‘Before you leave, you mean.’
‘Pardon me?’
I point out the difference. ‘When you say “go there” you mean “leave Earth forever”.’
‘That’s harsh, Jordan. I could always return through the Crossing for a visit.’
‘Immortals don’t count time. They don’t use calendars. They don’t grow older than eighteen. They never look older than twenty-something. Think about it, Ebony: months, years, decades could pass that you wouldn’t be aware of, up there in your love nest.’
‘Jordan!’
‘What? You think this is going to be easy on your friends, on your horses, on your parents when they return? When you remember to visit us mortals, we could be really old. I’ll probably be dead. Amber could fall off a horse, or get cancer and die,’ I chuck in for good measure.
Her eyes become stunningly violet just before she turns her face back into the wind.
I pull over to the roadside where a small parking bay gives some great valley views. We sit without speaking for a few minutes.
‘That won’t happen to me. I won’t forget anyone.’
‘You don’t know that for sure.’
‘And neither do you!’
She has me there. ‘True. I’m just saying, look how quickly time passes for humans. Imagine how inconsequential time is for angels who live in a world where they don’t even count it. You get busy with the things you have to do. Before you know it, a whole lifetime on Earth will have passed.’
She sniffs. ‘Jordy?’
‘Yep?’
‘That won’t happen with Nathaneal,’ she says, trying hard to keep her voice steady, ‘will it?’
‘You said he loves you, right?’
‘Isn’t it obvious? Don’t you see it when we’re together?’
I shrug. ‘Not really.’
Her face drops.
‘But I’m not looking, you know.’
She glances in the direction of Amber’s place. From here, with her amazing eyesight, she can probably make out the charred remains of her own house next door. She’s been through a lot. Not just the fire but losing her parents too. I remind myself that I’m doing this for my mother. No other reason than to free Mum. And because I love Ebony, making her fall in love with me will keep her out of Prince Luca’s grasp.
At least now I can tell Skinner I’m making progress with planting serious doubts in her head. Hopefully he’ll get off my back for a while.
‘Jordan, do you think I’m an angel?’
I try not to react. It’s the most vulnerable I’ve seen her yet. But Thane will be home soon. Who knows, maybe even tonight! I can’t miss any opportunity to forge a gap between them. ‘Everyone makes mistakes, Ebony.’ I start the engine and get us back on the road before we end up late for class.
‘So you’re saying Nathaneal made a mistake in thinking I’m an angel?’
I have to swallow hard not to choke on the lie that sticks in my throat. ‘Well, Jezelle did bring up a valid point about your eyes not being vivid enough to be angel eyes.’
She stares straight ahead. ‘I remember.’
‘No one’s perfect,’ I add, giving her more reason to doubt herself. ‘Not even angels.’
14
Ebony
My compulsory twice-a-week counselling session is so unproductive Rebecca Vaughn lets me go early rather than risk me falling asleep in the chair.
‘See you on Thursday,’ she says, while running her long manicured fingers across the keyboard as she sums up another dismal session in my file. ‘Same time, OK?’
I pick my backpack up and head to the door. ‘Sure, if I still have to?’ I glance at her hopefully.
‘You still have to.’ She looks up. ‘Ebony, you’re a powder keg waiting to explode.’
‘Excuse me?’ She’s never been this direct before. ‘Rebecca, I don’t feel like a powder keg.’
‘And there lies the problem.’
I frown.
‘You don’t believe your parents died in the fire that destroyed your house.’
They didn’t. But I can’t exactly tell her how I know this.
‘It’s been months, Ebony, and until you can accept that your parents passed away –’ she pauses as if she’s changing her mind, tucks a stray black curl behind her ear – ‘you will keep seeing me twice a week.’
I stifle a groan and open the door. Her voice stops me from escaping into the corridor. ‘One more thing.’ I glance over my shoulder. ‘If you need to skip class again, drop in here first and let me know. I won’t stop you, but we can have a quick chat, all right?’
Does nothing slip past this woman? ‘It was just one class at the end of the day,’ I say. ‘Anyway, how did you find out? Did Mr Zavier report me?’
She adjusts her reading glasses higher up her nose, giving me a grim smile. ‘It’s my job. See you on Thursday.’
By the time I visit my locker, I’m late for English and walk into the middle of a lively debate about celebrity laws. Taking a seat in the middle row next to Sophie, I watch with a growing sense of disconnection until the buzzer sounds.
Third period is Physics.
Amber is waiting outside Mr Zavier’s lab, the first of six in the Science Block. Sophie sees her and waves, walking straight in behind a group of five boys, seemingly in a hurry to find her front-row seat.
‘Are you OK?’ Amber asks. ‘Shall we skip class again?’
‘And have to report to Rebecca for extra counselling sessions? Thanks, but I’ll pass, though it sure is nice to know you’d do that for me.’
‘I’d take a bullet for you,’ she says. ‘And, before you say anything, I know you would for me.’ I love how she trusts without having to think about it. ‘Just nod or wink or something non-physical and I’ll get you out, pronto.’
We walk in looking for two seats together. ‘Why non-physical?’
She points to the back row. ‘Because if you pinch me I’m more likely to scream than sneak us out unnoticed.’
A boy is already sitting in the corner spot. As I slide on to the middle stool I glance at the boy to say hello, and quickly have to restrain myself from choking in shock.
I swing my head to Amber, dragging my ponytail over to the side nearest the boy. A boy I never thought I’d see at this school again.
She frowns at my odd actions, so I point at the boy with my finger tucked behind my hair. Cautiously, she leans back for a peak. Even though I’ve tried warning her, she still gasps and calls out, ‘What is he doing here?’
She stands up, kicking her stool over backwards. ‘Sir!’ It bangs against the back wall. I catch it before it falls and set it right. Everyone turns and stares at her. She realises Mr Zavier hasn’t arrived yet and glances at me, uncertainty flitting across her face.
I wave with my hands to indicate she should sit down. Jordan didn’t mention Adam Skinner was coming back. If anyone should know, it would be Skinner’s victim. The last time I saw Skinner he left burn marks on my upper arms where he grabbed me at the bus stop. I thought he was expelled, I write on the inside cover of my diary, while awaiting trial.
Amber sits and writes underneath my words, OMG! We have to warn Sophie and Jordan. She stretches up to locate Sophie, spotting her in the front row, eyes riveted to Mr Zavier as he walks in and immediately starts writing on the board. I’ll text Sophie, she scrawls.
I write underneath, I’ll do Jordan. She reads it and giggles, so I quickly cross out ‘do’ and write ‘text’ instead.
After sending my text, I keep my phone in my hand. When Jordan’s reply comes, I stare at his message in disbelief.
Principal’s office called 1st thing this morning. Skinner reinstated without privileges on bail. Charges reduced 2 Assault. Helps 2 have a criminal lawyer 4 a step-father, solicitor 4 a mother! His life is back 2 normal. Mine still sucks. C u in the break.
Adam tries to gain my attention, but I busy myself writing up the notes I missed from the last lesson that Sophie emailed Am
ber and me last night.
I grow nervous when Mr Zavier starts asking questions from yesterday’s set homework. Shocked by Skinner’s presence beside me, I haven’t thought about Mr Zavier or the questions I have for him. I can’t even put a name to what I’m feeling right now. My head’s a mess. It’s like I’m being attacked from two sides and don’t know which is the more perilous.
Mr Zavier walks around the room, randomly pointing his whiteboard marker at someone for an answer. He comes down our aisle talking about how the only significant fundamental force of physics when measuring astronomical distances is gravity. Asking for the explanation, he starts to point his marker at our table. I don’t want to answer his question so I don’t make eye contact. The marker continues past me to Adam, who gives a perfect response, reciting the entire paragraph, word for word from the textbook that sits closed on the desk in front of him.
‘Well done, Adam,’ Mr Zavier says, then shifts his eyes to me and waits. I have no choice but to look at him. When I do, I’m not prepared to see his face softened with a smile. He leans in and says, ‘Hello, Ebony, glad you could make it today. Would you mind staying back after class? I have something for you.’
It’s not until he moves away that I remember to breathe.
When the buzzer sounds, everyone rushes to pack up for morning break. But Mr Zavier calls out for everyone to freeze. My stomach drops for no reason other than I’m suspicious of this man. ‘Since I’m new to this school,’ he says, ‘to assist me learning your names, the seats you are in today will be your seats for the duration of this semester. You may go now.’
Amber and I groan.
We pack our things slowly since we’re not rushing out with the rest. I notice Adam slide off his stool and I hold my breath while I wait for him to pass. He leans down between us. ‘Hello, girls,’ he says, ‘I’ve been trying to say hello all lesson. I can’t believe my luck, sitting next to you two for the whole semester. Freakin’ awesome!’
‘What are you doing back at school?’
He makes a clicking sound with his tongue on the roof of his mouth and doesn’t answer, just looks at Amber for a long unsettling moment before he leaves.
Speechless, we stare after him as he makes his way out of the door.
Amber says, ‘There’s something really off about that boy.’
‘If you ever find yourself alone with him, run. OK? I mean it. Run.’
‘Oh, I will! But that goes double for you. If he still wants to hurt Jordan, he’ll have you on his radar for sure. Principal Eckard must have reinstated him. Can you believe that?’
I show her Jordan’s text, and she murmurs something inane under her breath.
As the last boy walks out, Sophie meets us halfway down the middle aisle. ‘Hey, are you girls coming? I’m starving.’
I touch Amber’s arm. ‘Looks like Sophie didn’t get your text.’
Sophie says, ‘What text?’
‘Why don’t you go ahead and fill her in.’
Hesitating, Amber says, ‘Are you sure?’
Until I know more about Mr Zavier, I don’t want Amber near him more than she has to be, just by coming to class. ‘I’ll be fine.’ She still looks reluctant to leave, so I push the two girls towards the door. ‘I’ll meet you at our usual table in a few minutes, OK?’
‘Okaay,’ she drawls in her worried voice. ‘Be careful.’ She hooks her arm through Sophie’s. ‘I got bad news for you, kiddo,’ she tells her. And as they pass through the doorway I hear Amber explain how our principal reinstated Adam Skinner, and that he was sitting in the back row in class today.
Sophie shrieks and utters a few swear words at the top of her voice. But the rest of their conversation fades away because Mr Zavier walks over to where I’m standing with a document in his hand. ‘Are you ready, Ebony?’ he asks.
‘Pardon me, sir? Ready for what?’
‘The truth.’
‘I’m always ready for the truth, sir.’
He smiles. ‘Good answer. But are you ready to know the truth about who you are, and how you came into this world?’
Wow, straight to the point! ‘How do I know that what you tell me will be the truth?’
His smile fades and he frowns. ‘John and Heather Hawkins did a good job, but I’m starting to wonder if they took my meaning too literally.’
‘What do you mean by that, sir?’
‘When I asked your adopted parents to raise you in a manner that ensured you would not foolishly believe the first thing anyone told you, I didn’t mean for you to grow into a cynical young lady, only a learned one, a girl who would ask questions, who checked her facts, and who didn’t leap to unsubstantiated conclusions. There are many fraudulent scammers in the world, you see, and since I wasn’t going to be around to protect you, I wanted to know you would be able to protect yourself and not be taken for a fool. I hope they taught you more than simple scepticism.’
‘I had a broad range of lessons, Mr Zavier, including self-defence classes.’ I let him know, in case he has some funny business planned.
‘Hmm, well that is good to hear.’ He holds his hand out. ‘This is for you.’
‘What is it?’
‘A family photograph. Your mother is the one in the centre. She gave birth to you three weeks after this photo was taken.’ He smiles sadly. ‘Take it, Ebony.’
I take the photograph. Noticing my hand tremble, I inhale a sharp breath and remind myself how I don’t really know if this is a picture of my mother. It could be anyone. Nathaneal told me that my biological mother was a tall redhead with creamy skin, purple eyes and magnificent, snow-white wings. And when she entered a room, she commanded attention not only for her beauty but also because of her mesmerising presence.
‘Are you going to look at it?’
Deep in thought, I stare at him blankly.
‘The photograph of Rachel.’
‘Rachel?’
‘That was the name of your biological mother.’
I lift the photograph to eye level. It’s a colour photo of a young girl in the centre of three people, with blue eyes, brown hair, a black cap, and wearing a big shirt with buttons down the front. The young man on her right is clearly Mr Zavier, while an older, sour-looking woman is standing on her left. ‘This girl is my mother?’
He nods, and that sad smile is back. ‘If you want to know more of the truth, then come to my place,’ he says. ‘You know where I live.’
15
Jordan
The old white toilet block has one close neighbour: the windowless brick wall of the school’s recently extended Drama room. There’s a high set of stairs on Drama Block’s southern side to access the uniform shop, which is only open in the mornings. But I still make sure no one is looking before I slip inside the hoary female toilets.
Skinner is waiting. ‘You’re late. I got classes too, you know.’
‘So I heard. Everyone reckons it was your “connections” that got you reinstated. They’re saying your mum and stepdad pulled strings – illegally. Doesn’t that bother you?’
‘Not at all.’
‘Just because you’re back doesn’t mean anyone’s forgotten you’re guilty of murder.’
He smirks. ‘They can’t pin homicide on me, Jordan, because you’re not dead. The fact that you weren’t breathing for a few minutes doesn’t count.’
‘Twenty-six,’ I tell him.
‘What?’
‘My heart stopped for . . . never mind, what do you want?’
‘Speaking of connections, have you met our new substitute teacher, Mr Zavier, yet?’
My blood runs cold. I plonk myself down on the same bench as Skinner, leaving as much space between us as I can.
‘I take your reaction as yes?’
‘Ebony wants to go to his house after school on Thursday.’
He smiles and stands, brushes down his trousers and makes to leave. ‘Good,’ he says. ‘I’ll want a full rundown of Ebony’s reaction to what he tells her.’
‘Hey!’ I call out as he nears the exit. ‘Who is this dude?’
‘You, my friend, are on a need-to-know basis.’
‘Not good enough. Amber’s coming too. I gotta know if there’s a chance the girls might get hurt.’
He grins. ‘You got a thing for Ms Amber Lang, don’t you? I gotta say, you got good taste. Amber’s a beautiful girl.’
I jump up and lean over him, my fist pulled back.
He jerks his head to where I was sitting. ‘Get out of my face, Jordan. Zavier’s not going to hurt the girls.’
Not sure why, or even if I should, I believe him. I sit and he says, ‘This isn’t about Amber. This isn’t even about Ebony. Where you’re concerned, it’s about your mother. Do as you’re told, and she will return to the valley.’
‘All I have to do is break up Ebony and Thane. That’s it, right?’
He nods. ‘That’s your role. Why?’ He peers at me, his dark eyes perceptive. ‘Don’t try to alter the plan, Jordan. It’s bigger than you. It’s bigger than all of us. What’s happening to Ebony has been in motion for a long time. Just do your part, and there’ll be minimum collateral damage.’
‘Collateral damage? Is that what happened to my mother? And Ebony’s parents? Or is this about Amber? If she turns out to be collateral damage, you better watch out because I’ll come after you.’
‘Really?’ he says with a smug smirk that says he’s not worried in the slightest. ‘This isn’t a game, Jordan. Believe it or not, I’m looking out for you.’
Laughter bursts out of me.
‘Zavier is on your side, Jordan.’
‘What?’
He gives me a minute to think about it. I get it in half the time. If Mr Zee convinces Ebony she’s human, she’ll break up with Thane pretty quick smart, and that’s when I’ll step in and help her put her life back together – as an ordinary human girl, falling in love with an ordinary human boy – me. Yep, that does help. By the time Ebony realises she’s immortal, she’ll have been my girlfriend for ages. By then Mum will be home. Dad gets outta prison in a few years, who knows what could happen?
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