The Atlantean Chronicles: Call of the Sea

Chapter Twenty-Four

Diana had reluctantly agreed to Jacin's reasoning and did not wake up the entire house of Atlantean Rebels at two in the morning. She'd agreed to give them until six o'clock.

Now, at five-of-six, she sat in the large white-and-blue tiled kitchen at a long, pale wooden table, watching the digital clock on the gas-range stove, tapping her foot impatiently.

Diana had been too wired to go back to sleep —that and she was worried she'd lose her momentum and ambition if she did. Jacin walked up to her, two mugs of coffee in hand and set one down in front of her. She absently cupped her hands around it, frowning as she continued to stare at the clock.

A chair groaned as Jacin slid one out next to her and sat down. He followed her line of sight and smiled. "You know, staring at it won't make it go by any faster..."

Diana turned and punched him playfully in the shoulder.

Jacin shrugged sipping from his coffee. Diana rolled her eyes and returned to staring at the clock, drumming her fingers on the table.

Footsteps padded down the hall at the opposite end of the kitchen and Diana heard the unmistakable jingle of dog tags and clack of nails on the hardwood floor. Her eyes flicked up as Thunder trotted into the kitchen, tail wagging and tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

A moment later, Reith stepped in, rubbing the back of his head, ruffling his shaggy black hair. Diana's gaze flicked down to the steaming mug of coffee in her hands. She hadn't talked to Reith since her rescue —or anyone for that matter.

Doubt crawled at the back of her mind. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe she'd acted too quickly. She wasn't ready to face everyone... she was snagged from her thoughts as Jacin rested a hand comfortingly on hers. She looked up into his eyes and took in a deep calming breath. Jacin slowly pulled his hand away and looked up as Reith's shadow fell over the table.

Diana slowly let her eyes wander up to meet Reith's. He was looking down at her in a mix of surprise, concern, and relief. Diana chewed on the inside of her lip, unsure of what to say.

"You're up early," Jacin said, quickly filling the void of silence spreading through the room.

Thunder barked by the back door, looking expectantly up at Reith. Reith walked over to the door, opening it enough to let Thunder out. He leaned against the door and crossed his arms. "Everything alright?" Reith asked, looking between Jacin and Diana.

Diana looked up at him, fiddling with the coffee mug between her hands. She opened her mouth to reply when she noticed the numbers of the digital clock on the stove turn to six o'clock. She abruptly rose from her chair. "It's six," she said, looking pointedly at Jacin.

Jacin sighed, getting to his feet more slowly. He walked up to Reith who appeared to be growing more and more confused with each passing second. He kept flicking his gaze to Diana as if she were about to spontaneously combust.

Jacin clapped his brother on the back. "Care to help me?"

Reith blinked at Jacin. "With what? What the hell is going on?"

Diana looked gratefully at Jacin as he guided his brother out of the kitchen. Diana sat back in her chair with a heavy sigh. Everything was going to be alright, she tried to assure herself.

Thunder padded back inside, wagging his tail furiously as he saw Diana sitting there. She pushed her chair back from the table, letting Thunder rest his large head on her lap. He blinked up at her with knowing dark eyes, drool threatening to spill out of his mouth and onto her lap.

She absently scratched him behind his floppy ears, unable to take her eyes from the doorway, where any minute, Atlantean Rebels would be stepping into the kitchen, still dressed in their pajamas and blinking sleep out of their eyes.