Read The Turning Tides (Marina's Tales) for Free Online Page B

reluctantly pulling my phone out to see who the persistent caller was. It started ringing for a third time.
    I checked it and answered, “Aunt Evie? What is it?”
    Her voice was tense, “There’s been an accident… I need you to pack some things right away.”
    “An accident? Who? What happened?”
    Ethan sat up, his face suddenly serious.
    “It’s your father… I’m afraid he’s been hurt. He’s being air-lifted to an army base in Germany.”
    “But I just talked to him,” I protested, her words not quite registering. “Why didn’t he call me?”
    She paused, “I’ve got the jet ready to go, and I’ ll send Boris to bring you to the airport– I just spoke to Abby– Where are you?”
    “I’m at Ethan’s,” I answered numbly . “How is he? Did you talk to him? What happened?”
    “Marina, we need to leave right away. I’m afraid it’s serious… It… it was a land mine.”
    “I want to talk to him,” I cried.
    She sounded reluctant to go into detail, “Apparently he hasn’t regained consciousness.”
    “Oh my God.”
    “Boris can be there in an hour.”
    “No! I’ll get to the airport myself– it’ll be faster.”
    Her voice was calm, but I could hear the fear in it, “Are you sure you can drive?”
    “I’ll be right there,” I hung up.
    “I’ll take you,” Ethan said.
     
    I told him what Evie had said on the ride to the airport, trying to keep from crying. Ethan kept looking over at me, squeezing my hand and patting my leg. I could tell he didn’t know what to say, but just having him by my side kept me from panicking. I was glad he was driving.
    We pulled up at the security gate to find Boris there, waiting to wave us through. He looked more serious than ever when he directed Ethan to the runway. We pulled up to the jet and I could see Evie ’s outline in the doorway. Paul stood at attention at the bottom of the steps.
    Ethan and I clung together tightly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of house keys attached to a little wooden surfboard. He pressed them into my hand.
    “Come home to me soon… Be careful…” his voice was gruff.
    “I love you,” I said, unable to stop a single tear from rolling down my cheek.
    We kissed one last time and I climbed out, running into Evie’s arms with a sob, unable to look back. Paul followed me up the stairs and closed the hatch, taking a seat in front. The whole thing seemed like a dream, like something that was happening to someone else.
    Evie took my bag and directed me to a seat, strapping herself in the chair alongside mine and taking my hand.
    “It’s going to be alright.”
    “How do you know?” I asked.
    “Because it has to be,” she said, leaning back in her seat as we started to taxi down the runway.
    After we were airborne she told me everything she knew, and it was chilling news. My father had been out surveying a field with his local assistant, when the young man stepped on a land mine, killing him instantly. S pared the brunt of the explosion, Dad had been severely injured nevertheless, and had to endure a long drive to the nearest military air base. They had immediately transported him to a hospital in Germany where he was in an induced coma due to his head wounds.
    “The doctors there are the very best,” Evie tried to reassure me.
    I sat numbly, letting the whole thing sink in. I must have spoken to him right before it happened… Could my vision this morning have been a metaphor? The thought that it might have been a bad omen chilled me to the bone . What use were muse powers and visions if they couldn’t keep my loved ones safe?
    “Evie? How could it have happened?” I asked her with tortured eyes . “I mean, with both of us on his side…”
    She shook her head sadly, full of remorse, “I had a bad feeling about this one. I should have stopped him. I should have known–”
    “Like anyone could have!” I burst out . “It’s not your fault Evie.”
    She sighed, leaning back in her seat.