The Dark Water by Seth Fishman

Author:Seth Fishman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group, USA
Published: 2015-02-16T16:00:00+00:00

14

ARCOS’S CHAMBERS ARE, LIKE RANDT’S, ON THE TOP floor of the building. Palu escorts us past plush sitting rooms filled with comfy-looking chairs and small trees and burning gas fire pits, like a manicured indoor campground. There’s even grass, thick and green and soft underfoot.

Along the far side of the room is a curving glass wall, bent along the edge of the spherical building. The floor drops off into a wide pool, an indoor/outdoor one, with water still and pristine. It flows under the glass window and to a wooden deck outside, where we can make out the shape of a figure standing with a towel over his shoulders. He’s smaller than most Keepers should be, and is leaning over the railing taking in the view, not a care in the world.

“I guess Brayden lived,” Rob says.

He’s right, of course. My mind is having trouble believing my eyes. I guess I was just expecting him to be cut and torn and tortured, bleeding all over some white bed somewhere. I shiver, equal parts exhausted and uncertain. What am I supposed to do about him? How does he expect me to act?

Palu motions to a door in the glass, not the invisible type Randt had, but one with a good old-fashioned door handle made of thousands of rubies. “Arcos will be here shortly,” she says, ushering us through. “You may partake of the water.”

“Thank you, Palu,” Jo says. The Keeper seems to appreciate this, because her lips turn upward, almost a smile, before she takes a seat in a chair, staring, blank-faced, our way.

Brayden’s watching me. His brown eyes are cautious, and below them are a pair of angry red lines, the remnants of the cuts Straoc left. What kind of pain was he in when he woke? No, I chastise myself, more important things first. I take Dad’s hand and sit him down next to the pool and help him drink, then pour some water on his cuts.

“Dangerous what you did in there,” I say to Dad. It’s weird, taking care of him, washing his blood from his wounds.

He laughs. “What’s this? My daughter lecturing me about safety?”

I stare him down. “I guess so.”

“Maybe I deserve it,” he replies, putting his arm around me. “While I’m not too pleased to see you in danger, I’m so glad you’re here.”

“You should’ve told me. Even yesterday, back in the Cave, you should’ve told me you were coming here.”

He scratches his head, managing to look abashed. “I’m sorry, Mia. I am. I wanted to protect you.” He pauses. “I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be coming back.”

I look away. I don’t want him to see my face. I don’t want him to see how much it hurts me that he was willing to leave me like that, knowing the risks. To distract myself I pool water in my hands and splash it on my face.

The water is cool and clean and, like before, immediately soothes me. Dad’s wound is already closing, and down the line I can see Lisa twisting her torso back and forth, testing her ribs.

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