Two Halves Series by Marta Szemik Read Free Book Online Page A

the water mark? Did Aseret just kill them off? What was the point of us having to experience life before we were marked now? After all, we were the last ones. Why not mark us now and avoid the nothingness?
    “Come, you need to remember who you are.” Mira nestled her back into the under footing at the base of the tree, as if she was snuggling on top of fluffed pillows.
    I didn’t argue; I lay down beside her. As soon as my back touched the snowy ground, my body shifted into an infant. So did Mira’s. It was the only form in which our thoughts cleared and the importance of life flourished. The differences between good and evil were sorted. The electrons whizzed through my brain, organizing my priorities.
    Drawing a deep breath, I concentrated on the naked branches swaying in the night sky. The white crescent of the moon shimmered between the frozen spines of the trees. On the next exhale, I strained to be thoughtless. The moisture in my nostrils began to freeze in the crisp air.
    Could I kill if I had to? I had been so close to doing so, which made me sure I should be tied to the underworld. Was having the sphere the way to go, or was there another way to be a part of Xela’s life?
    How could someone I’d just met have so much power over me? I knew she hadn’t put a spell on me, but her body controlled mine when we were together the way no one’s had before. Yet somehow, Xela was right. As much as I wanted to be with her, perhaps the sphere wasn’t for me.
    “You know deep down we’re meant to have the water mark,” Mira said, interrupting my thoughts. She turned her head to face me. Had a human seen two infants talking to each other like adults, they’d think we were the spawn of the devil itself.
    “I know,” I said.
    “It will pass, Xander.” The guilt in her voice flew through me. Mira knew she’d have Eric to share her life with; nothing could prevent them from being together once she, too, was marked with the water sign.
    The wind blew, lifting lone snowflakes off the branches to swirl and settle in new spots.
    “I wish that was true.” I sighed and emptied my mind again.
    We remained in our infant form until morning.
     
    * * *
    One day.
    When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the forest, the wind blew again. We jumped as if shocked with electricity, instantly shifting into our adult selves and standing back to back, scanning the forest. It was in our nature to be wary, and in this case, we were right to be.
    I sniffed. Stinky socks and spoiled eggs. Seekers.
    “How many?” Mira asked.
    “I don’t know. It feels like—”
    “Twenty or more,” she finished. “You think we can take them?”
    “No doubt we can.” I turned clockwise, moving in unison with my sister.
    Suddenly, the air filled with a lavender mist and Eric stood beside us.
    “We can handle this, lover boy,” I said, keeping my eyes on the underbrush, waiting for the seekers’ orange eyes to appear.
    “I’m sure you can, but that’s not why I’m here.”
    “What now?” I growled.
    “You’re being called to a meeting with the keepers. Aseret has sent armies of seekers to start their killings.”
    “Then let’s stop him,” I challenged, eager to return to the underworld to get a glimpse of Xela.
    “Meeting first, underworld second. Believe me, you’ll get your chance soon.” His tone left no room for argument, and there was no time to argue, as his lavender mist wrapped itself around us and the swirling began.
    This vortex was longer than the others I’d travelled through. The greens and grays of the forest mixed with drifting snow, then blended with ocean blues as we warped to Spain. When the blues changed back to greens again and the swirling ceased, we were in Monasterio de Piedra: the home of the keepers. The thunder of waterfalls hit our ears before the room stopped spinning.
    “We don’t have much time.” Eric rushed us forward.
    Mira reached for his hand, but he pulled away, giving her a not-now