ELEMENTS: Acquiesce by Kathryn Andrews (snow like ashes series .TXT) 📕

“But it’s okay,” chirped Nerissa, easing the awkward silence. “It doesn’t matter to us, we’re friends, aren’t we?”

Cordelia nodded.

“I know how much you miss Flynn,” said Masika. “And I know how eager you are to go to the islands, but you must let us help you.”

Cordelia’s eyes glazed over and a tear ran down her cheek. Lana reached out her hand and caught the aquamarine gemstone. She handed it to Cordelia.

“I still don’t understand why I need to keep these,” said Cordelia.

“If magic does exist then this is it,” said Lana. “The gems bring loved ones back from the dead.”

Cordelia felt a lump in her throat that momentarily stopped her from speaking. “Are you serious?” she asked eventually. “If I found Flynn and he was dead I could bring him back?”

Lana nodded reassuringly while a river of tears flowed from Cordelia’s eyes. Lana and Nerissa put their arms around her. After a minute or two she stopped.

“If the gems can bring people back from the dead, why didn’t anyone help Nixie?”

“It’s complicated,” said Lana.

“I’m listening,” said Cordelia.

“The gems have to be offered to the tree of the dead, buried in the ground by its roots,” began Lana. “It’s difficult to reach.”

“Where is it?” asked Cordelia.

“Thailand. There’s a lagoon surrounded by tall rocks, all covered in greenery, apart from one tree that stands barren all year round. They say the tree gives its life in return for the gems.”

“Didn’t anyone find the tree for Nixie?”

Lana nodded. “Her parents made the trip to Thailand and found the lagoon.”

“And?”

“They were killed by pirates at the base of the rock. They took the gems and…” Lana struggled to finish her sentence.

“They cooked Nixie’s parents for dinner,” said Masika.

“They ate them?!” exclaimed Cordelia.

“Merfolk are quite a delicacy to pirates,” said Masika. “They say we taste like chicken and fish rolled into one.”

“I thought people didn’t believe in us,” said Cordelia.

“Pirates are a different kettle of fish altogether,” said Lana.

“Couldn’t anyone else have tried?” asked Cordelia.

“It only works if the person offering the gems truly loved the person who died. Nixies’s parents were the only people who truly loved her.”

Cordelia tried to take in everything Lana was telling her. Images raced through her mind, of Nixie, her parents, merfolk eating pirates, the tree of the dead and Flynn. Her mind was frantic.

“I have to find him,” she said, rising to her feet. “D’you think Nixie knows where he is? She said she knows everything.”

“It’s possible,” said Lana.

“If she knew she’d have told me, wouldn’t she? She wouldn’t keep it to herself.”

Lana and the twins exchanged looks of concern.

“What is it? What aren’t you telling me?” pleaded Cordelia.

“It’s like I explained about the tides,” began Lana, cautiously, “we don’t like to interfere too much. Sometimes you have to let things take their own course.”

“Let things take their own course?” snapped Cordelia. “That wasn’t Triton’s philosophy when he rescued me and brought me here, was it?!”

Taken aback by Cordelia’s outburst, Lana didn’t respond.

“Where is she?!”

“She could be anywhere,” said Nerissa nervously.

“Nixie! Where are you?!” shouted Cordelia. She waited for Nixie to appear but there was no sign of her. “Nixie!”

“She won’t appear if she thinks you’re angry with her,” said Masika.

Cordelia wiped the tears from her face and inhaled deeply. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I think I’ll give the afternoon a miss. I’m not feeling so good.”

Cordelia walked across the rocks to the cliff top.

“Where are you going?” asked Lana.

“For a walk,” Cordelia said without looking back.

Hands in pockets, Cordelia walked along the cliff top with a steely look in her eyes, trying to keep her composure. As the rock pools came into view her eyes glanced over to the peat bog. He was there, but he wasn’t alone. She stopped in her tracks, wondering who the girl was that laughed and larked about while Breck piled peat onto the cart. With pursed lips, Cordelia clenched her hands as she scuffed the ground with her boots, turning to walk back to the lighthouse and then turning to look at Breck and the girl. All of a sudden a dark raincloud blocked the sun.

Breck glanced up at the sky as fat raindrops began to fall, “In here!” he called and he ran into the hut with the giggling girl.

Cordelia studied the rock pools, the tide was still coming in though she could see the pools quite clearly. The rain bouncing off the water’s surface made the pools feel more inviting than usual. She could feel the pools willing her, pulling her closer. She stepped carefully down the grassy bank and onto the slippery rocks. When she reached the second pool she nestled down into the ledge of rocks that surrounded the pool and wrapped her arms around herself. She watched the circular ripples as the rain pelted the water, then something most peculiar happened. The ripples stopped. The rain fell but the water was perfectly still. Not a splash. Not a ripple. Nothing. Cordelia cautiously looked around her. She couldn’t see anyone. Not even a raven. Knowing something unusual was happening, Cordelia slowly stood up and as she did, an image appeared in the water. Cordelia was confused by what she saw. It was Flynn. He was trapped. Alive but trapped.

“Flynn?” she called.

“What are you doing out here in this weather?” asked a familiar voice.

Cordelia turned around, surprised to see Breck standing there. She glanced over his shoulder but there was no sign of the girl. She gazed back at the pool, Flynn had gone and the rain bounced off the surface once more.

“Cordelia, are you alright?”

Cordelia stared at Breck, confused. “How’s your girlfriend?”

“What?”

“Worried about her hair was she?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw you with a girl.”

“You mean Keeva? She’s my cousin.”

Cordelia felt her cheeks flush as her mind frantically tried to think of something to say. “I just thought…”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Breck. “She’s up in the shelter. I saw you down here staring at the water