Sword Play

by Linda Joy Singleton

  Brianne.

  Brianne’s expression was so horrified that I found myself glancing around to make sure Kip’s head wasn’t floating nearby. But no sign of a ghost, although the energy at our table seemed supernatural.

  “Ohmygod!” Brianne cried. “Sabine!”

  I just sat there, stunned.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  “Leaving.” I pushed my chair back.

  “No, you stay. I’m going.”

  “Don’t bother. I should never have come here.”

  She didn’t reply, but the fury in her eyes slashed to my heart. There was no mistake about her feelings. She hated me.

  “Vin, take me home,” I said firmly, steeling my emotions so I wouldn’t break. I couldn’t let Brianne know how deeply she hurt me, how close I was to tears. What had I ever done to her? Except be her friend.

  “But Sabine, I haven’t finished my pizza,” Vin complained, wiping off a string of cheese from his chin.

  “We can’t part Vin from his pizza,” Jennae said with a flash of her big smile. She reached out for Brianne’s arm. “Come on, Bree. Let’s just sit down and enjoy this delicious pizza.”

  “I lost my appetite,” Brianne said.

  “Sit here,” Derrick offered, pointing to the spot farthest from me.

  She shook her head. “I’m leaving.”

  “Me, too,” I added.

  I tried to go, but Vin kept a firm grip on my arm. He looked between us and spoke calmly, “Girls, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing!” we both replied. Brianne and I looked at everyone, embarrassed, then quickly turned away.

  “Ooh … intense hostility,” Vin said. “Clearly you two have issues to work out.”

  “Not me!” Brianne snapped. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “So you have no problems with Sabine?”

  “Of course not.”

  Vin eyed her sternly. “Then there’s no reason for you to rush off. Is there, Brianne?”

  “Well I … I guess not.”

  “And Sabine?” he asked me pointedly.

  I lifted my head with forced casualness. “No problems here.”

  “Oh, all right.” Brianne tossed back her silky hair. “But there better be plenty of pizza, because I’m starving.”

  “Dig in.” Derrick gestured to the table, smiling as if he didn’t notice how Brianne made a big circle of the table to avoid me, taking a seat far at the opposite end. “We’ll have enough pizza for the others, too, when they show up. You heard from them, Bree?”

  “Only Tony and Annika. They’ll be here soon.”

  “Annika?” I asked before I could stop myself. “Who’s she?”

  Brianne ignored me and poured a glass of water. But Vin was quick to answer. “Annika joined Foils several months ago—she replaced Tiffany.”

  I wanted to ask who replaced me. Instead I asked, “What happened to Tiffany?”

  “She moved to Idaho. We also had two brothers join, Izziah and Mark Wyllie. If there’s an opening, you could join again.”

  I shook my head firmly. “I already told you I’m not returning to Arcadia.”

  Brianne smirked, and I could tell this was good news to her. And again I wondered what I had done to cause her betrayal? We’d been so close. We shared everything and I trusted her with my deepest secrets. I know she trusted me, too.

  While conversation shifted to people I didn’t know, I focused in on Brianne. She was thinner and wore more makeup than I remembered. She spoke in an unnaturally cheerful voice, averting her gaze from me. When she reached for pizza, I noticed a tattoo on her arm. It was a faery. Hurt pierced so deep, I had to look away.

  Had it only been last spring we’d had the tattoo conversation?

  “My simple philosophy about life is easy,” Brianne had declared during our ritual weekend sleepover. It was warm outside so we were bunking in sleeping bags in my treehouse. We had snacks, a CD player, and flashlights. We were so tired we were just rambling on about life, love, and other philosophical stuff.

  “What’s easy about life?” I murmured sleepily, glancing over to where she lay on her back, her flashlight making a yellow moon on the wood ceiling.

  “Life isn’t easy, that’s what I’m saying. So you have to find the fun in everything and not sweat the small stuff. Just wear gray sweatpants every day, a comfortable T-shirt, and get a tattoo. That’s all there is to it.”

  “A tattoo? What design?”

  “A faery.”

  “Cool. I’ll get one, too.”

  “We’ll do it together. Friendship and being happy are like the most important things. We’re only going to be around for what? Seventy, eighty years? So enjoy life now. I’m gonna enjoy mine in comfy clothes and a tattoo.”

  After that she went around wearing sweats and corny tie-dyed shirts, but she promised to wait for the tattoo so we could get them together.

  “Hey, Sabine!” I looked up to find Vin snapping his fingers at me.

  “Huh?” I blinked.

  “I asked what’s been going on with you? Other than the hot boyfriend,” Vin added with a wink.

  “Not much, just school and stuff.” Stuff involving deadly predictions, ghosts, and spirit guides. Of course I didn’t say that.

  “So what about a new school?”

  “Don’t know. Probably a private school. My mother has something planned.” And I was not eager to find out. Mom’s attempt to talk with me this morning increased my unease. Please don’t let her make me return to Arcadia, I thought. Anywhere else!

  Vin went on about different schools in the area, but my gaze wandered over to Brianne. She was obvious in her avoidance of me, yet no one else seemed to notice. I had a wild urge to scream out “Betrayer!” Then I’d demand to know why she’d turned against me. I mean, we’d been closer than sisters, and I’d trusted her completely. What had gone wrong?

  I’d replayed our last conversation in my mind so many times, searching for a hint of trouble ahead and finding none. We’d been hanging out in her room listening to music like usual. She was in an unusually good mood, excited to tell me her big news. Tony, who was a year older, had invited her to the prom.

  “Of course I said yes!” she squealed.”I thought I’d have to wait till I was a junior to go to a prom.”

  “But Tony?” I questioned. “You told me he was an opinionated, chauvinistic jerk? You don’t like him that way.”

  “Did I say I was in love with him? No. I’m just going to have fun at a dance.”

  “The prom,” I said pointedly. “That’s kind of serious.”

  “He knows it isn’t serious. It’s just for kicks, you know, like when you went out with Derrick.”

  “We only went to a movie—not even a very good one—and when he kissed me his breath tasted like garlic.”

  “Not into vampires?” she joked.

  “Definitely not into Derrick. And it was mutual.”

  “My point exactly. I’m not interested in Tony either. But I already have this gorgeous strapless red dress picked out. After we have a great time at the prom, I’ll tell him I just want to be friends. Besides, I’ve got my eye on one of his friends.”

  I could tell her mind was made up already, so I dropped the subject. Then we practiced dance moves in front of her mirror, laughing at ourselves. I had no idea this would be the last time we’d laugh together.

  Now my lips tightened into a deep frown as I watched Brianne ignore me. Enough already. I didn’t need this kind of abuse.

  I was going to announce I had to leave when I heard a boisterous voice boom, “Now the party can start—we’re here!”

  Turning, I saw Tony walking toward the table with a pretty dark-skinned girl with light eyes and spiked brown hair. She was a foot shorter than Tony, who was over six feet. They made a cute, if height-challenged, couple.

  “Tony and Annika! You made it!” Vin said a bit too heartily. “What was keeping you?”

  “
Practice, man. And it was hell,” Tony added with a grimace. “Only one more game of the season and we gotta win.”

  “You will,” Annika said in a little girl voice that was softer than a whisper. The gaze she gave Tony glowed with admiration.

  “Man, I’m starving. Pizza looks good.”

  I shifted on the bench so Tony and Annika could sit together. But Tony ignored Annika and walked around the table. He slipped in the seat next to Brianne and wrapped a muscular arm around her shoulders. “Hey, babe. Been waiting long?”

  “Too long without you.” Brianne sort of melted against Tony and murmured, “Missed you.”

  Then she lifted her chin to kiss Tony.

  I nearly barfed.

  When I whispered to Vin that I wanted to leave now, he pretended not to hear and gestured to me like I was a grand prize being revealed on a game show. “Tony, check it out,” he said with a wave of his arm. “Look who’s here.”

  “No, shit! Sabine!” Tony’s hazel eyes widened as he grinned. “What the hell brings you back?”

  “Me.” Vin proudly pointed to himself. “I brought her.”

  “Against my will,” I said like it was a joke.

  “I found her at Landreth’s class.”

  “You’re taking classes with Landreth?” Tony asked.

  I said “no” at the same time Vin said “yes.”

  Tony seemed to think this was comical and slapped Vin on the shoulder. “Man, get your stories straight. I’d rather hear from Sabine anyway.” He turned to me. “You back for good?”

  I shrugged, surprised by Tony’s warm welcome. We’d never been close, although we got along fine at Foils. He had a dynamic personality that made him the life of every party. But I’d never been much for partying.

  He was still grinning at me. “It’s cool to see you.”

  “It is?” I didn’t quite believe him.

  “Sure.” His arm tightened around Brianne, possessively. “You were one hell of a fencer and tight with my girl. You and Bree gotta have lots to catch up on.”

  “There’s no rush,” Brianne said curtly.

  “Another time,” I added.

  “If Sabine has to leave, we can’t stop her.”

  “And you’re the expert on getting me to leave,” I snapped.

  Brianne turned completely pale. I immediately felt guilty for lashing out at her. A part of me wanted to apologize and talk things out. But I reminded myself we weren’t friends anymore. She’d forfeited that role when she signed the petition.

  So I took Vin firmly by the arm. “We’re leaving. Now.”

  A string of cheese dangled from his mouth and he wiped it off, frowning at me. “But I haven’t finished my pizza.”

  “You’ve had enough,” I said unsympathetically. “And so have I.”

  Then with a curt goodbye, I left Rosetti’s. I could feel the intensity of gazes following me out of the room; curious and hostile.

  On the drive back to the Center (where I left the car Mom had loaned me), I hardly said a word. Vin did his best to get me to talk, but I was sick inside, like I’d eaten something toxic. And I couldn’t forget the cold way Brianne had looked at me. That hurt more than I wanted to admit even to myself.

  When the car was stopped at a red light, Vin reached out to squeeze my hand. “Are you okay, Sabine?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What’s with you and Brianne? I guessed you’d had an argument since she wouldn’t talk about you after you left. But it’s more than an argument, isn’t it?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t really know.”

  “The same way you didn’t know Kip Hurst was going to die?”

  “This has nothing to do with Kip,” I snapped.

  “Fine, don’t talk about it. Be rude to the guy who’s been your chauffeur and bought you the best pizza in the world. I’m of no importance.”

  “I never said that—”

  “Whatever.” The light changed and he stomped hard on the gas.

  My head started to throb, and I turned toward the window. It had been a total mistake to come with Vin. What was I thinking? That I just could return like nothing had happened? I must have been momentarily insane.

  There was no going back—especially with Brianne.

  When Vin dropped me off at my car, I thanked him for the ride. We spoke politely and I told him I’d see him around. Only I didn’t mean it.

  I’d had my first and last reunion with Foils.

  Once in the privacy of my (well, Mom’s) car, I turned on the engine and switched to a hard rock station, volume blasting. Shutting out thoughts, feelings, and memories, I got lost in the song.

  An empty house greeted me. No one was at home. Mom must still be out with my sisters, and I assumed Dad was at his office. In silence, my own thoughts seemed to shout.

  I had all this nervous energy and wasn’t sure how to channel it. So I went to my room and tried to channel Opal for advice. I closed my eyes and whispered Opal’s name. I waited and waited. Nothing. I even tried to summon Kip’s ghost. But another dead end (no pun intended).

  Checking my email, there was the usual spam and one surprising message—from Thorn! I hadn’t heard from her since she’d found out I was leaving town and accused me of being a wimp for not standing up to my mother and refusing to move back. She was right, of course, but I couldn’t admit that. So we just stopped talking, and I’d felt bad, worrying that she was angry with me. Eagerly, I clicked the email open.

  She didn’t apologize (not her style) but just talked like usual. She was busy, helping out this guy named K.C. who was homeless. She was showing him how to fill out papers for financial assistance and appoint a new guardian. Thorn said she’d visit when things settled down.

  She closed her message with, “Miss you, Beth.” Which I knew was her way of apologizing because none of her other friends knew her real name. I’d only found out by accident and gained her trust by keeping it a secret.

  I skimmed through the other emails, then I turned on the TV and laid down on my bed. I switched channels until I settled on MTV.

  My eyes felt heavy and next thing I knew I was dreaming …

  I was in a car, going way too fast. When I looked closely at the driver, I jumped with shock—Kip.

  He wore a formal suit, but his tie had been tossed aside on the empty passenger seat, tangled around crushed rose petals. There was a furious energy in the car, emanating from Kip. He strangled the steering wheel in a death grip. He was beyond anger, pushing the car to go faster. Under his breath, he was swearing as the speedometer rose from eighty to ninety and kept climbing higher.

  “Slow down,” I tried to tell him.

  He focused ahead, ripping the wheel to the right to avoid another car.

  “Kip, please slow down!” I tried again.

  But he didn’t hear me, as I was nothing more than air. He waved his fist toward the windshield and shouted, “Got to get her!”

  Was he chasing someone? I tried to see through the windows. There was only a blur of lights from buildings and a few cars whizzing by.

  The speedometer jumped past 100 and even without a solid body I could smell the strong odor of alcohol. How much had he been drinking? He was acting crazy. Where was he going in such a hurry? I could see the glowing clock on his dash and it was after one in the morning.

  Looking at his formal suit and crushed flowers, I realized what night this was. Then it all made horrible sense. Prom night—Kip’s last night on earth. He must have already dropped off his date Aileen.

  But what had caused his murderous rage?

  We were climbing, going away from the city and into the darkened hills. But he continued on, his fury building with each mile. The car swayed wildly around corners, nearly tipping over. He didn’t hear my screams or know my terror, as if our roles had reversed and I was the ghost.

  “Damn you!” he shouted suddenly, and for a second I thought he meant me. Only he didn’t even know I was there.

  His aura was
dark and terrifying. I wanted to escape, but I was trapped beside him. Again, I tried to talk to him, begging him to stop; as if I could somehow change past events.

  A truck honked a horn, swerving out of Kip’s way. But Kip only accelerated, bent over the wheel, whipped into a critical frenzy.

  The car was swerving more wildly, but Kip didn’t seem aware. His face reflected pale death. I wanted to grab him, force him to stop, but this moment was racing out of control, with only one outcome possible.

  We turned a corner, and the tree loomed ahead. Darker than night with twisted branches that beckoned like crooked fingers.

  Closer, closer, closer.

  Then we crashed.

  When I awoke, soft dawn light cast wispy shadows around my room. Disoriented, for an uneasy moment I expected to see the twisted tree and a car wreck. Instead, my room was quiet. I remembered leaving the TV on, yet it was silent and the remote control lay on the bedside dresser. My clothes had been picked up from the carpet where I’d left them. Who’d been in here? Mom? She hadn’t cleaned up after me since I was a little girl.

  Glancing at the clock, I saw it was almost seven. Despite my disturbing dream, I’d slept through the night.

  It wasn’t an ordinary dream, Opal spoke in my head.

  “Then what was it?” I asked without speaking, closing my eyes to get a clearer vision of my spirit guide. She wore a jeweled turban and her dark brows knitted together solemnly.

  A memory transference.

  “It felt more real than a memory, I was there in the car with Kip.”

  Your astral self journeyed through the past. You invited the experience upon yourself by calling forth Kip’s spirit. He didn’t have the energy to come to you directly, so he sent you to his memories. An intriguing learning opportunity that should offer new insights.

  “Intriguing? It was terrifying! I was trapped in that car and it kept going faster and faster until we crashed. It was worse than a nightmare.”

  It was only an illusion and you were perfectly safe.

  “I didn’t feel safe,” I grumbled, gathering my blankets around my shoulders. “And I still don’t know who Kip wants me to help or why he was driving so fast. Can’t you just bend rules and tell me?”