CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Annabelle!
I could hear her voice, but the sound was so faint it barely carried over the crackling of the burning floor boards. The heat was intense and the smoke filled the air, forcing me to my knees. I could see her, however briefly, among the wavering flames. Her beautiful blue eyes filled with tears.
I threw myself forward, but something held me back. “Mom,” I called, my lungs finally free of smoke. The heat, the pain, it had all disappeared in my tiny circle. Everything I should’ve felt was somehow taken from me and doubled against her.
“Mom,” I screamed over and over again, but to no avail.
I couldn’t see her anymore.
“Annabelle.”
My eyes opened to find two hands on my shoulders, shaking me back and forth.
“Annabelle, wake up!” said Kendrick.
Feeling momentarily disorientated, I surveyed the room in a quasi-panic.
“You’re okay. It was just a bad dream,” Kendrick said, steadying me.
I rested my forehand on my palm. “Oh, huh… I’m so sorry.” I shook my head. “I guess… I don’t really know what happened.”
Kendrick looked at me questioningly before taking a seat beside me on the bed.
“Do you get that dream a lot?” he asked.
I frowned. “What did I say?”
He shook his head and stared ahead blankly. “It wasn’t exactly what you said, but rather the way…”
Just then the door flew open and Carter burst through the entrance.
“Carter?” I asked, still so dazed that his worrisome expression almost didn’t register.
“I called him,” said Kendrick.
Carter crossed the room and took my face in his hands as he examined me closely. Kendrick stood and moved back a few steps to give him some room.
“What’s going on?” I asked, pushing Carter’s hands from my face.
“I didn’t know who else to call,” Kendrick explained. “I know you’re mad at him, but I figured he would know what to do.”
“Kendrick,” I said, swatting Carter’s hand away for the second time. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Well you were screaming… and your body was getting really hot. I had to do something.”
I looked from Kendrick to Carter. “You called him because I had a bad dream?”
Kendrick and Carter shared a look and I knew I was missing something.
“Carter,” I started. “How did you get here so fast?”
“That’s the thing,” Kendrick began. “You’ve been screaming almost an hour.”
Flash backs of the fire raced through my mind. I waited to see a smirk of some sorts appear on their faces, letting me know it was all a joke, but there they were, still and serious. Suddenly, I was all too aware of my surroundings, including the soaking wet clothing hanging heavily from my body.
I jumped out of the bed and pulled the sweat soaked T-shirt over my head, throwing it to the other side of the room. It was cold, but I didn’t care.
Kendrick turned to the window and Carter pulled the blanket from the chair beside the bed, wrapping it around me.
“What the hell happened?” My voice quivered, sounding faint.
Carter took me in his arms and held me close. “Calm down. You’re okay now.” He turned to Kendrick. “Call the others and let them know there’s going to be a meeting before school today.”
“Okay, I’ll open the store and wait for everyone. You and Annabelle take your time. The group will understand.”
“Kendrick, you’re not going to tell anyone about this, are you?”
He smiled at me from the doorway. “Of course not.”
Kendrick closed the door behind him as he left and I burst into tears, sobbing into Carter’s T-shirt. “Carter, what’s happening to me?”
“I don’t know,” he said, holding me tighter. “But we found something last night.”
The entire group was already there waiting for us when we arrived. They looked curious, except for Trish… she seemed annoyed.
Jane sat down on the empty seat beside her, but I stayed near the door.
“Well come out with it already. I haven’t got all day,” said Trish.
Carter eyed her briefly, but when Trish’s gaze shifted to the floor he turned to Alec, whispering something to him. Alec nodded and sat down next to Cruz, who was slouched against the staircase with a pair of sunglasses on and his hoodie pulled over his head.
“Look,” Carter began. “I know it’s early, but Alec, Nick and I found something at Annabelle’s house last night.”
Jane stood, her hands fidgeting nervously at her side. “What was it?”
Carter nodded to Alec who removed a folded handkerchief from his pocket. He unfolded it on his palm and inside was a circular gold medallion with a strange symbol on the face. It looked like an eye, but instead of a pupil, there was a small fire symbol in the center.
The whole group moved in to take a better look.
“What is that?” asked Trish.
“We think it’s one of Annabelle’s family medallions. There are three belonging to her family that the Elders don’t have. We found this one in a hollowed out tree on the property,” said Carter.
“The tree with the tire swing,” I said still studying the artifact.
“You knew about it?” said Jane.
I shook my head. “No, but I know that tree. I use to play on it. I remember that. There was a hole near the base of the tree and I use to hide my toys in there sometimes.”
I smiled at the memory, but I couldn’t deny the fresh tear it left on my heart. I remembered so little from my childhood, and for the longest time I wished I could recall more.
Trish reached out, slowly inching her finger closer to the medallion. “Do you think the others are there too?”
Alec moved back a foot. “Hey, don’t even think about it.”
“Why?” Jane looked to Kendrick for the answers. “What will happen?”
Kendrick shrugged. “It’s a medallion. We don’t know enough about the medallions to know how to use them.”
“Which is why we will need to work together to find out whatever we can about the medallions,” said Carter.
“How are we going to do that?” I asked. “I thought you guys said you’ve never seen them before. How are we going to research something none of us know anything about?”
“It won’t be easy, but this will give us a start.” Carter gestured at the medallion. “We’ll start by finding out everything we can about this medallion and hope it leads us to the others.”
“It’s likely that whatever we discover about this medallion will be relevant to all the medallions,” added Kendrick.
“I’m going to need the group to work together on this. Everyone use your free periods to research on the third floor library. I’m going to make the trip to Portland with my father. I’ll see what I can find out while I’m there,” said Carter.
I whipped around and stared at him. “You’re going to Portland?”
I could feel the eyes of the entire group shift to me. Even Carter seemed taken back by my abruptness.
“Uh, I have a free period this morning,” I offered, holding my hand out for the medallion.
Alec held it out, but before I could reach it Carter snatched it from him.
“I’ll send everyone a picture text of the medallion. It’s too dangerous for it to be out in the open like this. I’ll take it and hide it somewhere safe.”
My gaze dropped to the freshly swept floorboards. He was right. The last time I was left alone with a founding family artifact it ended up in Yury’s hands. We couldn’t risk that happening again.
“It’s Annabelle’s family medallion, Carter. Why do you get to say what happens with it?” said Trish, her hand rested on her protruding hip.
“I’m not keeping it for myself, Trish. I’m just putting it somewhere safe.”
“Annabelle c
ould do that,” she retorted.
It was odd seeing Trish stick up for me, but I knew exactly what she was trying to do- cause dissension. She didn’t care that it was my medallion, she just wanted to challenge Carter.
“You don’t actually expect us to give it to Annabelle, do you?” Alec chortled.
I glared at him and his laughter quickly puttered out.
“Sorry,” he said.
“Why can’t you give it to Annabelle?” Trish asked. “I think that’s a great idea.”
“The society does dictate that each family be in possession of their medallions,” chimed Kendrick.
“No,” I said, silencing the argument.
“You don’t want your family medallion?” asked Jane, seemingly concerned for my mental welfare.
“I do want them, but Carter and Alec are right. I can’t protect those medallions and I’ve already lost something to Yury once before. The medallions are safer with Carter.”
I heard Trish huff and mutter something behind me, but I continued anyway. “And, I trust him. Isn’t that why you guys made him your president? Maybe you all should start trusting him too.”
With that, I left the store and started for the schoolyard. I didn’t bother waiting for anyone to join me as I was sure they wouldn’t. The medallion was fascinating and I wouldn’t hold it against them for wanting to be around it for just a little longer.
“Not so fast.”
I turned around to find Alec jogging down the boardwalk. His hazel eyes gleamed in the sunlight as he approached.
“What? Did I forget something?” I asked.
“You sure did,” he smiled. “You’re hybrid guardian for the day.”
I frowned. “I thought it was just for the nights?”
“Maybe it was, but now that we have the medallion, or at least one of them, Carter’s upped your security detail.”
“Perfect,” I mumbled. “Just what I need.”
“Hey, I’m not so bad.”
“No, I guess you’re not,” I smiled. “In fact, you’re actually pretty cool, Alec.”
He smirked. “I’d like to say I try, but the truth is all this comes naturally.”
I laughed.
“Of course,” I said. “You’re Carter’s best friend. Obviously you two would share the same ego.”
“Oh we don’t share it. Our ego’s too big for that.”
Alec and I walked to school after a brief debate over whether or not he should drive. I insisted that I would walk and that he was more than welcome to either meet me there or drive slowly beside me. He pondered it for a moment, but either way he wasn’t getting there any faster. Carter may have had the ability to have me chaperoned, but he couldn’t force my decision on where to go and how to get there.
The school yard was pleasantly busy upon our arrival. The hustle and bustle of the student body was refreshing in comparison to yesterday morning’s deathly chill.
We made our way to the third floor library and settled down at a table near the back. Alec did a quick search of the room to ensure it was secure while I insisted that the precaution wasn’t necessary. I flopped my book bag on top of the table next to the window. “I don’t think he’s going to come back here. At least, not this soon after what happened last night.”
He smirked. “Who…Yury?”
I nodded and dug through my bag for a pad of paper and a few pens, which always seemed to end up in the very bottom.
“You can’t say his name, can you?” he asked, looking amused.
“What? I can say his name.”
He leaned against the bookshelf next to him with his hands in his pockets. “Then say it.”
“Do you have a pen?” I asked.
“You’re really going to change the subject?” He shook his head ever so slightly. “I may not catch on to everything going on around here, but even I can see you’re avoiding it.”
I sighed. “What would it matter? Saying his name won’t change anything.”
He pulled out the chair from beside me and sat down. “What do you mean?”
“I mean it’s a name and saying it will do nothing to change the facts. Things are the way they are.”
“Are you scared?”
I looked at him and he stared back intently, his eyes sincere and inquisitive.
Was I scared? In hindsight, I had every right to be scared, and perhaps I was. Truthfully, I hadn’t let myself think about it. I guess that should’ve been my first clue.
“Yeah, I am scared.”
A sympathetic look passed over his face, forcing me to look away. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to feel sorry for me, especially a hybrid. Alec probably never knew a day of fear. Being a hybrid meant he was faster, stronger, and more capable of protecting himself.
“Alec,” I said, shifting in my seat to face him. “Do you think Yury would’ve killed me? You know… if you and Carter hadn’t showed up.”
Alec grew quiet and I waited patiently. By the look on his face I could tell he was thinking something through, debating on whether or not to tell me.
“You think he would have, don’t you?”
“I think…” he started, pausing hesitantly.
“What?”
“That Yury is unpredictable. We can’t be sure of the lengths he would go to. And…” he stopped, hesitating again.
“And what?”
“And there’s something off about him,” he finished.
“Because he’s like you and Carter… a hybrid?”
“There’s that, but it’s something else,” he continued. “There’s something wrong with him.”
“Like what?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but it’s there. I can feel it.”
I didn’t ask any more questions after that, there was no need. I felt it too.
I took my phone out and opened the picture text Carter sent me, placing in on the table. “So where do we start?”
He shrugged. “I figured you’d know.”
“Great,” I said, slouching back into my chair. “Then we’re both clueless.”
“I thought you were supposed to be smart.”
“Up until a few days ago I had no idea there was such things as hybrids. Cut me some slack.”
“Maybe I can help.”
Alec and I turned to find Jane standing behind us with three large books held tightly to her chest as her shoulder bag swung wildly from her arm. Alec got up and quickly grabbed the books from her, allowing her the mobility she needed to fix her bag on her shoulder.
“I found these at the bookstore,” she said. “I can help… if you want.”
I hadn’t talked to Jane since last night when she voted against me, and even though it had only been less than a day, I was missing my best friend.
I smiled. “Take a seat.”
Jane pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. Alec placed the stack of books in the middle of the table and sat down beside Jane, leaving his backpack next to the chair beside me- the chair he had once sat at.
“So where do we start?” I asked Jane.
“Well, I know you’re still learning about… well everything. So this is going to be a crash course for you. Ask questions at will, but we won’t have time for you to start at the beginning. Finding out about these medallions has to be our priority.”
Alec and I nodded and Jane continued.
“These books may or may not contain the information we’re looking for. The problem is that even if they do, I’m not exactly sure what we should be looking for.”
“Medallions,” said Alec.
Jane and I frowned at him.
“Alec, it’s not that simple. The Elders took them away over a decade ago. They’re not going to leave the books fully intact.”
Jane pulled the blue-covered book with gold writing across its cover from the pile. She flipped through the pages until she got a quarter of the way through the book.
“Look at this,” she said.
“Someone tore out pages. My guess is that these pages had information about the medallions.”
“If the pages have been taken from this book then it’s probably the same for the others too,” I said.
Jane nodded and pushed aside the blue book in exchange for another one from the pile. The second book she chose was red and marked with a flame symbol on its cover. She opened the book, and just like the last, pages were torn from within.
“They’re all like this,” she said.
I dropped my face into my hands and muttered, “Then reading all these books isn’t going to bring us any closer to those medallions.”
“What’s the point in looking through all of these if the pages we need are gone?” asked Alec.
“Because it’s impossible to erase everything about the medallions from these books. And, the medallions were only taken a decade ago,” said Jane.
“So,” said Alec.
“So, it would only be our generation who doesn’t know anything about them.”
“But the older generation will know something,” I said, a hopeful smile slowly creeping onto my face. “Which means someone has to be able to tell us about these medallions.”
I looked from Jane to Alec, expecting to see the same enthusiasm coursing through them, but they just sat there looking blankly at one another.
“What?” I asked.
“Annabelle, it’s not that simple,” said Jane.
“If you think the Elders are bad you should meet our parents,” scoffed Alec.
“What? That can’t be. Aren’t they…”
“Yeah, they are and it’s not something they like to talk about,” said Jane.
“It’s like they’re just waiting for our supernatural genes to run dry,” said Alec.
Jane placed her hand on his shoulder. “That’s not true. They’re just scared.”
“Scared of what?” I asked.
“People finding out about our kind,” said Jane.
“Or maybe they just hate what we are so badly that…” Alec started.
“Stop!” Jane said. “They’re not ashamed of you or who you are. You and Carter are lucky. You guys carry on our heritage and don’t you ever forget how important that is.”
Jane kept her hand on Alec’s shoulder as she spoke and there was no need to explain why, Alec’s face said it all. I hadn’t considered how being a hybrid affected him and Carter. Sure, they were fast and strong and extraordinary in every way, but they were also different from everyone else.
I remembered the anxiety I always felt each time we moved and I was forced to attend a new school and make new friends. I could only imagine the difficulty they faced keeping their secret, which is probably why they were so devoted to the society. The society was the only place they could truly be themselves.
“It might be worth a shot just to try,” I said.
Alec sighed and slouched back into his chair with one leg stretched forward. He ran his hands through his hair and glanced at Jane who gave him a reassuring nod.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll stop by my mom’s after dinner tonight. She’s always a little more agreeable with a few glasses of wine in her.”
“My dad’s out of town,” Jane said, clenching her jaw. “But, I bet you he would answer Lamar’s calls. Apparently he thinks he can compensate for not being in his childhood by making him his priority now.”
“Lamar has been spending a lot of time with your father lately?” I probed.
“Yeah, but why do you care whether or not…” Jane stopped short of finishing her sentence. Her face reddened and she began to shake her head back and forth. “No, no, no! Not going to happen.”
“Come on Jane,” I pleaded. “He might know something.”
“So what if he does?”
“We’re kind shooting in the dark right now,” said Alec. “We could use any information he might have.”
Jane crossed her arms over her chest. “And what if he doesn’t know anything”
“Then at least you got to know your half-brother a little better,” I said with a smile. “A win-win if you ask me.”
Jane narrowed her scornful eyes on me. “Not funny.”
“Jane, I’ve seen the way your dad is with him,” said Alec. “Lamar might be able to get the information we need.”
I could see the pain register in Jane’s eyes as she sunk back into the chair. Alec picked up on the body language too, but it was too late. What had been said couldn’t be undone.
“I’m sorry, Jane,” he said, reaching for her arm.
She yanked it away before he could touch her. She stood up, her chin held high and in doing so, I almost didn’t notice the tears welling in her eyes.
“I’m not doing it,” she stated, arms still crossed. “I can get the information myself. I’ll call my dad tonight.”
She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the library.
“Great,” Alec mumbled as he let his head fall into his open palms. He rubbed his face roughly and then ran his hands through his hair again. “Just great.”
“I think that went as well as can be expected, don’t you?”
He looked up at me and shook his head. “Let’s just hope Carter can get something from his trip to Portland.”
Burnwood - The Dragon Arum Page 27