Spirits

Chapter 38

The wind pulled my hair as Jax and I stood side by side looking out at the ocean stretching before us. Isabella had just moved into a small hut at the edge of the closest town. She was a widow from the war, unable to remain in the same house she had shared with her husband. The town had gushed over her, vowing to care for her and treat her as their own.

She had given us the names of prominent Hunters and the council had begun dividing tasks. Liu Ming had led a group of Shifters to integrate and spy on them. Tomorrow Jax would leave to travel the world, convincing the Spirits he had met to join us. I would remain, helping Isabella dissect our families connections and plot our next move.

"Where will you go first?" I finally asked as the silence became awkward.

"I am going to meet two old friends, Helena and Atoya, they will give me transportation."

"You will be traveling again." I looked up at the man. "You must be excited."

The moon caught the edge of his long nose. Jax was smiling slightly, but he looked anxious.

"It's not the same," Jax admitted. "I cannot stay. It will be nice to travel, but this is a mission. I'm sure you understand given your position with Isabella."

A lopsided grin grew on his face and I rocked on the balls of my heels. I did understand. My sister was as much a task as a gift now.

"Not that a lady as smart as you wouldn't understand." Jax winked and my lips curled.

I pushed against Jax's shoulders as he ducked away. "You must be alright. It is nice to see the carefree boy again."

"I don't know about a boy," Jax stuck his chin out, shaking his head, "but I'm going to enjoy these last few hours with my friend."

"I'm sure," I remarked. My chest was bubbling, enjoying the warm comfort of his company. Intutum was chaotic. This was a stolen moment.

"You say that with sarcasm," Jax leaned closer, "but the blush in your cheeks tells me something else."

He poked my cheek just above my jaw and I swatted his hand away. Our eyes met and I refused to look away, daring Jax to say something more.

When he stayed silent, I crossed my arms and copied his earlier action. As I leaned closer, his eyes went wide and I smirked proudly. "I see the flirt has returned. I wondered where he disappeared to."

Jax looked offended for a second, but he recovered quickly. "He only appears with you of course."

"How possibly laughable," I shot Jax down and steered our conversation away from the delicate topic. "I will miss you on your travels, though I'm sure Dayami will not."

"You had to ruin the moment with a jest about Dayami. I think you might be spending too much time with me."

"Perhaps, but next to you no one will bat an eye."

We turned back to the ocean. The moon was climbing higher in the sky, the thousands of stars swimming in the inky blanket. The gulls had quieted, but I could still hear the waves pounding not the rocks bellow.

"Care to take a walk?" I prompted, following a ship's slow path on the horizon, great billows of smoke rising from its barely visible chimney. "I have never walked the path along the cliff."

"Do I dare accompany a lady in the night alone." Jax tapped his chin. As if he had ever worried about honor before. "I think your sister might attack me if she knew."

"I doubt Isabella would blink at us taking a stroll after what she's seen. Besides, I passed the proper point when I ran from home. I think you might just be another check in the list of grievances I might never atone for."

"Well you know how I like to cause trouble."

Before I could respond, Jax leaned down and pecked my cheek, just to the right of my hairline.

He raced away, laughing at his antics and leaving me frozen. I would have followed, but my legs were stuck. If my younger self could see me now she would have never believed who I was.

I touched the spot Jax's lips had met my skin and laughed. "That I have no doubt that is true, you rogue."

"Shall we?" Jax called from the cliff, his head popping over the ledge where the path started.

"Coming," I called, running after him.

The path was only wide enough for us to descend one by one and I spent the next few minutes bumping into Jax. I could see the stone path, but my mind was lost in a daze.

"My apologies, I've never taken this path," I apologize after running into Jax's shoulders once more. "Even now I can feel my heart drop with every step. How are you this calm?"

"I am focusing on the lovely lady behind me." Jax looked over his shoulder. " If I mis-step, you'd have to help me down. Besides, are you sure your heart isn't beating because of me?"

I poked Jax's back and he shook with laughter. That seemed to be his default: teasing me.

"You are bold," I scolded, but there was no anger in my words. "You could make even a country prowler blush."

"That offends me. I thought we were close, Maurea." I could see Jax straighten, his tone becoming aloof. "I might need to befriend Atoya now that you have crossed me."

"You despise that man almost as much as me," I joined him as we finally entered the closed beach that was hidden at the cliff's base. "Am I really so bad?"

"The only person who enjoys his company is Siren." He wrapped his arm over my shoulder, waving his hand as though he was painting a portrait in front of us. "Imagine them regaining their former relationship and leaving us be. Before Atoya left, they were lost in each other's company and rarely noticed the other Spirits, it was a golden experience."

"It is doubtful, but I wouldn't mind," I admitted. "No wonder Siren was murderous at Atoya's reappearance."

"We all mourned his death," Jax recalled and I was once again reminded that he had seen more than Annabell's death, "Siren the most."

"How did we turn to such a dark topic?" I questioned as we waded into the water, Jax still closer despite the water pounding against us.

"I wish I knew. Let's enjoy the water and forget the two schemers." Jax let go of me and pushed himself deeper, head bobbing over the crashing walls in front of us.

I followed, the water forcing itself down my throat, the water soothing an ache I didn't know was there.

"I suppose we only have one more night. Let's enjoy it."

I ducked under and Jax followed. He only had a moment to enjoy the calm before being knocked back by my tackle. It sent us spinning in the darkness.

His chest rumbled as he escaped my hold and swam deeper, the body disappearing in an instant. Bubbles of air escaped my lips, racing to the surface. I dove after him, enjoying the feeling of the water entering my lungs and pulling my hair back.

While I might have been born on land to a family of Hunters, I belonged in the deep ocean as a Spirit with others like me. The family I had longed for and the friends I cherished.