Beautiful Fury

Chapter Seven

I drew a line down the infant's forehead to the bottom of her mouth; a simple charm that let her breathe underwater.

I swam below the surface with the child in my arm and Jezebel trailing behind me who was unusually quiet for a change. I glanced down at the infant and the blonde wisps of hair swayed side to side as we moved through the water.

She opened and closed her hand and caught a lock of my hair in her fist. I clenched my jaw but ignored the annoyance.

We reached Elena's cove. She was sitting on her throne petting one of her eels. When we entered, it swam around me and set its gaze on the infant. She released her grip on my hair and reached out to touch the eel.

I scowled and took her outstretched hand in my own and removed it from the eel's reach.

"Bring her to me," Elena demanded and I gladly handed over the squishy human. After several minutes at staring at her Elena said, "she's magnificent."

"She's useless," I countered.

Elena's gaze snapped to mine a fluid motion. "Humans are emotional creatures Mara. Their heart guides their actions rather then their common sense. When word of Jezebel's first ship gets back to land, they will try to find the infant."

I scowled. "That is exceedingly stupid. It's an infant. It can't swim, it would be dead in less than a minute."

Elena offered a small, degrading smile before saying, "guided by the heart, not reason."

I left her cove, angry at how stupid I was and angry at how ridiculous humans were. Guided by the heart. It's a stupid phrase, really. The heart has one job and that is it to pump blood not guide lost souls.

Suddenly I sensed him. Zander was on the water.

My mood shifted and I excitedly swam to the surface. His boat was a ways off, but I patiently waited. I gathered clouds in front of the sun and a large shadow was cast over me and Zander's boat. 

After getting impatient, I swam the rest of the distance to the boat and launched myself onto the deck.

"Zander," I called. The engine abruptly turned off and he came bounding from the top deck to where I was. 

His appearance had drastically changed since I last saw him. His eyes were glazed over and the scratches I had made on his cheek had not healed. His cheeks were pale and drained of any life in them.

I reached out my hand to him and he gladly took it in his. Instantly, his eyes clear and his complexion changed. Blood rushed back to his face and the Zander I had first met returned. 

He ripped his hand from my grasp and grunted in disgust. I laughed and repositioned myself so I was sitting, leaning against the railing. 

"Don't look too pleased to see me, Zander Mitchell. I might think you enjoy my companionship," I smiled. 

"What did you do?" He asked in horror. He looked around, finally noticing his surroundings. "I-I can't remember anything." 

"You're too dependent on me already, pet. I thought you would have lasted a couple days longer," I cooed. 

I held out my hand again, letting green wisps flow out of my fingertips and around my hand. Zander's eyes glazed over again and he lifted a shaking hand out to my own. 

He snapped his eyes shut and turned his back to me. His hands slid up his face and through his hair. 

"Listen, you monster," he whipped around, crazed hatred burning in his eyes. 

I held my hand up, stopping him from finishing. Against his will, his mouth shut. Zander grabbed his face and touched his lips in panic before looking back at me. 

"My magic courses through your being, Zander Mitchell. I can control your every movement." 

I straightened my arm towards him and brought it to my chest in a fist. He started walking towards me, shuffling and dragging his feet. He knelt down in front of me and I smiled. 

"Now what have you been doing on land," I pondered. 

I put two fingers on his closed eyes and slowly brought them together in the center of his forehead. My vision was flooded with scattered images. 

Through Zander's eyes I saw his life. Images of his parents, siblings, and family rushed passed my line of sight. I scanned through his memory until everything stopped. The only image left was of a large gray dog running through a backyard. 

I felt something in me break. My hand limply slid from his face and into my lap. I opened my eyes, but all I saw was darkness. 

A single speck of light appeared in the distance until it grew bigger and completely took over my vision. 

I opened my eyes again and I was transported to my childhood home. I watched my six year old self play with a small black puppy. The younger version of myself squealed in joy as the puppy jumped on her and licked her face.

I smiled.

Macy was the puppy's name. I loved Macy. 

I gasped as I was brought back into reality. My lungs constricted as a foreign feeling settled in them. I pressed my hand against my heart.

My hold on Zander released and he gulped air in through his mouth. My breathing was labored as sat on the boat.

"Mara," Zander started in confusion.

 I snapped my gaze to him and pushed him away from me. He flew back a foot and braced himself with his elbows. Before he could come back, I hurled myself over the deck and into the water. 

I inhaled the salt water and my wheezing worsened. Black splotches surrounded my vision. I stopped swimming and let myself float down. From what little I could see, Zander stood on his boat looking over the deck.

I could faintly hear my name being called before I closed my eyes. 

Something is changing.