Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel (13 page)

“You can’t hide
from me forever, Cheyenne,” she said.

I looked away, pulling my coat closer around my neck.

“I’m not hiding,” I replied, knowing full well it was a complete lie. Since the incident at the lake, I’d been avoiding her like the plague. I didn’t need any more guilt in my life. I already had enough regrets as it was.

“Well, you’ve barely spoken to me since the attack
, You won’t make eye contact…” She began walking towards me. “…and I think if I said
boo
right now, you’d jump sky high.”

“I wouldn’t jump.” I looked her in the eyes and then continued with my walk.
She followed. “How long have you been stalking me?”

“A few days. You’ve been hiding inside
, and I figured eventually you’d attempt to sneak out.”

“You can read me that easily?”
I asked.

“You’re just doing what I would do.”
She shrugged.

“I’m sorry about your friend
,” I offered.

She sighed. “Well, it’s all a part of war
, I suppose. I just wish she’d have come with us in the first place instead…” she trailed off.

“It’s not your fault.
”

“No, I know that, just like it’s not your fault for what happened at the lake
, regardless of what Maes thinks.”

I rolled my eyes at the mention of his name. Andre smiled.

“He pushes you for a reason.”

“It’s getting old.” I veered off
, wanting to circle through the forest and emerge behind the stables to avoid being seen. My goal was to sit by the lake even with Callon’s warning in place.

“What’s getting old,”
Andre chuckled, “is Maes following me around. Do you know that he now thinks he’s my self-appointed guardian?”

“Better you than me
,” I smirked.

“I heard you had experience
with that too. How’d you get him to stop?”

I smiled. “You came along.”

“Lucky me,” she commented.

We continued
at a brisk pace and soon we were in the forest. The crack of branches caught my attention and I stopped. I moved in front of Andre.

“What?” she asked.

“Did you hear that?” I tilted my head and listened again.

A branch crackled again.

“There,” I said “Something’s here with us.”

I searched the dark forest and heard the patter of paws. Was it Maes or something else? I clenched my fists
. I wasn’t going to let Andre get hurt this time. I’d kill the Tresez if it attacked.

She touched my shoulder. “Relax, it’s just Maes.”

“How do you know?” I asked. “I can’t see him.”

“Because these grounds are guarded by a
n enchantment. No one other than those who are invited, namely Tresez, can set foot upon this estate.”

I faced her.

“An enchantment?”

“Yes.”

I stared, waiting for the rest of the explanation. “And?”

“Well, it’s an enchantment that’s been maintained by generations of the O’Shea family.” She stared back.

I lifted a brow.

“They didn’t tell you this?”
she asked.

“No.”

She shook her head. “Alright then. You know what an enchantment is, right?”

“
Sorta.” I hated to reveal how ignorant I was.

“It’s a magical defense barrier that protects us from unwanted visitors. From the outside
, all you see is the manor sitting about three miles away, and you’ll always be walking towards it.”

“So it keeps sending you back
to the spot from which you came.”

“Exactly.”

“Interesting. So for each invited guest, Callon has to change the enchantment?”

“I’m not exactly sure how that works, but I guess something along those lines.”

That might explain the bags under his eyes. It would drain him. I started walking again. At least I knew we were safe here, but if we left, we’d be vulnerable.

The patter of rain hitting the trees gave me a sense of peace as we
made our way through the woods. My plan had been to circle the lake, but as we neared from a different angle, I realized the sheer magnitude of it. There was no way Callon would let me wander that far, and I had no idea where the enchantment boundaries lay. It wasn’t worth the risk, no matter how desperate I was to be alone.

I found a fallen tree and sat as the rain stopped.
Andre remained a few feet behind me, allowing me my personal space. I sat quietly, watching the raw beauty unfold before me.

The lake was ser
ene. Not even a simple breeze moved the water’s surface. My eyes followed the shoreline, taking in the tree-lined hills rising from the lake’s edge. The depths of greens were amazing. How could one color vary in so many different ways? A lone bird flew low over the waves, searching for its prey.

The patter of paws
returned behind me and soon it turned to footsteps. Andre sighed as I heard Maes sit beside her.

“I told you not
to follow us,” she murmured.

Maes gave no reply.

“You need obedience lessons, Maes.”

Maes snorted
, and I couldn’t help but smile.

I
stood up and moved closer to the water.

“Don’t think about going for a swim, Cheyenne,” Maes growled.

I narrowed my eyes and glanced over my shoulder. “It’s a bit cold for a swim, Maes.”

I picked up a rock and skipped it over the water. I followed the ripples as my mind ran to a memory of Colt. He was the one who’d taught me to skip rocks properly. He used to laugh at my throws.
If only you could see how far I’d come, Colt…

“Not too bad,” Andre said as she stood beside me.
She ran a hand through her soaked hair. “Really, Cheyenne, you could’ve picked a better day to go for a walk.”

“Aw, have I messed up your hair?” I eyed her matted locks. “You know, the wet dog look suits you.”

“You’re one to talk,” Andre replied. “Your blond curls are bordering on a bird’s nest.”

I snorted.
“And your mascara is running down your cheeks.”

Her eyes widened. “I don’t wear mascara.”

“Well then something else is slithering down your cheek.”

Her hand flew to her face and Maes turned her to face him.

“Let me take a look.”

I stepped towards the shoreline, my eye caught by one of the pebbles, when Maes moved beside me. We both stilled as we focused on a shimmering object in the water.

“You see it
, don’t you?” I asked.

He nodded.

I moved closer towards the lapping water until large fingers clasped onto my jacket.

“Can you part the water?”

I looked up and blinked. “I don’t know.”

“You’ve been practicing, right?”
he asked.

He knew I had been,
since he’d caught me several times, but this was something I’d never attempted and then there was the…

“Little bursts of power tend to weaken me.”

“Then make it big.” He turned away for a moment. “Andre, call Callon.”

Maes’s fingers latched onto the back of my jacket
to hold me steady as I concentrated on the water. I pulled my hands down and spread them apart, watching in amazement as the water began to part. I was really doing it.

“Make it bigger and longer,” Maes
instructed, and I pushed forward.

I managed to open up
about twenty feet of water, and we stepped forward onto the damp sandy surface.

“Do you
still see it?” The water was now over my head, but Maes was tall enough to see over the crest.

“Yeah, get us another ten to fifteen feet…”

My eyes caught sight of movement in the water beside me, and I flinched. Was the creature lurking nearby?

“It
’s just fish. Keep moving.” Maes nudged me forward.

I pushed out more power, but could feel myself weakening. I knew I wouldn’t be able to maintain it for much longer.

A splash of water hit my cheek, and I froze. That wasn’t a fish. A glint of red whipped past, and I felt its presence—the creature was here.

“Maes, I think…”

I glanced down when something that resembled a tentacle slinked into view. My breath caught as I watched it latch onto my ankle, and the water collapsed on top of us.

I was thrust through the water at a high speed, and a
ny air in my lungs was ripped from me. My jacket peeled away like it was nothing. I fought to open my eyes and realized I was in complete darkness. My chest began to burn, and I forced my hands down towards my ankle, pinching and clawing at the slick skin. Whatever had a hold of me loosened, and I swam towards the surface, gasping for air as I broke through.

I barely caught
the sound of Andre screaming when I looked towards shore and saw her pointing. I’d been dragged out more than five hundred yards. It only took a moment to realize her warning as a limb from the creature narrowly missed me. I spun around, dazed. My eyes grew large as I saw more tentacled limbs emerging from the dark abyss. My heart began to race. Now was my chance!

“Cheyenne!” Maes
’s frantic voice caught my attention. He was swimming towards me. Daniel suddenly appeared next to Andre on the shore. Andre had summoned help.

I turned back to the creature
. Two tentacles crashed beside me, hurling me like a rag doll further into the lake. This time I managed to take a breath before being sent into the deep cold water.

The creature
once again had me spiraling towards the bottom, and the murky water wrapped itself around me like a vapor. I stared into the darkness, trying to find it with my senses when something slithered across my neck, causing a stinging sensation.

Air
was what I needed to fight this thing, air that was at the surface. Unless…

I began spinning my hands above my head, concentrating as hard as I could, trying to create a whirlpool.

A tentacle found my waist and began squeezing, cutting into my
T-shirt and jeans, ripping into my skin. It had claws, tiny nails, thousands of them! I had to get away. Its hold grew tighter as I struggled; it was squeezing the air out of me!

A
bulky arm snaked around my chest, and my head was turned as air was forced into my lungs. Brogan. The tentacles seized onto him, trying to pull us apart. Just before his grip left me, my fingers brushed his skin, drawing on his power. Strength, yes, this was what I needed!

As he was torn away from me, I grabbed onto the nearest tendril, severing it in half with my bare hands.
I felt its blood warm the water, and I ripped away another piece, and another. A piercing shriek shook me as suddenly the creature vanished. My chest was about to burst; I needed air. Kicking my weary legs, I headed for the surface.

I
sucked in all the air I could, pushing the pain from my fresh wounds down. I’d heal later. Before I could make a move, though, I was quickly surrounded. Brogan, Callon, Koda, Maes and Skylar were around me, making sure I wouldn’t escape. Daniel must have brought them.

“What did you do to me?” Brogan
snarled.

“Took what I needed!” I snapped. I should
’ve felt guilty for stealing his powers, but I didn’t. I needed them more than he did, and I’d put it to better use, too.

“Cheyenne,
we need to work together here!” Callon swam closer and stared at the blood pooling around me. “You’re hurt.”

I pushed away from him.

“That’s not important right now.” I’d wounded the creature, but it was still alive. I had to finish it off while I had the chance. And the only way to do that would be…

“Koda, can you throw me in the air?”
It wouldn’t be an easy feat in the water.

“How high?”
Koda asked.

“Just what are you doing?” Maes snapped. “
It almost drowned you! If you think you’re any match against it…”

“
Shut up, Maes! I know what I’m doing.”

“
Cheyenne, no!” Callon grabbed my arm. “You’re still bleeding. You can’t…”

“You need to stay clear while I create a whirlwind
,” I said. “When you see the creature rise from the water, then we can kill it.”

“
But you’re hurt—”

“I have Brogan’s powers,
” I reminded them. “I’ll be strong enough.”

I didn’t back down from his stare. Eventually Callon sighed and
looked away.

“Skylar,”
he called out. “Take Cheyenne and Koda below and help get her in the air.”