Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
When the tremors increase, my whole body goes cold and adrenaline starts to pump through me, sending me into overdrive.
“Get into their van,” I shout at the others.
“What?” Doug snaps.
I lock eyes with him and say, “If you want to survive the disasters that are about to be unleashed on this world, you’ll come with us.”
The quaking intensifies, and Sarah cries, “Let’s go with them, Doug.”
“I’ll drive,” Jason says while Finian grabs hold of Doug, shoving him into the back of the van.
Brenna, Raighne, and I quickly get in, and seconds later, Jason steers the van out of the parking area.
Finian is restraining Doug while I try to reassure him by telling him, “You’re safe with us.”
“Jason, we need to go to the nearest waterfall,” Raighne orders.
“Got it,” Jason replies, then he grins at Sarah. “Don’t worry. I’m a good driver.”
She just stares at him with wide eyes, then whispers, “There’s a waterfall at Iveagh Gardens. It’s the closest.”
Jason hands his phone to her. “Pull up a map and tell me where to go.”
I glance at Doug, and seeing the panic and fear on his face, I give him a compassionate look. “We won’t hurt you. We’re here to protect you.”
“I swear, if you hurt my sister, I’ll kill you,” he threatens, his features drawn tight.
“I want to save her,” I say, not knowing how I’ll get through to him.
When Jason brings the van to a screeching stop right outside the gardens, Sarah points at an entrance. “Through there.”
“Let’s go,” I say as I pull the door open.
We all pile out, then Sarah says, “I’ll wait here. We left my wheelchair at the hospital, and I can’t walk too far.”
“I’ll carry you,” Jason tells her, and not waiting for anyone to argue, he opens the passenger door and picks up Sarah as if she weighs nothing.
That solves one problem.
“I’ll take my sister,” Doug snaps, but Jason starts to walk, and Finian keeps hold of Doug’s arm to control him.
“Wait for us by the waterfall,” I order before I start to jog toward the entrance.
The ground shakes again, making me break out into a flat-out sprint in the direction of the waterfall.
Seeing boulders around the pool, that doesn’t look too deep, I leap over them and splash into the water. I swallow some before I rush to the curtain.
Raighne grabs hold of my hand, and I clear my mind, only thinking of Sky as we step into the waterfall.
When we come out on the other side, a gale-force wind rips at us, and I stagger backward, but Raighne pulls me through the rough waters toward the embankment that seems to be in a cove of rocks.
It’s dark as hell, and I can’t see much with the storm raging around us.
“Sky!” I scream.
“Alchera!” Her voice is faint, being carried away by the strong winds.
I hope she’s close by, but it’s too dark to rely on my sight.
“Sky! I’m here. Keep calling out. I’ll follow your voice,” I shout, but I can hardly hear my own voice above the roar of the storm.
The trees around us are bending severely, taking heavy strain from the wind. Pieces of debris slam hard into my body.
“Where are you?” I cry.
“By the waterfall!” she shouts, sounding closer.
My eyes finally begin to adjust to the darkness, and I catch sight of movement to my right. “I see something and really hope it’s you. Can you see me?”
“Yes! Yes, I see you!” She cries with relief drenching her words.
“Thank God!” Using every bit of power I have, I push myself up off the grass.
I don’t know where the strength comes from, but I need to get to Sky. She is all that matters now.
When she sees me, she starts to cry, her small frame trembling violently. “You came for me. You didn’t forget me,” she cries and grabs hold of me so tightly I almost lose my balance. “You really came for me.”
“I’ve got her,” Raighne says as he turns so she can climb onto his back. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Don’t let go of Raighne,” I tell her before I fight my way back into the pool.
I swallow some of the muddy water as I fight to keep my head above it. The wind is making the water’s surface turbulent, and I’m quickly growing tired.
We’re almost to the curtain when I hear a deafening roar.
“Jesus, what’s that?” I ask.
“Tsunami,” Sky screams. “Faster. It’s coming!”
Ice ripples through my body, and fear settles hard in the pit of my stomach. I glance over my shoulder, and my eyes jump from Sky’s terrified face to the colossal wall of water rushing toward us like a dark shadow, crushing trees and everything else in its path.
Oh. My. God.
“Move, Raighne!” I shout, waiting for them to get in front of me.
He powers through the water and reaches the curtain first.