Just Breathe Part 6

Exactly whom she'd hoped to avoid.

Maybe Jack could help her find Lana.

Thank you. Out of breath, she kicked her way to the surface and gulped in the oxygen.

"Zoe Morgan, get your a.s.s back in this boat right now." Adriene leaned against the b.u.mper, her plastic and plaster-covered broken leg stretched out to the side. Lips set in a hard line, she jabbed a pointed finger at the cell phone in her hand. "I'm calling Randy if you don't get your s.h.i.t together."

Zoe huffed. Fine.

Heads down, Dani and Elizabeth busied themselves in the front of the Zodiac.

Maybe Adriene was right. She'd embarra.s.sed herself enough for one day. Had really gone off the deep end.

"Sorry, ladies," she said when she reached the boat. Dani offered a hand up, and she took it. Elizabeth held out a dry towel.

Adriene scowled at her from the wheel. "Please tell me you at least learned something earth-shattering from that little stunt."

Understatement of the year. The freaking Tongans were coming. To Hervey Bay. "Yeah, I think you could safely say so."

Now all she had to do was find Lana and hope she'd be open to a debate in literally hostile waters.

Chapter Eight.

Relief washed over Zoe when she opened the door later that night.

Jack stood in the darkness, hands in the pockets of his hoodie, eyes bright. "How goes it, Beauregard?"

"Hey. Good. Why don't you come in?" Smiling at her father's pet name for her when she was a baby, Zoe stepped out of the doorway and ushered him inside.

Adriene peered around the corner from her bedroom, and Zoe waved her over.

"I guess it's about time you two met."

Holding out his right hand, Jack met crutch-less, hopping Adriene halfway and grinned. "Let me guess. Adriene Bright. Glad to finally meet you. I'm Jack Weaver, Zoe's father."

Adriene tilted her head and slowly accepted his hand, grabbing the couch with the other for balance. "You know me?"

"He's a stalker." Zoe elbowed him in the ribs. "Been following me for years but just now got the guts to step into the light and say hi. No surprise he remembers you from his...observations. Right, Jack?" She popped a brow.

Jack grinned. "Yep. What Zoe said. Thanks for looking after her. She can be a handful."

"Oh, I doubt you know the half of it. Did she tell you what happened-"

Zoe corralled Adriene out of the living room. "Okay, that's enough for now. You guys can talk later. Time for bed, Adriene. You have to be up early. Night-night!" Zoe shooed her away.

Adriene bounced on her good leg back to her room. "Nice meeting you," she shouted over Zoe's arm blocking her way.

Zoe shut the door in her face and turned to Jack.

"Did something happen on the boat today?" He settled onto the couch and pulled a green sphere from his pocket. An apple.

Waving off his question, she glanced to the closed bedroom door where Dani and Elizabeth slept. "I need to get in contact with Lana, the human Waeter Archelemental candidate. Gavin mentioned you set up a meeting with her before. Is there a number where I can reach her?" Jeez, did Elementals even use phones?

He nodded and took out his cell. "Sure." He pulled up a number and handed the device to her.

She carefully transferred the numbers into her phone and checked them twice. Dyslexia often got the better of her in stressful situations. She pa.s.sed his cell back and sat next to him. "Thanks."

"Have you dealt with Elementals much before?" The snick of a bite and the fresh scent of apple caressed the air.

"I've had a few run-ins." Gulp. Scarlet reared her ugly head for the thousandth time today. Zoe mentally smacked her down. G.o.d, if only it were that easy in real life.

"If you want my advice, go into the meeting like you own the place. Don't take any s.h.i.t off them. Most Elementals think of Wyldlings as a source of food and nothing more. But you deserve their respect. As a translator, you're doing them a favor. Let them know it."

"I will. But I'm not really worried about how to handle the meeting. I'm more concerned about what Lily's going to say." Zoe stood up and paced before him. "She doesn't want to be Archelemental. But I honestly believe she's the one who should be in charge. So what do I do? I can't lie to the human Elementals. Can't force any hands."

"You're right. You can't. So just do your job. Leave the emotion out of it, and see to it that both sides' voices are heard." Jack stood up and headed for the kitchen. "You got any beer in the fridge?"

"Sure. Sorry. Help yourself." Beer and apples? G.o.d, she definitely didn't get her taste in food from her dad. Disgusting.

Jack returned a moment later, the half-eaten fruit tucked under his arm, and beer in hand. He popped the top on the can and slurped up the stream that shot out before it sprayed the carpet. A mini victory pose followed.

Zoe covered her laugh behind a balled fist. Where had he been all her life? Growing up, she never missed having a dad. Now, after knowing him for only a short time, she'd be hard-pressed to make it through the day without at least talking to him on the phone.

"Ah..." He wiped off his beer 'stache with the top of his arm. "Where were we? Oh, yeah. Elementals deal with things differently than we do. They're very political, but it's not like our version of politics. Some of these dudes have been around for thousands of years-"

"That long? Really?"

Jack nodded.

"What about Sentinels? How old are you?" Zoe never thought about the possibility that her dad-or Gavin-might be pseudo immortal.

"The incarnation before you is ninety-two. But other versions of me have been around a lot longer than that."

Zoe's jaw dropped. "You're serious."

"As a h.o.r.n.y, drunk priest with a wh.o.r.ehouse gift card on the night before the apocalypse."

"Whoa." Scratch that. Major whoa.

"Back to what I was saying... Because Elementals have long life spans, they tend to take their time, think things through, and don't like to be rushed. Waeters are wise. Let them work out their differences. You're just the messenger."

Zoe nodded. "You're right. I should handle it like a scientist. Keep my opinions to myself. Whatever happens, happens."

Jack pointed at her and winked. "Bingo."

He eased against the couch cushion, crossed an ankle over a knee, and snagged another bite of fruit. After chewing thoughtfully and swallowing, he washed it down with a long swig of beer. "Gavin misses you."

Oh G.o.d. She missed him, too. Despite how hurt she was, longing tugged at her heart harder than ever. It thrived like a parasite in his absence. "Tell him I said hi."

Jack wiped his hands down the front of his shorts. "Any other message? I'm going to see him when I leave here."

Yeah. A whole list: I wish things could be different. I'm lost without you. Can we pretend it never happened? I can't live with this agony.

Zoe shook her head. "Nope. No other message."

Jack's expression never changed. He nodded and stood. "Okay. I'd better get out of here. You have calls to make, and I have a Sentinel to train."

"Did you guys make any progress with Whetu?" Zoe had been thinking about the girl since Jack and Gavin rescued her in Sydney. Though she hadn't met Whetu, Zoe was worried about her. So young to have lost her father. And to have to go through the change to become an Elemental alone? That must be awful.

Jack ambled over to the door. "I've got a friend trying to help her, but so far, nothing."

"Let me know if I can do anything."

"I'll pop by tomorrow."

"Thanks for checking on me."

He lingered for a moment as if he wanted to say something else, then he turned the k.n.o.b and left.

Zoe sighed, picked up her phone, and took it to her bedroom. She dialed the number Jack had given her. A rich female voice answered.

"My name's Zoe Morgan. May I speak to Lana please?"

"Ah, Gavin's Wyldling. I was wondering when I'd hear from you." The gruff words slid effortlessly together, smooth like aged whiskey. Reminded Zoe of a Southern belle, except the accent was Australian.

Wait a minute. Gavin's Wyldling? Hardly. She cleared her throat. "I'm calling on behalf of Lily. She'd like to talk with you. In person."

Silence.

"Did you hear me?" Zoe asked.

"I did." Another long pause. "You're the translator?"

Zoe straightened. "Yes. I am. Is that a problem?"

"Where does she want to meet?" Lana's tone cooled.

"I'd rather not say. Is it possible for you to meet me in Hervey Bay on the sixteenth? I'll take you to her myself. I don't want to risk her safety. I'm sure you've heard of the threats against her. And me."

After thinking long and hard about it, Zoe was convinced someone in Lana's camp-not a Fyre Elemental-had masterminded the plot to drive Zoe out of Hervey Bay. Catherine Marchand from Oceania Whale Trust had provided almost enough evidence to prove it. Almost.

"I don't control or condone the actions of my followers. Your boyfriend knows I had nothing to do with the incidents you're referring to. How is Gavin, by the way?"

Hackles raised, Zoe reminded herself to be polite. "You'd have to ask him. We haven't spoken in a few days."

"Really?" Her voice perked up. "Well, then, I may invite him to our little soiree on the sixteenth."

Zoe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll contact you in a week or so, and we'll set up a time to meet. Thanks for your cooperation. And if you don't mind, leave your thugs at home. I doubt Lily would appreciate any further threats."

"See you soon, Ms. Morgan." The voice turned icy.

"You bet."

Teeth clenched, Zoe got ready for bed and prepared to make another trip into the Dreaming. Ms. Morgan had some big-time recruiting to do this evening.

Chapter Nine.

September 10 Sinnder frowned as he watched Scarlet across the polished wooden table in the Fyre Council chambers. Smug as ever-relaxed, even-she played with her long, curly hair and shot coy smiles at each of the bishops.

Her Fire had doubled since the last time he saw her. Which explained the spate of arson stories holding the evening news channels hostage lately.

The heat in his chest rumbled like a p.i.s.sed off thunderhead with a bad case of indigestion.

"The Waeters still have no Archelemental, and there's no confirmation yet about whether any of the whales Scarlet and Sinnder killed was the right one," a female Council member reported.

Eidan nodded behind steepled fingers, his elbows resting lightly on the table. "I'll take that as a sign we should push forward. Even if they do get a new leader placed before the equinox, she won't have time to gather enough Water to be a threat to us."

The Archelemental stood and moseyed around the room. Each bishop subtly turned in his or her chair and maintained eye contact. Though the bishops were sycophantic morons, none were stupid enough to turn their backs on Eidan.

Scarlet aimed a pleased grin at Sinnder and wiggled her shoulders. After the stunt she pulled on Gavin and Zoe two weeks ago, she'd occupied Sinnder's every thought. So many long-buried memories had boiled to the surface of his mind. Dangerous. Very dangerous.

Why did history choose to taunt him now? Didn't matter. The important thing was that he'd rediscovered some of his raison d'etre. He'd been dilly-dallying over what to do about Scarlet for centuries. It was time to feed his past-and Scarlet-the cyanide it deserved.

He stared at Scarlet. Open wide.

Eidan ambled along his circular path. "I'm proud of the work you bishops have put into Incendius's rise to power. The panic you've created among the Wyldlings has filled our Elemental coffers with much of the Fire our G.o.d demands.

"But there is still not enough. We have before us a great opportunity that we may never see again. If we can amp up the conflict among the humans with one last, potent shove, we'll surpa.s.s the other Elementals' stores, and Incendius will reward us with fiery riches for years to come.

"We live in turbulent times. All the more reason to play on the Wyldlings' natural fears. In recent years, terrorism has turned our world upside down-Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Israel, the United States, China. Why not leave our mark by adding Australia to the list?"

Eidan stopped behind Scarlet, leveled his gaze on Sinnder, and popped open a knowing smile, full of flashing white teeth.