Whirl (Ondine Quartet Book 1) by Emma Raveling Read Free Book Online

growled.
    I stood and leaned forward, giving her my
most predatory smile.
    "I believe you've worn out your welcome,
little girl. Now why don't you go back and play with your toys.
Leave the grown-ups alone."
    Indignant anger replaced the shock in her
eyes.
    "Watch yourself. Given your family
history ," she said with emphasis, "you don't want people
thinking the same thing about you."
    She turned to her followers. "I'll bet she's
not even the sondaleur , anyway."
    The girls giggled. With a final toss of her
head, Amber stormed off.
    "Bitch," Aubrey muttered.
    "Slut," Chloe added.
    I grinned and took a swig of water. My eyes
followed the little twit as she stalked back to her table. "Guess
she wanted the Governor's granddaughter as a minion in her little
Abercrombie and Fitch group."
    Anger swirled in Chloe's eyes and a shrewd
look hardened her delicate features. "No, it's because you're the sondaleur . That bitch is like her parents. They'll do
anything to get closer to power."
    "Yeah, well." I rolled my eyes. "Doesn't sondaleur mean like governor's heir or something? First
family and all that crap."
    It took me a few moments to realize that a
stunned silence had descended upon the table. Unpleasant
apprehension made my stomach clench.
    Ryder's mouth hung slightly open. "You don't
know?"
    "Know what?" I tensed. "Doesn't it have
something to do with my relationship to the Governor? I mean
Tristan, Rhian, and everyone else didn't exactly say what it was.
And after that Aquidae said it, I thought—"
    "Wait. What Aquidae?" Cam interrupted.
    I gave them a quick summary of everything
that had happened last night.
    "So I thought they were trying to kidnap me
because of my relationship to Rhian," I concluded. Judging by their
speechlessness, I was way off the mark.
    Ryder recovered first. "Look," he said in a
matter-of-fact tone. "Lift up your left pant leg."
    I shot him a skeptical look.
    "Yes. I do want to check out your legs," he
said suggestively then gave a mock sigh. "But, I promise. This time
it's an innocent request."
    Reluctant, I pulled my jeans halfway up my
left calf.
    "See that?" Ryder asked, pointing at the four
tiny beauty spots on my inner ankle that loosely formed a small
diamond. I'd almost forgotten they were there.
    I frowned. "What about it?"
    "That," he declared, "and that " he
pointed at my tattoo, "make you the sondaleur ."
    I began to wonder if he was mentally ill. But
everyone else had the same somber expression.
    "There was a prophecy," Aubrey said. "No one
knows the exact details because prophecies are highly protected.
But it predicted the coming of an ondine who would have the mark of
the elemental diamond on her left ankle, and the mark of water on
her right shoulder. As the sondaleur , she'd bring about the
end of our war with the Aquidae."
    Silence.
    "I see. Any other orders I can fulfill as
this sondaleur ? Ending poverty and hunger? Bringing about
permanent world peace?"
    Chloe's brow furrowed. "It's not a joke,
Kendra."
    Incredulous, I shook my head. "Come on.
There's no way in hell I'm this sondaleur thing."
    "I don't know," Ryder's eyes were still glued
to my ankle. Hastily, I tugged down my jeans. "Prince Belicoux and
the Governor obviously believe it. And the Aquidae that came after
you."
    "I got the damn tat a year ago to piss off my
mom," I scoffed. "It can't mean anything. The whole thing is
ridiculous."
    A prophecy about me? No. The idea was as
far-fetched as me becoming the president of the country. If
responsibility for the fate of the water elemental world was going
to be placed on someone, it certainly wasn't me.
    I chose my own way, made my own decisions
about who I was and where I wanted to be. My life belonged to
me.
    "Trust me. I'm no sondaleur ."
     

 
     
    FIVE
     
    The first day of classes whipped by in
a blur. I sat through most of the classes in a stupor, not able to
follow half the things being discussed. Pelletier had been right —
elemental schooling was different from