing his brothers and drum tech enjoying themselves. His chest was tight with something that wasn't quite grief and wasn't quite relief. They were still here. Still whole. Still his.
Dave would have loved this, he thought. Would have stood at the edge with a beer and a camera, taking pictures and yelling commentary.
The thought hurt. But it didn't break him.
Samantha had already slipped into the water and was swimming lazy laps next to Erik. Even in motion, Samantha was hard not to look at, and Jace could not help but look at her. At least from this vantage point, it was not nearly as obvious. However, it was apparently humorous enough to grab Ricky's attention.
"Jace…what are you doing?" Ricky asked with a squint.
Jace raised both eyebrows and exhaled through his lips underwater… bubbles popping comically in front of him.
"Mouth farts?" Connor snickered, "You're getting underwater mouth farts from the Guardian, Rick."
Ricky laughed at this and replied, "At least it's not butt farts!"
"Well, then there would be forward motion," Nathan pointed out.
"And probably a smell once the bubbles reach air," Erik added.
"You guys are so disgusting…" Leilani said, "All Jace did was blow bubbles and you guys have to make it into fart jokes."
"Mouth farts MATTER!" Ricky told her, "Butt farts could follow! There could be an apocalyptic one on deck for all we know."
"Ya know," Sidney pointed out, "I've never heard Jace fart."
Jace's eyes shifted to Sidney, only one eyebrow raised now.
"Me, either," Samantha agreed, "And his bunk is above mine so I'd hear it."
Jace's eyes now shifted to Samantha, his eyes now donning a mischievous glint, eyebrows slightly scrunched.
Connor, unable to remain composed anytime anything about flatulence was even hinted at, was already a pool-soaked, laughing mess. Nathan kept grabbing his upper arm to make sure the singer didn't drown himself due to his giggle fest.
"Seriously," Leilani giggled, "Give you guys a pool and you're like a bunch of 13-year-olds! Are you going to start lighting each other's farts now, too?"
"Are you kidding?" Erik asked, "There's no way I'm letting Nathan create fire that close to my ass."
Nathan made no comment at this, mostly because he had to assist Connor in getting out of the pool before he started choking on pool water while laughing.
Samantha purposely swam over to Jace and swam around him. She was up to something and Jace knew it. He didn't need his amulet to figure that out. Samantha swam directly in front of him and stopped, sinking herself down until she was doing exactly the same thing Jace was. They treaded water together, each staring at the other, with only their eyes and noses out of the water. It was a conversation of eyebrows. The rest of the band watched curiously, with Connor occasionally punctuating the scene with a few giggles.
Samantha began to sink slowly under the water, and Jace watched her as she went, his eyes growing bigger. Before anyone could say a word, Jace suddenly disappeared below the water, and splashing ensued. Soon Samantha popped up and swam very quickly to the edge of the pool with something in her hand. She scrambled out of the pool just in time to avoid Jace popping up behind her and grabbing what she had in her hand, which was his swim trunks.
Realizing this first, Sidney burst out laughing, sinking down onto a deck chair. It took a moment or two longer before everyone else realized it and completely lost it.
Samantha dangled the trunks and cooed, "I saw those eyes, Jason…you're so not cracking an air biscuit over my head or anywhere else!"
"Oooh! OOOH!" Ricky howled, "The Guardian has been DEPANTSED!"
"Stripped by the tech!" Erik bellowed.
Now it was Connor's turn to fish Nathan out of the pool before he drowned while dissolving into laughter. It was not a smooth endeavor since Connor fell back into the pool on the first attempt, which only made everyone laugh harder. Nathan eventually got out on his own power and laid on the grass laughing hysterically. Connor clung to the pool ladder and managed, "Oh my god! I can't! Too funny…I'm done!"
Meanwhile, Jace was negotiating the release of his swim trunks from his evil drum tech.
"I am NOT going to fart over your head on a tour bus, Sam!"
"How would you know you ever did it if you're asleep?" Samantha asked with narrowed eyes.
"Because you'd give me shit about it when I woke up," Jace insisted, "Now gimme back my trunks!"
"I don't think so," Samantha told him, "At least not yet. You do know you can just get out of the pool, Guardian. It's not like the guys haven't seen you naked before."
"Oh, but I'm pretty sure I haven't," Leilani admitted with a naughty smile.
"Oh, but I have!" Nancy Oksana said as she walked out with a pitcher of her famous pineapple rum cooler, "It's an impressive sight, honestly."
"NANCY!" Jace exclaimed, his face now becoming a few shades redder than he had been.
"Yes, Nancy, don't embarrass the boy," Geoffrey told her, his hands full with two trays of freshly made coconut and pineapple candy, Chex Mix topped with nori furikake, Spam musubi, and Panikeke. He grinned at Jace and replied, "She can't help it, Guardian. She's the official Brotherhood physician. Eventually, she'll see you all naked."
"Oh, man…that is SO not a realization I wanted to have today…" Nathan admitted.
Nancy couldn't help laughing at this.
"Sam…" Jace said sweetly, "Give me back my trunks. I am not getting out of the pool without them."
"So, you'll be training in the pool today then?"
"No, I won't. Because you are giving me back my swim trunks!"
"You think so?"
"Yes…" Jace grumbled, "Because you're coming back in!"
Jace quickly grabbed the hand holding the swim trunks and pulled, launching Samantha back into the pool with a squeak. Both disappeared under the water again, water splashing everywhere until Jace surfaced victoriously, swimming to the shallow end and sitting on the pool steps to put the trunks back on and then he jumped up and exited the pool before Samantha could get to him again.
Jace jumped away from the edge of the pool and pointed at Samantha.
"Nuh-uh! Ya know, I don't need to fart at you on a bus. I have other plans." He called out, "Stealthy plans. You'll never see it coming."
"No, but I'll probably smell it!" Samantha sassed.
"AND SO… the Guardian, having reclaimed his swim trunks from the beautiful and evil drum tech…. exits the pool stage left!" Ricky announced.
"With his dignity intact!" Connor added.
"Barely," Erik also added.
* * *
Late Afternoon — Training Ground
The late afternoon sun hung low over Oksana Plantation, flooding the cane fields with heavy gold. The air was heavy with the scent of sun-warmed earth and the sweet, green smell of crushed cane. Heat shimmered off the hard-packed dirt of the training ground cut between sugarcane on one side and rows of pineapple on the other.
"Guard up," Jace called.
Samantha blew out a breath that felt hotter than the air and lifted her wooden practice sword again. Her arms burned, her shirt clung to her, and sweat trickled down the side of her neck. Jace, aggravatingly, looked like he'd just finished a photo shoot for a training manual: hair damp at the temples, T-shirt stuck to his shoulders, breathing easy. He circled her in a loose arc, bare feet quiet in the dust.
"You're dropping your left shoulder," he said.
"I am not," she shot back.
"You are," he said, with just enough of a smile to make her want to hit him.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You ever tried just saying 'hi' when you want attention?"
"I've seen how you react when Connor says hi," he replied. "This feels safer."
"That's not flirting," she muttered. "That's survival."
He lunged. She met him, the thwack of bokken meeting bokken sharp as a gunshot in the humid air. The vibration shuddered up her arm, a numbing buzz that tried to loosen her fingers from the grip.
Around them, the rest of the band worked through their own drills. Erik wasn't just hitting the post: he was conducting a symphony of force. Each blow landed with the same sound, the same depth, the same controlled explosion of power. The post sang a low, agonized note with every impact, its fibers compressing but never splintering. The new sapphire ring glinted on his finger with each strike.
Nathan knelt over a lump of coal, a bead of sweat tracing a path down his temple. His focus was total, hands hovering over the lump. Inside it, a pinpoint of angry red light pulsed, growing brighter with each second, a trapped heart trying to beat its way out. The coal around it began to soften, glistening like obsidian, but it held, the diamond was still forming, not shattering.
Connor stood with arms extended, a curved chain of rocks hovering in front of him as he worked on fine telekinetic control.
Ricky flickered in and out of sight at the edges of the field with short hops of teleportation, popping from spot to spot just because he could.
On the sideline, Sidney stood with a clipboard and the long-suffering patience of a man whose job was to keep five gifted lunatics from blowing anything important up.
Samantha adjusted her grip and circled with Jace.
"Do you harass everyone's form like this," she asked, "or is this a special perk of being your drum tech?"
"Just you," he said. "The others don't look like they're planning my funeral."
"I would never plan your funeral," she said. "But I am famous for payback."
He grinned.
"Really."
He came at her, blade a blur. She blocked, parried, gave ground, found the rhythm and tried to stay ahead of it. He was better. Faster. Stronger. She'd known that since the first time she saw him fight. But lately she'd learned that if she could get him out of his head, he made mistakes.
He drove her back a few steps. Their swords locked, wood straining.
"So, this is flirting in Aelin?" she asked, a little breathless. "You boss me around, knock me on my butt, and yell at me in front of your friends?"
His brows jumped.
"What?"
"This is one weird courtship, Guardian."
He faltered just enough for his balance to go wrong.
She slid her blade down his, stepped in close enough that her shoulder brushed his chest, hooked her ankle behind his, and gave a small, well-timed shove.
He stumbled.
Her sword tip pressed his sternum.
She smiled.
"Point."
He glanced down at the blade, then up at her, ears going faintly pink.
"You cheated," he said.
"No," she replied. "I distracted you. Big difference."
From the sideline, Ricky whooped.
"Sam: one, Guardian: nothing!"
Connor cupped his hands.
"Our mighty king, defeated by flirting!"
Nathan clapped once.
"Very efficient," he said.
Jace shot them all a look, then turned back to her. The annoyance faded into something quieter.
"Again," he said.
This time he didn't say a word. He moved.
The first hit rattled her grip. The second came in faster. By the third, she had to hop back to keep her knuckles from getting rapped. He pressed hard, forcing her to adjust, her arms and lungs burning as she scrambled to keep up.
She switched from thinking to instinct, letting the timing drop into the place where she counted measures and fills. He feinted high; she caught it. He changed tempo. She almost caught that.
Almost.
He stepped in, blades locked, twisted and slid his foot behind hers in one smooth motion.
The world tipped.
She hit the grass on her back with a soft grunt, sword flying from her hand. For a second she just lay there, staring up at sky and palm fronds and Jace's face leaning over her.
"Sam?" He dropped to one knee, worry in his voice. "You all right?"
She lay there, breathing hard. Then she laughed, half annoyed, half impressed.
"I'm fine," she said. "Show-off."
Relief eased his shoulders. His smile was softer now, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
"You left your center line open," he said.
"You left your face open," she said. "I was being polite."
He huffed a short laugh.
She braced to sit up.
That's when things went sideways.
Connor's floating chain of rocks wobbled.
"You're pushing too hard on the outside," Nathan said nearby, arms folded. "You're going to slip into the field."
"I am not slipping into anything," Connor said through his teeth. "I know what I'm doing."
"Your edge work is sloppy," Nathan replied. "You'll grab something you don't mean to."
"Like your mouth?" Connor muttered.
Something twisted in the air, like someone had grabbed a rope and yanked the wrong way.
The rocks jerked.
The ground fell away beneath her.
The ground vanished.
"HEY!" she yelped as she lifted straight up off the grass, still on her back, floating three feet in the air like someone had slipped a phantom mattress underneath her.
Jace shot to his feet.
"Sam!"
Connor's eyes went wide.
"That is not what I meant to do!"
Nathan swore.
"You've hooked the field."
"I can fix it..."
Samantha rotated slow and uneven, legs dangling, cane tops and sky rolling past in a lazy half-circle.
"PUT ME DOWN!" she shouted. "And not on my head!"
Ricky doubled over laughing.
"Sam, you're flying!"
"This is not flying!" she snapped. "Flying is not supposed to make me look like a drunk goose!"
Erik winced, already moving closer.
"Nathan."
Nathan lifted both hands, reaching out with his own power.
"All right. Connor, ease out. I've got her."
"If I let go, she's going to drop," Connor protested.
"If you don't let go, she's going to float into the pineapples," Nathan said. "And I am not explaining that to Dr. Oksana."
"I do not want to die in a pineapple field!" Samantha yelled. "I am a woman, NOT A FRUIT GARNISH!"
Jace's aura flared, the air around him tightening.
"Nathan," he said, voice very level. "Put. Her. Down. Carefully."
"I'm working on it," Nathan muttered. His fingers traced a pattern in the air, jaw set.
"On three, Connor. One... two..."
Connor let go on two.
Nathan pulled on three.
Samantha dipped hard, stomach in her throat, then lurched into a slower slide.
"This is not careful, you two!" she shrieked.
"You're fine, Sam," Nathan said, sweating. "Mostly fine."
"Easy for you to say from down there!"
Ricky cupped his hands.
"Tuck your knees, Sam! And if you lose your lunch, aim at Connor!"
The invisible grip steadied. Samantha drifted the last couple of feet and dropped onto the grass with a solid thump. Her knees wobbled; Jace was there immediately, hands on her arms, holding her steady.
"Nice landing. You okay?" he asked.
She took a breath. Then another. Then glared at Connor and Nathan.
"If I'd cracked my skull," she said, "I would have haunted both of you. Personally."
Connor winced.
"Understood."
"That was mostly his fault," Nathan said, pointing at Connor. "He dragged the edge."
"You rattled me," Connor shot back. "You and your 'sloppy edges.'"
Sidney, still on the sideline, pinched the bridge of his nose and wrote something on his clipboard.
"New rule," he said. "No telekinesis practice next to chairs. Or people. Or anything not nailed down."
Ricky flopped onto the grass, still laughing.
"Best show I've seen all week."
Samantha rolled her shoulders, testing herself.
"I'm all right," she said to Jace.
He held her gaze, then nodded.
"Good," he said. "Because if they'd dropped you in the pineapples, I would have dropped them into the ocean."
His amulet flared. His brothers all saw it.
"Jace..." Nathan started.
Too late. Jace's eyes began to glow white and an aura of opaline light began to surround his body. At this point, a reckoning was about to occur. Connor, Nathan, Erik, and Ricky all lifted off the ground at once.
"WHAT..." Connor yelped.
"Oh, come on, Jace!" Nathan protested.
Erik had time to say "Aw, hell..." before all four of them went sailing through the air in a perfect arc, over the training ground, over the grass, and straight into the pool.
SPLASH!-SPLASH!-SPLASH! -SPLASH!
The impact sent a wave of water up and out, drenching everything within ten feet, including Jace, who stood there dripping, arms still raised, not moving an inch.
He knew he had it coming.
In the pool, Connor surfaced first, sputtering.
"JACE!"
Nathan came up second, hair plastered to his face, treading water.
"You know, this is the second time we've all been tossed ass over heels into a body of water. By the Guardian!"
"Well, I think this time we kinda had it coming," Connor said, shooting a look at Nathan.
Nathan couldn't argue with that.
Erik surfaced with surprising dignity for someone who'd just been telekinetically hurled into a pool.
"What did I do? I was hitting the post!"
"I was just TELEPORTING!" Ricky sputtered, then scrambled for the edge with a sound somewhere between a shriek and a hiss.
"WATER GOBLINS!" he yelled, eyes wild, pupils slitted. "THERE ARE WATER GOBLINS!"
"Friendly fire," Jace said. "Sorry."
"Friendly fire my ass," Erik said, hauling himself partway out of the pool. "I was not planning on taking a bath today."
"You were in range," Jace replied.
"Ricky, there are no water goblins," Connor said.
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Ricky hissed, clinging to the pool edge with his fingers curved like claws.
"Were you in cat mode?" Nathan asked.
"MAYBE!"
"You're going to shift if you don't calm down," Erik warned.
Ricky hissed at him specifically.
On the sideline, Sidney pinched the bridge of his nose.
"And this is why we can't have nice things."
From the veranda, Geoffrey stood with his coffee mug, watching the chaos with remarkable calm.
"At least they're using the pool."
Samantha was doubled over laughing, tears streaming down her face.
Jace, still dripping, lowered his hands and looked at his soggy brothers.
"That's for almost turning my drum tech into a fruit salad topper," he said.
Connor and Nathan looked at each other, water dripping from their hair.
"Fair," Connor admitted.
"We probably had that coming," Nathan agreed.
Erik pulled himself out of the pool in one smooth motion, water sluicing off him.
"Next time, warn me. I could've taken off my boots."
"Next time, don't almost kill Samantha," Jace replied.
"I was killing a post with a sword," Erik grumbled, sitting and emptying his boots out with an irritated groan.
Ricky was still clinging to the pool edge, making unhappy cat noises.
"Ricky," Leilani called from the veranda. "You're fine. It's just water."
"Water that tried to DROWN me," Ricky muttered, but his pupils were starting to round out again.
"You can swim," Connor pointed out.
"NOT IN CAT MODE I CAN'T!"
Sidney wrote something on his clipboard.
"New rule. No telekinesis practice next to chairs. Or people. Or anything not nailed down. And Ricky, no shifting during training unless we're training that.."
"I didn't mean to!" Ricky protested.
"Never do," Sidney said.
Jace walked over to Samantha, still dripping, and she immediately burst into fresh laughter.
"You're soaked," she managed.
"Worth it," he said.
"You didn't move."
"Knew I had it coming."
She kissed him on the tip of his nose, playful and light.
"My hero."
* * *
The sun slid lower, edging the clouds in orange. Drills softened into stretching and light practice. Swords were racked. Erik unbelted his real blade and checked its edge with a cloth. Nathan sat cross-legged, hands on his knees, eyes closed, muttering about stabilizing fields. Connor levitated a single rock out of sheer spite. Ricky wandered.
Sidney looked at the sky, then at his watch, then at the state of everyone's limbs.
"Five more minutes," he called. "Then inside. Geoffrey gets twitchy about sweat on his floors."
"Geoffrey twitches anyway," Ricky said.
"Geoffrey Oksana lets us stay here," Sidney replied. "Best not to push your luck."
* * *
The walk through the fields
Jace needed to walk.
The training ground felt too small, too close. He needed space, air, distance from the place where he'd almost lost Samantha, twice in one day.
Samantha fell into step beside him without a word.
They walked together into the cane fields, stalks rising high on either side, leaves whispering in the breeze. The sun was starting its slow descent toward the horizon, painting everything in shades of gold and amber.
For a while, they didn't speak. Just walked, side by side, footsteps soft against the packed earth.
"You're not going to ask if I'm okay from the flying chair again, are you?" Samantha asked at last. "Because if you ask me one more time, I'm going to ask Connor to lift you."
Jace huffed a laugh.
"No. I'll stop asking."
"Good."
They walked a little further.
"You saved me," Samantha said finally.
"I almost didn't."
"But you did. Your instinct kicked in. Your aura flared before Connor even lost control. You were already moving to protect me."
"I could have been too slow..."
"Jace." She stopped walking, turned to face him. "You need to stop doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Beating yourself up for things that didn't happen. Things that could have happened but didn't. You protected me. That's all that matters."
He looked at her: at the steadiness in her eyes, the set of her jaw, the way she stood like she'd never been more certain of anything.
"I can't lose you," he said.
"Then stop trying to protect me from yourself," she said. "I know what you are. I know you're powerful. I know training is dangerous. And I'm still here. By choice."
Jace's hands came up to frame her face.
"There are things I haven't told you," he said. "Things you should know. Things that might make you..."
"Then tell me," she said.
He took a breath. Let it out slow.
"El Paso," he said. "After the show. I went to the bar. I drank too much. And these two women, groupies, they cornered me in the elevator. Hit the emergency stop. And I was drunk, and my empathy was slipping, and they..."
He couldn't finish.
Samantha's expression didn't change.
"They what?"
"They assaulted me," Jace said. "And I let it happen. Because I was too drunk and too careless to stop it without hurting them. And when I... when I came, my empathy knocked them both out. Sidney found them. Wiped their memories."
Samantha was silent.
"Jace," she said finally. "That wasn't your fault."
"I was drunk…"
"That doesn't make it your fault," she said. "They trapped you. They didn't give you a choice. You were intoxicated and they took advantage of that. That's assault."
"I should have been more careful…"
"Maybe," Samantha said. "But being careless doesn't mean you deserved what happened. It doesn't make you a monster. It makes you human."
Jace's breath hitched.
"There's more."
"Okay."
"Before the amulet," he said. "Early days. There was a woman. Celia. I thought... I thought I loved her. We made love. And I didn't cage my empathy fast enough. The power knocked her out cold. When she woke up and saw the amulet..." He swallowed. "She looked at me like I was a monster. Like I wasn't wearing my own face. Sidney had to wipe her memory. Had to make her forget the amulet and everything we'd had."
"That must have hurt so much," Samantha said.
"But, I hurt her."
"You made a mistake," Samantha corrected. "A painful, devastating mistake. But you didn't mean to hurt her. You didn't know what would happen."
"It doesn't change what I did."
"No," Samantha agreed. "But it means you're not a monster. You're just someone with a dangerous gift who's still learning how to use it."
She stepped closer.
"And I need you to hear me when I say this, Jace: I know what rock stars do. I've been on tour. I've seen the groupies, the dares, the stupid games Anya used to play with you all. I'm not naive. I never expected you to be a saint. I know you've been with other women. I know you've made mistakes. And I don't care. Not the way you think I should."
"You should care," Jace said. "You should be angry. You should..."
"What I should do," Samantha cut in, "is tell you to stop beating yourself up for my sake. Because you're not protecting me by hating yourself. You're just hurting us both."
Jace stared at her.
"Why are you..."
"Because I'm in love with you," Samantha said.
The world stopped.
Jace's heart slammed against his ribs.
"What?"
"I'm in love with you," she repeated, steady, certain. "Have been for a while. Probably since that day in the attic when you let me tickle you and looked at me like I hung the moon. Maybe before that. I don't know. But I know I love you. And I need you to stop destroying yourself over things you can't change."
"Sam…"
She stepped closer, close enough that their breaths mingled.
"I know what I'm getting into," she said. "I know you're powerful. I know you're dangerous. I know you've made mistakes. And I love you anyway. So, stop trying to protect me from you. Let me decide what I can handle."
Jace's hands came up to frame her face, trembling.
"I don't deserve you," he whispered.
"Stop saying that," she said. "Just... kiss me."
So, he did.
The moment their lips met, his empathy flared: warm, opaline, overwhelming. He felt everything she felt: love, want, determination, a fierce protectiveness that matched his own. It poured into him like sunlight, filled all the broken places, made him whole.
The Guardian Amulet blazed hot against his chest.
Power rippled outward, not violent, not explosive. Just present. A wave of pure emotion rolling across the cane fields, into the plantation house, over the beach, across the water.
In the main house, Geoffrey paused mid-sentence and looked toward the window, a slow smile crossing his face. Dr. Nancy pressed a hand to her chest, smiling. Sidney closed his eyes and exhaled. Nathan grinned. Erik whooped. Connor laughed. Ricky shouted something celebratory and unintelligible while Leilani poked him in the ribs. He grabbed her in his arms and gave her a kiss that could have removed any fillings if she had any.
In the cane fields, Jace and Samantha broke apart, breathing hard.
"Oops," Jace said.
Samantha laughed, hands fisted in his shirt.
"I think the whole island felt that."
"Probably."
"They're going to give us so much shit."
"Definitely."
She kissed him again.
"Worth it."
"Yeah," Jace agreed, pulling her closer. "Worth it."
They stood there holding each other in the golden light, the cane whispering around them.
"Come on," Jace said finally. "There's a cabin. Past the pineapple. I found it on a walk. It's quiet. Private."
Samantha's heart kicked against her ribs.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He looked at her. "We could... keep walking. If you want."
"I want," Samantha said.
* * *
Into Evening — The Cabin
The path wound through the cane, then opened out into pineapple: sharp green crowns in neat rows marching toward the sea. Beyond them, on a slight rise, sat a small white cabin tucked like a secret into the landscape. A short set of steps led to a little porch, white railing, curtains in the windows stirring in the breeze.
The sun was lower now, the sky deepening to violet and rose.
They climbed the steps. Jace tried the door. Unlocked.
Inside, the room smelled faintly of salt and old wood polish. White curtains shifted in the sea breeze. A big bed with a simple quilt took up most of the space. There was a small dresser, a mirror, a little table under the window with two chairs and an empty vase waiting for flowers.
Samantha walked in slowly, fingertips trailing along the back of a chair, across the edge of the table, finally settling on the smooth wood of the bedpost.
"It's perfect," she said.
The quiet in the cabin was deeper than the quiet outside, wrapped around them like another kind of veil. The ocean sounded softer here, like it was listening in.
They stood there, looking at each other.
"Jace," she said. "I need you to know something."
"Okay."
"If we do this," she said, "I need you to trust that I want it. That I'm choosing it. Not because of your empathy. Not because you're the Guardian. Because of you. Just you."
His throat tightened.
"Sam…"
"And I need you to trust yourself," she continued. "To not spend the whole time terrified you're going to hurt me. Because if you can't trust yourself, this won't work."
He crossed to her, hands gentle on her shoulders.
"I'm scared," he admitted. "What happened with Celia..."
"Isn't going to happen again," Samantha said. "Because you're stronger now. More controlled. And because I'm not Celia. I know what you are. I know what might happen. And I'm still here."
"You're sure?"
"I've never been surer of anything."
He kissed her then, slow and careful, giving her every chance to pull away.
She didn't.
She kissed him back, hands sliding up to frame his face, pulling him closer.
The Guardian Amulet warmed between them, its aura stirring like something waking up.
"Bed," Samantha murmured against his mouth.
"Yeah," Jace agreed.
They moved together, stumbling slightly, laughing breathlessly as they navigated the small space. Clothes came off in stages: her shirt, his, her shorts, his jeans.
He unhooked her bra carefully, letting the straps slide from her shoulders. She shrugged out of it and tossed it blindly toward the chair.
Each piece a decision. A confirmation. A choice made and remade until they were skin to skin on the quilt.
Jace braced himself above her, breathing hard, eyes searching hers.
"Last chance," he said. "We can stop. We don't have to..."
"Jace," she said. "I didn't let you bring me to a romantic cabin to just kiss me. Make love to me."
The amulet flared.
He moved into her slowly, carefully, watching her face for any sign of pain or fear.
There was none.
Just heat. Want. Trust.
The power built like a wave, rising with every movement, every breath, every heartbeat that synced between them. The aura spread from the amulet, wrapping them both in opaline light as they moved with each other. Each touch was infinitely more intense and stimulating, as if their senses were dialed up beyond eleven.
"Is it supposed to feel like this?" Samantha gasped.
"Yes," Jace admitted, voice strained. Empathy allowed him to sense what Samantha needed and he gladly fulfilled each desire. He knew he was bringing her to the brink of climax, and he was right with her, but the passion they exuded was more than either had ever expressed. It rolled out from them like a pulse… invisible but tangible, pure emotion and power compressed into a single heartbeat. It spread across the cabin, through the pineapple fields, over the cane, into the plantation house.
In the main house, everyone felt it again: much stronger this time, more intimate, unmistakable. Reactions to this new, incredibly intense wave of passion were varied, but definitely more pronounced.
Geoffrey laughed quietly, shooting a sultry glance at his wife. Nancy's eyes went soft, and she returned the gaze, snuggling into Geoffrey and giving him a good, long kiss.
Sidney turned a page in his book with remarkable composure.
Nathan grinned wider, and actually considered calling Galena again. He actually began to think about a way to make a portable portal that could take him to Aelin in moments like this.
Erik shook his head, saying with a grin, "It's about damned time."
Connor covered his face, looking at Erik through his fingers.
"Finally!" He cried.
Ricky and Leilani had gone out to the lanai to have some alone time, but neither expected this second wave. Ricky crowed with delight. Leilani laughed happily and chortled, "Oh…my…God!"
In the cabin, Jace shuddered, his rhythm faltering as the wave crested.
"I can't..." he choked out.
"Don't stop," Samantha said, hands gripping his shoulders. "Don't pull back. I can take it."
"Sam…"
"I trust you," she said. "Let go."
He met her eyes, and in the blazing aura he saw not just Samantha the drum tech but something more. Something stronger. Something that matched him beat for beat, breath for breath, power for power.
Her own release crashed through her then: violent, shattering, a perfect echo of his. Not pain; union. A feedback loop of pure sensation so intense it was almost agony.
He cried out her name, raw and broken, and the amulet exploded with his own release. Strong waves of opaline light pulsed from the amulet, expanding out much farther than before. The entire island felt it, and it was a safe bet that most of the Hawaiian Islands had at least been blessed with a strong feeling of love…maybe more.
The wave hit the main house. Geoffrey and Nancy suddenly disappeared from the room, Nathan knowing they were definitely not just going for a little stroll. Erik and Connor both looked at each other, each dissolving into chuckles.
Ricky and Leilani were already deep in stimulating conversation due to the second wave. They hadn't expected that wave, so the third wave had a definite effect on both of them. It was not what Ricky expected, but he had a feeling it was the exact opportunity Leilani had been hoping for when she leaped onto him and knocked him onto a chaise lounge, proceeding to remove her clothing and his. Ricky had little to no objections to this.
For a heartbeat, instinct screamed at Jace to yank it all back, to shut down, to stop, but Samantha's arms and legs were around him, holding him tightly to her. Her breath was warm against his neck, her heart beating steady beneath his.
"I'm here," she whispered. "I'm good…really good."
He shuddered and let the power settle; let it fade to a warm hum instead of a roar.
"You, okay?" he managed.
"More than okay," she said, laughing softly. "That was... wow."
"I didn't hurt you?"
"No." She pulled back enough to look at him. "You didn't hurt me. You trusted me. And I'm still here."
Relief hit him so hard it nearly undid him. Instead, he kissed her. Soft. Reverent. Grateful beyond words.
The second time was different.
There was no lightning strike, just a steady, growing warmth. He moved with a newfound confidence, his hands learning her body and its needs with a reverence that made her ache. When the power began to build again, he didn't fight it. He let it flow, and this time she could feel the texture of it. Not a storm: a deep, resonant hum, the thrum of a bass string played just for them.
The wave that went out this time wasn't a shockwave; it was a tide. A slow, rolling swell of contentment and peace that washed over the island. Not possession: sharing. He was giving her a piece of his world, and she was letting him in.
Afterward, they lay tangled together, breathing hard, the quilt pooled around their hips. Through the windows, the last light was fading from the sky, stars beginning to prick through the gathering dark.
He lay there, listening to the ocean and the slowing beat of her heart, and realized: for the first time since he'd put the amulet on, his body didn't feel like a loaded weapon aimed at everyone he cared about.
"We probably just scandalized the entire plantation," Samantha said, half-laughing.
"Probably," Jace agreed, "We might also have turned on most of the Upper Pacific Rim."
"Geoffrey's going to give us so much shit."
"Definitely."
She turned her head to look at him.
"Worth it?"
"So worth it," Jace said, kissing her deeply.
* * *
Night Falls — The Vision and the Proposal
Sometime later, minutes or hours, Jace wasn't sure, he drifted into something that wasn't quite sleep and wasn't quite a dream.
He found himself in that familiar place of light.
The Guardian Amulet floated in front of him, glowing softly. But this time, he wasn't alone.
Samantha stood beside the amulet. Not as she was now, not in borrowed clothes with her hair in a ponytail. She wore something formal, ceremonial. Robes he'd only seen in the old paintings in the Castle of Elders. Ivory and amethyst, trimmed with opal. Her hair was longer, crowned with something that caught the light. And at her throat, an amulet.
Opal. To match his.
High Votaress. Queen.
His wife.
He knew it the way he knew where the Veil was. The way he knew his own pulse in the dark. Not a hope. Not a possibility. A certainty.
This was his future. Already done.
He blinked and was back in the cabin, Samantha warm and solid beside him. Through the windows, night had fully fallen. Stars blazed overhead.
"You, okay?" she asked sleepily.
"Yeah," he said. "I... I think I just had one of those not-exactly-dreams."
She propped herself up on one elbow, more awake now.
"About?"
He looked at her, really looked at her. The woman who'd just taken the full force of his power and stayed. The woman who'd looked him in the eye and said I love you without flinching. The woman who was going to be his wife.
"You," he said. "I saw you. In the light. Wearing things, I've only seen in the old paintings in the Castle of Elders. Ceremonial robes. And at your throat, an opal amulet. To match mine."
Her breath caught.
"And I knew, the way I know where the Veil is, that you were my wife. Not 'maybe.' Not 'if everything works out.' Just... done. Like it already happened somewhere and we're catching up."
Samantha sat up fully, pulling the quilt around her shoulders.
"Jace…"
"I saw you the first day we met," he continued. "When I first saw you, Samantha, the amulet showed me a vision then too. Of you standing beside me. And I've been trying to pretend it didn't mean what I knew it meant. But I can't anymore."
Her throat worked.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I love you, too." Jace said. "I think I have since the moment I saw you. I trust you. You're the only person who's ever been able to stand in the full blast of me and stay on your feet. I don't know what our life looks like, but I know I want it with you. If you'll have me."
The room narrowed to the space between their faces. Outside, the ocean whispered against the shore like it was trying not to interrupt.
"Well," she said, voice shaking just a little, "If that was a proposal, then yes. I'll marry you, Jason."
For a second, he just stared at her like he wasn't sure he'd heard right.
Then his face broke open into something so raw and joyful it made her eyes sting. He caught her hand and pressed it over his amulet like a seal.
"Then that's it," he said, voice rough. "We're engaged."
She laughed, choked, amazed, and leaned in to kiss him again. The aura flared warm around them, softer this time, more like a promise than a storm.
"My ethics never stood a chance," she murmured against his mouth.
"Mine either," he said.
They lay there a little longer, memorizing the feel of being exactly where they were. Eventually, reality tapped on the window: people would notice they were gone; Ricky would only stay quiet for so long.
"We should probably go back," she said.
"Before they form a search party," he agreed. "Or a betting pool."
"Too late for the second one," she said.
He laughed and kissed her forehead.
"Come on. Let's go tell everyone you agreed to marry a disaster."
"The best disaster," she corrected, pulling her clothes back on.
"The only disaster you're stuck with now."
"Lucky me!" Samantha giggled.
* * *
Evening at the Main House
They walked back through the pineapple and cane hand in hand, following the path toward the lights of the main house. The stars were brilliant overhead, the air thick with the sound of night insects and the distant crash of waves.
When they reached the house, everyone was waiting. Nathan saw them first. He took one look at their faces and started grinning.
"Ah, here they are!" He crowed.
"Oh no," Erik said, "The waves of lovely passion have ended."
Connor agreed, and added "But I have a feeling they were very productive waves."
Ricky and Leilani were sitting together in an oversized recliner, both grinning like they'd won the lottery.
"I CALLED IT!" Ricky announced.
Leilani elbowed him with a giggle, "You didn't call anything, you just hoped."
"NOPE, I CALLED IT!" Ricky announced again, delivering a little kiss to Leilani. She shook her head and shrugged.
Geoffrey appeared in the doorway with Nancy beside him. Both of them were smiling. Probably a little too happily for their own good.
"Welcome back," Geoffrey said mildly. "Have a nice walk?"
Jace's ears went red.
"We, uh..."
"We felt," Sidney said from his chair. "Everyone on the island felt."
"Four times," Nathan added.
Samantha covered her face with one hand.
"Oh my God."
"Don't be embarrassed," Nancy said, eyes twinkling. "It was lovely. Very... enthusiastic on that third one."
"I'm never living this down," Samantha muttered.
"Nope," Ricky agreed.
Jace squeezed her hand and cleared his throat.
"So. Uh. Sam and I have something to tell you."
"You're engaged," Nathan said.
Jace blinked.
"How did you…"
"The last wave felt different," Nathan said. "Less 'oh God I hope this works' and more 'this is done, this is real, this is forever.' So. Congratulations."
Erik stood and pulled Jace into a hug that nearly cracked his ribs.
"About damn time."
Connor hugged Samantha, grinning.
"Welcome to the family. Officially."
Ricky wrapped his arms around both of them.
"I'm the best man. I'm calling it now."
"You're not..."
"CALLED IT!"
Nancy skipped the handshake and hugged Samantha like family.
"So that's what all those were," she murmured with a soft laugh. "Welcome to the deep end, dear."
Samantha laughed, blinking rapidly.
Sidney came last, expression as dry as ever, eyes kinder than his mouth.
"You've just made my job more complicated," he said.
"Sorry?" Jace tried.
"I didn't say it was a bad thing," Sidney answered. Then, more softly: "Well done. Both of you."
He turned to address the group.
"Though I should mention: a royal wedding for the King of Aelin will take two to three years to plan properly. You can make some plans now, but understand that this will be a state ceremony. Aelin. The Brotherhood. Everything that comes with it."
Jace nodded.
"We figured."
Nathan leaned back in an armchair, boots up, hands behind his head.
"All right. Guess I'd better start sketching opal designs. High Votaress to the Guardian doesn't get any ordinary rock."
"Opal?" Samantha echoed.
"You marry him, you get an opal amulet," Nathan said. "Votaress has to match the Guardian. That's my problem to solve."
He paused, then looked at Geoffrey, Leilani, and Nancy.
"Though I should probably mention," Nathan said, "there are actually going to be two weddings to plan."
Geoffrey frowned.
"Two?"
Nathan grinned.
"Galena and I are engaged. Have been since last fall. We just... haven't made it official out here yet."
The room erupted.
"WHAT?!" Leilani shrieked. Immediately, she turned to Ricky and smacked his shoulder as she growled, "And you never even TOLD me?"
Ricky yelped loudly and replied, "It wasn't mine to tell!"
"You've been ENGAGED?" Nancy asked, eyes wide.
"Since WHEN?!" Geoffrey demanded.
"November," Nathan admitted. "After the hide-and-seek game on Aelin. I proposed. She said yes. We were going to announce it properly after the tour, but..."
His voice trailed off. After Dave.
Geoffrey crossed to Nathan and pulled him into a fierce hug.
"Congratulations, you secretive bastard," Geoffrey said, voice thick. "When were you planning to tell us?"
"Soon," Nathan said. "I was going to call Galena at dawn. Make sure she knows I'm telling you all. And tell everyone officially."
"Well," Sidney said. "That does complicate things. Two Brotherhood weddings to plan."
"Nathan and Galena first," Jace said immediately. "They got engaged first. They go first."
Nathan looked at him.
"Jace, you're the King..."
"And you're my brother," Jace said. "You and Galena go first. Sam and I can wait. We've got time."
Samantha squeezed his hand, smiling.
"Besides," Jace added, "gives me more time to not panic about being the center of a state ceremony."
Connor sat half on the arm of Nathan's chair, drink in hand, grinning. Erik stood near the bookcase. Ricky and Leilani were on the couch.
Ricky draped an arm around Leilani's shoulders and raised his glass.
"To the Conjurer and his Prime Minister," he said. "And to the Guardian and his future queen. May their weddings be legendary and their honeymoons be..."
"Ricky…" Sidney said.
"...tasteful and appropriate," Ricky finished smoothly.
Everyone laughed.
Geoffrey disappeared into the house and returned a moment later carrying a dusty bottle with a handwritten label.
"If we're celebrating," he said, "we're doing it properly."
Nancy's brows rose.
"Geoffrey, is that…"
"My grandfather's pineapple wine," Geoffrey said. "Made by Albert's father. Over a century old. I've been saving it for something worth it."
He opened it carefully, the cork coming free with a soft pop. The wine gleamed golden in the lamplight.
"This is too much," Nathan said. "We can't…"
"You can," Geoffrey said. "And you will. Both of you deserve this."
He poured carefully, distributing glasses around the group. The wine had a wonderful aroma: sweet and complex, with just a hint of spice.
Leilani took a sip, and her face lit up.
"Oh my God. That's incredible."
"Sweet," Nathan said, tasting it. "But with a bite."
"Perfectly balanced," Nancy agreed.
Geoffrey raised his glass.
"To Nathan and Galena. To Jace and Samantha. To love found in the darkest times. To Dave, who would have loved this. And to the future: whatever it brings."
"To the future," they echoed.
The wine was perfect. Sweet and rich with just enough sharpness to keep it from being cloying. It tasted like sunshine and time and the kind of patience that came from waiting a hundred years for the right moment.
They sat together on the veranda, passing stories and laughter, letting the grief ease a little around the edges. Not gone. Never gone. But manageable.
Jace sat with Samantha tucked against his side, her hand in his, and for the first time since the runway, he felt like maybe, just maybe, they were going to be okay.
Later, when the bottle was empty and the stars were wheeling overhead, Nathan stood.
"I should call Galena," he said. "Let her know. Make it official."
"At dawn," Geoffrey reminded him.
"I'll wait," Nathan said. "But barely."
Jace walked Samantha to her room, kissed her goodnight at the door like a gentleman, and went to his own room feeling lighter than he had in days.
Tomorrow, they'd start planning. Tomorrow, they'd figure out how to move forward.
Tonight, they'd survived.
And two Brotherhood weddings were coming.