want to be a part of his life. A person like him is rare—latching on is natural. And if it’s not, she doesn’t care.
Her mind wanders to Landon. Maybe he has drifted somewhere else and isn’t being threatened with imprisonment. It’s all she can hope for. Or maybe, just maybe, Gage’s actions are the universe’s way of making up for taking Landon away from her. All she can do is speculate.
CHAPTER 14: WATERFALL
16 years old
The rumble of the waterfall is loud, even from far away. As they come into view of the wild beast, Summer wonders how they’ll cross the raging waters without floating down stream. She can’t swim and doesn’t know how to convey this to anyone. Regardless, even in the dark, the waterfall is beautiful with its flowing water cascading down, mist rising into the air. She can see a moonbow reach high into the water vapors. It’s more stunning here than when she sees it over the ocean. There is just something mesmerizing about it.
They stop before the rampant waters; Gage sets her down and keeps an arm around her for support. She begins to tremble, her eyes are as wide as quarters, and the rapids reflect in her shining eyes. Cameron approaches the water, wades in a foot, and pulls out a device that clicks and draws a graph on the screen as she dips part of it into the water.
“ Burr ! This water’s cold—the spring feeding it isn’t far off.” Cameron motions at the top of the waterfall.
This only makes Summer’s shaking more violent, and Gage glances sideways at her. “What’s wrong?” He looks at Jaden who shrugs and then back to her. Her eyes jump from the water to Gage in hopes he understands. This only confuses him, and he offers his palm to her. She begins to glide her finger across his palm and writes, “I can’t swim.” Apostrophe and all.
“ You can’t swim?” he immediately questions, and his eyebrows draw together.
“ Really?” Jaden asks with a chuckle. “You lived on a ship!”
It astonishes Summer that he comprehends this form of communication instantly. She tried it with Landon once, and he thought she was writing “I like tea” instead of “It’s a key.” An hour later showed no results, so notebooks were stashed all over the ship just in case she needed them. This only makes her miss Landon even more.
She grips Gage’s hand more firmly and does it all over again, this time trying out a longer sentence. “They never let me leave the boat.”
“ So this is your first time on land since . . . ?” He doesn’t finish the question.
She taps once into his palm.
“ Oh, wow. There’s so much you haven’t seen.” His eyes show amazement and opportunity.
Cameron exits the water and tucks the device she was using into her complicated belt. “There’s plenty of iron under the stream.”
“ There won’t be any swimming,” Gage explains to Summer.
Blank stares greet his words, and he points to Cameron who holds out two pieces of metal in each palm. “Activate,” she commands, and the metal unfolds until each are several times bigger. She drops them to the ground, steps on them, and her feet cover them perfectly. “Fasten.” Tiny hooks expand out the sides and dig into her boots. It looks just like the implants in their ears, just on a larger scale. “Mobilize,” she commands, and then she lifts into the air. “Steady.”
Jaden and Summer gape at her as she floats a foot off the ground.
“ Please tell me you have extra?” Jaden squeals with delight.
“ I’m sorry,” Cameron answers with a frown. “They are made specifically for our weight range, body type, and our center of gravity. We’ll have to be especially careful when we go across the water with each of you in tow.”
“ Damn, there go my fantasies.” Jaden snaps her fingers disappointingly.
Summer giggles. All eyes swivel in her direction; eyebrows raise, mouths drop open, and eyes go wide. She covers her mouth and practically runs backwards out of
Her mind wanders to Landon. Maybe he has drifted somewhere else and isn’t being threatened with imprisonment. It’s all she can hope for. Or maybe, just maybe, Gage’s actions are the universe’s way of making up for taking Landon away from her. All she can do is speculate.
CHAPTER 14: WATERFALL
16 years old
The rumble of the waterfall is loud, even from far away. As they come into view of the wild beast, Summer wonders how they’ll cross the raging waters without floating down stream. She can’t swim and doesn’t know how to convey this to anyone. Regardless, even in the dark, the waterfall is beautiful with its flowing water cascading down, mist rising into the air. She can see a moonbow reach high into the water vapors. It’s more stunning here than when she sees it over the ocean. There is just something mesmerizing about it.
They stop before the rampant waters; Gage sets her down and keeps an arm around her for support. She begins to tremble, her eyes are as wide as quarters, and the rapids reflect in her shining eyes. Cameron approaches the water, wades in a foot, and pulls out a device that clicks and draws a graph on the screen as she dips part of it into the water.
“ Burr ! This water’s cold—the spring feeding it isn’t far off.” Cameron motions at the top of the waterfall.
This only makes Summer’s shaking more violent, and Gage glances sideways at her. “What’s wrong?” He looks at Jaden who shrugs and then back to her. Her eyes jump from the water to Gage in hopes he understands. This only confuses him, and he offers his palm to her. She begins to glide her finger across his palm and writes, “I can’t swim.” Apostrophe and all.
“ You can’t swim?” he immediately questions, and his eyebrows draw together.
“ Really?” Jaden asks with a chuckle. “You lived on a ship!”
It astonishes Summer that he comprehends this form of communication instantly. She tried it with Landon once, and he thought she was writing “I like tea” instead of “It’s a key.” An hour later showed no results, so notebooks were stashed all over the ship just in case she needed them. This only makes her miss Landon even more.
She grips Gage’s hand more firmly and does it all over again, this time trying out a longer sentence. “They never let me leave the boat.”
“ So this is your first time on land since . . . ?” He doesn’t finish the question.
She taps once into his palm.
“ Oh, wow. There’s so much you haven’t seen.” His eyes show amazement and opportunity.
Cameron exits the water and tucks the device she was using into her complicated belt. “There’s plenty of iron under the stream.”
“ There won’t be any swimming,” Gage explains to Summer.
Blank stares greet his words, and he points to Cameron who holds out two pieces of metal in each palm. “Activate,” she commands, and the metal unfolds until each are several times bigger. She drops them to the ground, steps on them, and her feet cover them perfectly. “Fasten.” Tiny hooks expand out the sides and dig into her boots. It looks just like the implants in their ears, just on a larger scale. “Mobilize,” she commands, and then she lifts into the air. “Steady.”
Jaden and Summer gape at her as she floats a foot off the ground.
“ Please tell me you have extra?” Jaden squeals with delight.
“ I’m sorry,” Cameron answers with a frown. “They are made specifically for our weight range, body type, and our center of gravity. We’ll have to be especially careful when we go across the water with each of you in tow.”
“ Damn, there go my fantasies.” Jaden snaps her fingers disappointingly.
Summer giggles. All eyes swivel in her direction; eyebrows raise, mouths drop open, and eyes go wide. She covers her mouth and practically runs backwards out of
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