The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1)

by Sarah Lynn Gardner

  My cheeks warmed.

  “...aren’t taking risks, but sticking to your safe place.”

  His words struck a chord. That was pretty much how I’d designed my life these last few months. Sticking to my safe place and not taking risks.

  “One on one until you score?” Asher said.

  “What?”

  “One on one until you score on me.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Hmm.” Wasn’t he being over confident. “All right.” I stole the ball, circled around and ran for a lay up. I tossed, feeling lame and unpracticed. The ball bounced off the basket. Landing, I stumbled a little. My shoulders slumped. That must have looked stupid.

  I turned and bumped straight into him. As I stumbled, Asher grabbed my arm and pulled me in closer.

  “Nice try,” he said.

  A tingling sensation burned where he touched me. I looked into his deep, green eyes and yearned to know the thoughts behind the excitement there.

  “Again?” he whispered, his hand grazing mine.

  Every day, if he’d let me.

  We spent the better part of an hour playing ball, well beyond my first basket. Asher wasn’t as quick on his feet as I expected, which allowed me to get around him easier, and he struggled a little with balance, falling a couple of times. Each time he got up, it was with a huge grin.

  How did he always do that?

  The way he made every shot was amazing. He missed once, and that was because I fouled him.

  “And you aren’t going to try out for the team?” I asked.

  Holding the ball on his hip, he shook his head. “Nah. This is more fun.”

  “I know what you mean.” I smiled.

  “I think I’d be on the ground half the time anyway.” He spun the ball on one finger. “My dad keeps trying to convince me to try out. He always loved coming to my games. That would probably be the only reason I’d even consider it.”

  “Dad...” That word cued a promise I’d made to Daniel. “I should call my stepfather and let him know where I am. Can I borrow your phone?”

  “You really don’t have one?”

  I shook my head. “I dropped it in water. Haven’t gotten a new one yet.” That had been last spring. After two weeks of hate-filled texts, I’d done it on purpose.

  “I’ll have to go back inside. Give me a minute.”

  As he went in, I picked up my backpack and scrounged inside for the assessment page.

  The roar of a car’s engine approached, making me look up. A silver SUV headed toward the drive, driven by Asher’s mother.

  With the garage door opening behind me, I immediately moved out of the way.

  Mrs. Scoville looked at me with condemning eyes, making me feel like I was headed straight to purgatory. The car stopped inside the garage, and the door growled down a second later. Asher’s continued absence was definitely noticed.

  He’d left the door cracked open, and a couple minutes after the arrival of his mother, her elevated voice echoed out of the house.

  I reinserted the assignment back into my bag, gnawing on my lip. Had I gotten Asher in trouble?

  The argument ceased, and Asher came out with his smartphone, ready for me to dial already. He was a little red in the face. “Sorry for the delay.”

  “Did I get you in trouble?”

  “No.” He said quickly, then lowered the pitch of his voice. “I asked about walking you home. That’s what got me in trouble.”

  My eyebrows rose. What a sweet way to go about getting in trouble. I turned to hide my smile from him. But why would that get him in trouble?

  I pressed Daniel’s number. I let it ring, ended the call, then dialed again. A rapid second call was always how I let him know it was me. It started as my bratty way as a twelve-year-old of getting his attention, and over the years, it stuck.

  “Hello, Daniel Schuster speaking.”

  And yet he still answered like he didn’t know it was me, though he always answered. “Hi, Daniel.”

  “Tara? Everything all right?”

  “Calling to let you know I’m out working with someone on a school project.”

  “You actually called.” Daniel sounded relieved. “Thank you. Who are you with? Where are you?”

  “At my new lit partner’s. His house is in the subdivision behind Valley Road.”

  “You’re with a boy—”

  “Yeah, Montrose paired us together. He’s new at school this year.” I looked at Asher and mouthed a silent sorry, “I’ll probably be here for about ten more minutes, then I’ll walk.”

  “I’m headed home soon. I can pick you up.”

  So he can meet Asher? “No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll walk.”

  “I still have a phone waiting for you.”

  Nervousness twisted my gut. “I’ll talk with you later about it. See you at home.” Sighing away the anxiety that had built up, I tapped end and handed the phone to Asher.

  He slipped it into his pocket. “Mom wants to meet you. Is that all right?”

  My gaze strayed toward the door of their home. Meet his mom? After the glares she’d given me, the thought was terrifying. Parents were stressful. “Sure.”

  “Come on.” He waved me forward.

  I took the assignment back out so it would be obvious to his mother my purpose for being there was school related. I didn’t want Asher in trouble.

  Treading on light feet, I followed Asher up the steps and entered the house. We stopped on the landing between the split levels, door left open behind us.

  Mrs. Scoville descended from the top floor toward me. Her keen gaze swept over me, and I felt lacking under her scrutiny. Stopping on the bottom step, she stood more than a foot taller than me.

  Needless to say, I was even more intimidated.

  “Mom, this is Tara Evedon. We’re working on a project together for lit.”

  She extended her hand to me. “Judy Scoville.”

  Maybe I could ease feelings between us with some of the positive source I’d stored in my necklace while playing with Asher. Drawing on that energy boosted my confidence, but only a smidgeon. “It’s nice to meet you.” As our hands made contact, I released a little of the source into her.

  As she shook, she squeezed my hand in a death-like grip. Something in the glint of her eyes changed, and her fake smile disappeared. “I see your ten,” she whispered, then smiled cunningly, “and I’ll raise it twenty.”

  “What?” I jerked my hand out of hers. Did she notice the source?

  “Mom?” Asher said.

  “Change of plans, Asher.” Mrs. Scoville dug around her purse. “You may drive her home, if she’d like you to, but I shall chaperone.” She pulled out a set of keys.

  “Mom, I don’t know if that’s—”

  “It’s okay,” I said at the same time, “I was planning to walk.”

  “—necessary. She doesn’t live far.”

  “It’s not a bother.” Mrs. Scoville handed Asher the keys before turning around to head upstairs. “You have five minutes to finish working.”

  Asher and I sat outside on the cement pad porch overlooking the driveway.

  “You can sneak away now if you want,” Asher said. “I have no idea what she’s up to, but she’s up to something.”

  I pulled my assignment sheet from my bag. “We need to figure this out. Montrose sent me over.”

  “Right.” Asher retrieved his from his pocket. “What do you think about letting me do a photo documentary for my biography of you?”

  That would not be the easy in-class assignment I’d hoped for. “I don’t have any photos.”

  “You’ve moved around a couple of times in town, haven’t you? What if we visited each of your old homes and took a picture of you in front of them, along with a paragraph explanation?”

  It came as a surprise that his plan actually appealed to me. That would be nice to have, but not something I’d ever put together on my own. “I’m going to do an easy, boring written biography on you.�
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  “Oh, I’d hoped so.” He set his hand on my arm, smiling with mirth lurking in his eye.

  The touch sent a thrill through me. And boy, did I want to get to know that grin better.

  There were footsteps behind us as his mother emerged, and Asher quickly moved away. “And for the story, what if we did a graphic novel?”

  “An entire novel?” I said in disbelief. As he started to rise, I followed his lead.

  “No, it would only be the equivalent of one chapter.”

  That sounded fun. “I like that idea.” Maybe this would help make up for not taking an art class this semester.

  “Let’s go.” Mrs. Scoville passed between us and hurried down the stairs onto the driveway. She headed toward the dark blue Subaru parked on the cul-de-sac. “Asher, please unlock the door.”

  He pushed a button on the keychain, and the Subaru beeped its response. At the same time, he leaned over to me. “Quick, sneak around back. The gate will open.”

  I hunched my shoulders. His suggestion was ninety-nine percent appealing. The remaining once percent argued back that if I snuck off, his mother would hate me. Maybe there was a small chance this ride would gain me her favor. It would only be like five minutes.

  Instead of getting into the front passenger seat, Mrs. Scoville slipped into the back.

  “Why isn’t your mother driving?” I asked.

  “I have severe anxiety if anyone but me drives.” His adorable, crooked grin lifted one corner of his mouth. “One of the side effects of the crash.”

  “Huh.” That made sense—he’d almost died as a passenger last year.

  I dropped a step down and looked up at him. He was a giant to my height now. “Well?”

  He pressed his lips together and breathed in through his nose. “I hope she’s not planning to scare you off,” he muttered as he came down the stairs.

  Butterflies flourished in my stomach.

  After grabbing my backpack, I followed him to the Subaru. “So does she want me to sit in the back with her or up front with you?”

  Asher glanced at me before going to the front passenger door and put his hand on the handle. “Doesn’t matter what she wants.” He opened it for me.

  Well. He definitely got points for being a gentleman.

  I settled into the front seat. The interior was clean but the leather was worn. An evergreen car freshener hung from the mirror that gave off a fresh scent.

  Asher bent his body inside and started the ignition. “I think I can remember how to get to your place,” he said, starting down the street.

  “You’ve been to her home before?” Mrs. Scoville said.

  The sharpness of her tone sent a zinging sensation through my chest.

  “David dropped her off once last week when I was with him,” Asher said quickly.

  Eccentrically strict. Jack had said. Now I knew what he meant.

  “So, Tara, has Asher told you I have nine children?” Mrs. Scoville asked.

  “Yes.” I glanced at Asher, wondering where this was going.

  He looked my way with a clueless expression.

  “From child one, I have implemented a list of rules.”

  “Mom,” Asher interrupted. “You can’t have this—”

  “Asher, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt.”

  “Sorry.” Asher sighed. “This is embarrassing,” he muttered under his breath.

  “My darling boy, if she is to spend any time with you outside of school, she should know how I expect you to behave.”

  “No other moms tell their lit partners their stringent rules.”

  “I think it’s sweet,” I said.

  “Pardon, what did you say?” Mrs. Scoville leaned forward.

  I twisted around to look at her. Her controlling, strict nature was such a contrast to Mom’s lax, raise yourself attitude. “I think it’s sweet—that you care enough about your son to know who he’s working with.”

  His mom looked at me, speechless. “Indeed,” she finally said.

  “Are you seriously still going to go through all of them?” Asher asked.

  “Of course. Tara, I mean these for Asher, not you. I am not your parent, so I have no right to interfere there.”

  Other than Daniel’s recent request that I call him, I couldn’t think of a single rule Mom and Daniel had ever spelled out for me.

  Mrs. Scoville began. “If at home, whether mine or yours, an adult needs to be around. No bedrooms. Curfew is ten, even on the weekend.”

  “Ten?” I whispered.

  Asher rubbed his brow.

  “No private parties. No alcohol, drugs, or other illegal substances. If you two decide you like each other—”

  “Mom—”

  “Absolutely no sleepovers. There are other rules, if it gets to that point, but I’ll hold off from saying them until then.”

  As Asher turned down my street, his cheeks were red.

  “And if he ever mistreats you, Tara, you let me know.”

  “That’s if she still wants to spend time with me.”

  “Of course I do.” I patted his arm.

  “See, Asher, that right there is appropriate,” his mom said from the back, and I wondered if she was alluding to a rule she hadn’t dictated yet.

  “Mom, I thought you were done!” Asher exploded as he drove up my drive, then parked.

  I started to open my door.

  “Let him get that for you,” she said.

  “I’m going to die.” Asher pulled the lever of his door to open it before putting one foot out.

  She wasn’t done. “One step out of line, and it’ll be a call to your father.”

  “I got it,” Asher said. He came around to my door pretty quickly and opened it.

  “It was nice to meet you,” I told Mrs. Scoville, before getting out.

  “Likewise, Tara.”

  Asher shut the door with the slightest slam. “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, don’t apologize.”

  He walked me around the front of the car to the sidewalk where I paused, looking up at him.

  “I really do think it’s sweet.” I glanced at his mother who perused something on her phone.

  I was smart enough to recognize that Mrs. Scoville’s rules created safe boundaries for Asher and me to work together.

  Asher folded his arms, still looking like he felt awkward. “So you’re still going to talk to me at school tomorrow?”

  “I have to. You’re my lit partner.” I gave him a teasing grin as I took a few steps toward the front porch.

  “I’m kind of glad we have that excuse to fall back on.”

  I paused, looking at him, taking in how the gaze of his glowing green eyes lingered on me. “Me too.”

  14. Queen of Diamonds

  The next day, when Mrs. Wabash set us loose to work on homework, Asher turned his desk around to face mine.

  “I thought it was obvious that I don’t work well with partners.” I hid a smirk, already partway through the first problem.

  He chuckled. “Let me at least check my work with you.”

  “Hmm.” I glanced at him. We worked quietly for several minutes.

  “Basketball was fun yesterday.” His tone was low, meant for me. “We should do that again sometime.”

  I smiled a little, still focusing on my assignment.

  He tapped his pencil, an uneasy expression flitting across his face.

  There’s only so much stand-offish behavior he’s going to tolerate from me. At the same time, I couldn’t help it. Sam had been flirting with him first.

  I glanced toward the corner of the room where Layla, one of Sam’s closest sidekicks, watched us. She quickly glanced away.

  Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. When was I going to stop letting what Sam did define me?

  I looked Asher square in the eyes. “I’d love to.”

  I didn’t miss the grin he tried to contain, and it made my heart pump with positive source.

  “What about thi
s afternoon?” he asked.

  I contained my smile. “Sorry. I have to watch my brother and sister while my parents go on a date.” If Mom or Daniel were going to be home right after school, I’d suggest he come over to my place.

  We spent the next couple of minutes checking our work together.

  My heart raced at his nearness, but I loved how comfortable I felt around him.

  Except for the last problem, we got the same answers.

  “Mine is right,” Asher teased, reaching over to erase my work for me. His arm grazed mine, and my arm tingled at the contact.

  “Stop.” I pulled my notebook away from him.

  He grinned.

  Step by step, we went through the problem together. Jokingly, he suggested a wrong solution, and I reached to take his pencil from him. My hand slipped over his, then my wrist rested ever so gently on his as I erased. My heart warmed with the contact. “That is obviously wrong,” I said, not looking him square in the eye.

  The bell rang.

  Asher gathered his work together. “Hey, a group of us are going Friday night to a haunted house. Do you want to come ?”

  An uneasy feeling lodged in my stomach.

  “Uh, I don’t do well with groups.” I stood up. Especially not at a haunted house. Once with Holden, I’d gone, and my dark source has spiraled out of control. “But thank you.”

  During lunch, Asher seemed to head my way, but Sam hooked her arm through his and guided him toward his usual spot, at the center of the cafeteria where the athletes sat. She engaged him in a conversation that he smiled politely at, though the rest of him seemed stiff.

  Still, he slipped right back into his regular seat away from my tucked-in-the-corner location.

  I sighed, anxiously. Why’d she have to have her eye on him first?

  He looked across the room at me, a clear expression of disappointment on his face.

  The glance was flattering. I took a bite out of my apple, breathing a temporary sigh of relief. Was it bad of me to feel smug that he seemed to like me way more than her?

  “We can’t agree.” Lydia and Jack simultaneously sat across from me. Their arrival together was so unexpected that, eating my next bite, I bit my finger.

  Ow.

  I dropped the apple and tightened my hand into a fist. My nail burned where I’d almost chewed it off. “What do you want?”