The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1)

by Sarah Lynn Gardner

  I headed out of the bathroom.

  “You all right?”

  I froze, then turned on my heel. Gorgeous guy had waited for me. His dirty-blond hair reminded me of Dad’s, and his amazing green eyes pierced me.

  He righted himself from the wall where he’d been leaning, towering over me.

  My heart pattered. By appearances alone, he was every bit the guy I’d be attracted to, which made him a far more dangerous person for me to talk to. Plus, he was part of Sam’s crowd. Having been one of them, I knew what they were like, and they tended to be shallow. “Yeah. Fine. You didn’t have to wait for me.” I pushed past him.

  He laughed again. “Whatever.”

  As I walked to class, he remained next to me.

  Maybe his class was in the same direction. But he had waited in the hall for me to come out. Was he going to play some sort of practical joke on me? “You a creeper or something?” I asked.

  “Sure. Except, this time, you look like you saw a ghost, and I thought I’d make sure you got to your destination.”

  “I walked into boy territory. It was more ghastly than seeing a ghost.”

  “Really?” He laughed.

  “You laugh too much.”

  “Well, I thought that was funny.”

  “You’re funny-looking.” It was a joke my brother used to tell, but now, it sounded mean. I muttered, too used to barricading myself with mean comments. My face warmed—I shouldn’t have said that. He was checking on me, and I was being typical mean Tara. Embarrassed, I looked him in the eyes, wondering at his reaction.

  His green eyes held all the mirth in the world, and he was trying to hold back a laugh.

  He found my cynicism funny. It was a completely different reaction from everyone else.

  “Well.” He leaned closer. There was absolutely no pity or hate in those gorgeous eyes. “You’re kind of beautiful-looking. Just a little bit.” He winked at me. “And the way you knocked out Samantha earlier was killer.”

  My chest warmed, and I quickly averted my gaze.

  “Thanks for distracting her from me.”

  We were passing the library. On the other side of large windows, Ferdinand studied a Sudoku puzzle and then me as we passed. His eyes narrowed when our gazes met, and he looked at my tall companion with a hate-filled expression.

  Unease filled me. I looked at my escort instead. “Are you toying with me?”

  “Now why would you think that?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  The mirth in his eyes slid to genuine concern. “I wasn’t joking. Not in the slightest.” He shrugged. “You know, I was a bit of a jerk at my last school.” He hesitated. “I did something unforgivable and everyone turned on me. I’m here for a fresh start.”

  “Sounds familiar,” I said. “Except I didn’t actually do what everyone thinks I did and I haven’t gotten a new start. I’m stuck.”

  A puzzled expression flitted across his face as he smiled crookedly. “I’m trying to learn from my past to carve a different future.” He held out his hand for me to shake. “I’m Asher, by the way.”

  Suddenly, I didn’t want to be the cold girl I’d protected myself with all year. At the same time, my heart panicked, screaming at me that letting anyone in, even an inch, could end in betrayal. But no one was around to witness this interaction—and I wasn’t likely to run into Asher often. He wasn’t in my classes. Probably wasn’t even in my grade.

  “Tara,” I shook his hand, enjoying the warmth the touch created between us. A surge of positive source filled me; I’d forgotten what this felt like.

  We’d reached Montrose’s room, and I stopped.

  “You’re in Montrose’s class?” Asher said. “He’s quite a terror, isn’t he?”

  An odd feeling stole over me. “He’s not a terror.” To say that, Asher must either be in my grade or a senior, but I didn’t recognize him, though it sounded like he might be new. “He’s the best teacher in the school.” I went to open the door.

  “It was nice to finally meet you, Tara,” he said in a quiet tone that wouldn’t disturb the class.

  He knew who I was, and didn’t judge me, didn’t pity me.

  My cheeks heated up.

  Montrose saw him and nodded his head in greeting—smiling even. Which meant he must like Asher.

  I hesitated, because it was hard to say what I wanted to say next. “Thank you, Asher,” I whispered, then slipped into class and into my seat. I was grateful it was right by the door.

  Jack was in the middle of his speech, somehow tying card tricks to Gatsby and making everyone laugh, even Montrose. Almost no one noticed my re-entrance.

  I relished the feeling I got while interacting with Asher, and the positive source that came with it. For once, someone with no pity or hostility in their eyes. Just genuine kindness. Something I lacked plenty of, especially lately.

  Lydia gently placed her hand on my back and scratched it for a second.

  The touch made me cringe, because six years ago, when I’d needed her the most, she hadn’t phoned or returned my calls.

  At least she’s trying now. Maybe that counted for something.

  I turned in my seat toward Lydia and looked into her blue eyes that reflected mine. I smiled.

  She looked surprised then grinned. The exchange brought a second wave of positive source, displacing even more of the negative I’d let build up over the last few months.

  2. Bitter Heart

  After school, I rode my bike home, dumping it in front of the garage for my stepfather Daniel to take inside when he arrived from work. Exiting the gate, I made sure to shut it behind me. Demons couldn’t open a closed door. Though I didn’t have too much to worry about. Demons didn’t possess regular humans. Just alvs. Even then, demons were usually only a problem if an alv went searching for one and let it possess them—or sent it after someone unsuspecting. Corrupt alvs were more of a danger than demons.

  As I approached the front door, I fumbled for the house key in my backpack. The gate creaked as it opened. Quickly, I looked over at it.

  Ferdinand entered the yard uninvited. His grandparents lived down the street, but other than weekends, he was usually at his Mom and aunt’s.

  Unease filled me, and I moved toward the front door. “What are you doing here?”

  “Relax princess. I have a question for you.”

  “Right now’s—”

  “You are not blowing me off again.” He came straight to me and snatched the keys from my hand.

  “Hey—what are you—”

  He inserted the house key into the lock, twisted, then, as I backed away from him, he grabbed my wrist with strength his lean body hid, and pulled me into the house with him.

  Dark source spiraled. I wanted to throw a wall of it at him in self-defense, but fear of permanently hurting him stopped me.

  Closing the door, Ferdinand spun me around, grabbed me by the arms, and shoved me against it.

  “You’re hurting me.” I wriggled against him. I never should have tried being friends with him last year.

  His brown eyes peered into mine. “How’d you do it?”

  I stilled. “Do what?” I demanded.

  His nails sank through my sweater, pressing my skin, and I put my arms quickly up in front of me and pushed out.

  He released me. “Get the demon out of Jerrick.”

  “Who told you about that?” Fear coursing inside me, I stepped past him. “Did Jerrick?” If Ferdinand knew, who else did?

  He grabbed my wrist. “How’d you do it?” he growled.

  “I didn’t. It came out on its own, and then I killed it.” The first part was definitely a lie. But if he didn’t know a changeling could drain an alv of his or her source, I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. I was pretty sure it was something I wasn’t supposed to know—Dad, Mom, Daniel, they had never taught me a changeling could drain source. I taught myself.

  “Demons don’t come out of alvs on their own.” His hold w
eakened,

  I jerked free, then darted down the hall toward the kitchen.

  For the first time in months, I wished I had a cellphone again. Before I reached the house phone, Ferdinand grabbed my shoulder, forced me to turn, and grabbed my jaw, then forced me to look at him. He brought his lips within inches of mine. “We had fun together. Why wasn’t I enough?”

  My body trembled. I could tell I was close to unleashing a wave of dark source on him, but what if I didn’t have enough control over my source and killed him?

  A memory of him kissing me flashed across my mind. I shuddered. It was a moment I must have buried, because it caught me off guard I didn’t remember it.

  Ferdinand groaned. “Stay in your isolation,” he whispered in my ear. “It’s where your treacherous, bitter heart belongs.” He pushed me away from him, then faster than what seemed possible, he reached the door and left.

  Bitter source festered, and I stumbled into the kitchen. Going to the phone, I picked it up, knowing I needed to call Daniel.

  I dialed the first few numbers, but my dark source sickened me. I needed to cleanse.

  Opening the door on the fridge, I peered through its contents looking for something.

  Finding a fresh slab of steak, I pulled it out and unwrapped the red offering, holding it free in one hand. Daniel was not going to be happy about this.

  “Ugh.” Maybe I should have gone with the bowl of apples. I glanced over at where they rested. Their presence enhanced positive source. The remains of a dead animal did not.

  Quickly, I transferred negative source into the meat. In a matter of seconds, it rotted.

  Before its stench could stain the aroma of the kitchen for long, I grabbed an empty shopping sack laying on the kitchen island and dropped the meat into it, then double bagged it, knotting the end before dumping it into the trash.

  My conscience bugged me to take it outside, but still feeling weak, I left it for Daniel.

  Going to the sink, I washed my hands. I lingered with my hands under the warm flow, enjoying how it enhanced my source, even a little. A creek in nature would do a far better job.

  Turning off the water, I dried my hands, then looked around.

  I couldn’t remember the reason for all my dark source. It was as if by cleansing myself of it, the memory had disappeared. That had never happened before.

  Unnerved, I headed up to my room, closed the door, and dropped my backpack on the bed. Rummaging through it, I found my assignment notebook.

  I had an exam in history tomorrow I really should study for, but history stirred dark source. I could read the Great Gatsby again. Then I’d be doubly prepared for that exam in two days.

  I collapsed on my bed and closed my eyes. Maybe I should have picked up Jack’s work shift at the local grocery store when he’d asked.

  Cleansed mostly of dark source, it was easy to drift asleep.

  My bedroom is dark. Someone’s at my window, pushing it open. My heart starts racing, but when I try to shout out and move, I can’t.

  Jerrick enters, this tall, imposing figure.

  Immediately, I can tell he’s once again demon-possessed. Negative source radiates off him. My previous efforts to rid him of darkness have failed.

  “Leave me alone,” I whimper.

  He hovers near my bed and begins to run his hand up and down my arm.

  “Go away. Please,” I cry.

  "I was hoping you had changed your mind. Fiends like a willing host more than an unwilling."

  “Tara!” Daniel’s shout invaded the vision.

  It was the impetus that allowed me to jerk myself from the nightmare. Bolting upright, I breathed heavily, feeling numb and once again exposed.

  As the memory of Jerrick's attempted kiss last spring filled my mind, I looked out my window. Outside, the sunset painted the sky with oranges and purples, a perfect October sky.

  Daniel’s feet pounded up the stairs, and he pushed my door open. As he appeared, my stepfather shoved his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. “My meat—” As his gaze rested on me, the anger diffused to concern. “Did something happen at school today?”

  Collapsing back onto the bed, I threw my arm over my eyes. “No.” I took a deep breath in. “I needed to cleanse. It was building up.”

  “That bowl of apples no one eats—”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I interrupted.

  He hesitated, and I secretly willed him to leave me alone. He was good at not prying too much, mostly because he was afraid I’d bite his head off. Last spring when he’d tried to get me to talk about Jerrick, I’d directed so much dark source at him, it had compromised his immune system, and he’d developed pneumonia.

  Out of everything I’d done last spring, I felt the most guilt over that. The memory still haunted me, and I shoved it to the back of my mind as I pulled my pillow over my head.

  “I’ll try to keep something in the bottom drawer for you.” Daniel backed out of the room and closed my door. “Just don’t touch my steak!”

  “Fine! I won’t touch your steak again,” I called after him as his footsteps sounded on the stairs.

  He would still provide an alternative. Even if I gave Daniel a hard time, it was nice he understood what I was. Tears burned in my eyes. Why was I so rude to him?

  He was the only one who cared about me. The only one who didn’t assume my guilt.

  Grabbing my stress-relieving coloring book with animals, I picked out a blue marker and filled in the blank spaces of a peacock.

  At first, it calmed my nerves, helping to clear my mind. But once my thoughts were empty, Jerrick’s name flitted through my head, despite my efforts to keep him out.

  Getting up, I checked my room over for demons, knowing full well there weren’t any there. They’d have tried to possess me by now.

  If only I could go back to the time when Jerrick and I were just friends. Before that fateful day Sam pulled me into the makeup aisle for the first time.

  She’d found out Jerrick’s older brother, Cam, was going on his first date with a girl in his grade. Up until then, I hadn’t known how big her crush was on Cam.

  “Makeup won’t make him like you more,” I’d said.

  She tsked at me. “We’ll see.” Sam picked out several eyeshadows and dumped them into the basket I held.

  “Give him a couple more years to notice you.”

  “A couple more years and he’ll graduate! There’s no time,” Sam said. “How about this one for you?” She held up mascara.

  “I don’t need—”

  “You’ll be wanting to catch Jerrick’s eye.” She winked at me.

  “No—”

  “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I married Cam someday and you married Jerrick? Then we really would be sisters.” Her eyes lit up, and for the next couple of years, she spent so much time daydreaming about it that I became convinced Jerrick was my someday forever and Cam was hers.

  Until she stepped in and wanted Jerrick instead.

  I sat back down and began to color again. Tears splattered onto the page, and I made big angry circles on it. Stupid. Stupid girl.

  The knock arrived right on schedule at 7:35, and my little sister, Oops, came into my room without waiting for an invite, already dressed in a pink nightgown and her hair done in braids. She showed me her chapter book and asked, “Can you read with me tonight, Tara?”

  Daniel stood outside my room, posed to head down the stairs, but he waited like always.

  I still hadn’t figured out whether or not he’d prompted Oops to start this nightly ritual or if she’d begun it on her own volition. Either way, it didn’t matter. Daniel never spoke, just waited for a moment. This was usually his one way of keeping tabs on me. His earlier invasion had been out of the norm.

  “Sure, little tiger.” I scooted over on my bed and made room for her.

  She smiled a little, keeping hidden the empty bottom spaces in her mouth, and hurried over.

  As she climbed onto the bed, I reached fo
r her arm and pulled her to me. I turned onto my side, resting my head on my hand and my arm on my pillow. Oops nestled against me and opened her book to where she had left off reading the night before, and I followed along.

  Every so often, she came to a word she didn’t recognize, and I helped her sound it out.

  Her presence enhanced my positive source, and I let a little of it bleed back into her, and her confidence as she read strengthened. Her reading improved as a result. Her reading ability was amazing—I couldn’t remember even reading a picture book at five.

  As if to say thank you, my little changeling sister let her positive source swirl into me. She paused to look at me. “Maggie says changelings are freaks.”

  “Did she?” I furrowed my brow. Maggie was supposedly Oops’s best friend, but as a pure alv, I’d often seen her bully Oops. Her parents watched Oops after school until Daniel got off work. “You know what my dad told me,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  I smiled. “Changelings are more powerful than pure alvs. That’s why they’re scared of us.”

  “But...you’re daddy was a pure alv.”

  I nodded, then tapped her nose.

  Her eyes grew wide.

  “You can’t tell Maggie. It’s a changeling’s secret.”

  Oops smiled, then nestled back by me, reading aloud again.

  There were different alv clans. In the United States, they were named using different languages for the word elf.

  Some, like my adopted brother, Holden’s—the Aos Si clan—were controlling. Maggie’s family belonged to it as well. Dad’s was the Alv clan, which was far more lenient. Jerrick’s family belonged to the Puck, who didn’t really care at all. Pucks mostly only kept track of where their members lived and who they married. It made a difference in how they viewed changelings. Jerrick had always looked to me and his changeling brother Camden as his superiors because our source was stronger, and we could give it to him while he couldn’t share his. Thinking of Jerrick, a tight feeling seized my chest, and Oops glanced at me.

  “Are you okay?” she whispered. She must have sensed the change in my source.