It was obvious Gillian had manipulated Jeremy to attack Melissa.
“Don’t send Jeremy to do your dirty work,” Ava said.
Gillian scowled. “Fine.”
Melissa held a vacant stare, turned, and headed toward the cabin.
“Where are you going?” Ava asked.
Lance came up next to her. “What’s she doing?”
“I don’t know.”
A few seconds later, Melissa returned with a knife in her hand, poised to cut across her wrist.
Ava gasped, and realized she was being controlled. “Gillian, stop.”
Melissa poked the flesh enough to make it bleed. The knife made another incision.
“Gillian, stop it,” Lance demanded, and rushed up to Melissa. He took the knife from her.
Ava visualized Gillian underwater. It was as if she stood over her in a pool of water. Gillian tried to break the surface, but Ava kept her down with her mind. Gillian grasped at her throat and choked until she fell once again to her knees. Her hold over Melissa broke and left Melissa completely disoriented. It was strange to Ava that she could do that to Gillian. Or anyone.
Melissa’s eyebrows creased as she examined the knife in Lance’s hand, and then her arm.
Gillian coughed. “What did you do to me? I couldn’t breathe.”
“Look what you did to her,” Ava yelled.
“We’re supposed to be practicing on each other. That was all I could think about doing.”
“She didn’t cut very deep.” Melissa noted. “Or I should say she didn’t make me cut myself very deep. That was the craziest thing. I was watching it, but I couldn’t do anything about it.”
“Are you okay?” Lance asked.
“I’m fine. Come on, let’s practice.” She turned toward Ava and slyly smiled.
“What?”
“Watch this,” she whispered.
Ava waited until she saw dirt and rocks move and congregate around Gillian, forming a small wall.
“What are you doing?” Gillian screamed.
“I’m just practicing,” Melissa smiled and shrugged. The wall lifted slightly, and then collapsed around her in a cloud of dust. “This is too much fun.”
Ava had to admit how amazing it was to see them so powerful.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
FRIENDLY CHAT
Ava tapped her pencil on her desk, and stared at the words on her chemistry test. It was all gibberish. The past month had been filled with practice and no studying. She lost her interest in school, and hardly even went anymore. But she liked to torture herself, just to see if Peter was safe. He never greeted her with a smile or asked how she was doing, or told her about his day so far. They never said a word to each other, but she was acutely aware of his presence. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do during the winter break since she wouldn’t see him.
“Ava, please keep the pencil still,” Mr. Horn asked.
She stopped tapping, and then circled random answers on the final exam until she finished. When the bell rang, she turned in her test, and then left the room for the last time.
“Hey Babe.” Thomas smiled. He still acted as if they were still together, but Ava did nothing to correct him. She didn’t want to cause a rift in the group. They carried on as if nothing happened, and surprisingly he had begun acting like his old self.
“What do you want to eat?” he asked once they reached their table.
Ava sat down across from Gillian and Jeremy and next to Melissa. “Just some water and an apple.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah, I’m not hungry.”
“All right.” He walked away.
“I totally bombed that chemistry exam,” she said. “Who knows if I passed the class?”
Gillian opened a box of raisins and popped one in her mouth. “Why don’t you get Jeremy to help you?”
Jeremy looked up from his War and Peace novel, and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. “What do you need help with?”
“All of it. It doesn’t matter though. It’s not like we’re going to be in school forever. Besides, today’s the last day.”
“Until you have to retake the class.” Gillian snorted.
“Don’t you have the lab next semester?” Jeremy asked.
“Yeah. How’s the book?” Ava asked.
“It’s good. The characters are very enthralling and I like the dialogue in the story. I’m not that far into it, but I can’t put it down.”
“Well, don’t read while we’re at lunch.” Gillian grabbed the book from him and placed it on the table.
“What’s wrong with him reading?” Ava asked.
“It’s rude.”
Ava met Jeremy’s eyes and silently apologized.
“Ugh, I’m so sick of this rain,” Gillian said, and peered out the window.
“I know,” Melissa said. “It’s been raining so much lately.”
“Can’t you change it, Ava?”
“I’m not making it rain.”
“No, make it snow or something,” Gillian whined.
“Snow? Here?”
“Sure,” Melissa said. “Freak weather happens all the time.”
“I can’t control the weather.”
“Haven’t you been practicing at all?” Gillian asked.
“Yes. Mostly to keep my focus.”
“Same here,” Jeremy said.
Gillian groaned. “That’s nice. Come on, Ava.”
“Why are you so eager?” Jeremy asked.
“I wanna see if she can do it.”
“Yeah, me too,” Melissa said.
Ava looked at them waiting for her to do something. When she didn’t, they rolled their eyes and consumed themselves in a conversation. She leaned her head on her hand, barely listening. Could she actually change the rain to snow? She stared out the window, and focused on the pouring droplets until they moved slower, slower, until they were still. It became silent as small snowflakes stuck to the windows.
“Whoa, it’s snowing,” Gillian gaped. Her blue eyes widened as if she were a little kid.
Ava looked up. “It is? Wow. I guess freak weather does happen.”
Melissa playfully punched her.
A buzz awakened the sleepy cafeteria as students watched the snowfall in amazement while it began sticking to the ground. It was as if they’d seen fireworks outside—but it was an amazing sight to see the snow, since it hardly snowed in the south.
Thomas set down the trays of food, and gawked at the window. “It’s snowing.”
Ava bit back a laugh.
“Imagine that,” Melissa said.
“What’s so funny?”
Ava shrugged.
“Are you doing this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, and then and glanced at Xavier’s table. Of course, he was staring at her, like always. Did he know what she was doing? Suddenly, she let go and it began raining again.
The bell rang, sending students to the doors. Ava followed, and laughed to herself that they were still talking about the snow.
“You think that’s impressive,” Gillian said, and stopped in front of the lockers.
“What are you gonna do?” Ava asked.
She smiled.
Melissa raised her eyebrows. “Are we supposed to see something?”
Ava leaned against the locker. Then, Jay McDonald, a blond guy in her math class, walked toward her.
He smiled. “Hi, Ava.”
“Hi.”
He leaned down, as if he was going to kiss her. She tried backing up, but couldn’t.
“I really think you’re hot,” he whispered in her ear.
“Hey,” Thomas said, and pulled him away from her. “What’s your problem?”
Jay blinked a couple of times, looking confused, and then widened his eyes. “S-sorry.” He walked away.
“Why did he just do that?” Thomas asked.
Kevin Burnley walked by, and then stopped, and turn
ed. His eyes roved up and down Ava. “Wow, Ava.” He closed the distance between them.
She sighed and shoved him. “Gillian, stop it.”
Kevin smiled, and leaned closer. She pushed him, and Thomas grabbed him by the throat. Kevin’s eyes grew large.
“Stop, Thomas,” she yelled. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
He released him, and Kevin ran down the hall. Several people slowed down to watch, but then quickened their pace.
“Gillian, I can’t believe you did that,” Ava said.
“What? I thought you liked Ephemerals.”
She sighed. “I gotta go.” She walked down the hall, and saw Peter and his friends watching her. Her heart skipped a beat as she met his eyes. Did they see Gillian manipulating Kevin and Jay? Once she passed him, she relaxed.
Jeremy came up behind her. “I’m sorry about Gillian.”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”
“How are you doing this?”
“What?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“I’m fine.”
“Come on, I know this is all fake. You can’t suddenly be back in love with Thomas as if nothing happened. I know you still have feelings for Peter.”
She shook her head. “It’s better off this way. He can’t get hurt.”
“No? He’s hurting now. I can see it in his face. And you’re not yourself. You seem so hollow and it’s like you’ve become so passive.”
That stung. Hadn’t she tried to appear normal? But then again, Jeremy had always been so perceptive. “Even if I could be with him, there is no way I could hide what I am.”
He slid his glasses up his nose. “Maybe you wouldn’t have to.”
“My mom didn’t with my dad.”
He arched his eyebrows. “What?”
She was unsure if she should say anything, but she could trust him. “My dad’s a Halfling.”
“Wow, that’s incredible. How?”
She shifted, and lowered her voice. “Mom had to get acceptance from her coven. Savina saw how much she needed my dad, and my dad was willing to give up his life to become an Enchanter. But I’m not strong like my mom, and she didn’t have a possessive boyfriend, either. And if Xavier is spying on us, he could hurt Peter.”
The late bell echoed in the hallway.
“Fair enough. But I don’t think he’d be scared if you told him the truth.”
“If he knew, do you honestly think he would just accept it and move on? And if he did, there is no way that Thomas would ever accept him.”
“You have my vote.”
“Thanks.”
“There has to be a way, Ava. You can’t just be miserable forever.”
“For his safety, I will. I just need to get over him. And realize it will never happen.”
Jeremy frowned. “Ava.”
“Don’t pity me. Come on, we’re late.” She pushed open the door, and took a step down, but stopped.
Xavier leaned against the wall at the bottom of the flight of stairs.
The door behind Ava and Jeremy closed with a click. Ava could go upstairs instead, but what if he made her faint or whatever he did?
He slowly climbed the stairs. “Shouldn’t you be in class?” His black eyes taunted her, but then he looked to Jeremy.
Jeremy leaned forward, and tumbled down the stairs. His body was sprawled at the bottom in an unnatural position and he was unconscious.
She wanted to run to him, but knew she needed to keep an eye on Xavier. “What do you want?”
He shrugged, and brushed against her. “Friendly chat?”
She clenched her teeth. Then reached up, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him against the concrete wall. Her hands tightened around his thick neck. “Leave us alone.”
The door snapped opened and startled her. She softened at the sight of Peter. He looked at her as if she was a stranger. She reluctantly released Xavier and stepped back.
“What’s going on?” Peter asked.
“Nothing you want to involve yourself with,” she said.
Xavier rubbed his neck. “Just a misunderstanding is all. We’ll talk later,” he said, and casually walked through the door.
Jeremy moaned and Ava ran down to him.
“Come on, we gotta go,” she said, and helped him to his feet. “Peter, go to class.” She took a step, but Peter grabbed her arm. She tried to keep her breathing level.
“What the hell was that back there?” he asked. “You’ve got random guys trying to kiss you, and Thomas trying to attack them, and then you have Xavier by the throat.”
“Just forget what you saw. I gotta go, but thanks for your help.” She rushed through her words, and jogged down the stairs with Jeremy.
As soon as they left the stairwell, he halted. “My head,” he said and doubled over, holding his head between his hands.
She knew all too well of the excruciating pain he experienced.
“I’m sorry. Come on.” She put his arm around her neck, and her arm around his waist. “Can you walk?”
Jeremy nodded.
She helped him to her car, and then scrambled to the driver’s side. “Do we need to go to Savina’s?”
He shook his head.
She turned the engine, and backed out of the parking space. Her heart was pounding. Peter had possibly just saved them. Who knew what Xavier would have done? He could have made them both pass out and kidnapped all three of them.
“What happened?” he asked. “I don’t remember anything.”
“Xavier made you faint. You fell down the stairs. He didn’t even touch you.” There was no denying it. Xavier was an Enchanter. He had to be.
“What was Peter doing there?”
“I don’t know. But he needs to stop following me.”
“You ever stop to think that maybe it was a good thing he came?”
“Good thing? Xavier’s had his eye on Peter, and I can’t stop him. I’ve tried warning Peter as best I can.”
“He won’t take him.”
Ava sighed. She knew he was just trying to make her feel better. “My dad didn’t believe me when I told him about Xavier. But I know he’s an Enchanter. He’s spying on us.”
“I believe you, but do you think he’s working for Devon?”
“Yes! It’s so obvious. Xavier is blatantly making Enchanters. He’s helping Devon build his army.”
“You’re reaching. I believe he’s an Enchanter, but I don’t think he’s making them.”
“Then how do you explain Kristen and Link, all of their personality changes?”
“Maybe they got a taste of popularity. You know how kids are. They get wrapped up in that stuff.”
Ava sighed. She wasn’t going to argue with him. She needed to gather proof. Maybe she should follow Xavier or Kristen around.
“What did you do to get rid of this pain?”
“I took some medicine. But then when I was—.” Around Peter, she never felt pain. “When did it start hurting?”
“As soon as we got to the hallway. Why?”
“You didn’t feel any pain when Peter was there?”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t think so.
Did being around Peter relieve pain? It sounded so ridiculous, since he was an Ephemeral. Unless Xavier got to him early, and used him to spy on Ava. No, no. her imagination was running wild. But could it be true?
“We have to spy on Xavier, Jeremy.”
He sighed. “I’d rather not until we know for sure.”
“How much more proof do you need?” she yelled.
“Should we tell the others?”
“Maybe. Just in case things get out of hand. But we can’t tell Savina or Colden.”
Jeremy shook his head. “This isn’t good. We shouldn’t be keeping secrets from them.”
“I don’t want this anymore than you do. But Savina and Colden told us there would be spies. That’s what we’ve been practicing for isn’t it?”
&
nbsp; “Are you doing this to protect us or strictly for Peter’s sake?”
“Does it matter?”
He met her eyes. “No, I guess not.”
“We’ll watch him and follow him over the break.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay.”
Ava would find out exactly what Xavier Holstone was up to. She would do whatever it took to keep Peter safe.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
TRAINING
Ava and her friends returned to Blackhart manor the next night. She passed through the gate, and admired the immense garden lit by the orange light of the torches lining the walkway.
Colden greeted them, and stood aside so they could enter. “We’ve much to do,” he said, and then closed the door.
He led them through the conservatory. The purple velvet rug was gone, and only a few candles were lit. They crossed the bare hardwood floor to the outside.
He opened the wide door and Ava was amazed to see rolling hills that seemed to go on forever. She could only imagine how beautiful it must be in the daylight. The sliver of moon barely lit the charcoal sky, but torches lined the small area where Savina and Aaron stood, and around the edges of the mansion. Brown leaves embedded into the ground from the rains. A mix of empty maples and southern pine trees surrounded them on either side of the field.
Savina was waiting for them and did not greet them like she normally did. She stood assertively in her usual black robed dress. Her long hair swayed in the small breeze. “This is Aaron,” she said. “To those who do not know. Now, what can you do with your powers?”
“I can create fire,” Thomas replied.
“Show us.”
He stepped forward and raised his palms, and emitted flames from his hands.
“What can you do with that?”
“Um.” He attempted to hurl the fire but it extinguished.
“Too late,” Savina told him. “You would be dead by now. Melissa, your turn.”
“Wait.” Jeremy held out his arm in front of her. “Do you hear that?”
Ava looked at him. “Hear what?”
“Stay focused, Jeremy,” Savina warned.
“What does it sound like?” Lance asked.
“A woman is singing. It’s beautiful.”
Gillian fumed. “She said focus.”
Under A Blood Moon (Elemental Enchanters) Page 17
