Chapter Thirty-Eight

Safina

Gabriel and I triedto warn as many citizens as possible, banging on their doors and begging them to evacuate to higher ground. For the most part, though, we were met with disbelief and people shooing us off their porches and slamming doors in our faces.

We were exhausted and weather-worn from the blustery winds by the time we turned the corner to Mrs. Jenkens's house. Gabriel's brothers were loading crates and furniture into Se?or Cortez's wagon while Mrs. Jenkens fussed around them like a squawking chicken. The sun had risen, revealing an endless sea of billowing, brick-red clouds in the distance. The tide had come into the yard, and breakers hit the beach with such ferocity, they splashed the tops of telephone poles.

A few of Mrs. Jenkens's neighbors had also become alarmed. Following her lead, some had even started packing their belongings into wagons. However, most of Galveston seemed to congregate on the beach, "oohing" and "ahhing" at the magnificent sight of their island being battered.

The local weatherman's brother, Isaac Cline, was driving a buggy up and down the street, calling to everyone to move to higher ground, but much of what he said was lost in the strengthening wind. Most people were too fascinated with the display to pay him any heed.

I lifted my skirts, sloshing through water and grit as I made my way toward the porch stairs. Gabriel kissed my cheek before going to help his brothers load the cart.

The dragon queen let out a shrill cry and raced down the steps, grabbing me in a fierce hug. She clutched my shoulders. "Daughter, I've been worried sick about you all morning." She nodded toward the full cart. Gabriel's brothers sat in the back, propping up the furniture to keep it from tumbling out. "You two get to Josef's house and wait for us there."

"Mother," I said, "we still have many more houses to go to." I regretted stopping by Mrs. Jenkens's house, but I'd had to make sure my mother and friends were safe.

Mrs. Jenkens stomped up to me, waving her hands wildly. "Nonsense. Can't you see Isaac Cline is warning everyone now?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "He is just warning the people along the beach. Se?or Cortez told Gabriel the surge will cover the entire island."

Mother cupped my chin, giving a sad shake of the head. "You cannot save all of Galveston."

I crossed my arms. "We can try."

Despite the looming danger, I was elated to see my father come down the stairs and join my mother, though the dragon queen pinched her mouth and refused to look in his direction.

"Safina, listen. I have been through hurricanes before." He gestured at the waves crashing on the shore. "The winds will pick up, and the flying debris will become dangerous. For your mother's sake" he begged, "please return to Josef's house."

I was about to open my mouth in protest when a breaker splintered a bathhouse to pieces, tossing the remnants on the beach before sweeping it back into the sea.

My shoulders slumped when I realized I'd been defeated. I hoped Isaac Cline would carry his warning up the neighboring blocks and the people of Galveston would listen.

* * *

Safina

I WASN'T HAPPY ABOUTthe riding arrangements to Se?or Cortez's house. I'd wanted to walk with Gabriel, but my mother and Mrs. Jenkens insisted I accompany them in a cramped carriage. Moses sat up front, talking to the horses, while I squeezed in beside Abby.

When I leaned out the window and waved goodbye to Gabriel, he'd given me a sympathetic look. My heart sank, not just because I couldn't stand to be parted from him, but because I feared Mrs. Jenkens would make the ride unbearable.

"Safina MacQuoid, or is it Safina Cortez now?" The old woman's eyes narrowed as she sat directly across from me. "I demand to know where you ran off to. We have all been worried sick, and your poor, dear mother has been beside herself over you." She patted the dragon queen's knee but didn't make any other attempt to comfort her.

My mother sat stoically, the wind from the open windows whipping strands of hair across her face. Her attention wasn't on the conversation but on the horizon. I was envious of my mother. I'd much rather watch the hurricane come in than be subjected to a barrage of nosy questions.

I suspected the real reason Mrs. Jenkens wanted to know where we'd been had less to do with concern over my safety and more to do with her need to spread the latest gossip.

"To answer your first question," I answered curtly as I turned up my nose, "it's Safina MacQuoid-Cortez, and as for your second question, that is a private matter." I decided it best not to tell Mrs. Jenkens about my other surname, Firesblood, knowing its magical sound would have the woman's tongue wagging for sure.

Mrs. Jenkens's eyes widened, and her face fell as fast as that bathhouse crumbling into the sea. "Oh, the insolence!"

"Nana, please," Abby grumbled. She held her bonnet down with one hand while the ties lashed against her face.

Mrs. Jenkens turned her scowl on her granddaughter. "Don't come to her defense, Abby. This girl needs a good tongue-lashing." She pursed her lips, looking lost in thought before again glaring at me. "And how is it that Gabriel can walk again? What did you do?"

"The same thing my mother does." I shrugged and looked over the side of the carriage. Water was running into the street at an alarming rate, and children were playing in it. Little boys squealed as they watched their toy ships sail downstream, and little girls lifted the hems of their skirts while splashing through the current. Those poor souls had no idea what was in store for them.

"So you healed him and then ran off? Took a train to Houston, I suppose?" Mrs. Jenkens pressed, seemingly unaware of the activity outside.

I refused to acknowledge Mrs. Jenkens's question while continuing to stare at the bustle in the streets. The carriage had stopped, wedged between a horde of people trying to get to the beach. The adults laughed and shared greetings, talking about how the weather would spend itself by noon. I clenched my hands, wanting so badly to scream at them, but they'd probably think I'd gone insane.

"Very well," Mrs. Jenkens huffed, crossing her arms, "keep your secrets to yourself, but I shall get to the bottom of this one way or another."

Abby rolled her eyes at her nana and then chewed on her nails, her nervous gaze darting to the people in the crowd.

"You seem upset, Abby," I said. "Is everything okay?"

Abby frowned. "I have been trying to reach Charlotte for two days, and she hasn't returned my messages. I was supposed to host her party today, but of course, I had to cancel. Either she's angry with me because of that, or she hasn't received my messages. I'm worried she'll show up at Nana's house." She waved outside. "I don't want her out in this weather."

"Nobody should be out in this weather," I agreed. "What will you do?"

Abby pouted. "I must call on Charlotte once more and insist I be seen."

Mrs. Jenkens stomped a foot. "Absolutely not."

"Nana, please." Abby clasped her hands together. "Charlotte's life could be in danger."

The old woman's tone turned even more shrill than usual. "And so will yours be if you venture out in this."

"I don't care," Abby argued as the carriage lurched forward. "I will not let Charlotte risk her life."

Mrs. Jenkens leaned forward, patting Abby on the knee. "She is probably not answering you, dearest, because she's in labor."

Abby's jaw dropped. "Oh, do you think?"

"Of course," Mrs. Jenkens said with a knowing smile.

Abby worried her bottom lip before pulling back her shoulders. "Even more reason to call on her."

"Nonsense." Mrs. Jenkens sat back with a huff. "Once we get to Se?or Cortez's house, you aren't leaving until after the storm."

"Nana," Abby pleaded, "the women in Charlotte's family all die during childbirth."

The dragon queen jolted as if waking from a trance. "I will go with Abby."

"Fiona, no," Mrs. Jenkens groaned and turned to Mother. "I cannot allow you to risk your life."

As if to prove Mrs. Jenkens's point, a powerful gust of wind rocked the carriage. Abby and Mrs. Jenkens yelped, and I clutched my seat, my heart rate intensifying as we were hit with another blast that sent the carriage in the other direction.

Mother seemed undaunted as she eyed Mrs. Jenkens coolly. "I promised Abby I would help her friend with the birthing." She winked at Abby. "Besides, Charlotte's house is on high ground, is it not?"

"Yes." Abby eagerly nodded before warily looking outside. "The very center of town."

"Good," Mother said in a tone that defied Mrs. Jenkens to argue. "We shall set off as soon as we deliver your Nana and Safina to Josef."

"I'm coming, too," I blurted, knowing my mother would be displeased but not caring one bit. I wouldn't let Abby and Mother venture out in this weather without me.

Mother's expression hardened. "No, you're not, child. You're staying where it's safe."

My back stiffened. "Mother, I'm a grown woman. I can make my own decisions."

Mother heaved a resigned sigh. "Very well, Safina."

She looked away, but not before I read the sadness in her eyes. I didn't need to be tethered to my mother's heart to know what the dragon queen was thinking. I was no longer her little girl. In a way, the thought made me sad, too.

When the carriage came to a stop in front of Se?or Cortez's house, Mother helped Mrs. Jenkens out of the carriage, ignoring the woman as she fretted and blustered about like the wind gusts that shook the carriage.

Gabriel, his brothers, and my father were already unloading Mrs. Jenkens's things from the cart and hauling them up the stairs.

Built around the house was a fortress of sorts—sandbags stacked like a brick wall. I recognized the bags from the cart when Gabriel's family had brought us back from the beach, and knew his brothers had to have made several trips to have gathered so many. I assumed they were to keep the home from floating away. None of Se?or Cortez's neighbors had such reinforcements. In fact, many of the neighbor children were outside, splashing in the rain, laughing as they chased the rising tributaries that ran through their yards.

"Josef," Mother said to the stooped old man, ignoring Mrs. Jenkens. "We are going to Broadway Street. We shall return shortly."

Before Mrs. Jenkens could stop us, Mother asked Moses to take us to the home of Charlotte Carter and hopped back in the carriage. I cringed at Gabriel's wide-eyed expression as he gaped at me from the porch. I blew him a kiss, hoping he wouldn't be upset with me for leaving.

* * *

Abby

WHEN WE ARRIVED ATCharlotte's grand home, I had decided it would be best if I faced my friend alone. I alone was responsible for my friend losing faith in me, and I alone needed to fix it. Of course, if Charlotte was indeed in labor, I promised Miss Fiona I would come back for her straight away.

I rang Charlotte's door chime with a heavy heart. I suspected Charlotte wasn't in labor. Why else would her servant, Josiah, have told me that Charlotte was sleeping every time I either called upon or rang her? And why had Charlotte never responded?

When Josiah answered the door, I didn't give him a chance to refuse me. I ducked under his arm, racing toward Charlotte's parlor.

"Miss Abby, wait!" Josiah called.

I didn't look back as I slid inside the parlor and shut the door. No surprise, Charlotte was sitting by herself, stitching something probably far superior to anything I could ever make. She set down her stitchwork with a gasp when she saw me.

No doubt Lydia and Irene had gotten to Charlotte, for my dearest friend didn't look pleased to see me. I didn't wait for Charlotte's rebuke. I strode up to her and knelt at her side, clasping her hands. "Charlotte, thank goodness you're okay."

Charlotte jerked away from me as if I had a case of the plague. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"

I was not to be deterred. "I've been trying to reach you for two days. There's a storm coming, so I've had to postpone the party."

Charlotte scowled. "So I've heard."

"Please believe me," I begged, "whatever Lydia and Irene said isn't true."

Charlotte pinched her lips together, her vacant stare cold and void of emotion. It was a look I had never seen before. "I find it too odd for my liking that after abusing me for almost a year"—Charlotte's voice cracked as she fisted her hands—"you suddenly have to cancel the party. The papers said the hurricane has already hit Florida and is traveling up the East Coast. It won't come anywhere near here."

I placed a hand on my chest, my breaths coming in shallow gasps. I had to make Charlotte believe me. "No, Charlotte. It's here." I gestured at the tall window in front of us, which rattled as the wind beat against it. "Can't you see it?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes, another first for her. "What I see is a windy day. Teddy says it will all blow over."

My heart beat so fast, I feared my chest would implode. "He's wrong. Se?or Cortez predicted the hurricane. Nana says he's never wrong about such things. I promise, after the hurricane passes, I will host another party."

"No need." Charlotte turned up her nose as she rubbed her swollen belly. "Lydia is having one for me today at her house."

I froze, my racing heart coming to a sudden stop. "Lydia?"

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get ready." Charlotte heaved herself from the sofa.

I jumped up, blocking Charlotte's path. "You can't go." My heart pounded like a drum in my ears, so hard, it made my head spin. "Her house is on low ground. You'll be in danger."

"Good day, Abby."

Charlotte tried to step around me, but I dug my fingers into her arm, refusing to let go.

"Abby," Charlotte growled, trying to shake out of my grip. "You're hurting me!"

"No, Charlotte." Tears streamed down my face. "Please believe me."

We both jumped at a loud bang. I released Charlotte and spun around to see a very irate Teddy Carter bearing down on us.

"Miss Jenkens!" He jutted a finger toward the door. "I must ask you to leave my property at once."

"Teddy, please." I clasped my hands together in a prayer pose. "A hurricane is coming. I swear it."

His eyes narrowed as he spoke through clenched teeth. "I will not ask you again."

My shoulders fell as I left Charlotte Carter's house with slow steps, feeling as if I was marching to the beat of my best friend's funeral procession. When I alighted in the carriage, I fell into Miss Fiona's embrace in a heap of sobs.

"You did your best, dearest," Miss Fiona cooed in my ear.

"But it wasn't good enough," I wailed, soaking Miss Fiona's collar. "They're having the party at Lydia's house. Charlotte will drown!"

"Don't fret, child. I'm sure she'll come to her senses," Miss Fiona said as she stroked my back.

I wasn't convinced, and I couldn't help but cry harder.

The wind shook the carriage all the way home. After we stepped onto the sidewalk in front of Se?or Cortez's house, we were pelted with hard rain. Heavy, ominous clouds had rolled in, and I knew without a doubt Se?or Cortez was not crazy. I prayed my friends realized the truth before it was too late.