****Paradise Sagas:  Book 1: Warriors of Paradise****

 

Chapter 4

 

     She came to school Wednesday, two days after the meeting.  She kept to herself.  In English, she couldn't avoid them.  She slid into her seat, next to Kendra, who smiled and slipped her a note.  Lexa unfolded the paper and read the letter.

     Lexa-

Please don't be mad at us.  Did you feel anything Monday night?  A spark even?  Come on; let us help figure it out.  I KNOW you're one of us.

 

     -Kendra

 

     Lexa folded the note back up, then smiled at Kendra, who relaxed slightly.

~*~*~*~

     Kendra found Lexa heading down the hall after fourth period.

     "So?"  Kendra fell into step beside her, "Did you?  Anything?"

     "There was a spark."  Lexa nodded and smirked as she opened her locker.

     "Really?  Seriously?  Then maybe…"  Kendra let the sentence hang.

     "You wanna cut?"  Lexa burst out.

     "As long as we go back."  Kendra read the girl's train of thought.

     Lexa shifted as she threw her books in to the locker, then slammed it shut.  "Let's go.  We can take my jeep."

     "Where are you going?"  A voice made them jump.  They turned to see Daenna.

     "Back to the cave."  Kendra replied, getting a bored look in her eyes.

     "Without us?"

     "You can come if you want."  Lexa offered.

     "Nope.  There's a meeting at lunch."  Daenna smiled sneakily.

     "Looks like we'll have to miss it."  Kendra snapped, grabbing Lexa's wrist, "C'mon.  Let's go."

     Lexa allowed herself to be dragged away.

~*~*~*~

     Kendra threw her backpack into the back seat of the open-air jeep, before climbing into the passenger side.  Lexa turned the ignition key—-just as David jumped in back.

     "David!  What are you doing?  There's a meeting right now."  Kendra yelled.

     "I was just about to say the same thing to you."  He smiled as he leaned up between the two seats, "So, where are we going?"

     "Who's 'we', Kimosabi?"  Lexa looked at him in her rear-view mirror.

     "Me, you and Kendra."  He replied with a sly grin.

     "Oh no.  Get out.  Go to the-” Kendra burst out before Lexa laid a hand on her arm, shutting her up.

     "He can come if he wants.  It's the other's loss."  She put the jeep in reverse, and backed out of the parking space.

~*~*~*~

     They cruised down the highway, telling stupid jokes, and laughing over nothing.  The sky was blue and clear as they neared the beach.

     The conversation died.

~*~*~*~

     Lexa pulled the keys out of the ignition as David climbed out and over the side of the jeep.

     Not much had changed since Monday.  Their footprints were the only ones near the hole.  David threw a rope down and tied it to the rock Lexa had stood on before.

     Kendra lowered herself down, followed by Lexa, then finally David.

     David didn't move from his stance on his mound.  Lexa approached the sword.  In the little light the sun offered, she could see a clear stone in the handle, just below the crescent moon.

     "Maybe you shouldn't touch it."  David said.

     "If I'm not one of you, then nothing will happen."  Lexa climbed up on top of the mound.  The sword came to her waist.  She reached out as David and Kendra fell silent.

     The darkness hit her before she could touch the sword.