Sprite (Annabelle's Story Part One) (18 page)

It was me who recognized the “the waterer.”

Could I be the “Second Alpha”?

I know I kept asking myself this. I was getting a little tired of it too.

At the first chest, this same question plagued my thoughts before I tried to open it, but in the heat of the moment I didn’t have time to let the thoughts play out fully in my mind.

This time, I did. There wasn’t anyone attacking us. It was just Adrian and me in this hole, barely big enough for the two of us.

For days people had told me that I was the “Second Alpha.” For days I experienced these weird powers, but I had been denying it the whole time.

I didn’t want to be responsible for saving the sprites, and essentially mankind, from the Trackers.

I just wanted to go to UCLA and become a doctor one day. I wanted to go home to my family and Blake.

“Annabelle,” Adrian said softly, watching the emotions pass over my face. “It’s your turn to try and open it.”

“Adrian, I can’t be the ‘Second Alpha.’ I can’t be the only one who can lead the sprites to this ‘new beginning.’”

“All right, let’s just take it one step at a time,” he reassured me. “Just see if you can open the chest and then we’ll go from there. Okay?”

With a hesitant nod, I slowly lowered my fingers to the aged wood and brushed my fingers over the words that we’d decoded from the first chest, the decoy chest.

For the second time, I took a deep breath and shoved.

And for a second time, I heard a creak as the chest cracked open.

In a heartbeat, we both peered inside. Then, our heads snapped toward one another. I think we were both in shock.

There sitting in the chest was a dark blue bag. It looked to be made out of velvet, and it was cinched closed at the top by a drawstring.

Reaching inside, Adrian grabbed the bag and pulled it out.

I heard the unmistakably sound of coin hitting coin. I couldn’t believe we’d found them. After all we’d been through to get this far, this was one of the best sounds I’d ever heard.

Once he opened the bag, I faintly made out the dozens of coins inside.

Okay, I finally admitted it. I was the “Second Alpha.” I was now willing to accept that without me, Adrian and I wouldn’t have found the coins and the chest would’ve gone unopened.

“It’s hard to make out what’s on them,” Adrian said, bringing my attention back to the present. “It’s too dark even with the coral. Let’s get out of here.”

I gestured for Adrian to take the lead. I was anxious to get out of this small space as well.

This was a big mistake.

As soon as he was outside, I heard a loud commotion.

I knew what had happened without even having to look.

I shot out from the rock, ready to fight, but the sight of two mermen holding Adrian down froze me in place. A malevolent selkie alternated between biting at Adrian’s hands and ramming into his stomach with its head. Clearly, it was doing anything possible to make Adrian release the coins.

It worked.

With the bag of coins dangling from its mouth, the selkie had already begun to escape.

It all happened so fast. The whole time, my fear for Adrian left me paralyzed.

“Annabelle!” Adrian managed to scream. “Get the coins!”

Like before, his words jolted my body into action.

I had a split decision to make: help Adrian or help the sprites.

It was the hardest choice I’d ever made, but now that I knew I was the “Second Alpha,” it changed everything. My new title bound me.

By sending a current at the two mermen I made a quick attempt to help Adrian and then turned to follow the selkie. I prayed this would give Adrian at least a small chance to free himself.

The selkie had a good jump on me and shot through the water seamlessly. In my head, I screamed to go faster, to catch up. And just like that, I felt a current of water pushing me from behind.

I had always used my affinity for water as a defensive tool. It was a way to stop an attack or avoid a situation. This time, I used my power more offensively. I didn’t even know I could do that.

The selkie started off by cutting across the ocean, but as he neared the shore, he swam towards the surface

As I chased him, I continued to use the currents to propel myself faster, cutting down the distance between us.

He reached the surface first, diving in and out of the water to make his way to the shore.

I took a different approach and stayed underwater, using a combination of my currents and the waves to push me closer to land.

Finally, the waves threw me onto the beach, landing on my hands and knees. Going from breathing water to once again breathing air was an adjustment my body never experienced before. At first, my body didn’t know how to react and I clutched at my throat. Eyes closed, I allowed the cool wind against my skin and the faint sound of seagulls to calm my breathing.

Still on my hands and knees, I slowly raised my head to locate the escaping selkie. It was dark and the rising moon cast the only light, making it a challenge to see.

As my eyes landed on him, I watched as he pulled the sealskin down his body to reveal the silhouette of his human form.

Then, he turned his head toward me.

But wait.

No, no, no.

No, it couldn’t be.

My brow wrinkled as I pleaded with myself to be wrong.

The moonlight lit up a glimpse of the selkie’s face.

But it wasn’t just any face.

It was a face I recognized.

One I trusted.

Blake.

And then…