P.C. Cast: Goddess of Light

Apollo threw back his head and laughed joyously, and Pamela's shout joined his own as their souls were filled with an incredible rush of love and joy. Again, Apollo pulled his soul mate into his arms, and Pamela wrapped her glowing body around him. While they were embracing, their bodies continued to change, losing shape so that it seemed that they merged together and truly became one. Then the incandescent, blazing ball of light exploded, raining sparks into the water. From the center of the shining geyser appeared two fist-sized globes of identical light. They hovered there above the river for a moment, acclimating themselves to their new senses. Then, as if following a trail of sweet memories, they began to float downstream and toward their new beginning.

Kristin was so bored she thought she would die. She wished she would die. She might as well die—like there was anything else to do? It was just like her parents to force her into a stupid family vacation. Could they have let her stay home with her friends Janice and Rebecca and Ruth? Of course not, even though she had just turned thirteen. Definitely old enough to stay home alone for two tiny weeks. It totally made no sense.

So here she was, sitting on a beach while the sun was rising, all by herself. Why? Because no one else in her family got out of bed practically before noon. She was doomed to live with people who slept away the best part of the day. It was just the second day of the two-week torture her parents called vacation. She considered hurling herself into the ocean. No, she swam too well. It would take forever for her to drown.

Kristin dug her feet into the white sand and let the edge of the waves lap over her toes. She supposed she could read a book. Another book. She ran a hand through her short hair in irritation. She'd just had it cut before they left, and she couldn't get used to the feel of it—or the way it kinda stuck out sometimes, especially in front. She sighed. She probably shouldn't have cut it. She'd never get a boyfriend now. Ever. She'd die an old maid.

A shadow blocked a piece of the morning sun, and she sighed again. It was probably her little brother. Perfect.

She balled up a handful of wet sand and got ready to throw it at him when the shadow spoke.

"Hey," said a stranger's voice.

Kristin squinted and held her sandy hand up against the glare of the rising sun. And she almost passed out. It was a boy! A really hot, tall, blond boy. He looked practically sixteen. And he was smiling at her.

"Hey," she said.

"So, are you just getting up or just going to bed?" he asked.

His voice didn't even crack.

"Gettin' up," she said, trying to stop herself from staring like a retard at his eyes. They were, like, as blue as the ocean.

"Me, too," he said and flopped down next to her. "I like morning best."

"Me, too," she said.

"My family's all 'sleep still," he said.

"So's mine. They sleep forever."

"Yeah."

She couldn't believe how warm he was. He wasn't even sitting that close to her, but she could swear that waves of hotness were coming from his body. She wanted to say something to him, but she didn't want to babble. Or sound stupid.

"Hey, what's that?" he said, pointing at something that was glittering just at the edge of the surf, half covered by the sand her toes had dug up.

He leaned forward—practically touching her—and grabbed a hold of the thing, lifting it free of the sand.

"Wow!" he said.

"It's awesome," she said. She couldn't look away from the bright coin that hung from the gold chain. It shined in the growing light, and she could see that it had the head of a man stamped on it. A really cute man with curly hair.

"It's yours," he said solemnly.

"Mine? Nuh-uh."

"Yes-huh. It is. It was by your feet on your beach during your morning. It's definitely yours." He opened the little clasp and put it around her neck. It hung there like a piece of the sun. Kristin touched it. It felt warm.

"See," he said. "It fits perfectly."

He smiled at her, and Kristin thought she was going to faint. He was so unbelievably, totally cute.

"My name is Kristin," she said.

"I'm Jordan," he said.

"Hi, Jordan."

"Hi, Kristin."

They grinned at each other, and the sun exploded from the ocean and into the morning sky.

"Hey," Jordan said. "I like your hair."

"Thanks," she said and thought that maybe this summer's vacation wouldn't be such torture after all.

Neither of the teenagers noticed the tall blond woman who watched them from the shadows. Soul mates do always find each other , Artemis thought. I should have never doubted you, my Brother . The goddess wiped her eyes and smiled wistfully as she faded silently into the waiting palm trees.