by Lizzy Ford
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Can we talk?”
Chapter Sixteen
The sense of danger woke Autumn despite the pain meds she took before bed. Her eyes flew open, and she stared at the face peering into hers. It was Summer. The dark-haired ghost was scared. Orienting herself, Autumn sat up. She’d crawled into bed when Beck dropped her off and cried. When dark fell, she took a full dose of her painkillers to help her sleep, and her eyes were still swollen.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered to the ghost.
The door opened, and Summer vanished.
“Good. You’re awake already.” Dawn’s voice was cold. “Come with me.”
Autumn stared at her, ready to refuse and roll over to go back to sleep. She heard a click that sounded very much like a round being chambered in a gun. The air pushed at her, warning her of her danger again.
“I’m not going to say it again!”
“Okay,” Autumn murmured. She went to her closet.
“You won’t need your coat where you’re going.”
Autumn’s hands trembled. “Boots?”
“Hurry.”
She obeyed and snagged the two stones that were supposed to help her channel the elements from their place on the nightstand. A few minutes later, they stepped onto the porch. The cold air took Autumn’s breath away. She wasn’t expecting the shock to be so much colder than the temperature during the day.
“Come on,” Dawn said, pushing her.
Autumn caught herself on the porch railing. She’d been walking without her brace for several days, but she wasn’t too certain about the icy stairs. Snow had started to fall again, and she looked up at the dark sky before taking her first step.
While her pajamas consisted of long sleeves and pants, they were thin and did little to keep the chill away. Before she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was shivering.
“Dawn, you don’t –“ Autumn started.
“Shut up. Beck is mine. I’m so sick of people coming between us.” Dawn waved the gun around recklessly.
“I’m not seeing him!”
“You spent the night at his cabin!” Dawn snapped.
“Yeah, but it’s not what you – “
“Save it. After tonight, no one will come between us anymore. Now, walk.”
Her words chilled Autumn more than the night. Dawn had struck her as arrogant but not capable of killing someone! Autumn moved forward as ordered. The snow was up to her thighs. Not wanting it to soak through, she drew the air magick into her lungs and expelled it a few times.
Please clear a path, she asked it. Awe filled her as it obeyed. She couldn’t get over how responsive the magicks had become.
It didn’t matter, if she didn’t figure out how to get out of this. She thought hard about how to disarm the situation. Even if she got the gun away from Dawn, what would she do? She couldn’t hurt the pregnant girl and risk hurting Beck’s baby girl. She had to talk her way out of this, get the gun or at least, convince Dawn to agree not to shoot her, and bring them both safely back to the house.
Of all the nights for Beck not to be around … Autumn swallowed hard. She’d lost both Turner twins. Beck was visibly upset at her, but she’d been honest. She couldn’t be with him. There was something stopping her: her dangerous attraction to Decker and the uncontrollable instinct that compelled her towards him, even when she saw how fast he was falling to the Darkness. Her instinct to run away from him and to him were equally strong. She didn’t know what to do.
Although, Decker made the choice for her and walked away. She wanted to cry again but forced herself to focus. She wasn’t going to make it through the night alive, if she didn’t figure out how to deal with this pressing situation.
She stopped at the edge of the path.
“I need to know which way, so I can clear a path,” she said to Dawn without turning.
“Miner’s Drop.”
Autumn’s heart slowed at the words. Was that Dawn’s plan? Shoot her and throw her into the canyon?
The air cleared a new path, and Autumn realized Dawn was an air magick like her. Their route wrapped around the dorms to take them to the forbidden trail. She made her limp worse than it was to stymie their progress and give herself time to think.
Dawn knew how to use her air magick, while Autumn was still learning. She doubted she’d be able to do more than catch the girl off guard. Which left her with earth magick. All she knew of the earth was its ability to heal and protect. How did she use it against Dawn without hurting either of them?
If not an option, she’d have to wait until Dawn was close enough that she could punch her. Autumn winced at the idea. She had no agility or ability to maneuver, and if Dawn kicked her bad leg, the game was over. Any sort of struggle might lead to one of them getting shot.
She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t wait for a break and run, and she didn’t have her cane to use as a weapon. Despair crept through her. She pushed it away, needing her head clear of emotions. She hadn’t survived a horrific car accident to be shot by a jealous ex-girlfriend in a dark field!
They entered the forest, and her sense of urgency bloomed. Autumn crossed her arms, watching her breath rise in the stillness of the corridor. They reached the clearing. She made her limp worse and slowed as they left the woods.
The air cleared a different path than she expected, one that led to the center of the clearing instead of to the cliff.
“Follow it,” Dawn told her.
Autumn did. Her eyes fell to the strange specters in the center of the field, the memories of the air magick. The black and white clouds were as she remembered them, caught in some strange, repetitive dance. When she neared, they dissipated.
The path stopped at a large, flat stone in the center of the field. Confused, Autumn faced Dawn, who was looking at her watch. Autumn cleared a spot and sat on the stone, hoping to draw on the warmth of the earth to counter the cold.
“You can’t kill me,” she said. “Won’t you go Dark?”
“Technically, no. Only if you use your magick to break the Laws. But, I’m not stupid enough to try it,” Dawn replied. “Alexa’s already Dark.”
The calm words scared Autumn. So they were waiting for one of Dawn’s friends.
A buzzing came from Dawn’s pocket. She snatched the phone and looked at it for a second before answering. Stepping away, she faced the forest and whispered too quietly for Autumn to hear.
If she was able to run, she would. Autumn hated her weak body and felt tears of frustration burn her eyes. No. She wasn’t helpless, as long as she stayed in control. She had time to figure things out. Talk Dawn down. Escape.
She hoped.
A shadow at the edge of the forest drew her attention. Praying it was Beck, she squinted to see the figure clearly. Pale face, surrounded by black fog. Summer, the girl from the mirror, was watching. Something significant happened here. The air was showing Autumn another memory. Her temple pricked with pain. Was it possible this was her memory, too?
The earth warmed the stone beneath her, and she glanced down. Snow melted in the shape of an animal. As she watched, the shape became clear. A deer.
Tarzan.
The name emerged from the depths of her mind and made her head pulse. Autumn gripped it with both hands, breathing deeply. She stopped fighting herself and let the memories recede. The pain eased.
Dawn tucked the phone away and drew nearer.
“Will you tell me what happened here?” Autumn asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, why this place is so …” her eyes went to the figure at the edge of the forest “haunted.”
“Decker shoved his ex into Miner’s Drop,” Dawn said, appearing amused. “She went Dark, and he killed her.”
No. The dark-haired girl’s voice was in her head again. Autumn struggled not to try to remember, unable to juggle the pain and Dawn.
“I can’t see Decker doing that,” she said truthfully. “There’s got to b
e more to the story.”
Dawn shuddered. “He’s gone crazy. Alexa said he kissed you yesterday.”
Decker’s kisses weren’t something Autumn ever wanted to forget. She’d only walked away from him because he let her. His farewell kiss tormented her. How could she know what he was and hope with all her heart he wasn’t really going away?
“What do they see in someone like you?” Dawn asked, peering at her. “You’re crippled. Weak.” her eyes went to Autumn’s leg.
“Is Alexa dating Decker or something?” Autumn asked to keep from getting angry.
“She was. Summer came between them. She almost came between me and Beck, too, but I fixed it. Alexa couldn’t fix her issue.” Dawn rolled her eyes. “They’re together again now.”
Summer. Another pulse of pain. Autumn pushed the name away, mentally recording what caused her head to hurt. Air memories or hers, one of them was struggling to warn her.
“Beck likes blonds, so it was easy to pull him back to me. At first,” Dawn said, frowning. “Then … something happened. He went weird after Summer died. We still have a shot, if you’re out of the way.”
The apparition wasn’t leaving. It wasn’t exactly offering her any help, either. Autumn barely registered Dawn’s words, her head pounding. If she was meant to die here, why were there memories struggling to tell her what happened? Why did it matter?
Two figures appeared down the corridor from the direction of the school. Dawn waved for them to hurry. After a few deep breaths to stabilize the pain, Autumn recognized Alexa, the girl with blue eyes who had been in their room with Dawn. The Dark teen with her was unfamiliar, a tall guy close to Alexa’s age.
“What took you so long?” Dawn demanded.
“Chill, Dawn,” Alexa said. “We were thinking. We need to do this different this time.”
“What? Why?”
Alexa glanced at Autumn. She didn’t speak again until she was close enough to whisper to Dawn.
“Decker’s totally lost it. He’s …” her voice lowered even more.
Autumn strained to hear but was unable to. She saw the unease in the Dark witchlings; it was no longer a secret that Decker had lost control. They were afraid, and she couldn’t help feeling hopeful. She was scared of him, and he’d shown more restraint with her than anyone. If they feared Decker enough, they wouldn’t hurt her.
The earth could swallow them. Autumn considered the idea then recalled the Light Laws. She wasn’t allowed to use magick to hurt someone. What option did that leave her?
Her eyes went to the three. The Dark teens were hesitant, with the guy frowning. Dawn wasn’t backing down. With nothing but her mind to use, Autumn had to act soon.
“They said Decker’s killing Light witchlings,” she said loudly enough for them to hear. “He’s not waiting for them to turn Dark. Just –“
“Shut up!” This came from Alexa.
“It’s the truth,” Autumn insisted. “He kills with his hands and a knife. It’s not a quick death.”
The two Dark teens stared at her. She guessed they’d heard similar rumors.
“Ignore her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Dawn said. “Stick to the plan.”
“She does know, Dawn. I’ve spent like, every night this week with him, until he kicked me out yesterday,” Alexa said, eyes pinned to Autumn. “You’re the blondie he and Beck were fighting over. So, I guess Decker won you, or he wouldn’t have kicked me out.”
She and Dawn exchanged a look that made Autumn uneasy.
“Told you it wasn’t Tanya,” Dawn said.
“What happened to Tanya?” Autumn asked.
“Nothing yet, right?” Dawn prodded.
“A little late for that info,” the guy said.
“Yeah, we took care of that yesterday,” Alexa agreed. “Dammit, Dawn, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know! You said you were certain it was her after the messages he and Beck sent each other.”
“It made sense. This one and Tanya looked a lot alike.”
Dawn shook her head. Autumn listened, horrified that they’d mistaken Tanya for her. She doubted the other girl was alive but was afraid the truth would shred her remaining calm.
“You got sloppy again,” Dawn said to Alexa. “You gotta focus better.”
“It’s kinda hard.” Alexa reddened. “I mean, Decker kept me pretty busy this week. You came by. You know. He’s insatiable.”
“Sex is a tool to get what you want, Alexa. This kid will get me a trust fund.”
Their squabbling made Autumn nauseous.
“I’ve got a shot with Decker. I’m not gonna screw this one up,” Alexa said. “I don’t want a trust fund. I just want him.”
Autumn hesitated. “You’re one of many,” she said. “But I think you know you’re not the only one, don’t you?”
Alexa’s gaze narrowed.
“We went through this last time,” Dawn said and rolled her eyes. “Are you really backing out?”
“Yes,” the guy said.
“No,” Alexa answered simultaneously.
“You just said –” the guy looked at Alexa.
“I changed my mind.”
Autumn cursed under her breath. That wasn’t exactly what she intended to do. She hadn’t realized she almost had Dawn alone again. Not that those odds were much better, when the girl was armed.
Or maybe, they were. Autumn’s gaze went to the apparition. Decker killed Summer when she went Dark. He sensed when someone went Dark; it was his duty. If Dawn screwed up bad enough, Decker would come. Autumn wasn’t sure that was much better than her current situation. Then again, she recalled the way he’d touched her, the look in his eyes.
Some part of him remained. But dared she risk bringing the rest of him into this?
None of them would leave alive. Her gaze went to Dawn’s stomach, and she wanted to scream in frustration. No, Decker was not the solution she needed. Maybe the threat of him was enough.
“I told you it was just like before,” Dawn said to Alexa. “Summer came between you two and now Autumn is between us and both of them.”
“Why does this keep happening?” Alexa muttered.
“You gotta fight for what’s yours. Like I told you. It worked for me and Beck.”
“The first time,” Autumn said before she could stop herself. “You said he didn’t go back to you after that.”
Both girls glared at her.
“So this little crippled girl landed both of them.” She smiled bitterly. “I’ve got half what you have to offer them, and yet they didn’t choose you.”
Alexa strode forward and slapped her. Autumn laughed at the sting. Maybe she was hysterical, or maybe she just didn’t care anymore. Anger that didn’t seem like it was wholly hers was growing within her.
“You think that’ll hurt me after all I’ve been through?” she asked.
She shoved Alexa. The Dark teen appeared taken aback. Dawn, however, looked furious. Focused on Alexa, Autumn was aware of Dawn approaching but not what she did until the butt of the gun slammed into her cheek. She reeled at the impact and caught herself against the rock.
“Laugh again, skank!” Dawn snarled.
Autumn did, a low, quiet sound. “You have no idea what pain is.” She stood and faced them again. “I do.”
“Beck is mine!”
“No, he’s not. Did he dump you after he knocked you up or before?” Autumn taunted. “He’s too smart to be with someone like you.”
“If he won’t be with me – with our child – then he won’t be with anyone!” Dawn said and pushed her back onto the rock. She spun to Alexa. “We’ll do what we did to Summer instead of what you guys did to Tanya. You bring the knife?”
Alexa nodded and reached into the pouch she wore in place of a purse.
“What did you do to Summer?” Autumn asked. She struggled with her mind and relented. The answers weren’t coming from within her.
“Killed something she loved and watc
hed her go Dark trying to save it,” Alexa said. She pulled the knife from its sheath.
Autumn gazed at it. There was blood near the hilt. It dawned on her that they meant to use her as the bait for Beck. If he tried to bring her back from the dead …
She couldn’t pull the full memory free, but she saw fragments, the earth’s magick being used to replace life. Then destroy it. Beck had that power. He didn’t love her, though. At least, she didn’t think he did, not enough to try to bring her back from the dead. He’d know to stop if she died. He was the protector of Light.
“He won’t fall for it,” she voiced out loud.
“You’ll be dead anyway. Then Alexa will give Decker a call to bring him here at the same time. We’ll make it look like Beck did it or something. Either way, one of them will kill the other,” Dawn replied. “They’re this close to doing it anyway.” She held up her thumb and forefinger an inch apart.
That Autumn believed, after seeing the tension between the twins at Thanksgiving. Part of it had been over her. Or quite possibly all of it, she admitted grudgingly.
“Let’s do this,” Alexa said.
The other Dark teen stepped forward and reached for Autumn. He grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Alexa stepped in front of her, the knife in one hand. Autumn didn’t want to die here. The singular thought fluttered through her, accompanied by fear. After all she’d been through …even though Decker was surrendering to the Darkness …what exactly did she have to live for?
She had to save him. It was all that mattered.
“Are you certain Decker won’t kill you?” she challenged Alexa. “He doesn’t believe in second chances for anyone.”
Alexa glanced over her head at the other Dark teen.
“Just do it, Alexa,” Dawn said. “You’re Dark. You’re allowed to kill, even with your magick.”
Magick. Reverse snow globe. Autumn breathed in air magick. She’d created a small shield against snow and wind. Was it strong enough to hold back a knife? Doubtful, she couldn’t think of anything else to try.
“Still a risk,” she said to Alexa. “What if Decker reads your thoughts, next time you’re in bed with him? You know he can do that when you touch, don’t you? You know he likes me almost as much as Summer.”
