by Chelsea Fine
Me too, Scarlet thought.
Her head was spinning.
63
Gabriel stared at Tennius in disbelief. “What do you mean, he’s dead? He can’t be dead!”
Tennius kept a stoic expression. “Your father passed away this morning. They believe he was poisoned, my lord.”
Poisoned?
“Who would dare to do such a thing?” Gabriel raised his voice. “Where were the guards? Where were you?”
Tennius’s face grew red in anger, but he kept his voice controlled. “We were all there, my lord. Someone must have poisoned him with magic.”
Gabriel’s blood began to boil as he charged out of the room and into the chaotic court. People were frantic and confused, running around the castle, but Gabriel couldn’t make sense of any of it.
He simply marched ahead and let the chaos surround him as he headed nowhere.
Later that day, he was donned the earl of the region, taking his father’s place, and crowds gathered to honor him. He should have been proud to be the new earl. But he was numb.
His brother was dead. His father was dead.
The only good thing left in his life was Scarlet, who stood by his side as he accepted his new title. She squeezed his hand throughout the evening, assuring him that things would be okay and that he would be a great leader.
She was bright and beautiful. And she was the only reason Gabriel believed in himself.
Or anything.
***************
Two nights after Gabriel was made earl, Scarlet held her mother’s hand and watched her writhe in pain as she babbled.
“Scarlet,” Ana said. “Take my brooch. Keep the brooch. It is not for the earl. Not the earl.”
Scarlet nodded in confusion. Her mother had been spewing nonsense for nearly two weeks and Scarlet had stopped trying to find meaning in her words. “Yes, mama.”
Ana started to cry and Scarlet cried right along with her, wanting to soothe the disease and take away the pain. She had known her mother was going to die, and she had had months to prepare for it. In a way, Ana had died weeks ago when her mind went mad. But that did not make their goodbye any less gut wrenching.
“Please don’t die, mama,” Scarlet whispered. “I need you. I cannot do this without you.”
Ana’s body started to convulse and Scarlet watched in horror as the life disappeared from her mother’s eyes.
Scarlet was lost, confused, alone and completely broken.
She was empty. Completely damaged.
Scarlet had lost everyone in her life.
Everyone except Gabriel.
64
Scarlet drove down Main Street, passing the bakery, the cemetery, and a small bookstore, taking note of how very quaint and normal the small town of Avalon looked. Tall trees lined the road, standing guard in front of the town library and the coffee shop.
It was ideal and peaceful and it made Scarlet wish she were normal. She wished she wasn’t cursed and stressed about dying and emotionally connected to a guy she couldn’t touch.
She wanted a normal life. A real life.
Scarlet pulled into the Millhouse parking lot and parked. She looked at Heather beside her. “Why couldn’t you just call in?”
“Uh, because I called in all weekend and now it’s getting to the point where I might get fired if I don’t do some face-to-face damage control with Clare.” Heather started to get out of the car, then looked at Nate in the backseat. “You don’t think Ashmen would come after us here, in broad daylight, do you?”
Nate shrugged. “I doubt it. But no worries, Scarlet and I are here.”
Heather rolled her eyes. “Like that makes me feel safe.”
“Hey.” Nate looked offended. “I took out an Ashman not two nights ago.”
“You did not ‘take out’ an Ashman. You ran a toy sword through an Ashman’s heart and barely slowed him down.”
“It’s a collector’s item. And I didn’t see you trying to fight off the Ashman. You were too busy snoring in Gabriel’s bed.”
Heather pointed at him. “I don’t snore.”
“You slept in Gabriel’s bed?” Scarlet looked at her friend.
Heather nodded. “Uh, yeah. There was no way I was going to sleep by myself when my memories were fair game to any and all Ashmen and Laura-slash-Ravens.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe Laura is Raven! That’s just so crazy.”
“Shh!” Scarlet scolded as she looked around. “Laura could be nearby.”
“Right.” Heather exited the car. “Are you guys coming with me?”
“Yep.” Scarlet got out as well, but Nate stayed inside. “You’re not coming?”
“I’ll wait out here. You know, just in case an Ashman shows up.” He smiled at Heather.
“You suck.” Heather curled a lip at him before going inside, Scarlet right behind her.
Heather kept looking over her shoulder as they waited in line at The Millhouse.
“Would you stop being so paranoid?” Scarlet nudged Heather. “No crazy Ashman is going to attack us in a crowded coffee house.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Scarlet said, “You’re the one who insisted on coming into town to talk to your boss.”
“I know.” Heather tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I think I’m just a little rattled from seeing Gabriel’s blood all over the floor the other night.” She sighed. “And I’m scared to ask Clare for the night off. But I am just too freaked out to come into work and take coffee orders like there aren’t crazy Ashmen running around town.” Heather looked at her with big eyes and concluded, “Gabriel could have died, Scarlet.”
Scarlet’s stomach dropped. “I know.”
They reached the register and Clare, looking prim and perfect with her dark hair pinned to her head in a classic way and her apron nicely pressed, smiled at them. “Hi girls. One hot chocolate and one Millhouse special?”
Heather nodded. “Yes, and one get-out-of-work-free-card for me.”
Clare raised a brow. “You can’t make it in tonight? Again?”
Heather scrunched her nose. “I’m so sorry! Call it a family emergency.” Heather bounced a little.
Clare slanted her eyes at Heather with pursed lips, but said nothing as she stepped to the side to make their drinks.
Heather muttered, “I am so fired.”
Clare returned to the register and handed each of them a hot to-go cup. She looked at Heather. “You don’t have to come in tonight, but you better be here to help with the Millhouse booth tomorrow night at the town fair, understand?”
Heather smiled sheepishly. “Is that tomorrow?”
Clare glared at her.
“Right.” Heather nodded emphatically. “I will be here.”
“You’d better be.” Clare slanted her eyes at Heather.
“I promise.” Heather smiled. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Clare waved her off. “Go, before I change my mind.”
“You’re the best!” Heather called as she and Scarlet stepped aside to let the next customer order. “And I love your coffee!”
Scarlet smiled, sipping her hot chocolate. “You’re crazy, Heather.”
“I know,” Heather said, swigging her hot drink as they left the crowded coffee shop. “But I’m also work-free for the next twenty-four hours. So first thing in the morning, we will go see Mr. Brooks. And tonight, we will convince my parents that I am a normal teenage girl who doesn’t run around with immortals and Ashmen.”
Heather’s parents had cracked down on the never-ending sleepovers and insisted Heather come back home. The plan was for Scarlet to stay at Heather’s tonight while Gabriel stood guard outside the house.
It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than asking Heather’s parents if she could stay at a cabin with three immortal boys. Indefinitely.
There was an Ashman out there, searching for the map, and until they found him, no one was safe.
Scarlet pursed her lips, looking a
round at the busy Main Street of Avalon as they left The Millhouse. People everywhere were setting up tables and booths and umbrella stands for the fair. It was starting to look like the Kissing Festival all over again. With less germs and more clowns.
65
That night, Scarlet sat in Heather’s living room, laughing with the Baxter family. Heather’s parents were one of those rare couples that had been married for decades, but were still madly in love.
Henry and Nora Baxter were adorable. They sat cross-legged just like their children, around the large coffee table in the living room, dealing out cards for family game night.
So cute.
The doorbell rang and Heather’s family got excited. “Is that Gabriel?” Nora asked, wagging her eyebrows like Heather always did.
Heather rolled her eyes. “Mom, please don’t be weird. He’s just a boy.”
The plan was for Gabriel to come over and scope out Heather’s room. He needed to check all the access areas of the house so he could better watch over them as they slept.
Scarlet had suggested they come up with a good reason for Gabriel to stop by. After all, random-guy-from-school-dropping-by-for-a-visit was suspicious. But cute-boy-from-school-who-happened-to-be-Heather’s-history-partner-and-needed-class-notes?
Now that sounded believable.
Heather and Scarlet hurried to the door together and let Gabriel in. “Why, hello Gabriel,” Heather said in a much too loud voice.
Gabriel smiled. “So what do I do here?”
Heather waved him in. “Follow me.” She led Gabriel into the living room. “Family, this is Gabriel. Gabriel, this is my giant family.” She gave a fake smile. “We’ll be right back.” She turned to Gabriel. “Come on.”
Heather led Gabriel upstairs to check out her room—and the rest of the house—while Scarlet kept everyone distracted in the living room.
“Heather’s history partner is cute,” said Emily.
Scarlet nodded. “He is.”
“Didn’t you used to have a boyfriend named Gabriel?” Emily asked.
Scarlet raised her eyebrows. “I did.”
Emily looked confused. “Is that the same Gabriel?”
Scarlet opened her mouth to explain how, yes, Gabriel used to be her boyfriend, but they broke up because they were under a curse that pretty much forced Gabriel to love Scarlet and made their relationship incredibly strained, but then she shut it.
“Yes,” Scarlet said to Emily with a smile. “It is the same Gabriel.”
The family carried on their card game while Heather and Gabriel were gone. When they finally came back downstairs, Heather gave Scarlet a sly thumbs up and Scarlet was able to relax a little.
“Thanks for the notes,” Gabriel said. Loudly.
They were both awful actors.
“It was nice to meet you.” Gabriel smiled at Heather’s family members in the living room before moving to leave.
“Wait,” said Nora, deliberately not looking at Heather’s warning eyes. “Won’t you join us for a game?”
Gabriel blinked and looked at Heather, who was giving him big eyes that said Don’t you dare.
“Uh…” Gabriel paused.
“Please?” said Emily, batting her lashes. She was definitely Heather’s little sister.
Gabriel smiled at Emily. “Sure,” he said defiantly, and Heather looked like she was going to die.
“Yay!” Emily said, as Gabriel joined the family circle and took a seat next to the small Baxter girl.
“I have to warn you though,” Gabriel said to Emily. “I always win.”
Emily gave him a look full of attitude. “That’s because you’ve never played me before.”
Gabriel gave her a crooked smile. “Challenge accepted.”
66
Elliot looked at the faded red design on Tristan’s hip for a long time.
“What have you stained it with?”
Tristan shrugged. “Whatever I can find that paints the skin. Grass, flowers, berries.”
“Hmm.” Elliot tilted his head. “It is well-drawn.”
Tristan nodded, thinking of Scarlet’s hands tracing the lines onto his skin. “Can you make it permanent?”
Elliot nodded. “I will get my tools.”
The old man disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a set of sharp instruments and a vile of dark liquid.
Tristan lay on the thick, wooden table in the room and looked up at the warped wooden boards of the ceiling.
Using the tip of an instrument Tristan had never seen before, Elliot gathered a drop of ink into the needle point and began to stab away at Tristan’s hip.
After an hour of continuous pricking, Tristan was numb to the feeling of the tool. Next week, he would leave the monastery and start his journey back home.
Not that he had a home to go back to. Deserting the king’s army had surely sealed his fate as an outcast.
“Who drew this design into your skin?” Elliot asked. He had been quiet for the last hour, but his eyes had studied the drawing thoughtfully.
Tristan did not answer.
Elliot stared at the lower half of the tattoo, where the design dipped across Tristan’s pelvis and below his waist. “A girl, then?” Elliot gave a knowing smile.
A picture of Scarlet’s dark hair falling into her blue eyes blossomed in Tristan’s mind, bringing him joy and sadness.
Joy for the memories.
Sadness that there might never be more.
“A girl,” Tristan confirmed.
Elliot nodded. “Is that who you escape for?”
“Yes.”
“Does she wait for you?”
Tristan stared at the old ceiling for a long time, knowing Scarlet was probably already married to Gabriel. “No.”
“Then why do you return?”
Tristan swallowed and tried to push back the truth. But the truth was resilient and fell from his tongue. “Because I cannot live without her.”
***************
Scarlet saw Gabriel sitting at the dining table alone, staring at the floor. It was late in the evening and no servants were around. The only light in the dining hall came from a handful of lit candles atop the table.
It had been three days since the earl had died and one since Scarlet’s mother had passed. They had both lost their parents in a matter of hours.
Scarlet looked at Gabriel. He was now the earl.
But he was also a young boy.
And she was only a girl.
Scarlet silently entered the dining room and waited until he glanced up at her. “I am so sorry for your loss, Scarlet.” His voice was hushed. “Your mother loved you deeply.”
Scarlet nodded and pulled a chair up to his side. She sat down beside him and, for a moment, they stared at the floor together.
Without a word, Gabriel reached for Scarlet’s hand and took it in his own. He interlaced his fingers with hers and squeezed gently.
Scarlet brought their interwoven hands to her mouth and lightly kissed his knuckles.
They would be okay. They would.
One boy. One girl. Lots of heartache.
Scarlet stayed at Gabriel’s side and stared at nothing with him.
She squeezed his hand.
They were lost. But they had each other.
67
On the morning of the town fair, Tristan stood with Gabriel, Nate, Scarlet and Heather on Mr. Brooks’ porch as Heather tapped the gargoyle knocker hanging on the door.
Scarlet had referred to this place as “haunted” and, looking around, Tristan could almost understand why. It was old, dark, broken and creepy.
But haunted?
Nah.
The front door creaked open, but no one was on the other side. Heather looked at Tristan and whispered, “This is how he answers the door.”
Sure.
“Mr. Brooks?” Heather called out. “It’s Heather Baxter. You said I could come back with my friends to look at your maps again?” Wearing a bright pink dress
and tall, pink shoes, she looked out of place on the dingy porch.
Tristan watched a jittery old man in a green bathrobe pop out from behind the front door, his eyes immediately shifting from side to side. He held a brown cane in his hand, but didn’t seem to require it for walking since he had it raised in the air, like the stem of an umbrella.
The old man eyed the street beyond them before his jumpy eyes looked from Gabriel, to Tristan, and back to Gabriel.
Yes, they were twins. It was interesting. Move on.
Lowering his cane to the floor, he tapped it quickly. “My maps. Yes, yes.” He lifted his cane again and swung it inside, making a whoosh sound. “Come in.”
Tristan followed everyone inside, unsure of what to expect.
Mounted owls were not at the top of his list, though he had been warned.
Stuffed owls adorned the walls and took up nearly every corner of the room. The few windows lining the front wall were coated in dust, making the sunlight seem gloomy as it floated into the otherwise poorly-lit home.
A dark hallway was to Tristan’s right, lined with more owls, but the old man led them into a parlor room on the left.
Antique furniture clogged up the room; chairs, couches, a chaise lounge, and a tall china cabinet filled with—that’s right—more owls, took up most of the far wall.
From the soft glow of the windows, Tristan could see thousands of specs of dust floating in the air. Mr. Brooks really needed a maid.
Or, at the very least, a vacuum.
A large owl with shiny eyes was perched on a brass bar hanging from the ceiling. Nate stared at the giant bird until the owl hooted loudly, causing Nate to jump.
Real owl. Not mounted.
“First, we will sit.” Mr. Brooks perched on one of the ancient chairs, resting a hand on his cane as his left leg bounced up and down. “Then we shall see about my maps.”
The owl hooted again and Nate scrambled to find a seat. He plopped himself down on the chaise lounge and a cloud of dust lifted up around him, making him sneeze.
