Descendants by Rae Else

Author:Rae Else
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: urban, arete, myth, greek, young, fantasy, adult, legend
Publisher: Rae Else
Published: 2018-06-02T23:00:00+00:00

- Chapter Seventeen -

Foresight

El spent the morning outside on the terrace, watching the embankment spring to life. First the odd pedestrian, car or bike passed, then there were hundreds of people milling along the banks and crossing the Millennium Bridge. Ever since El was a kid, the sleek bridge had been the London landmark to stick in her head. Her granddad had shown her pictures of the capital’s monuments as part of her early education: Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London. But the Millennium Bridge was her favourite.

It was because of the story he’d attached to it: when it first opened it swayed as people crossed it, earning the nickname the Wobbly Bridge. Her granddad elaborated that its movement was because of the music playing that day, and that when the first people walked across it, their steps had synchronised, pushing the bridge from side-to-side. Even then, hearing the story, El’s power had coloured her point of view. She’d been unconvinced that music could be responsible and told her granddad that a serpent had manipulated the people to walk in time. Her grandma had reiterated that it couldn’t have been a serpent because it was only herself, El and Anna who had the power to do that. El recalled her granddad’s laughter as he tried to explain that music had a mysterious power all of its own.

She smiled to herself, remembering why she’d treasured that story – secretly taking it as confirmation that her mum was in London. How funny it was to think her younger self had got one thing right. Her mum had been here. Perhaps she’d even been in this spot, looking out on the opening ceremony and listening to the revellers’ footfalls.

Alex broke her musings when he brought out some toast. She didn’t have any appetite but took a couple of bites when he wouldn’t budge until he’d seen her eat.

‘Can I light the fire?’ she asked, gesturing to the firepit in the middle of the seating area on the terrace.

‘You cold?’

She shook her head. He looked bemused but nodded and went inside.

There was a canopied area on the other side of the terrace with a basket of wood. A few grasses and shrubs sat in containers along the decking; all were pruned.

El carried some logs over and fitted them into the fire. She caught the sound of Alex’s raised voice from within,

‘Sometimes you are so like Anna!’

El wondered what had happened to anger him like this. Even in grief, Alex seemed so understanding. She suspected he and Dan were arguing about her and hoped that Dan would simply leave her alone if he hated her so much. She couldn’t take more of his resentment.

She turned her attention back to the firepit and attempted to set the logs alight with the electric lighter. A spark sputtered into existence and then instantly went out.

‘May I?’ Dan asked, appearing in the doorway and pointing to the firepit, his expression sheepish.

She nodded and returned to the wicker couch.

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