Rising Tides | 2

CE E x c e r p t

Please note that this is an excerpt from book one for those who need a refresher on where we left off :) Enjoy!

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I took a chance to assess my surroundings, to breathe in my first seconds of the life of a rebel. The site ahead of me blew my breath away. Stretching across the entire horizon, piled up high, was a mountain of random machinery. It ranged from screws littered on the sand all the way to a giant, splintered airplane. Looking around, I realized that this was the island Hunter told me about the night we kissed. He was right about it being a junkyard. There were no signs of life anywhere except for the vessel we were standing on.

Looking to my left, I saw a small, yet extremely intimidating, group of men and women who all appeared to have some sort of military ranking. Their uniforms were crisp and pristine unlike everyone else's around me. One man standing at the center of them all seemed to tower over the rest in rank. An abundance of medals glittered on his chest. He was a stout and older man with neatly combed hair that had begun to grey at the roots. Frown lines were etched into his skin, making him appear much older than he probably was. I noticed that his uniform looked like it was cared for the most, or maybe the ragged girl at his side had magnified its cleanliness.

Ragan scowled next to the man who I assumed was the general. She looked uncomfortable and ready to flee at any second. Her discomfort was strange to me. I had never seen her so exposed. Ragan always kept her emotions hidden. She didn't look up as we stopped in front of her and the officers.

The general slowly scanned each of us with his grey eyes, resting on me last. His booming voice reverberated across the island of junk. "Ember Valarious, it's a pleasure to finally meet you and your ... friends. Ever since I learned of your gift, I've been trying to seek you out. Now, here you are." He extended a pale hand. "I am General Silas Hatis, leader of the Dark Crown Rebellion."

His introduction felt a little too dramatic for my taste. No one except for my friends had learned about my "gift", as he called it, until this morning. Our faces and information had been plastered all over the display screens that were mounted on the sides of many buildings. And, no, not in any way had he tried to seek me out. We were the ones who had to reach out to him.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I shook his hand, careful not to hold it too long because of his power. He could blow me to bits if he wanted.

"It's nice to meet you too, General," I replied, pulling my hand away and tucking it by my side.

He flashed me a satisfied smile, holding my gaze for a little too long. General Hatis's attention flicked to Ragan, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. She flinched when his hand rested on her shoulder. I eyed Adara, noticing the same confusion I held on her face.

"It's so good to finally have you back with me, Ragan," the captain mused.

What? Have her back with him? What was I missing here? Adara beat me to the question.

She stepped forward. "What do you mean, sir?"

General Hatis lifted an eyebrow at Ragan. "You haven't told them?"

Ragan scoffed. "I haven't told them a lot of things."

"That's enough!" Wren cut in. He turned to Ragan, looking hurt. "What haven't you told us?"

Ragan huffed out a frustrated breath before pointing accusingly at the man next to her. "He i–was ... my father," she stuttered out.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Seriously? What the hell was wrong with her family? Wren and Ada had the same reaction. Hurt flashed across their faces, obviously offended that their closest friend had kept so many secrets from them. This entire time, the captain and his associates watched silently, not moving a muscle. They seemed unfazed by Ragan's secret.

Adara, however, took this the hardest. "I don't even know what to say to you, Ragan. What else are you hiding from us? I can't believe this. I thought Maddox would be the last secret, but no. They just keep on coming."

Wren pinched his forehead. I had never seen the fisherman look so seasick. "Can we just get off this boat?"

General Hatis took that as his cue. "Of course. Follow me."

The four of us trudged behind him and the other officers to the side of the vessel where a ramp waited for us. The other crew members trickled in behind us, and I wondered how much they had heard. I stared at the back of the captain's head as he led us down the ramp toward a base that would become my new home.

I was beyond mad at him. The only reason he came to our rescue was to rub it in Maddox's face. He had his daughter and now me, the most wanted person in Auchterton. Valarious against Valarious. The rebels now had the upper hand in this war, and I figured General Hatis would not plan on being quiet about it. This whole fight was too personal. And those were the most dangerous.

I was also furious with Ragan. Why didn't she confront us about her situation? She kept us in the dark and chose for us. But, I understood the reasoning behind her secrecy. Both sides of this war were led by her family members. Father against son. They made her choose who to fight with. There was no good in this battle, but I knew she chose the better of the two.

Walking down the ramp, I made myself promise that I wouldn't trust anyone as much as I had before. Reaching the end of that ramp and sinking my foot into the damp sand of this secret island felt like a new beginning. Today had been the longest day ever, but through it I learned so much. My heart would no longer be left on my sleeve for anyone to twist and shape how they liked. I was my own person, not Hunter's plaything or Ragan's punching bag.

I am Ember Valarious. I am strong and independent. I am my own person, and if anyone wants to change that about me, then that's their loss.

They can't chase me. I'm too far gone.