Prophecy

IV

Tessa racked her brain for some sort of lead. If her father's trident was stolen in this era, it would have to be located in the last place that someone would think to find it. A place so simple, that it would be the perfect place to hide it due to said simplicity.

Tessa shut her eyes, spreading her senses out around her. Her father's trident was forged in the sea, and to the sea it would have to return. The very energy that surged through Tessa's veins, the tides the weapon could rearrange, all correlated back to the sea. If Tessa could feel some form of connection to it...

"There!" She exclaimed, although she didn't exactly know where 'there' was.

"Where?" Reese asked.

"Just...I have a feeling. I can sense the trident, so I can lead us to it." Tessa explained, already starting down the bridge. "Come on!"

And with that, Tessa dashed off down the Blackfriars Bridge of London, weaving through the smog and shadows.

~~

Surprisingly, it wasn't too late in the city. As Tessa and her friends emerged into London, carriages were still racing past and pedestrians lined the sidewalks and streets. Everywhere Tessa looked, she spotted parasols, top hats, waistcoats, gas-lamps, and more. The Twenties and the Forties had been something else, in a world that was fairly similar to her own. But now, being here in an era ruled by different customs, was unlike anything she'd imagined.

They'd been walking for about fifteen minutes, and with each foot, Tessa could feel that they were getting closer to the trident. Wherever it was hidden, they'd find it, surely.

"How much longer?" Imogen groaned from behind Tessa. "This dress is wearing me out."

Tessa could relate to that; their Victorian gowns had yards upon yards of silk and brocade, not counting their petticoats and corsets and slips underneath. In other words, it wasn't exactly fun to walk around in when you had someplace to be.

"Maybe ten more minutes?" Tessa guessed. "We're getting closer; I know that much."

"As long as we're—" Reese started, but the son of Apollo's voice trailed off. Tessa stopped in her tracks and turned to face the blond boy, whose features had turned grave as he stared across the street.

"Reese, what's up?" Kaden asked, nudging his best friend.

The son of Apollo hardly responded. It was like he'd entered some sort of trance, until in the blink of an eye he took off, dashing in front of a carriage as he bolted across the street.

The initial stupor wore off, thankfully, and Tessa and her friends sprang into action. They ran after Reese--which proved to be difficult in all of their clothing—hearts pounding.

"What do you think happened?" Eli asked as they ran around a corner in the wake of their friend.

Tessa shook her head. "No idea." Reese had just taken off without any sort of warning, and whatever he'd seen was enough to spook him.

They continued to run down the streets of London, dodging people as they did. However, even Reese must have tired from the run in the several layers he was wearing, because he'd stopped at the corner of another street.

"Reese!" Imogen exclaimed. "What the hell was that?"

The son of Apollo turned to his girlfriend with a desperate look in his eyes, a look that Tessa hadn't seen since...