“Before I kill you, I promise you will tell me everything you know.”
At least she’s safe, Gavin thought as he blacked out.
˜
{ Chapter 33 }
Arista stood under the flow of water, letting it cascade across her. Valerie and Clarissa were readying everything for the spell that would hide them from Salazar. In the meantime, Valerie suggested that Arista and Kellen each spend as much time as they could in water. No one said it, but Arista knew it could be a while before this opportunity presented itself again.
The warm water was relaxing and rejuvenating. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Even though she had fought to leave the water, she couldn’t deny how good it felt to have the water surround her. It wasn’t long before her thoughts strayed once more to Gavin. This time what was happening to him was undeniably her fault. If she had not talked to Kellen, Gavin wouldn’t have left in her place. Worst of all, she knew he’d only done it to protect her.
She pressed a hand against the cold tiles on the shower wall to steady herself underneath the water. A nervous pit had grown in her stomach since learning he was gone. A gentle knock on the bathroom door interrupted her thoughts.
“Come in,” she said, while turning off the water. Kellen walked into the bathroom as she poked her head around the edge of the curtain.
“Are you holding up okay?” he asked, handing her a large blue towel.
“I think so,” she said. She wrapped the towel around herself before stepping out from behind the curtain. “I’m just worried.”
Kellen looked back at her with sorrowful blue eyes. “I’m still so regretful of the part I played.”
He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll admit, I was angry I had to come here to get you, to bring you back. But I never wanted to hurt you.”
Arista shut her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. Although things had been difficult since Kellen arrived, she was glad to have a friend with her. With his arms wrapped around her, he curled his hand around the back of her head.
“I promise to stay with you and see this through. Even after Gavin returns, I’ll help you find your mother if you’d like.”
“Thank you,” Arista said quietly. “I’d really like that.”
“I’m going to spend a few minutes in the water if you’re done. I think Valerie and Clarissa are almost ready for the spell.”
Arista nodded and went into the adjacent bedroom to finish drying off and slip back into her clothes. As she buttoned up her shirt, she looked around Valerie’s room. A pile of pictures spilled out from the open drawer at the top of the nightstand onto the edge of the bed. She picked up a photograph of two grinning kids sitting on either side of a precariously built sandcastle. Then Arista flipped through the rest of the stack. They were all photos of Gavin and Valerie as children.
“It’s been a long time since I looked at those,” Valerie said, appearing in the doorway behind Arista. She turned around with the pictures still in her hand and a guilty flush crossing her face.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to look through your things,” she said. Her cheeks burned a bright crimson as she handed the pictures to Valerie.
“No, it’s alright. I’ve come close to throwing these away many times. I was convinced I’d never talk to my brother again. But it was always so important to my parents that we be friends. One of the last things my mom ever said to me was to stay close to Gavin, no matter what.”
Valerie paused as she looked at the picture on top of the pile. She was six, Gavin was eleven. They had spent the entire day at the beach. She and her father had walked along the shore collecting colorful shells and sparkling rocks. When they returned, they joined Gavin and their mom in building a castle, piling on sand and adding shells until it was complete. Shortly after taking the picture, the tide rolled in and washed away the castle. Valerie remembered crying over the destruction and her shells disappearing back into the water. Gavin ran into the lake and floundered about until he recovered one of her shells.
Valerie handed the pictures back to Arista and walked to her dresser, opening the large wooden jewelry box sitting on top. She lifted out the top shelf and probed between the tangled knots of bracelets and necklaces until she retrieved the pink-hued corkscrew shell. She smiled as she turned the shell over in her hand.
“Although we stopped speaking, I never let go of him,” she said, still holding the seashell. “I guess some part of me knew we wouldn’t stay apart forever. My mom would have wanted this… she would have liked you, you know.”
Valerie smiled at Arista. “She actually told me stories of mermaids living in the lake.”
“Really? Gavin never mentioned anything.”
“I don’t know that she ever told him. He never cared for the fairy tale bedtime stories. I guess he should have paid more attention,” she said with a hearty laugh. “Come on, we’re almost ready.”
Valerie tucked the seashell into the pocket of her pants and walked to the kitchen with Arista following. Clarissa sat at the kitchen table with a pile of books open in front of her. She glanced up as the others sat down.
“I think I figured out what we’re missing. Bloodroot and white sage should protect us from Salazar’s sight while anchoring the spell to Kellen’s bracelet.”
“I’ve got those,” Valerie said. She got up from the table to rummage in her cabinets.
“Found them,” she said a few minutes later. “I’m running low on white sage, but we should have enough. I used most of my stash in my original barrier around the house.”
“I thought I noticed a few clusters outside,” Clarissa said. “Did you plant it along the spell path? That’s clever.”
Valerie nodded and set the ingredients on the table. “Bloodroot is smart, it should keep the spell stable. We don’t want it petering out on us.”
“There is one catch,” Clarissa said, glancing sideways at Arista. “You can’t be caught in the spell since Salazar needs to find you. You have to leave before we can cast it.”
Arista’s heart picked up speed as the ramifications dawned on her. “You won’t know until I’m gone whether this will work, whether you can come after me?”
“We won’t know if we’re protected from Salazar, but we’ll follow you regardless. Kellen’s bracelet will still track you.” Valerie said, putting a reassuring hand on Arista’s arm. “It’ll just be tougher to keep the element of surprise with us if this spell doesn’t work.”
Kellen walked into the kitchen then, tugging his shirt over his head. His wet hair left a damp trail around the fabric of his collar. “So when will we be ready?”
“We have everything we need,” Valerie said. “As soon as Arista is ready, we can begin.”
Arista let her eyes roam over the ingredients and books on the table. Her heart continued to pick up pace. She took a deep breath and stood from her seat. Now or never.
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. “And every minute we delay is another minute that Salazar has Gavin. He’s depending on us.”
Clarissa stepped around the table to hug her. “Don’t worry, we won’t be far behind you.”
Valerie searched through the items spread out on the table and harrumphed when she couldn’t find what she wanted. She ran back to the cabinets, tossing boxes, packets, and vials onto the counter before reaching into the deep recesses of the shelves.
She finally turned around with a packet of flowers. The stems and petals were dried out, but the pink and purple coloring still twinkled on the edge of the flowers.
“Verbena protects against vampires. I don’t know if it’ll have any effect on him since he’s not a true vampire anymore, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some,” Valerie said.
Arista took the packet and carefully slipped it into her pocket.
“I’ll walk you out,” Kellen said, leading her to the door. The pair stepped outside, where the early morning sun spread an orange haze across the horizon. Kellen pulled
her aside for a final hug. She appreciated his warmth as the brisk air tickled against her neck.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asked. “No one will be upset if you’re not. There might be another way.”
“No, I have to do this,” she said, pushing out of his arms. “I’ll be alright. This is our best chance to get Gavin out of there.”
Kellen nodded. “Be careful.”
“I’ll try my best.”
Arista squeezed his hand in farewell before stepping out onto the small drive and into the neighboring cemetery.
˜
{ Chapter 34 }
Arista jumped at every noise as she walked alone through the forlorn cemetery. Each time a leaf rustled or a twig snapped, she spun around expecting to find Salazar behind her. She didn’t know exactly where the barrier ended or when the birds would start tracking her. The unknown put her more on edge.
She had to save Gavin, but that knowledge didn’t make it any less terrifying. Once Salazar found her, there was no guarantee she could get to Gavin. And what if the others rescued him, but couldn’t save her as well? Or the protection spell could fail and they’d all be captured.
She slowed her pace and closed her eyes to calm her racing heart. Of course, everything could also go as smoothly as they hoped. No need to jump to the worst conclusions yet. She twisted her necklace in her hands, wrapping the chain in tense loops around her fingers. As she clutched the pendant, her thoughts drifted to her father. Shortly after she was born, he had left them for the war. Although he rarely spoke about it, she knew he’d been proud of fighting to protect his family and all mermaids. Fighting against foes like Salazar.
She clenched her jaw and held her head high as she walked. She could at least pretend to have a small amount of her father’s courage. At the edge of the cemetery the road spread outwards in two directions. She hesitated for a minute before following her instincts to the north.
She hadn’t walked far before hearing the first chirp. The silhouette of a bird circled high overhead. She took a deep breath and focused on walking at an even pace. That bird was quickly joined by a second and then a third. Despite her desire to remain calm, Arista walked faster each time she heard another chirp from the sky. Large oak trees lined the road ahead of her. The leaves crinkled on the edges of the wobbling branches as dozens of birds landed on them.
Although they chirped and warbled at each other, none approached Arista. When she reached the end of the cluster of trees, a loud rustle behind her caused her to pause and turn. All of the birds that had been sitting in the trees moments earlier were on the ground. One massive group of feathers and beady eyes. Arista tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone dry.
Deep breath.
She took several steps away from the birds, then froze as she turned back to resume walking. Her face was inches away from an enormous raven. The large black bird beat its long wings, keeping itself level with her eyes. The sharp tip of its beak dangled precariously close to her eyes. It let out a loud cry and Arista held her breath. The raven landed on the ground in front of her.
She stole a glimpse over her shoulder where the horde of birds blocked her escape. The raven cawed, its hostility evident. She swiveled her head back. The raven then turned and walked a few steps down the road. It stopped to look at her, once more letting out a loud cry.
Arista frowned and took small steps forward, keeping distance between herself and the bird. It walked a few more steps and turned to see if Arista was keeping up. She nodded reluctantly at the raven.
“I see what you’re doing,” she said. “I’ll follow you.” She walked several more steps to match the bird’s pace. Satisfied, it let out another loud cry and flapped its wings. It flew into the air several feet above her. The other birds followed suit, all taking to the air at varying heights. The sky filled with darkness as their wings beat incessantly above her.
The raven took the lead, following the road’s northern route. Arista traveled the same path, with the sinking realization that this was it. Salazar had her in his grasp.
…
Arista occasionally had trouble locating the raven through the dense foliage surrounding her. When she slowed, an angry cry from overhead warned her to keep up. She hurried onward, hoping they would arrive soon and she’d find Gavin. She fought to keep her worst fear locked in the back of her mind — that Gavin was already dead. She wished there was some way of knowing if the others were in pursuit, or if the spell had even worked.
Another warning cry sounded above her. Her wandering thoughts had slowed her pace. She struggled to maintain the pace. It felt like she’d been jogging for hours. The raven led Arista, accompanied by several dozen birds, off the main road and onto a dirt path into a wooded area. A river cut through the land east of their path. As they traveled on the path it wound away from the river and deeper into the trees.
The thick woods slowly revealed a large stone building with a yellow light flickering over its doorway. Except for the birds guarding her, there was no sign of life anywhere. A place of despair. After a loud cry from the raven, the birds behind her flew into the neighboring trees. The raven alighted on a metal post next to the doorway. Arista shuffled her feet in trepidation as the wooden door swung open and Salazar stepped out.
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him under the flickering light. His slicked back hair seemed to pull his sallow skin too tightly across his face. His black eyes bulged on either side of a sharply crooked nose, which hooked over the edge of his mouth. His lips twisted into a sour grin and Arista thought she saw a drop of blood glinting at the corner of his mouth.
A chill ran through her as she looked into his eyes and saw no light reflecting back, as though all life and hope ceased to exist.
“My little mermaid has come to me at last,” he said through his snarling smile.
Arista felt compelled to walk towards him. Her feet forced forward one step at a time as she tried to resist his magic. Despite her best effort, she kept moving towards him. Unable to stop, she asked the one question she had in her mind.
“Where’s Gavin?”
“He may still be alive,” he said, turning on his heel to go back inside, pulling Arista behind him with his invisible leash. As Arista followed, the raven took to the air once more. She silently hoped the protection spell worked for her friends.
Salazar guided her through the darkened hallways. He glided in front of her with a chilling grace, appearing to barely touch the ground. Arista held her breath, willing herself to believe she’d see Gavin soon. She followed Salazar down a dimly lit staircase to a cold basement hallway. The small amount of light offered by hanging lanterns allowed her a glimpse of doors on either side of the hallway. Salazar led her halfway down the hall and stopped in front of a door to his left. He turned the key in the lock and stepped behind Arista.
“I’ll return in five minutes. You have until then to say goodbye.”
Arista hesitantly pushed the door open. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. In the farthest corner huddled a person on the floor. She rushed into the room, letting the door shut behind her. She knelt in front of Gavin, lifting away some of the hair that had fallen across his forehead. His right eye was swollen shut, covered with a mottled pattern of blue and red patches of bruised skin that continued down the side of his face.
Arista’s eyes flooded with tears as she saw the rest of his injuries. Bruises and gashes covered his neck. His chest bore a series of deep scratches caked with dried blood. Wrapped around his stomach and stained with more of his blood was a strip of cloth ripped from the dilapidated blanket. The rest of his body bore even more of the deep scratches and wide bruises.
As her fingers tenderly traced the side of his face, his left eye fluttered open. He sat up with a start, backing into the wall.
“I won’t, I won’t tell you anything,” he cried, shutting his eyes and pressing against the wall with his remaining strength.
“Gavin. Gavin, please, it’s me. It’s Arista.” She tried to reassure him, grabbing his arm. He yanked it away from her, swinging at her in the process.
“You won’t trick me. Stop appearing as her,” he yelled, still keeping his eyes closed.
“Gavin,” Arista pleaded, tears pouring down her cheeks. “Gavin, please, it is me. I came to help you. Gavin, Gavin please look at me.”
He cracked open his left eye and she slid closer to him.
“You have to trust me,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper. “I’m here to help you.”
She gently touched his cheek. He grabbed her hand in his, squinting at it. He ran his fingertips over the edges of her smooth fingernails. His hand continued up her arm to her neck, stopping to brush some hair away from her skin and trace his fingers along the scars on her neck. He let out a soft moan and pulled her towards him. Arista pushed back slightly, not wanting to press against his injuries. But Gavin wrapped his arms tighter around her. He held her head to his shoulder and she felt him shake beneath her.
He tilted his head down and leaned hers up towards him, drawing her into a long kiss. Arista finally pulled away and found herself choking back more tears.
“Gavin, I’m so sorry…. What he did to you, this is all my fault.”
“I would do anything to keep you safe. That’s why you need to get out of here.”
Arista pressed herself back into his arms. “Absolutely not. I’m not leaving without you. The others are coming.”
“You can’t stay,” he said. “I only made it through this because I knew you were safe. I can’t have you risk your life. You have no idea how badly he wants to… Arista, he’s going to kill you.”
“I know,” she said. “But I had to save you.”
“You already did,” he replied, his voice cracking. Arista opened her mouth to argue, but he lifted a finger to silence her.
“What I had wasn’t a life. I had lost everyone. I pushed everything and anyone I could out of my life. Nothing mattered to me anymore. Then I found you. From the moment I saw you, everything became so clear. That somehow you were already a part of me. In the short time we’ve been together, you’ve already repaired the damage I did to my own life. You reunited me with the people I love. Arista, you already saved me. You brought me back to life.”
Tangled Ripples Page 19
