Seventeen

I hugged Jamie with as much strength as I could muster.

"I couldn't leave you. Not yet."

He cupped my face, looking deep into my eyes. As always with him, it was more like he was looking into my soul.

"You scared me, you know that right?"

I nodded meekly, giving him a gentle kiss on the lips. I wanted to stay in his arms forever, just kissing and hugging him, but I was aware we had an audience.

"Could you help me up?" My voice was weak, pathetic. He nodded, quickly putting his arm around my back and steadying me as I stood. My legs were shaky and my head felt like I had been under water for hours. I felt awful, which was no doubt to be expected after literally being at death's door just minutes ago. Jamie was frowning as he looked at me, biting his lip with worry.

"I need my stone. We have to go to The Sapphire Generation, without being stopped and thrown in prison this time."

I hated how scared Jamie looked right now, but I had no choice other than to tell the truth. There was no hiding it.

Popkins walked up and pushed Jamie out of the way. The others had been giving the two of us some space, but I knew they had been listening to every word.

"Hi darling girl!" I smiled as the lovable wizard hugged me. I cuddled him back, so thankful that he was no longer in that awful prison. I glanced at the black, looming building in the background, shivering involuntarily. I never wanted to see that place again, for as long as I lived. "Listen, we will go right away to get your Sapphire. But I need to perform a spell on you first. I want you to know that it's going to make you stronger, but it's only a temporary thing...or...more like a mask. You see, without your stone, you will continue to get weak. Your organs inside will still be shutting down, but the spell will make your body strong enough to get to The Sapphire Generation. There is no spell to completely remove the effects of not having your stone, I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, smiling feebly at him.

"What are you apologising for? It's not your fault Popkins."

He muttered the spell under his breath, I couldn't hear the exact words. With the flick of his wand, I was able to stand unsupported, the woozy feeling in my head gone. Popkins snapped to it.

"Right guys, we don't have much time. We need to make our way to The Sapphire Gen, I can cast a spell that will take us right through the tunnels to the door of the world. I uh... I couldn't help with it last time because I wasn't myself after all the torture...but...anyway. Where was I?" I saw the terror in Popkins eyes as he remembered just what The Coal Jailhouse had done to him. I had only had a fraction of the torture he'd had to live through. It was enough to leave a bruise on the mind. He tried to compose himself, talking again. "When we enter The Sapphires, it is most important that we help Cassie find her stone. Without it, she...she...uh."

I cleared my throat and stepped into the middle of the group.

"Without it, I will die. Drew told me." Mel gasped at the mention of her brother, putting a hand to her mouth in shock. "I will fill you in as soon as I am able, I promise. He says Hi. He loves you Mel. He wants us all to win this unfortunate fight we have found ourselves in" A murmur of agreement sounded across the group. I smiled at Maisie who was hovering around us. "I can't thank you enough for what you did Maisie. Really." She held her hands up and shrugged, acting as if she hadn't saved all of our lives. "So for now, we need to get to The Sapphire world. I don't expect any of you to help me more than you already have. I love you all. I really do."

The group gathered around me for a hug. Popkins on one side of me, Jamie on the other.

"I hope Miles wasn't included in your declaration of love."

I dug Jamie in the ribs, trying not to laugh at his petty tone.

"I can hear you. You do realise that, right? I'm a Sapphire. I have good hearing, just like you two. So please try and keep your distaste for me silent, at least until we get Cassie's stone. I don't want to have to start a fight."

"Good. Maybe I'll start it for you."

I rolled my eyes and held Jamie back as he went to step up to Miles. Luckily, I didn't have do it for long as Popkins swished his wand and muttered a spell.

In no time at all, we found ourselves in the tunnel entrance to our world. A big wooden door faced us, reminding me of the sort of entrance you would find on an ancient castle. I gawped at it, unable to believe that my true generation was on the other side.

"Right, I'm going to cast a quick spell on Maisie, just to make sure she can get through. I think I will be able to reverse the problem of her not being able to enter the Sapphires now she masquerades as a Diamond. The rest of you go on through. We need to forget about the fact that people are after us and focus on getting Cassie's Sapphire. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded at Popkins. He pointed his wand at Miles. "Even though Miles isn't in danger without his stone just yet because he hasn't graduated, it wouldn't hurt to get him one just in case. We need everything on our side to make us stronger. Off you go."

Jamie took my hand and pulled the handle of the wooden door down with the hand that wasn't holding mine. Just before he opened it, Mel turned to Popkins.

"You will join us, won't you? Once you've cast a spell on Maisie? I just.. I don't like the thought of our group splitting up again."

She shrugged lightly, her cheeks turning red.

Popkins beamed widely, a cheeky twinkle in his eye.

"We will be through in a minute. Anyone would think you cared about me."

She shuddered and made a gagging noise, pretending to stick her fingers down her throat.

"Ew. In your dreams."

She pushed past us, entering the gen before any of us could see her cheeks going any more red.

Jamie, who still held my hand, indicated that Miles should step through.

When he was through the door, Jamie looked at me, his golden eyes searching my face.

"Are you ready to see your home?" I nodded, somewhat shyly. Everything suddenly felt strange. This would be the place where I could maybe, one day...settle down with Jamie. If I didn't die without my stone or be killed by the authorities. "It's obviously nearly empty now. As you know, there are only a few of us left. But it's still gorgeous."

He opened the door wide, pulling me through. I could see instantly just how beautiful The Sapphire Generation was. Or perhaps it was only beautiful to me because it was home.

I took a step, my senses not used to how soft the white sand felt underneath my feet. To the left of me, palm trees scattered here and there on the vast beach, a sparkling crystal clear ocean in the distance. There was a slight breeze in the air and the sun was shining, the rays warming me up.

To my left, mint green grass with different coloured flowers sprung up in coordinated rows, a dazzling sight to see. I could make out picturesque mountains beyond the flower fields, with quaint little houses sat jauntily at different peaks.

Jamie was watching me take it all in, a smile on his face.

"Well, what do you think?"

I knew my mouth was open in awe. I tried to search for the right words.

"It's.. it's amazing. How can there be a beach and mountains in the same place? It's crazy. It's wonderful."

He chuckled, seemingly proud that I liked it.

"I know. Us Sapphires got lucky. Well...apart from the killing most of us off because we had it so good of course. Once you get past the beach stretch which is about ten miles, there is a Canyon, full of the prettiest waterfalls you have ever seen. Then there's the lavender Meadows where the butterflies live and a bamboo forest beyond that. The Sapphires is like all of the prettiest places your imagination could ever dream up in one place. We might be smaller than the other gens, but we are the best."

I nodded mutely, knowing that Miles and Mel who had stopped in front of us were just as impressed as I was. I pulled Jamie towards me, squealing with excitement.

"I have to see your house. Is it on the mountains?"

He shook his head, laughing and waving as Popkins came through the door with an elated Maisie.

"No. I used to live there actually...before the.. before the torture. When they decided to let me live, I wanted to set up home on the outskirts of the bamboo forest. It's peaceful there. It's not finished yet though, nowhere near."

"I can help you! Let's go finish it, I have to see where you live. I have to see the whole generation!"

Jamie laughed at my excitement as Popkins grabbed my arm, pulling me back.

"I don't think so young Cassie. We have to find your Sapphire first."

I frowned, my excitement dwindling now I had been brought back to Earth with a bump.

"And how do we do that exactly?"

Popkins pointed at the ocean.

"Your Sapphire will be there somewhere."

I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out exactly what 'where' meant. Maisie hovered beside me, smiling with amusement.

"That was very helpful Popkins. Thanks." He saluted sarcastically, before glancing at Mel and Miles who were chatting beside us. He quickly looked away when he realised I saw him look. Maisie continued. "Cassie, your stone will be in the ocean. In normal circumstances, you would go and sit on the beach as close as you can get to the water, waiting for your stone to wash up. It usually takes a Sapphire anywhere between an hour to forty eight hours to get their gem. And nobody has ever been annoyed about the wait because look at it... it's paradise here."

I nodded in agreement, still looking at my surroundings in complete awe. Popkins spoke now, taking over from Maisie.

"As we are on a time limit and the spell I cast on you is only a temporary mask to make you feel well, we need to start looking. It has been done before, you just need to search the crystal clear waters until you find something blue. There are technically five of us, as Maisie can't actually go in the water due to her weird Diamond cross Sapphire thing she has going on, the beach stretch is ten miles. Why don't we each cover two miles. It's the only way to find it, no amount of magic will pair you with your true stone I'm afraid."

"That sounds fine, but what if I find Miles stone or he finds mine? How will I know it's my Sapphire?"

Popkins patted me on the head like I was a small child.

"Trust me darling, you will know if it's yours or not. Right, I'm going to search in the first two miles radius, Cassie you can look at the two to four mark, Miles four to six, Jamie six to eight and Mel eight to ten. I'm going to magic you all there, Maisie, you can hover where you want. You can help with the search from above."

Every one of us nodded, but looked unsure other than Jamie and Maisie who had obviously already done this when they graduated. I was just about to ask Popkins more questions when he spoke again.

"As you all know, I can be summoned just by you lot calling my name. So if you find a Sapphire, say my name and I will put you on another stretch to help out until we find both. Cassie, you can go first. Come here."

I walked up to him, completely unsure of myself. I didn't know if this was going to work but I desperately needed my gem, what else could I do? I looked at the beautiful white sands stretched before me, the idyllic scenery beckoning. I took a deep breath and gestured that Popkins could go ahead.

"The Sapphire beach, miles two to four, take Cassie where she's never been before."

I stifled a laugh, not wanting Popkins to be offended. The spells never failed to amuse me. In the blink of an eye, I was transported to the sea shore. I took my shoes off, dazzled by the sun sparkling on the crisp, clear waters. The air was fresh, and the light breeze gently blew my hair as I tiptoed over to the water. I 'ahhhhed' as I stepped in, the slightly warm sea water relaxing me instantly. I felt like I had found a little peace of heaven. I imagined building a house on these shores, wondering if it were even possible. I would have to ask Jamie.

I searched the waters, looking out for something blue. I didn't know how far I had to go in, but I walked along ankle deep, still marvelling at how pretty everything was. Now I was this far away from the entrance, I couldn't see the impressive mountains or colourful flower fields, but it made me feel serene knowing they were so close. It really was like a bunch of different worlds in one.

I strolled along, more at ease than I had felt in a long time. I had been searching for about twenty minutes when something sparkled in the corner of my eye, just where the gentle waves lapped at the shore. I gasped as I realised it was a Sapphire. I had found one! The shape was different to the one Jamie wore. Jamie's was like a elongated diamond pendant, where as this one resembled a small square. But it was mesmerising none the less. I smiled as I bent to pick it up, thrilled that it had been found so quick.

I couldn't admire it for long. As soon as I picked it up, my hand turned ice-cold. When I first touched it, it was the same temperature as the tepid water, but now it was turning so icy that my hand actually started to freeze. This was definitely Miles Sapphire. Just as I was about to call for Popkins, he appeared in front of me, a disgruntled looking Miles behind him.

I watched as Miles threw something into the water, cursing furiously and rubbing his hand.

"Your stupid Sapphire made my hand freeze."

He was hopping about as if a swarm of bees were attacking him. It was quite comical to watch. I ran over to where the stone had landed, dropping his in the water next to it. I had to admit, my hand did feel like it was about to drop off.

"You found my Sapphire?"

My voice was quiet, thoughtful as I looked at my stone. It was absolutely beautiful. It had five sides, almost like a pentagon. But the sides were uneven, almost jagged. I picked it up, rubbing my fingers against it, not at all surprised to feel that even though the stone looked sharp, it was smooth and slick. As I held it in my palm, the Sapphire almost glowed. It sent a warmth through my body, a feeling of peace through my very core. I was curious to see what would happen if I put it down again. I lowered it into the water, letting go for just a second. I froze up, icy cold flowing through me. That was all it took. One second for me to realise I could never be without my stone again. I picked it up, smiling as the serenity over took me once more. I put the black string around my neck, letting the Sapphire hang on my chest. This was where I was supposed to be. This was the generation I was supposed to belong to. It wasn't a feeling. It was a fact. A statement.

I grinned as Miles put his necklace on, his expression showing all the emotions I had just felt. He looked pretty impressive standing here on the beach, his blonde hair flopping over his forehead. He was at ease here.

Popkins clapped softly, breaking us out of our trance.

"Look, it's a big deal finding out you belong, and wearing your stones with pride. So I'm going to just go off and let you have your moment. I'll gather the others up and we will come back here in about five minutes. See you soon my little Sapphire cupcakes."

He chuckled at his own speech, before murmuring a spell and disappearing. I giggled, then sat on the sand, my feet still in the water. Miles sat beside me and I sighed contentedly.

"Isn't it funny we found each other's stones?"

He nodded, leaning back on his elbows. I joined him in the same position, basking in the sun.

"It's like it was meant to be, huh?"

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say to that. Jamie filled my head.

"Listen Cassie, I know that Jamie doesn't like me. That he gets jealous whenever we talk. I know that he feels threatened by me."

I shrugged awkwardly, not wanting this conversation to ruin the moment of finding our gems.

"He's just protective. He will grow to like you. I'm sure of it."

He raised an eyebrow, smirking at me.

"Well he shouldn't. He shouldn't ever like me. Because I like you."

His words shocked me. I sat up, frowning at him.

"You like me? You hardly know me. And what about Rosie? You can't just..."

"That's not fair Cassie. I loved Rosie. She was gone a whole year before we made our way to The Coal Jailhouse to rescue her. I will always love her and losing her is going to pain me forever. But loving her doesn't mean I can never like anyone else. Don't use her death as an excuse for reasons why I shouldn't like you."

He was angry. He hung his head, pouting moodily. I held my hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry, you're right. It wasn't fair of me to bring her up. But...but there are other reasons. Like I said.. we don't know each other that well and..."

He cut me off.

"How long did you know Jamie before you fell for him?"

I opened my mouth to speak, before closing it again without saying anything. I knew I liked Jamie the minute I saw him. Miles stood up, brushing off the sand from his clothes.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to try anything. I respect your relationship with Jamie. I just wanted to tell you how I felt. I doubt we will be alone again for some time." He was right about that. I didn't know what to say. I joined him in standing up, checking for any sand on me. "Having feelings for someone doesn't always run smoothly. It could be worse. I could be Maisie."

I narrowed my eyes, frowning at him.

"Maisie? What do you mean?"

He shrugged, running a hand through his hair. He looked sheepish.

"I'm not sure if I will get in trouble for saying... I mean...she didn't beg me to keep it a secret or anything."

"What is it?"

He quickly looked around him, making sure the others hadn't turned up yet.

"She has feelings for Mel. And she can't exactly do anything about it. Besides the fact she's a half Sapphire, half Diamond who can never be in a physical relationship with anybody, Mel likes Popkins."

I gasped, I hadn't a clue that Maisie felt that way.

"When... I mean how... I didn't even...."

"They spent some time together when Mel went to find Maisie in The Diamonds Gen. Maisie is really serious about her, head over heels. But Mel will never notice her. Her hearts somewhere else. And it sucks to be the one who will never get a chance. Trust me. I know."

He walked away, his shoulders hunched.

I jumped as Popkins appeared in front of me, the rest of the group behind him. My eyes widened as I saw Maisie looking down at Mel, wistfully. It wasn't that I hadn't believed what Miles told me, but seeing it with my own eyes was different. She looked so sad, so alone. Mel was muttering some insult to Popkins and Jamie was staring at me, then looking at Miles who had created quite a gap between us.

"So, you found each other's stones huh?"

I nodded at Jamie's question, wondering why it felt like I had done something wrong. He said it in a nice way. It wasn't him that made me have unexpected feelings of guilt. They were already there. He came rushing over, examing my stone, before evoloping me in a massive hug. I squeezed him back, grateful that he was here and that I had found my Sapphire.

But as I watched Miles walk away over Jamie's shoulder, I wondered just how many more hearts would break as we continued on with our fight.