Chapter 3
(Anger and Understanding)
It was early as Kailani walked along side her guardian toward the beach. Ford had told her Poseidon had chosen to meet with her at Dawn so was not surprised when he showed up.
The teenager had chosen to wear a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a tank top. In her mind if she didn’t look like she belonged to a god he might not want her. With any luck she could be reunited with her mother by nightfall. She had even thrown her hair up in a clip without brushing it. The least presentable the better the teenager had thought.
As her foot touched the beach she couldn’t help but smile. Without a thought to what she was doing she removed her flip flops and began walking on the white sandy beach. She gave a pleased sigh as the sand massaged her feet as she walked.
Kailani had always loved the beach. Unlike some kids she had never feared water or anything associated with it. The sea had always been a source of comfort for the blue-green eyed girl. It didn’t matter what was going on in her life or how upset she was a trip to the beach seemed to always cure any ailment. The sea felt like home.
She closed her eyes as a gentle wind barely blew through her bangs. With her eyes still closed she continued to walk forward; never looking where she was going. Even when her feet finally touched wet sand the blonde girl continued forward. It wasn’t she was ankle deep in the water that she allowed her eyes to open.
Kailani glanced back to see Ford was just out of reach of the wet sand but clearly watching her. She smiled at him as he stood on clearly dry land. “Afraid to get wet?” The girl teased.
“No but its early and the water is cold.”
“No it’s not,” Kailani replied.
Ford smiled. “Water feels differently to me than it does to you,” The shifter informed her.
“What do you mean?” She asked turning to face him completely but not leaving the water. “I know when water is cold.”
“You feel water differently than I do,” He replied. “That water is only 60 degrees.”
“No it’s not. It’s at least 80,” She assured him.
“You’re a Water Demigoddess; water temperatures don’t affect you like they do me. Or at least like they do when I’m in this form,” Ford explained.
“So you can turn into something else where the water won’t affect you so much?” She questioned. Seeing him nod she said, “What else can you turn into besides human and eagle?”
“Many things.” A voice said from behind her.
Kailani stiffened surprised by the sound but only momentarily. She looked at Ford who gave a single nod that it was in fact Poseidon. Slowly she turned to face the God of the Sea.
Poseidon couldn’t have been more pleased. He’d sensed her the moment she’d entered the water. It seemed to him the very sea was rejoicing at her presence. “Ford has the ability to turn into a creature of the sea or two; making him an excellent choice of a guardian for you.”
“Return me to my mother,” The young woman said far more straight forward than she had intended. “You have other children you can’t possibly need me. Your wife can’t possibly want you to…”
“Amphitrite does not mind,” He replied. “If she had she wouldn’t have offered to care for you as an infant; she was disappointed when I didn’t return with you after you were born,” Poseidon told her. “She was rather looking forward to raising a daughter.”
Kailani frowned as she looked down at the water surrounding her ankles. The girl had hoped arguing her case would be easy but was quickly realizing it wouldn’t be. “I don’t belong here,” She said and looked back up at the God of the Sea.
“Of course you do,” Poseidon said calmly. “You are my daughter and…”
“Maybe I don’t want to be your daughter!” The blonde girl sneered. “I want to go home.”
“You are home,” Poseidon replied simply.
“Home is with my mother!” Kailani snapped.
“She really should have explained things to you,” Poseidon commented.
“Yeah then I could have made sure I never ended up at that stupid pier!” The teenager huffed agreeing with the god.
Poseidon’s eyes narrowed at the very suggestion. “If your mother had not returned you I would have taken vengeance against her!” He said sternly. “Your mother had no right to you in the first place!”
“She has every right!” Kailani snapped. “She’s my mother and even being here doesn’t and won’t change that!” The teenager yelled at her father.
“Margaret gave up any right to you long before you were born!” Poseidon snapped back. “We made a deal and…”
Kailani didn’t think she reacted and swinging her fist she punched the god in the side of the face. Poseidon not expecting it suddenly fell sideways into the water due to the blow.
**
Ford stood quietly watching and listening to the demigoddess interact with Poseidon. He wasn’t surprised when Kailani asked to be returned to her mother after only a couple sentences; he’d expected it.
The Guardian had known it wouldn’t be long before she asked the god when he’d gone to get her. It was obvious to him that the younger teen had every intention of having her father release her. Ford had fought the urge to tell her to go change the moment he saw Kailani in her worn cut off jean shorts and green tank top. Kailani was clearly not dressing out of respect to the God of the Sea.
Ford sighed as father and daughter began to raise their voices at one another and a full scale argument ensued. ‘She’s going to be in a very bad mood after this,’ He thought to himself. The blue eyed older teen shook his head as the two began to argue more.
As the arguing increased however he began to feel a slight tremor beneath his feet. ‘Kailani!’ He shouted internally. Protecting her was his job and he’d do it; even from Poseidon’s wrath. Quickly he started towards the two but abruptly stopped seeing the God of the Sea struck by the girl and suddenly fall into the water. Instantly the tremors ceased.
“You had no right to make my mother your whore!” The Guardian heard her screamed at her father.
Ford blinked and looked from his charge to the god now sitting up from the force she’d used against him. ‘Kailani?’ Ford said questioningly as his eyes widened. ‘Did she cause it?’ The idea was absurd. No demigod or demigoddess had ever caused such a thing without months or even years of practice that he knew of. Yet if Poseidon was the one that was in the water and the tremors had stopped it made sense that Kailani might have caused it.
Seeing the god start to get up looking less than pleased and Kailani take on a fighting stance the Ford quickly headed for them.
**
Poseidon was surprised to feel tremors he hadn’t created. If he had been paying more attention to Kailani he might have noticed the anger in his daughter’s eyes. By the time he realized who was causing the tremors it was too late. Kailani stuck and he was in the water.
“You had no right to make my mother your whore!” Kailani shouted at him with narrowed glaring eyes.
While impressed by the girl’s abilities and strength the God of the Sea had no intention of letting his daughter have the upper hand.
“Your mother made a bargain girl!” Poseidon said angrily getting up from where he’d fallen. “I gave her what she wanted and she gave me what I wanted.”
“Use of her body,” Kailani said disgusted crossing her arms angrily.
“A daughter,” The God of the Sea countered. Poseidon noticed his daughter’s eyes shift from complete anger to allow a touch of curiosity to enter them. Her eyes still held a lot of anger but his words had not gone unnoticed.
“If you had been a boy I’d have been willing to let Margaret keep you.”
“Most fathers want a son,” The blonde girl said flatly.
“I have sons; plenty of them. It’s a daughter I haven’t had in over two millennium,” Poseidon informed her. “Even then none have ever shown as much talent as you possess.”
“What are you talking about?” Kailani said sounding annoyed.
Poseidon smiled. “In your anger you caused a tremor.”
“No I…”
“Actually you did.” Kailani turned and looked at Ford. “I thought it was your father at first but…”
“He’s not my father!” Kailani snarled.
“Like it or not I am your father,” Poseidon replied. She looked at him to find her father standing there with his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face. “You might not like it Kailani but you are quite definitely my daughter. The very sea reacts to you.”
“It does not!” The teenager argued and looked down and away from the God of the Sea.
Poseidon dropped his crossed arms and stepped toward her. Gently he clasped her chin in his right hand and forced her to look his direction. “Yes daughter it does. You can hate being here and me all you want but it will not help you gain anything. You are and always will be my daughter. Your mother made a bargain with me that we both agreed to. Margaret is not innocent in all of this. You may view me as a villain right now but in time you will have to accept that it was your mother who offered me anything in exchange for making her an unbeatable swimmer. The only thing she had any hope of offering me was a daughter. You Kailani. She could have said no. I told her the price before the deal was ever made. If you should truly be mad at anyone it should be Margaret; she gave you up before you were even conceived.”
Kailani finally tore her chin away from him and the god allowed her to. Looking at Ford the god said, “She is mine and is to remain here. You are her guardian and I expect you to watch over her,” Poseidon said firmly.
“An honor my lord,” The shifter replied.
Poseidon looked at his daughter and sensed both anger and sadness in the young woman. “I’m not saying you can never see your mother again Kailani. You are my daughter and you will have to accept this. You may one day see your mother again but not now.
“I hate you!” Kailani said angrily to her father.
Poseidon could have reacted two very different ways but knowing how much the girl was hurting he chose to react without harshness. “You are angry and it will take you time. The day will come that you understand.” While part of him felt hurt by her words another part was sympathetic. In the past and with anyone else he might have used firmness and anger to corral one of his children but even angry Kailani was special to him.
“Don’t bet on it,” She replied still upset.
The God of the Sea frowned and with a glance at the guardian he faded away.
“Asshole,” She sneered once he was gone.
“Fighting with him won’t help you see your mother again,” Ford informed her. He watched as angry eyes turned his direction.
“What is that supposed to mean?!” Kailani demanded.
“If you really want to see your mother again you’re going to have to calm down,” He said calmly.
“How does…”
“Once you have mastered your abilities or nearly mastered them you will be allowed time away from here. How you spend that time is up to you.”
“I could see my mother?” Ford nodded. “How do I learn this stuff?”
The Guardian internally smiled. He knew he had her attention now. “You attend classes participate and learn control. You’ll have to learn to control your anger and how to manipulate water.”
“Fine then….”
“Hold on,” Ford said grabbing her arm as she started to walk past. “This isn’t something you will get done in one day Kai. It will take time, patience, and practice. It will be some time before you can see your mother again.”
Kailani looked down disappointed. She wanted a 2 hour lesson and then to leave. While she could be patient, she often wasn’t where her mother was concerned. “I want to see her now,” She said looking down at the sand.
“I know that,” Ford said putting his hands on the younger teen’s shoulders and turning her to face him. “If you want to see her though, you’ll have to play along for a while. Can you do that Kai?”
“To see my mother again I can do anything,” Kailani said looking up at her guardian with determination.
Ford nodded. “Okay then. I’ll tell Channing you’re ready to start tomorrow.”
“I’m ready to start today.”
“Tomorrow Kailani; today watch.” Reluctantly she nodded and began heading away with her guardian.
Ford glanced up sensing the presence of others. He noticed a few specific people and internally groaned. Among the witnesses had been children of Ares and Hades. ‘Damn it!’ Having them know Kailani had already used one of her abilities by accident would be bad enough; having them witness it was worse.
It wasn’t that Kailani could subconsciously use her powers that was bad. It was the fact he knew things were silently happening that concerned him. If this morning was any indication the girl would be a force to be reckoned with. A force others would want to use and manipulate. Protecting her could prove to be less than easy.
With an arm around her shoulder he led his charge off the beach.