creature to stop it biting Elodie.
But there’s no need. Before I can reach it I see Elodie’s lips, black as the night, touch the Surari’s rotten, pale ones. Its arms, posed to claw the flesh off her bones, flail and fall to its sides. The demon clutches at its throat as its mouth darkens, a blue-black tinge slowly spreading over its face. It collapses, squirming on the ground, and I’m shocked, I’m speechless as I see something on its face.
A single tear, rolling down its cheek.
“It’s OK,” says Elodie. “I can handle this.”
Makara
The seventh wave
Is the one that carries my heart
The Atlantic Ocean
Niall was clutching the rusty metal rail so that the wind wouldn’t sweep him into the ocean. He wished he could jump off the cargo ship into the water and swim all the way back to Ireland, back home. But he knew that wasn’t an option. He knew he had to save his own life. Going home was simply impossible. Not yet, anyway. Since the Enemy had risen and started the slaughter of the Secret heirs all over the world, all Niall was allowed to think of was survival.
“Planning a swim?” Mike was beside him suddenly, shivering in his bright red jacket, his arms wrapped around himself. He hated the cold. They could barely hear each other over the roar of the wind.
“Hopefully soon,” Niall replied. There was a gust of wind so hard that he thought it might blow him into the sea – and he would have loved that, he would have loved to feel the seawater on his face, around his body. But the cargo ship was too fast – he would lose them. It was only that thought that stopped him from jumping. It didn’t worry him that the Atlantic is cold and deep and vast and that they were in the middle of it, because Niall didn’t have reason to fear the cold, or the depth of water. He was a Flynn, and Flynns can’t die in water.
“Only a few days to go before we arrive. Look at those clouds! Oh, man. If they come our way we’re in for a choppy sea.” Mike shuddered, imagining the worst.
“Those are not a problem.”
“No?” Mike looked at Niall, puzzled.
Niall smiled, took a deep breath, and sang in the ancient language. He sang the clouds away. Slowly but surely they moved, the gale weakening ever so slightly, then more and more until it was just a breeze blowing softly their way. Mike stared at Niall, his eyes big and round.
“There you go,” said Niall with a satisfied grin.
“Niall. How did you do that?” Mike asked, still stunned.
“That, my friend, was the power of Song.”
“Seriously?”
Niall shrugged his shoulders. “All Flynns can do it. My little sister is great at it. She could sing the wind when she was in her pram!”
My sister, Bridin. And Cara, a year younger than Bridin. Hiding in Dublin. I don’t even know if they’re safe. I don’t know if my parents are safe either. They would not leave Ireland. Niall would have gladly stayed too, but he couldn’t. It was his duty as a firstborn Secret heir to survive and fight.
“You’re full of surprises, Niall.”
Niall shrugged. “I told you I had the power of Song.”
“Yeah, to kill demons.” Mike lowered his voice to an urgent whisper, swiftly looking left and right. “Not to change the damn weather!” He pointed at the corner of blue sky appearing where the black clouds had been only seconds earlier. His teeth were chattering.
“Yes, well …” Niall shrugged as if his powers weren’t that big a deal. “Let’s go inside. You’re freezing.”
“I am, yes. But I’ve spent forever on this boat, I have cabin fever!”
They walked down the narrow steps, and sat on the benches in the lounge where the crew went to chat and smoke and drink. Two crewmen were cradling a cup of coffee each, their waterproofs on. As soon as Mike and Niall came in, they got up and left, throwing them suspicious looks. They probably think we’re criminals on the run , thought Niall.
“You alright there?” said one of the
But there’s no need. Before I can reach it I see Elodie’s lips, black as the night, touch the Surari’s rotten, pale ones. Its arms, posed to claw the flesh off her bones, flail and fall to its sides. The demon clutches at its throat as its mouth darkens, a blue-black tinge slowly spreading over its face. It collapses, squirming on the ground, and I’m shocked, I’m speechless as I see something on its face.
A single tear, rolling down its cheek.
“It’s OK,” says Elodie. “I can handle this.”
Makara
The seventh wave
Is the one that carries my heart
The Atlantic Ocean
Niall was clutching the rusty metal rail so that the wind wouldn’t sweep him into the ocean. He wished he could jump off the cargo ship into the water and swim all the way back to Ireland, back home. But he knew that wasn’t an option. He knew he had to save his own life. Going home was simply impossible. Not yet, anyway. Since the Enemy had risen and started the slaughter of the Secret heirs all over the world, all Niall was allowed to think of was survival.
“Planning a swim?” Mike was beside him suddenly, shivering in his bright red jacket, his arms wrapped around himself. He hated the cold. They could barely hear each other over the roar of the wind.
“Hopefully soon,” Niall replied. There was a gust of wind so hard that he thought it might blow him into the sea – and he would have loved that, he would have loved to feel the seawater on his face, around his body. But the cargo ship was too fast – he would lose them. It was only that thought that stopped him from jumping. It didn’t worry him that the Atlantic is cold and deep and vast and that they were in the middle of it, because Niall didn’t have reason to fear the cold, or the depth of water. He was a Flynn, and Flynns can’t die in water.
“Only a few days to go before we arrive. Look at those clouds! Oh, man. If they come our way we’re in for a choppy sea.” Mike shuddered, imagining the worst.
“Those are not a problem.”
“No?” Mike looked at Niall, puzzled.
Niall smiled, took a deep breath, and sang in the ancient language. He sang the clouds away. Slowly but surely they moved, the gale weakening ever so slightly, then more and more until it was just a breeze blowing softly their way. Mike stared at Niall, his eyes big and round.
“There you go,” said Niall with a satisfied grin.
“Niall. How did you do that?” Mike asked, still stunned.
“That, my friend, was the power of Song.”
“Seriously?”
Niall shrugged his shoulders. “All Flynns can do it. My little sister is great at it. She could sing the wind when she was in her pram!”
My sister, Bridin. And Cara, a year younger than Bridin. Hiding in Dublin. I don’t even know if they’re safe. I don’t know if my parents are safe either. They would not leave Ireland. Niall would have gladly stayed too, but he couldn’t. It was his duty as a firstborn Secret heir to survive and fight.
“You’re full of surprises, Niall.”
Niall shrugged. “I told you I had the power of Song.”
“Yeah, to kill demons.” Mike lowered his voice to an urgent whisper, swiftly looking left and right. “Not to change the damn weather!” He pointed at the corner of blue sky appearing where the black clouds had been only seconds earlier. His teeth were chattering.
“Yes, well …” Niall shrugged as if his powers weren’t that big a deal. “Let’s go inside. You’re freezing.”
“I am, yes. But I’ve spent forever on this boat, I have cabin fever!”
They walked down the narrow steps, and sat on the benches in the lounge where the crew went to chat and smoke and drink. Two crewmen were cradling a cup of coffee each, their waterproofs on. As soon as Mike and Niall came in, they got up and left, throwing them suspicious looks. They probably think we’re criminals on the run , thought Niall.
“You alright there?” said one of the
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