Jace still sleeps on the other side of the room, but we don’t talk. We hardly exchange glances. He’ll mumble expletives under his breath whenever he comes in and sees me in the room, but I don’t say anything.
I don’t apologize, and neither does he.
My mind is focused on the Shattered Lands. The vine in my hand, the tip of the whip around the necks of the hellhounds. For once, power acted on my side.
For once, I was in control. Nova just wanted to take that away from me.
He didn’t understand, none of them understand.
Not even Nadia.
For the next few weeks, I isolate myself. I hardly see anyone except her, but she keeps wondering if I’m okay. My fists clench every time she asks how I’m feeling.
Fine never seems to satisfy anyone anymore.
“Is it getting any bigger?” I ask, changing the subject instead. I push the back of my collar down and I can feel her fingers touch the back of my neck.
“Not much.”
“Then I need more. You aren't giving me enough!” I reach for her wrist and she twists away from me. “Nova knows now, and I don’t know how long he’s going to keep it to himself.”
“I’m giving you more than you need. Too much too soon won’t be good for you.”
“I know what I can handle!”
“No, you don’t!”
“Come here!” I snap at her, tightening my fists again.
She frowns as her wrist is pulled forward, her body trailing behind. She’s coming toward me, but I don’t think she wants to.
I’m making her without even touching her.
“What are you doing — how are you doing that?”
I pull out my dagger and grab her wrist.
“Artemis, stop!” she screams. I let go of her and drop my blade. It clatters on the floor and I shake my head. Nadia picks up the dagger and hands it back to me. Her hands are shaking.
She called me Artemis.
“Your Norhurst blood is getting stronger,” she says. I don’t take my eyes off of the blade. “You just became a chronomancer half a year ago — maybe this was a bad idea. It’s too much for you, too much too soon.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry,” I say, taking the dagger from her. I stare at the triskelion symbol etched into the blade. “It won’t happen again.”
I sink back down on my bed and she lets herself out. I’m not sure if Nova is right or not. Is this me? Maybe this is who I am now. I’m definitely not the same person I was in Mithlonde, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. The person who snapped at Jace, who assaulted Nova, and nearly did the same thing to Nadia… This isn’t who I want to be.
I trace the triskelion symbol on the face of my dagger and stare up at the ceiling.
Someone knocks.
“Come in,” I say.
The door opens, and Rhiannon steps in. “Are you okay?” I don’t get up. I don’t look at her.
I shrug. I don’t see the point in saying anything when no one believes a word I do say, anyway. If I say I’m fine, they say I’m not.
Everyone seems to know what’s best for me but me.
“I can’t read your mind anymore,” she says. “I thought you weren’t going to shut me out.”
“Maybe I just want some privacy,” I say and sit up. I swing my legs off of my bed. “I don’t need to tell you everything you know.” I jam the tip of my dagger into the night table beside my bed. It stands briefly, before falling over, clattering against the wood.
“You don’t even talk to Jace anymore,” she says, sitting down on the bed beside me.
“You don’t either,” I mumble. “You’ve been avoiding him since Newacre. You think he’s not gonna notice that?”
“I don’t think he’s concerned with me when he's fighting with you. He never thought I was dead. We are fine.” Rhiannon stands up and offers her hand to me. “You need a break from this room.”
I stare at her hand. I don’t want to get up. I want to stay here. I want to be left alone. But I told her once that I wouldn’t shut her out. Caliswen warned me not to freeze my own heart. Maybe that’s exactly what I’m doing.
I grab her hand and I pull myself off of my bed.
“Okay,” I say. I have to seem normal, especially around her and Benny. Probably even Nova. I still don’t know if he’s told anyone. From what it seems, Rhiannon still doesn’t know. I don’t think she’d be acting so calmly if she did. However, I wouldn’t put it past her to be suspicious. After all, she was there in the Shattered Lands.
She saw what I did, even if she might’ve not fully comprehended it yet.
She leads me downstairs, where everyone is gathered in the pub of the inn. Jace is staring at me, like he’s annoyed with my presence. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here,” I whisper to her and he gets up.
“Don’t worry,” he says, walking right toward us. “I’ll leave. Beats staying in here. It’s a little suffocating.” Rhiannon lets go of my hand as Jace pushes between the two of us to let himself out. His shoulder slams against mine as he passes me. I turn around as he disappears up the stairs. Everyone in the pub is staring at me now.
“I think I need some air too,” I say, and head out the front door. I inhale deeply and walk out across the main bridge again. I remember when we first came to Nevressea, how much the smell of the lake and the fish bothered me. I can barely smell it now.
Families fight.
This will blow over eventually, it always has in the past.
It will blow over.
I watch the lake while the wind causes ripples against the surface. Sometimes it still flashes in my mind of the hag crawling out of it, but then Hennessy’s funeral comes to mind. I remember last Christmas like it had happened yesterday.
Nevressea did nothing but celebrate that morning, and all throughout the day, the streets were filled with laughter and happiness, showing their gratitude for finally being free of the hag that tormented their town for so many years.
Christmas night, they held a ceremony for Lerra’s mother, to remember her for who she was, and not for what she turned into. They prepared a boat for her body, that took her out on the lake and sent her off to somewhere special, where she would finally be at peace.
Or at least that’s what I kept telling myself.
She deserved to be somewhere special.
Rhiannon laced her fingers with mine. She smiled, and squeezed my hand, but I could tell she wasn’t happy. She wasn’t happy he left, again. I could see it in her eyes, the light of spring, gone. Everything was dark and dreary, but I didn’t say anything, and she couldn’t read my mind. It was weird, quieter.
I knew I would miss her sudden invasion of my privacy. Never knowing whether I was alone in my own head or not. It actually felt lonelier, even though she was sitting right beside me. I wondered then, if I’d be able to change that, fully believing I didn’t want to shut her out. Here I was, pushing her away.
It feels lonelier still, especially now.
I remember spending time trying to reassure her that Jace would come back, while she continued to insist he wouldn’t. She’d fumble with her charm bracelet, but she never took it off, even now she still wore it, despite avoiding him like he were Drarkodon himself.
“You meant everything to him, Artemis,” she said as she turned to look at me. “He thinks you’re dead. He couldn’t save you.”
I meant everything to him? I can’t help but laugh to myself at the memory. How fake it sounds now when we can’t seem to get along anymore.
“Artemis?”
I stiffen at the familiar voice, pulling me back to reality.It can’t be. I turn around and Coin is standing there, adjusting the hat on his head.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as he approaches.
“Looking for you,” he says. “I know things were
rough at your birthday and —”
“My birthday?” Oh, right. What happened in Gillamoor never actually happened. “Right. What about it?”
“Well, I gotta tell you why I kinda freaked out,” he says. He grabs my arm and pulls me to the side. “I had a dream about you, and the Grim Reaper. I saw him kill you with your own dagger. I didn’t think anything of it because I figured it was just a nightmare but after what happened in The Wet Fish? I don’t know anymore.” He turns to me. “I also saw —” he narrows his eyes.
“What?”
He shakes his head. “You know what? I don’t know what I saw. It was probably your brother.”
“I’m planning on saving him,” I say.
“You’re joking, right?”
I graze my teeth against my bottom lip and shake my head. “I owe it to him, Coin. Just like you owed it to your mother to free her. It’s personal, you of all people should understand that.”
He grabs my arms. “But the Grim Reaper, Artemis. I saw him kill you.”
I shrug. “Predictions can be misinterpreted,” I say. “They can mean many things.”
He lets go of me and crosses his arms.
“You’re kidding me, right? This wasn’t some prophecy, okay? This was a nightmare. I saw him, stab you,” he makes the stabbing motion as he speaks, and basically punches me in the gut, “with your own dagger.”
I rub my stomach. That kind of hurt. Coin’s a lot stronger than he looks. He’s about to do it again, to make his point I think, and I grab his fist to stop him.
“I get it,” I say. “But — okay — look at it this way. What if me not saving my brother is why that happens? What if Apollo can help me?”
“Really?” he asks, crossing his arms again. “You’re gonna try to convince yourself of that? Because you aren’t gonna convince me.”
“It’s worth a shot,” I say. I didn’t have to convince anyone of anything. “Because I’m saving him, one way or another, and no one is gonna stop me.”
He sighs and nods. “Okay, fine,” he says, accepting that I’m not going to change my mind. “How much longer are you guys gonna be in Nevressea?”
I shrug. “I think it depends on what happens. Why?”
“I’m getting married,” he says. “We wanted to get married here — with the lake. For my mom. She would have wanted to be here. Maite and Marisol are around here somewhere if you want to meet —”
“I have to go,” I say. “Maybe another time.”
I walk back toward the inn but I stop when I spot Jace. He’s leaning his arm against the wall, and there’s a girl sandwiched between him and the building.
I roll my eyes and let myself into the inn.
“Rhiannon!” I yell and dart up the stairs. “ Rhiannon!”
“What?” she says as she comes out of her room. I almost run right into her.
“Good, you’re still okay.”
She frowns at my words. “Why wouldn’t I be?” she asks.
“Coin’s here,” I say, trying to catch my breath. “So are Maite and Marisol.”
“Okay, but she doesn’t know, right? I mean, what happened didn’t actually happen — and I’m not the only creature of Drarkodon here, and Coin telling you about Drarkodon, like that didn’t happen in front of her, right?”
“No, but she was there when Coin had the nightmare. And what if you’re the only one who matters to her? You are the only vampire. Rhiannon, I think she knows Maverick is your brother. I don’t know how, but —”
“Well, what do you want me to do?” she asks me. “We’re all just stuck in here —”
“Nadia! You could —”
“No,” she says, forming a perfect circle with her lips. “I am not staying with Nadia. Not if my life depended on it.”
“It kinda does, Rhiannon,” I say.
She takes my hand and grips my fingers tightly. “No,” she says again and smiles.
“Your life matters to a lot of people, you know. Your life matters to everyone in this inn. Your life matters to the people of this town. We care about you, all of us.”
Rhiannon looks past me and I turn around. Jace is stopped on the stairs, staring at us.
“I could use your help,” I tell him.
He shrugs. “Looks like you’re doing fine on your own, Art,” he tells me and continues to our room.
I turn my attention back to Rhiannon.
“What is his problem?” I ask.
She shrugs her shoulders. “We haven’t spoken much.”
“Same,” I say. “But I haven’t really spoken too anyone.”
“Except Nadia?”
“That’s nothing.”
“I don’t mind if you trust her more than you trust me,” she says, letting go of my hand. “It’s okay. You’re allowed to form your own opinions on people and if you want to be her friend, I will respect your decision.”
“Thanks, but will you respect my decision of trying to get you to stay —”
She starts to smile and shakes her head. “I told you, I am not staying with her. I’d rather take my chances.”
“I’ll protect her,” Miko says. We turn around and she’s leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. I laugh.
“You really do have a habit of sneaking up on people,” I say. “It’s just —”
Miko steps toward us. “You don’t need to explain yourselves to me,” she says. Miko walks right up to Rhiannon and puts her hand on her shoulder. “Rhiannon’s my friend,” she says. “Once you let someone feed on you, it’s hard not to be friends with them.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Rhiannon says. Miko shrugs. A small smile begins to spread across Rhiannon’s lips. “But thank you.” She glances at each of us before going back into the room, shutting the door behind her.
“Someone might try to kill her,” I say.
Miko just shakes her head in disbelief as she stuffs something back into her pocket. “Not under this roof,” she says, before tapping the back of her hand against my stomach. “Did you see Jace out —”
I nod.
“So, Jace and Rhiannon are not —”
I shrug. “I honestly don’t know what’s happening between any of us anymore.”
“Well, I’ll see you later,” Miko tells me and waves her hand. She then opens the door. “Shoo,” she says, and slips into the room.
There are a few creatures lurking in Nevressea still, aside from the ones we brought to town anyway. They mostly go about unnoticed, but when you stay in town long enough, you begin to notice who isn’t of mun if you pay enough attention. I can only hope Marisol will get distracted by one of those instead. Just enough for me to figure something out.
I climb up to my room and Jace is already sleeping — or at least appears to be. After washing up in the bathroom, I get into my own bed and look up at the ceiling. I shift on the mattress.
“Stop making so much noise,” he growls at me.
“You’re being a real pest, you know,” I say.
“I could say the same thing about you,” he says without turning around. He remains facing the wall. “Some friend you are.”
“What the hell did I do to you?” I ask, sitting up in my bed. “As far as I know, you’re the one being an asshole.”
He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t turn around, he doesn’t move.
Whatever.
Chapter TWENTY-ONE
killer, kill her
I do my best to spend more time with Rhiannon, just so she doesn’t worry. At first, Kina and Miko stay with us, until Maite manages to enlist them to help her with wedding plans.
“You sure it’s okay?” Miko asks over and over again, even though she already agreed to help. I just shake my head.
“Go,” I say, “I’ll keep Rhiannon company.”
&
nbsp; “It’s only for a little while. Small stuff, favors and whatnot. But their place is on the other side of town —”
“Miko,” Rhiannon says, grabbing her hand. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“Plus, I’d rather have you guys there,” I say. “Watch Marisol, make sure she doesn’t wander off or get into any trouble — and look out for her uncles, Salvador and Valentino.”
“You got it, and don’t forget,” Kina says while Miko starts walking, “there’s a dinner tonight, or a party or something. At least show your faces!” She doesn’t wait for us to answer, and runs to catch up with Miko.
I turn to Rhiannon, who shakes her head.
“I’m not going,” she says.
“Good,” I say. It was too dangerous, especially with Marisol around. We couldn’t take any chances. She loops her arm around mine and smiles up at me.
“Thanks,” she says.
“For?”
Rhiannon shrugs. “Everything?” she tells me. “It’s been a while since I felt like I belonged somewhere. Like I felt wanted, and human. For the first time in so long, I don’t feel like I need to be Rhiannon, the vampire. I’m just… Rhiannon. Normal girl.”
“You really don’t like being one, do you.”
“I’ve learned to live with it. After all, we have to accept our flaws, right? Or we’ll never really accept ourselves for who we are.”
She has a point.
As we approach the door, she stops in her tracks. Her focus is past me. I turn around to see what she’s looking at and I turn to face her again.
“You should go inside,” I say. She nods, but she doesn’t look at me. She doesn’t avert her eyes.
“It’s too disgusting out here.” She lets herself in.
I turn around again.
“Jace!” I yell. He’s standing there, again, with some girl wedged between him and the wall, only they were doing a little more than talking this time. I walk right to them and yank him off of her. “What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” he snaps at me.
“I thought you liked Rhiannon!”
The other girl slips away and he crosses his arms.
The Midnight Strider (The Chronomancer Chronicles Book 2) Page 20