The geneva project comp.., p.107
The Geneva Project- Complete Series Boxset, page 107
Sparrow giggled and put her hand on his cheek. She looked into his familiar amber eyes. “I do love you, you know?”
“The way I love you?” Journey asked quietly.
“Yes,” she said kissing him softly again.
“This is the best day ever,” he hollered picking her up and spinning her around.
Sparrow laughed deliciously and held him tighter. It’d been too long since she’d let happiness fill her heart.
“Oh wait, I almost forgot,” he said gently setting her down so he could fish in his pocket for something. “Here,” he said placing a tiny white pebble in Sparrow’s palm. “This is for you.”
Sparrow’s breath fled from her lungs. “It can’t be,” she gasped. “My floating stone! Journey, where did you get this?” Her eyes misted with tears as she stared at the tiny white stone he placed in her hand.
He shrugged. “I kept it.”
“All this time?”
“Of course. It was yours. I would have kept it forever.”
“I can’t believe you saved it. There were so many times when I wished I hadn’t thrown it away.” Sparrow said turning the pale stone over in her hand. “And the gods know we could use a little extra luck right now. But I suppose it’s childish to still believe in such things.”
“I don’t think so,” Journey murmured as he wrapped his arms around Sparrow’s slender frame.
She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for keeping this for me.”
Sparrow’s love swelled. She made the right decision to open her heart to Journey. The fact that he’d kept the childhood trinket she used to wish upon was further proof. Journey never believed in its magic. He refused to wish upon the floating stone no matter how many times she’d asked him. But he never made fun of her for believing in it either. She remembered the tragic day when she threw it out, believing the time for magic and wishing was over. She still couldn’t believe he’d held onto it all this time.
“Let’s see if it still works,” Sparrow said.
“It does,” Journey assured her.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you remember what you used to say?” he asked.
“Hope floats,” Sparrow said with resonance. “I was hopeful that I wasn’t alone after the Flood and I found you floating in the surf, choking on this very stone.”
“And you believed in its magic ever since,” Journey said finishing the rest of their familiar memory.” Journey closed her palm around the stone and lightly kissed her hand. “It still works, Sparrow. I wished that you’d return my feelings. And you have,” he said pulling her into his embrace.
Sparrow smiled at Journey through tearful eyes. Revisiting the day that he’d come into her life after the Flood made her ache with nostalgia. When she thought all was lost a miraculous floating stone had brought Journey to her. She let the tears fall. She hadn’t thought about those days in a very long time. She didn’t know whether it was through the magic of the floating stone or just fate, but she’d never been alone since the day she met Journey.
They knelt down together and Sparrow placed the porous white stone on the water’s edge. It floated effortlessly, swaying lazily with the ripples of the stream as she recalled the legend of the mermaid and the mariner.
“Hope floats,” she whispered.
“Never lose hope, Sparrow,” Journey murmured before softly kissing her again.
Chapter 7
“Stay out!” the foul-breathed Luxor growled as he shoved Jemma from the Tower gates.
But Jemma refused to take no for an answer. Malakai had to see her. He’d made her so many promises and every one of them had been another drip of wax, sealing her fate. She’d sold her sister out because he said he needed her—respected her. Malakai said she was supposed to be the chosen one and he could restore her rightful place by his side. He’d convinced her that Geneva was only using her, stopping her from achieving her full potential because she wanted all the glory for herself.
After Jemma witnessed Malakai torturing Geneva and Nova in the square she started to realize his words were just empty promises. He’d been the one using her. But by the time Jemma realized, it was too late. She couldn’t undo the damage. And to make things worse, after everything she’d done, Geneva still forgave her—trading her own freedom so Jemma, Mala, and Nova could go free.
Filled with disgust and confusion, Jemma shook her head. She didn’t want to go crawling back to Malakai, but she had nowhere else to turn. She’d tried to make amends in the forest. She wanted to work with her friends and the Betos to get Geneva back. But Nova made it painfully obvious that he would never work with her. Geneva may have forgiven her, but the others never would. They were her sister’s friends—that’s what they’d always be. They’d never truly accepted Jemma. At least Nova had been honest about it. The others just placated her, saying they could work together, but deep down she knew how they truly felt. She would always be the backstabbing sister who betrayed their martyr, Geneva.
After Jemma watched Vida sedate Nova and meddle in his memories, she made her decision to leave. She wasn’t going to sit idly by and let them do that to her. She’d be defenseless—a lamb ready for slaughter. She refused to become a pawn in the game Malakai and Jaka were playing. She wanted to be the one making the moves. She’d always taken control of her fate—it’s what made her a survivor. She had an uncanny sense of self-preservation that enabled her to seek out advantages, and her instinct was telling her that Malakai would be the victor when the smoke cleared. With that in mind she snuck out of the forest while Nova was being restrained and never looked back.
Jemma squared her shoulders. “No. I made my bed and I will lie in it.” She used her newfound powers to get passed the guards, pulling on Remi’s invisibility. Apparently all the time she’d spent veiling Geneva’s powers had left her with lasting side effects. Jaka believed that she displayed signs of being an Echo and Parallel. Jemma smiled. Perhaps she really could be the chosen one after all. She just needed a chance to show Malakai what she could do. Then he’d have a place for her.
As Jemma wandered the halls of the Tower of Lux she marveled at its beauty. She’d never seen such lavishness. She thought she’d glimpsed luxury when Malakai took over the Troian Center, but her mind balked at the opulence of the castle. Yes, this was a place she belonged. Unseen, Jemma quietly followed a group of well-dressed women to a crowded room. Malakai sat front and center on a throne made of stone. Now or never, she pep-talked herself.
Jemma let her powers slip and revealed herself. She ran toward Malakai only to be stopped by two menacing Luxors, pointed spears at her throat. “Mercy!” she screamed. “Mercy.” She pulled back her dark hood revealing herself to Malakai and the court.
“How did she get in here?” Malakai demanded.
“This is the beggar we threw out earlier, Your Highness,” one of the Luxors explained.
“I didn’t ask who she was. I asked how she got in here,” he bellowed, now on his feet.
“Please, Master. I’ve come begging your forgiveness. I didn’t wish to deceive you. My sister misled me about my powers, but now I can do what I said. That’s how I was able to fool your guards and get into the castle. I’m valuable to you now,” Jemma implored.
“I have your sister’s full cooperation, Jemma. And she will marry my son, solidifying my power and the Ravinori reign. Once again, you have nothing to offer me.”
“But you said that if I helped you, there would always be a place for me here,” Jemma demanded.
“Silly child. You are every bit as weak and feeble as you fear. I told you what you wanted to hear.”
“No—” Jemma yelled.
“Hear me now!” Malakai bellowed. “You are completely and utterly useless. You betrayed your sister and your friends. You are a lowly, cowardess traitor. There is no place for someone like you here. Geneva wasted her life on you. She should have let you die.”
Jemma began to shake as Malakai slowly dragged his finger across his throat and the Luxors seized her. “No! Please, no! I’ll do anything!” she cried. “I know where the Betos are hiding. I’ll tell you how to find them.”
“I don’t care about the Betos. They can’t stop me now. No one can.”
Kobel leaned over and whispered to Malakai and the room fell silent as he rose to his feet. Jemma quaked as she watched a smile soften Malakai’s face. “It’s your lucky day, Miss Sommers. Kobel has brought something to my attention. Perhaps we do have a use for you after all.”
Chapter 8
The morning sun pierced through the cracks in my boarded up windows like an unwelcomed guest, flooding my sparse room with light. It’d been days since I watched Jemma come through the Tower gates. At least I thought it was her. Maybe my imagination was running away with me or I was starting to lose my mind. It wouldn’t be surprising after being locked away this long. Either way, thinking Jemma was here had me on edge. My days of trusting her were over. I’d done right by sparing her when I saved Nova and Mala. I didn’t want her blood on my hands. No matter how many times she betrayed me, I refused to sink to her level.
But the act hadn’t been completely selfless. Part of me just wanted her out of my life. I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing her lying face anymore. I was glad to see her leave Lux since I knew that’s where I’d be serving my sentence. I was above her pettiness but I couldn’t trust that I wouldn’t lose my temper faced with her everyday. She was the cause of all of my pain. As far as I was concerned she was no longer my sister. She’d never acted as one. She’d orchestrated countless lies to set up our disastrous escape from the Troian Academy. Her betrayal led to our capture—just as she’d planned. Not to mention I blamed her for keeping me and Nova apart for so long. I should have known better than to trust her. I certainly wouldn’t make that mistake again. Jemma was dead to me.
A knock at the door startled me from my livid thoughts about Jemma. I heard Kai’s soft voice on the other side. “Geneva?”
“Go away, Kai!” I muttered.
“My father sent me. He wants me to invite you to court.”
“What does that even mean?”
I heard the clinking of keys outside my door and my heart stopped. Was Kai coming in? I hadn’t seen him since the day he told me he loved me and my entire world burned down around me.
“It means you get to leave your room,” Kai replied.
I turned to see him grinning at me from the doorway. A flash of pain hit me as I stared at his handsome face. He looked so much like his father—all but the smile. Kai’s smile was kind, but it no longer was enough to disguise the resemblance of the evil Ravinori leader he would always be bound to. Betrayal gutted me when I looked at Kai. My own heart had betrayed me when I let him in, and Kai betrayed me by falling in love with me—locking me into an arranged marriage. It might not have been his intention, but I didn’t trust my instincts anymore. I didn’t know who to believe.
Kai took a step toward me and I stood my ground, glancing passed him to the empty hallway. Freedom, my mind whispered. My eyes quickly surveyed the room, landing on the chessboard at my bedside—salvation.
Kai took in my disheveled appearance with a frown. I was still in my thin white nightgown, which hung shapelessly from my emaciated frame and my wild blonde hair stuck out in unruly spirals. It had grown back with a vengeance thanks to the protein injections. “How are you?” he asked with concern.
“I’m great, Kai. Living the dream, locked away in a tower, awaiting a cursed lunar marriage.”
“Geneva . . .” He took a step toward me and I stepped closer to the bed. “Will you let me take you to court?”
Our dance continued. Kai stepped forward; I edged closer to my target.
“Why? So you and Malakai can parade me around like some freak that you own? I don’t think so.”
Another step.
“It’s not like that. I swear. I have a plan to help you and—”
“I think you’ve helped enough, Kai.” I seethed.
One more step.
“Geneva, I swear I never meant for any of this to happen. Let me send for your dress and we can talk at court. I want to make it right.”
My heart was racing, fueled by anger and the primal need to survive. “How? By dressing me up and letting me out of my cage for a few hours. No! I’m not going to play along and be a good little princess.”
With one final lunge I yanked the heavy stone chessboard from the bedside table and swung it with all my might at Kai’s head. I hit him with full force. He crumbled to the ground along with a rain of chess pieces. I heard him moan as my legs carried me through the door to freedom.
Chapter 9
Remi stomped through the forest, not putting much effort into foraging for healing herbs. What did he care if Nova’s conditions worsened? As far as Remi was concerned, this whole mess was Nova’s fault.
Sadie’s voice interrupted his brooding. “Remi! Over here.”
Remi sighed as he changed direction to see what Sadie was going on about. He’d been spending more time with Sadie lately. She seemed to have become his shadow, always signing up for chores with him. He didn’t mind much. She talked a lot, but it was better than being stuck with Sparrow and Journey. Ever since they professed their undying love for each other, Remi couldn’t stand to be around them. They were always holding hands and smiling, sneaking kisses when they thought no one was looking. It disgusted Remi. How could anyone be happy knowing what Geneva was going through?
Remi caught up with Sadie and grumbled when he realized she was with the rest of their friends. Great, this was going to be another useless debate. Remi leaned against the slick bark of a nearby tree, thankful for the extra bit of coolness the shade offered him in the sweltering rainforest. The sun wasn’t even nearing its apex and his shirt was already soaked through with sweat. The relentless arguing with his friends would do nothing to ease his agitation. As usual, they were discussing Nova’s hopeless situation.
“Sadie, we’ve been doing everything we can to help slow the process,” Sparrow said. “But we can’t allow Nova to exert himself.”
“I know, I know,” Sadie groaned. “But it’s been weeks! We have to do something!”
“What would you have us do?” Remi asked unable to keep his mouth shut any longer. “It’s not like we have any news that will make him feel better.”
“We don’t have any news at all,” Sadie corrected. “Mala said there’s been no reply to any of the other messages that Jaka sent to Lux.”
“And I don’t expect there will be,” Remi muttered. “Malakai has everything he wants. We don’t have anything left to bargain with.”
“But we have all the Pillars together now. There has to be something we can do, right?” Sadie asked, letting hope creep into her voice.
Sparrow put a soothing hand on Sadie’s shoulder. “If there is a way, we haven’t figured it out yet and time is running out. Eja, Vida and Jaka have been working nonstop to try to find anything that could give us an inkling of hope to reverse Nova’s fate and rescue Geneva. But the prognosis isn’t good.”
Remi’s heart sunk, knowing Sparrow was right. Time was ticking away Geneva’s fate. After Hollis safely delivered them to the forest, they told Jaka what happened in Lux. He immediately sent Isby with a message to Malakai, pleading for Geneva’s release or he would have no choice but to send the Beto warriors to take her back by force. They’d received one message back and it was from Geneva. Remi verified her handwriting himself or he wouldn’t have believed it. Geneva asked the Betos to stand down. She said she wanted to honor her commitment and stay in Lux. If the Betos came for her, she would refuse to leave. Geneva was meant to wed Kai on the night of the Blood Moon. It was when the veil between worlds was the thinnest and magic was at its strongest. Kobel planned to use this rare blood magic to create a powerful spell that would weave Geneva’s soul to Kai’s, firmly securing her marriage and alliance to the Ravinori. Her fate was sealed.
After Remi read the letter he was at a loss. There had to be something else he was missing. Why would Geneva stay? Why would she abandon them when they needed her most? Perhaps she thought she could do more for her people working with Malakai than against him. Perhaps Malakai had forced Geneva to write the blasted letter and she was somewhere screaming for help. Remi felt completely useless and it was eating him alive. He hated being trapped in the dreadful forest. He was just as useless as Nova, whose health failed a little more each day. Receiving Geneva’s letter from Lux had nearly killed him.
Remi almost felt bad for Nova. Almost. But then he remembered it was Nova’s fault that Geneva had agreed to marry Kai. If he’d just left her alone—if he’d done what he was supposed to for once in his miserable existence instead of always having to be the hero—Geneva would be here with them right now. And probably in Nova’s arms, Remi’s jealous heart chided.
Remi took a deep breath and tried to free his mind of his agonizing thoughts. He tuned back into the pointless conversation his friends were still having. This happened at least once a day. They would skulk away from camp and plot how to save Geneva—except there wasn’t a way. There’s no saving someone who doesn’t want to be saved.
“There’s months before the Blood Moon. We can’t just sit here and do nothing!” Sadie argued.
“You sound like Jovi,” Remi retorted.
“There’s nothing wrong with being hopeful!” Sadie yelled. “You dragged me into this world of magic and legends and made me believe it’s true, but now you’re all too scared to do anything about it. Jemma’s missing, Nova might as well be a ghost, and the rest of you act like we’ve already lost. We can’t give up on Geneva! She gave me my sister back. She made me a part of something bigger than myself. We have to fight for her.”
“Look, Sadie, I know you want to believe that we can help Geneva, but you don’t get it—”
