Echoes to Ashes (The Immortal Trials Book 1)

by Ainsley Shay

  “Hey, Boone. I bet your day is going like all the rest.” With the more I learned and the more complicated my life continued to get, I was finding myself envious of the winged creature.

  He hooted again, and I found myself smiling.

  “Everly, dear, I am so happy you’re here.” Taking my hand in hers, she led me to the counter.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “I need to go pick up something from the post office. They called saying it had too many warning stickers on it to be delivered to me. Which doesn’t make sense because how many post offices had handled it prior to ours?”

  “What did you order?”

  “It’s a surprise.” She rushed out of the shop. “Be back in a few,” she called, her voice trailing off behind her.

  When I had first started at The Warlock’s Workshop, Isla had told me about the mini-fridge in the back room. I had always gone out for food or a drink, when I actually remembered to take care of myself, instead of grabbing something from the small fridge.

  My mouth was dry from my conversation from Taryn. The customer who’d came in before me had browsed and then left. I went into the storeroom to get water.

  I took a sip of water from the bottle. As if it was a spout, water splashed into my face. “What the…?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, holding the bottle of water up to the light. It looked like any other bottle of water, until I saw the small churning of waves through the plastic. There was a mini-freaking-ocean in my water bottle.

  The more I stared at it, the more my nerves bounced. The more my nerves bounced, the rougher the contained sea grew.

  No! No! No! This couldn’t be happening.

  The door to the shop flew open. Isla pranced in with a box in her arms. She set it on the counter.

  “Dear, are you all right?”

  I drummed up a fake smile. “Yeah, just a bit off today.”

  “Well, I have something that may make you feel better, and it’s in this very box.”

  At this point in my newfound dilemma of the supernatural, I wasn’t sure what would make me feel better.

  The outside of the box had warning stickers of all kinds: CONTAINS HAZARD MATERIALS, CONTAINS LIVE SPECIMENS, OPEN FROM THIS END.

  “Isla, maybe we shouldn’t open that.”

  She pulled open the drawer, then handed me scissors. “Go ahead,” she prodded.

  My eyes were instant saucers. “What?”

  “Oh, come on, you’ll love what you find. I promise.”

  Now my curiosity was in full swing. I had forgotten about Raiden, Taryn, and the churning waves in my water bottle as I took the scissors from her.

  The return label was from a foreign address in Ireland.

  I sliced through the red warning tape. Isla was practically vibrating next to me. After I opened the flaps of the box, I stared at the soft brown blanket. Peeling it away slowly from the center revealed eggs of all colors nestled on soft straw. They were the size of extra-large chicken eggs.

  Confused, I wrinkled my nose. “Eggs?”

  Isla’s eyes glazed over with pure awe. “They aren’t just any eggs. These are dragon eggs, dear.”

  “What? That’s impossible,” I blurted.

  “Oh child, you’ll be wise to remember that impossibilities are a disease of the mind.” Isla’s gaze never left the eggs.

  “Dragons live in fantasy and fiction, not Veil Rock,” I argued.

  She picked up the box, holding it tight to her chest. “They do now,” she sang on her way to the back room.

  The water bottle sat motionless on the counter. Had I imagined the water sloshing around?

  There were only five minutes until closing time. For my first time at The Warlock’s Workshop, I was counting down the time. I jumped when Boone shrieked.

  Taryn and another girl I had never seen came through the door.

  “Everly,” Taryn said, “this is Narina, my sister.”

  They did not resemble each other at all, not even their skin color. Maybe they weren’t blood related. Out of respect, I said, “Nice to meet you.” Although, I wasn’t sure it was yet. Her blonde hair reminded me of the crimped mermaid hair.

  “Aren’t you a pretty one?” Narina said. She reached across the counter, then ran her fingers down a few strands of hair I had missed putting in my twist.

  Her eyes were the color of Taryn’s—light blue—but against her fair skin, they looked brighter than her sister’s.

  The water in the bottle swirled ever so gently. The opposite of what the blood in my veins was doing. I grabbed the bottle, then tucked it below the counter on a shelf. Then, I glanced from Taryn to Narina.

  “We’re closing in five minutes.”

  Taryn looped her arm through Narina’s. “Well, sister, we better get going. We wouldn’t want to keep our friend here late.”

  Several pages of the magazine on the counter flipped opened. The two sisters whirled around. Their arms untangled, their eyes focusing on me as if I were dinner.

  Narina’s prowling glare softened, and she sauntered back over to the counter.

  “What do we have here?”

  I shut the magazine. “Nothing.”

  Behind Narina, Taryn crossed her arms over her chest. “I told you she would be worth the trip.”

  19

  The bottle of water under the counter fell off the shelf and rolled on the floor, stopping at the tip of Narina’s sandal. As it came to a stop, the water inside should have begun to settle. It did the opposite. Splashing from side to side, waves of liquid slammed against the plastic as if they were desperate to be released.

  “Interesting twist,” Narina commented. Bending, she picked up the bottle of water. As if looking for particles before she took a sip, she studied it. Then, her gaze found me.

  I was unable to focus on anything but my heart drumming frantically in my chest.

  Taryn practically skipped back over to us. “Even more interesting than I thought.”

  Narina tossed the water bottle to me. I caught it. The mystifying water stilled.

  “Not one, but two gifts,” Narina praised.

  My mouth watered as the need to vomit came over me.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Taryn promised as she and Narina walked under the owl and left the store.

  Instinct wanted me to throw the water bottle across the store. Curiosity cooed from the sidelines to see if I could make the water move at my will. Fear caused me to toss it into the trash.

  I found Isla to tell her the customers were gone. She fed Boone something from her hand, told him goodbye, then we locked up. Isla insisted on giving me a ride. After we wrestled the bike into the trunk, she drove me home at a snail’s pace because the trunk was open.

  To keep her from having to back out of the driveway, I got out at the top of the gravel drive and rode the rest of the way on the bike. When I reached my aunt’s house, my muscles finally relaxed until I saw a black scooter with green lettering in the driveway. Dropping the bike, I ran to it. A brand-new helmet with a bow on the box sat on its seat.

  Bolting up the porch steps and into the house, I called out for my aunt.

  She came around the corner with outstretched arms. “Give your auntie a giant hug.”

  I did. “Thank you so much. I love it.”

  “It might take a bit of getting used to, but you deserve it.”

  “How hard can it be?”

  “I have no doubt you’ll figure it out. Why don’t you go get ready? We’ll leave for church at six.”

  Not sure what to wear, I rummaged through my clothes until I found cream-colored jeggings and a loose-fitting gray sweater. After doing my hair and applying mascara, I went into the kitchen for a drink.

  From the corner of my vision, I saw my aunt. “Want to take the scooter to—” There was no need to finish my sentence after I saw what my aunt was wearing.

  She clasped a necklace around her neck. “What were you asking?”

  “Nothing. I was jus
t rambling.” It took a moment before the thought dawned on me. “Do you have a date or something?”

  She cupped my chin. “Hopefully one day. And soon.” She bobbed her eyebrows.

  I found out on the five-minute car ride to the church that Earl, the previous owner of the scooter, was the same guy who lived in the pickle-colored house and thought I was stealing his paper. Great. That would be a forever reminder.

  When I told my aunt what happened, she said, “Earl’s a good man. He just isn’t too keen on strangers and newcomers.”

  “Well, I hope the next time I see him, he doesn’t think I stole the scooter,” I said.

  She laughed. “I hope so, too.”

  My aunt pulled into the parking lot. Everyone present was in their finest. Aunt Juju looked especially fancy in her light beige pencil skirt, black silk capped-sleeve blouse, and black heels. If she was trying to impress Macias, I thought she was doing an excellent job.

  Hartley and her minions were strutting into the church as their parents followed behind chattering. The three girls were dressed in very non-churchy clothes—more like they were going to a party after they said their Amens. Hartley stopped just inside the entrance while she talked to the preacher. Her smile was achingly pitiful to watch. Since I couldn’t hear her, I imagined her giggling in a high-pitched voice no matter what the preacher said.

  Preacher: Did you know there are millions without clean water in Zindisha, a small town surrounded by desert?

  Hartley: Giggle… giggle… giggle

  Preacher: Hartley, you’re starting to look more like your dad every day.

  Hartley: Giggle… giggle… giggle

  Aunt Juju parked the Volvo. Two cars over, Cameron and Isla got out of his car. He hurried around to open the door for her. A bubble of happiness expanded in my chest. It meant more than I thought it would for them to make things right. They were all each other had. That alone was worth something.

  “Hey,” Cameron said.

  “Hi.”

  “Oh Juliet, you look beautiful,” Isla said as she hugged my aunt.

  Cameron and I were silent as we made our way into the church. There could have been a thousand things to say, but saying nothing felt like a better fit than small talk.

  Preacher Macias shook Cameron’s hand. He nodded to me as if we had never seen each other before.

  “Welcome,” he said.

  “Thanks.”

  “I must say this is an interesting development.” He smiled.

  “I’m doing it for my aunt,” I admitted.

  He leaned down to my ear. “Have you shared anything with her?”

  I shook my head. “No, and I don’t want to. At least not yet.”

  He turned his attention. “Ah, Ms. Shade, how are you on this Friday night?”

  I peered over my shoulder to see my aunt. Her smile was as wide as the entrance.

  “I’m well. And yourself?”

  Oh, dear Lord in heaven, they may have just had eye sex. Eww, and not only was I in the same room, it just so happened to be a church… and I was standing within touching distance of them.

  Shuddering, I continued deeper into the church. The scene appeared different filled with people. All the candles were lit, and the heap of flowers had been removed. I found a seat on the end near Isla and Cameron. Hartley was on the opposite side of the aisle. Her glare on me was as sharp as a laser beam. I smiled innocently, and she sneered, making me stifle a laugh. Deciding to ignore her, I began a conversation with Isla.

  “How are the eggs?” I whispered.

  “So far, no signs of anything yet,” Isla whispered back.

  “Where did you put them?”

  “In Scotty’s habitat, of course.”

  My face frowned. “Don’t snakes eat eggs?”

  “Not Scotty. I gave him one once, and the next day he gave it back. It was the most unpleasant.”

  I was glad I wasn’t working at the time.

  Cameron was talking to the man next to him. I leaned closer to Isla. “I hope I’m not overstepping my bounds if I ask how you and Cameron are doing.”

  She gave me a sideways glance and a gentle smile. Her warm hand picked up one of mine, and she turned to me. “Dear, in the past few weeks, you have become like family to me. Please never think you’re overstepping anything. Your concern for us means very much.”

  Her words were meant for someone other than me. I was dishonest, and kept things from her. The ache in my chest burned, knowing I was not who she thought I was. I wasn’t even sure who I was anymore.

  In a soft voice, she continued, “It’s only the two of us, so it’s important Cameron and I stay on each other’s good sides. But we’re also human with emotions, obligations, and our own beliefs. As long as we respect that, we’ll be fine. And to answer your question, Cameron apologized to me like I knew he would. His words are full of his own pain, and he knows this. In return, I gave him a massive hug full of love, support, and blessings.”

  I wiped the falling tear from under my eye. “I’m glad.”

  Having this kind woman in my life filled some of the void of not having my mother around. There was an enormous chance I could trust her with what I was experiencing, but I didn’t want to risk putting her in danger by inviting her into this unknown supernatural world. I couldn’t do that to her.

  Aunt Juju slid into the pew next to me.

  “The preacher—huh?”

  She bumped my shoulder. “Can you blame me? I mean, look at him.”

  I gave her a half smile without saying anything.

  The doors to the church banged shut behind us. The preacher walked to the front of the room, then stood behind the podium.

  “Good evening,” Macias said.

  The room repeated it back.

  “Tonight, I want to brush on a topic many have only read about and most don’t like talking about… religion.”

  The room filled with chuckles and laughter.

  For the next hour, the preacher went on to discuss stories from the bible. His eyes floated around the room and took the time to look at everyone, giving them a sense of a personal moment with each. A few times, he caught the stare of my aunt, his gaze lingering there just a little bit longer than on everyone else.

  After the final prayer, I slid out of the pew after my aunt. She, like many, went to the front of the church where the preacher still stood. Her reasons may have been slightly different than the others, but when I glanced at the women surrounding the preacher, I realized maybe she was just one of many with a crush.

  Someone caught my arm as soon as the outside breeze touched my face. I turned around.

  “Hey,” Cameron said. “I was thinking of going to get a burger at Dude’s. Did you want to go?”

  “Like a date? What about Hartley?” I asked. I had no idea where that had come from except from watching too many romance movies on Lifetime.

  “As friends, and Hartley likes to believe she’s my girlfriend when we’ve never even dated,” he said.

  That was news. “As friends, good. Let me tell my aunt I’m going.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be in the car.”

  I made my way through the congregating people who didn’t seem ready to go home. The inside of the church was mostly empty except for a few stragglers—my aunt being one of them. She looked so happy talking to the preacher that I hated to interrupt.

  “Macias, this is my niece, Everly Shade. She’s staying with me for a few months until her parents return from their trip around the world, or something.” She giggled at her own joke.

  “Nice to meet you, Everly.” He held his hand out.

  I shook it. “You, too.” The entire scene felt like a lie. I got my aunt’s attention. “I’m going to go out with a friend to get something to eat. I’ll be home later.”

  “Okay, but be careful.”

  “Always.”

  After I returned to Cameron, we made small talk on the way to Carousel.

  Dude’s was crowded.
With only a few places in town to go out to eat, they filled up fast on a Friday night.

  “Looks like there’s room at the counter. Want to sit there?” Cameron asked.

  When I spotted the two stools he was talking about, I also noticed the black hair and leather jacket worn by the guy occupying the stool next to the available ones. Instead of storming out and running away, I found my big-girl pants and made my way to the empty seats. Backing out would have only raised questions by Cameron. Questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

  Raiden’s piercing eyes landed on mine. “Out on a date before it’s too late?” he mused.

  Too late for what? I wondered. “Not a date. Also, not anything I want to talk to you about.”

  Before Cameron took his seat, he was at my side and holding out his hand to Raiden. “Cameron Hunt.”

  The black-haired bad boy took it. “Raiden.”

  I took the seat closest to Raiden, not knowing for sure if he would go as far with Cameron as he had with Mina present. Picking up a menu, I leaned over to him. “Can you please behave yourself?” I whispered.

  “Always,” he claimed.

  The three of us sat in the center of the long counter. The window to the kitchen was directly in front of me. Small licks of flames and rising smoke from the grill was framed by the window.

  “So, Cameron, how long have you known Everly?”

  “Just since she moved here a few weeks ago.” He took a sip of soda. “How about you?”

  “I’m not sure, but I think we knew each other in a past life.”

  Cameron laughed. “I think I know what you mean.”

  “Oh man, she has that effect on you, too? Like you’ve always known her? It’s like she’s as familiar as a light breeze?” Raiden teased.

  I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, or how to take it. “Right here, guys.” I waved my hand between them.

  “It’s like she’s the wind, or something,” Raiden said.

  The flame from the grill rose high in a flash of wicked light. The cook behind the grill yelled as fire nearly touched the ceiling. Shock and fear consumed me. I jumped back, nearly falling off the stool. One… two… three… five seconds passed. He backed away from the fire before reaching for something I couldn’t see. Within the next few seconds, white fluffy powder was raining down on the flame until it was extinguished.