Echoes to Ashes (The Immortal Trials Book 1)

by Ainsley Shay

I didn’t know what it meant that Cameron had witnessed me inside the circle of wind. Would he run tell Isla, or worse, Hartley, that I was some sort of freak? Something told me he’d keep what he saw to himself. Besides, who the heck would believe him?

  After finishing the rugs, I went back into the store. Some of the items I had just straightened or relocated had a different feel when I saw them now. I felt lighter, more at ease. Deep down, I knew I had Cameron to thank for that. He was my confirmation that what I had done had actually happened. I had really made the wind do as I wished. The giddiness welled inside me.

  “Why do you look like you just ran through a meadow of flowers and danced with fairies?” Mina asked.

  Moving around the store, I replaced the rugs. Ignoring her question, I said, “I have an idea. Why don’t we go to Veil Rock today?” I came to a stop next to her. “Can you ask your dad to take us there?”

  She shrugged. “I guess. I’m not sure what he has going on, but I’ll ask him. Why do you want to go there anyway? It’s just a big rock.”

  It was my turn to shrug. “Just curious, I guess.” I was more than curious. Something was there, I knew it.

  Mina told me she was going to call her dad, and she’d be back in a minute. Isla was in the back storeroom at her desk doing paperwork. I wanted to ask Isla about the wind thing, but decided not to. Hell, Cameron may have already told her, but I still didn’t think so. When I knocked on the door, she turned.

  “Hello, dear.”

  “Hi.”

  She pushed her glasses up on her nose. “I’m so sorry you’re taking care of the store all by your lonesome today. I had no idea this paperwork would take me this long.”

  “I don’t mind. Besides, we’re slow, and Mina is keeping me company.”

  “She’s a sweet girl.”

  “Yeah, she’s nice,” I agreed.

  As if her timing was right on, she yelled, “Ev—you here?”

  “In the back,” I called out.

  “My dad said give him an hour and he’ll take us.”

  Isla’s eyebrows perked up. “And where are you two off to?”

  Mina leaned against the doorframe. “Ev wants to see the rock.”

  Isla beamed, clasping her hands together. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

  “Are you sure it’s okay if I leave?”

  “Absolutely, dear. I’m almost finished with this dreadful stuff anyway.”

  Half an hour later, Mina and I were heading to the dock. The wind, which I had nothing to do with, kicked up as we got closer to the water. Captain Holst was already at the boat preparing for our trip. When Mina called out to him, he came to the edge, held out his hand, and helped us climb into the boat.

  “Take a seat anywhere you’d like, Ms. Shade.” He handed me a life jacket. “Put this on.”

  I did, then took a seat on the padded bench in the rear of the boat.

  Captain Holst untied the boat from the dock, pushed us off, and jumped aboard. The boat bobbed up and down through the incoming waves. On our way out to the flatter part of the ocean, the boat rocked back and forth. I swore we were going to flip over. Terrified, I clung to one of the poles attached to the canvas top.

  “You don’t look so good. Are you going to be sick?” Mina asked.

  I shook my head. “Not sick, just nervous we’re going to become some large creature’s dinner.” Swarming, hungry sharks were in a feeding frenzy in my head. They’re just in your imagination, I told myself over and over.

  “This boat isn’t going to tip over.” Mina came to stand next to me. “Trust me, she’s seen a lot worse than this.”

  “Worse than this?”

  “Ain’t that right, Dad?”

  “What’s right, little one?”

  It sounded funny to hear him call his daughter little one. Mina left my side to stand next to her father at the center of the boat. Their love and closeness made me slightly jealous. At least she had her dad to be close to. He lowered his head to hers. As she said something to him, he glanced over his shoulder and smiled. He released the steering wheel. Mina took over driving the boat while her dad made his way over to me. He moved with such grace, his body rising and falling with the waves.

  “There’s no need to worry, Everly. This vessel… well, she won’t let us down. And, you have two strong captains who know these waters like the backs of our hand.” He patted my shoulder.

  His words did not relieve the tension coursing through me. My body was as tight as a taut rubber band as the boat slammed into wave after wave. Seawater splashed over the sides, puddling at my feet. My God, we might sink before we flip over.

  “We’re almost out of the worst part,” Mina called.

  Her dad joined her again at the wheel. He pushed the throttle forward, and the boat pulled hard against the waves.

  “We just have to get around that bluff, then it’ll calm.” Mina pointed in the near distance.

  I wished my heart was racing and threatening to jump out of my chest for reasons other than the fear of being dragged under the water. Another fifteen minutes or so went by before we reached the area where Mina said the waters would calm.

  She was right. I wanted to hug her.

  “Look!” Mina yelled.

  In the distance was a jutting rock shooting straight out of the ocean, toward the crystal blue sky. The boat leveled, gliding on the smooth surface. We headed straight for the natural structure.

  I trembled with nervous excitement. My eyes watered from the wind blasting my face as the boat sped up. I wiped away the tears from my face, only to have them reappear seconds later. As I focused on the rock before me, I stood without realizing I was on my feet. Captain Holst turned the boat to the right. I shielded my eyes from the sun, raising my gaze as we circled the enormous jagged stone.

  Veil Rock looked different than I’d imagined—exceedingly so.

  12

  As we approached Veil Rock, I expected my heart to beat faster, sweat to begin pouring out from my pores, my nerves to start buzzing, or at the very least, to get excited.

  I experienced none of those things.

  “So, what do you think?” Mina asked.

  I wasn’t sure what I thought. “Um… it’s quite impressive.”

  The entire experience felt off: the boat ride, the people (as nice as they were) I was with, the timing, even the rock itself. It all felt strange, but more so, none of it felt right.

  Mina was telling me about the rock’s history. I caught a few things, but mostly I tried to get a grip on what was happening. Rather, what wasn’t happening. I had felt such a need to see this place, but now that I was here, the pull should be stronger, overwhelming to the point of needing to touch it.

  “I hope you’re not disappointed, but this is as close as we get to the rock. If the boat takes a crash into those rocks, we’re all goners.”

  I shook my head. “I’m good.” I tried to recall some of the information she had told me, so I wasn’t redundant. “What did you say happened here?”

  Mina propped her leg up on the seat next to her. “They say that there were horrible experiments done on local girls there. Some even say black magic was used, and others say it was science.”

  My morbid curiosity jerked into gear. “What kind of experiments?”

  She bit her lower lip and looked up the jutting rock. “Depends on who you ask. The ones who don’t believe in magic will tell you the evil scientist was trying to make an obedient species. If you ask the ones who do believe in magic, they’ll tell you it was a warlock who kept women locked in cages, feeding them only blood, while he tried different spells on them to transform them into who knows what.

  “What do you believe?” I asked her.

  “It depends on what day it is.”

  My brows furrowed. “What kind of answer is that?”

  She lowered her leg. “I know it’s not a good one. But I’m not sure if I believe any of it. And, trust me, I’ve tried. I’ve even made up my own storie
s about what could have happened there. But nothing ever seems real or right.” She scoffed. “I know that doesn’t make sense.”

  “Actually, it does.”

  I had wanted something magical to happen at Veil Rock.

  But disappointingly, nothing had.

  The ride back to the dock was uneventful, which was fine by me. Mina told me several of her made-up stories. All of them were far-fetched, but completely fun and imaginable. Mina jumped onto the dock when we arrived back to town. She tied off the boat, helped me out, and then her dad.

  “Thank you, Captain Holst, for taking the time to show me Veil Rock.”

  “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Shade.”

  Mina and I said our goodbyes. I jumped on the bike to start for home, but I had an intense urge to go to the desert to check out the so-called party. But Mina would kill me if she knew I went. Plus, I really did not want to have a confrontation with Cameron or Hartley.

  The sun was beginning to set. It dipped below the tree line as I rode through the forest to my aunt’s house. The air cooled and thinned. It was filled with the scents of brine and pine trees. The narrow road curved, guiding me deeper into the woods. When I came around the corner, I almost ran into a woman standing directly in the middle of the road. I slammed on my brakes. The bike skidded along the uneven asphalt, then landed on its side. Sliding with the bike, I tore the skin on my knee and shoulder. After I rolled onto my butt, I sat up. Blood oozed from the gash on my leg. The scene with the semi from last night played over in my head. My God, was that only last night?

  I lifted my arm. A deep sting buried itself into my shoulder and down my arm. I glanced at it. Warm blood spilled down my arm from the deep scrape on my shoulder.

  “Why the hell are you standing in the middle of the road?” I shouted. When I finally looked up, I clearly saw the woman I almost rammed into. I instantly scooted back. Fear like I had never experienced flooded every cell of my being. “What the hell are you?” I whispered into the darkness.

  “I did not mean to startle you, girl.” Her voice was flat and insincere.

  Girl? “Yeah… okay—whatever.”

  She was the color of a bright full moon. Her skin was pale and pasty white. She studied me with colorless eyes. The only color she wore was blood-red lipstick on her pouty lips. Even her hair was white—not like gray white, actually white. An albino.

  “Oh shit,” I muttered under my breath. Was this who the preacher was trying to warn me about? The White Ones?

  Gauze-like material covered her breasts. A few strands wrapped around her torso, then continued to drape over her hips and the tops of her thighs.

  This was the part of the horror movie when the crowd yells at the dumb girl on the screen to run—me being the dumb girl this instance.

  Did I run?

  Of fucking course not! I was mesmerized in the worst way.

  It was almost as if she were a ghost. Hell, maybe she was one. She certainly had all the attributes to be one, except the most important one—she wasn’t transparent. She glided over to me and knelt. A pale finger with a talon-like nail reached out to me. I leaned away, catching myself from falling back further. But I had nowhere to go. Her cool fingertip landed on the mark on my cheek. She traced along the lines until she had touched every part of it.

  “Interesting.” Lowering her hand, she smiled. It was eerie and raw with a sick satisfaction.

  I moved back again. This time, I tried to stand. Once I was on my feet, I asked, “What’s interesting?”

  She blinked, the movement deliberate and slow. “I knew you were unique; I just didn’t realize how unique.”

  I started to ask what she meant when the engine of a car whined in the distance, getting louder as it came closer. Beams of light were the first to be seen from around the bend in the road. Turning, I stared into oncoming headlights. Briefly blinded, I moved my gaze back to the creepy woman. She was gone.

  “Dammit!”

  Whoever was in that car had no right to be this far into the forest. That road only leads to my aunt’s house. I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or mad as I moved to the side of the road. The car slowed, coming to a stop in front of me. With the headlights still on, it was impossible to see who was driving. The car door opened, and the cab light came on. After groaning and kicking the rock at my foot, as far as I could, I got on the bike and continued home.

  “Everly, wait!”

  What was it with this guy? Today had been full of magic, disappointment, a possible ghost sighting, and now Cameron was here to top it off.

  “Go away!”

  “We need to talk,” he hollered.

  “No, we don’t.”

  The car door slammed, and the engine revved. Cameron was following me home. The car came up next to me. I refused to look at him.

  “Everly, we need to—what the hell happened to you?”

  “Nothing!”

  “Did you know you have blood pouring down your arm?”

  “I took a tumble on my bike. It’s no big deal, really.”

  I rode down the gravel driveway to Aunt Juju’s house. Cameron parked behind the Volvo. He jumped out of the car, then was at my side before I could prop the bike against the porch. Taking hold of the handlebars, he completed the job for me.

  “Thanks.”

  I started up the porch steps.

  “I’ve never been out this far before—to your aunt’s house.”

  “Yeah well, you can’t say that now. Have a look around, say hi to the creepy skulls, then please go home,” I pleaded.

  “The skulls aren’t meant to be creepy. They’re for luck and to help keep unwanted guests away,” he explained as he climbed the steps.

  I turned on him. “I don’t think they work too well.”

  He flinched at my words, but I didn’t feel bad. I was still too freaked out to feel anything but freaked out.

  “Cameron, it’s been one of those days. Actually, it’s been a trying few days, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a shower and eat something.”

  He didn’t move. “Today, what I saw you do was real.”

  “You didn’t see anything—”

  “Don’t try that funnel excuse again. I didn’t believe it earlier, and I’m not believing it now.”

  Forgetting it wasn’t there, I went to fidget with my bracelet. I cursed internally when I felt my bare wrist. “Cameron, why do you even care?” I stared out at the forest before cutting my eyes back to him.

  He gripped his hands behind his neck. “Ever since you came to Veil Rock, things have happened.”

  I knew what I had experienced, but could there be more I didn’t know about? “Like what?”

  He stood at the edge of the porch steps, half turned to survey the yard. Darkness filled the space beyond the cars. “Do you believe in magic?” His voice was so low I wasn’t sure I heard him correctly.

  “What did you say?”

  He lowered his hands from his neck, turning to face me. “I asked if you believe in magic.”

  It was a point-blank question with nowhere for me to run. “I’m not sure.” I rubbed my arm. Sticky blood coated my fingertips. “I know you don’t.”

  “It’s more like I don’t want to believe in magic.” He sighed. “Isla has a few steady customers; others visit her shop because they’re curious. But most of the town thinks she’s crazy.”

  “Is that why you hate magic?” I asked.

  He glanced at my knee, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Listen, I know I’m being a complete selfish ass right now. You’re in pain, bloody, and yet, I can’t let you go inside without you telling me what happened earlier.”

  Cameron took two steps toward me. My back was against the railing. For the second time today, I was trapped by him. My body stuttered with feelings I tried to ignore, but he was too close. Shallow and quick breaths were all I could manage to keep breathing.

  “Please tell me the truth,” he begged.

  I sl
owly shook my head. “I don’t really know what it was, or what’s happening to me,” I confided in the thin space between us.

  His eyes scanned my face, seeming to search for traces of a lie. He wouldn’t find any. I had told him the truth. The mark? I tensed. Did he see the swirled mark on my face? I held my breath as I waited for him to touch it, like the creepy white woman had. But he didn’t. Cameron backed up a fraction, giving me more breathing room. I let out a long breath.

  I touched the side of my cheek. “Why are you pushing me so hard to give you an answer I don’t have?” Tears started to well in the corner of my eyes.

  He raised his eyes to mine. I glimpsed hope, pain, and desperation in his.

  His hands tightened into fists. He looked over my wounded shoulder, out into the yard. “Because it was magic that killed my parents.”

  Gasping, I clutched my chest. “What? How?”

  The stagnate air shifted around our feet.

  Cameron’s distant gaze darted to the floor of the porch. “Everly, you’re doing that… aren’t you?”

  The slight breeze tickled my ankles. My shoelaces lifted in response.

  “I don’t know,” I whispered.

  13

  The small gust of wind flowed up until we were both in the funnel. My long hair curled around his body. He reached out, wrapping his arms around my waist. Our bodies were one in the light breeze encircling us. I didn’t know how to stop it, or if I even wanted to. The warmth and strength radiating from his body gave me more comfort than I had felt since coming to Veil Rock.

  His eyes were shades of the fairest blue and gray. They stared at me with disbelief.

  “This is amazing. How did you do this?”

  “Like I said, I really don’t know.”

  It had only been a smallest caption of time, but I felt infinite and safe, like nothing could stop this feeling of wholeness. Then, it only took a nanosecond to realize what exactly was happening and how I needed to stop it immediately. The break in happiness caused the wind tunnel to disintegrate. My hair fell against my back, while Cameron’s arms fell against his sides.