The Grove

by J. R. King

  Amber and Ian broke apart, staring at the group with apathetic faces. Hunter had been admiring their technique a little too closely.

  “How about we do something interesting for once?”

  Trent was the first to complain.

  “Like what?” he said. He flipped his hood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. “This is about as exciting as this place gets.” Logan’s fidgeting was getting on his last nerve. He eyed the envelope again, feeling his fingers twitch. “Give me that,” he said, reaching over and ripping it out of his hand.

  Logan shot him a look, glaring at the small silver lighter Trent had procured from his pocket. “If you destroy the one thing I value most in this world, you will come to regret it.”

  Trent flipped open the lighter, igniting the flame and narrowing his eyes. He was waiting for him to elaborate.

  “Information,” Logan said slowly. He raised his eyebrows at him in a condescending manner. “Isn’t it ironic that in a school that spares no expense, student mail is so easily accessible?”

  “What if there’s something important in there though?” Hunter said. “Like a birthday card or something. That would be the worst if someone stole your birthday cash.”

  “What are you, five?” Trent dangled a corner of the envelope precariously over the flame. “Hey Logan, what would you do to get it back? Because I’m just itching for a cigarette.”

  “The more important question is what will I do to you if you’re stupid enough to destroy it? Because you know I’m out.” The words were as sharp as his smile. He tossed an empty pack towards him, snatching the letter as he extinguished the flame with a gust of air. “Don’t mess with me again. Having dirty details on someone else is infinitely more rewarding than whatever little thrill you’d get out of pissing me off.”

  “Are you guys scared of each other?” Hunter asked. “Or do you cancel each other out, like a double negative?”

  “Do you always have to ask annoying questions,” Trent said, “or is that just your way of saying you’d like a beating?”

  Logan laughed. “Are you kidding? He’s always looking for a beating. All the physical contact just gives him good feelings.”

  Trent gave Ian and Amber a strained look. They’d started making out again, and he smirked, sending a slow-moving cold slithering out of his fingertips and up the metal at Amber’s back. She startled, shoving Ian away.

  “What the hell, babe?” he said.

  “Why don’t you stick your tongue to that and see what happens?” Trent said cruelly.

  “Or maybe I’ll press your tender bits to it instead,” she said.

  “Alright,” Logan said, “enough of this crap.” He ripped open the letter and neatly unfolded the stationary. It was addressed to one Dallas Hayes, newest addition to his hit list. “How about we shine a little light on Mr. Perfect and his charmed lifestyle?”

  Hunter cawed excitedly as Logan began reading it aloud.

  “Dear son, it’s been a while, I realize. I hope that you’ve been well and that things are going good at school. I’ve heard you and Christian are thick as thieves these days. That’s wonderful to hear. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to see it myself. I was writing to discuss something dire though, I’m afraid. There’s something else I haven’t been completely forthright about...”

  It was at this point that the handwriting began to look rushed and the words became jumbled. Logan went quiet, eyes sweeping quickly across the page.

  “What does it say?” Hunter asked.

  Logan chuckled darkly under his breath. “The Hayes family just keeps getting larger every day.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Ian was setting them with a disapproving stare. “I don’t really think it’s our business.”

  “Grow a pair,” Trent said. “Nobody asked you.”

  “He’s right,” Christian said. He stepped under the bleachers. “That wasn’t yours to read.”

  Logan smirked. “Well, look at you, acting all tough.”

  “I’m not here to play games, Logan.” Christian’s tone was surprisingly flat. “Just give me the letter and I won’t tell the dean you took it.” Trent stepped between the two of them as he approached, and Christian’s eyes flicked down to the pocketknife in Trent’s hand.

  “Let’s continue, shall we?” Logan said.

  “It’s in your best interest not to.”

  Logan eyed him silently as he folded the letter and slipped it into the envelope.

  Every movement was putting Christian on edge. “I know things about you too,” he said, “or have you forgotten?”

  “I didn’t make the facts,” Logan snapped. “I just read them. It’s not my fault your family’s a damn circus.” He stared at Christian smugly. “I always knew you weren’t one of us.”

  “Biting words from a snake with no teeth.”

  Logan’s lips curled back into a bitter grin. “We can keep going like this all day, but you’re not going to get that letter. Keeping it from you is just entirely too satisfying. And nobody’s going to believe whatever lies you spout anyways. You’re just a sad, pathetic loser. And now everybody’s going to know it.”

  Christian struck as the last word left Logan’s lips. His fingers curled around Trent’s knife hand, thrusting it towards the opposite side of his body. The movement had brought Trent stumbling forward, and one blow to the side of the head was all it took then. He was knocked out, lying face down in the dirt. Christian didn’t even bother to pick up the blade.

  His eyes were locked on Logan as he attempted to take a tentative step back. Before his heel could even touch the dirt they were on a collision course for the ground, scuffling like a couple of degenerates. Logan’s knee slammed into Christian’s side as they tore at each other. A solid fist hit Logan in the face, and he recoiled on the ground, blood showing through teeth.

  “Enough!” Ian said. He pulled Christian up before shoving him away from the group. “Just take your stupid letter and get out of here.” He slapped it against his chest, pushing Christian again before backing away. “I mean it. Beat it, before I change my mind.”

  Logan was getting to his feet behind him.

  “Don’t think this is over,” he shouted, spitting blood his way. “Next time, I strike first. And believe me, when I come at you, I’m going to hit a lot harder!”

  Christian waved the letter at him. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Spoken on the Wind

  Night descended over the world, blanketing Vardel Academy, and its sleepy neighbor Redwood Bay, in darkness. The school was drenched in cool shadows, whispering secrets as though restless students still wandered the halls. Rome moved quickly towards the ground floor, Ariahna following closely behind. A locker squeaked in the darkness as they passed, and she whispered as loud as she dared above the noise.

  “Are you sure about this?” she asked.

  “Not really… Still, it’s better than doing nothing.”

  They tread softly down the steps, thoughts echoing in the space between the stairwells. The polished steps met with the ground floor, and the two of them strode hurriedly towards the exit. Rome touched the door to the entrance and pulled back in surprise. “It won’t budge.”

  Aria pushed past him, sighing at the etchings on the metal. “Figures,” she whispered. She scanned the open entrance hall before retrieving the wand from her pocket. Dragging the tip across the symbols, she watched carefully as the metal began to heat and warp, melting the etchings away. She gazed at Rome in the dark. “We should be quick. If we’re caught, we might lose our chance.” She stepped out into the night, her focus coming to settle on the woods.

  The trees embraced them as they reached the forest, the school towering behind them like a haunting reminder. The way the light moved up the brick left Rome with a sinking feeling in his gut. He stopped her when she moved to illuminate their path. “I want to have the jump on whoever is out here,” he said. Rome could see
the uncertainty on her face as his eyes changed color. If she had something to say, she wasn’t saying it. The further they ventured the more he had to guide her, until finally they paused, deep within the comfort of the trees.

  “I think I see something,” Ariahna said.

  On the outskirts of the path to the yew, just beyond the shelter created by the branches, a small flame flickered through the wood. As they approached, she was able to see it for what it was (a campfire, with two figures seated around it). Their faces were illuminated by the flames, identifying them as she and Rome moved hesitantly forward.

  “Thanks for coming,” Christian said.

  Dallas squinted at him suspiciously. “Why are we here?”

  “Because I asked you to be.” Christian gestured towards the ground, insisting that they take a seat. He poked at the fire with a stick, moving the burning logs before turning to look at Dallas. “Did you bring the box?” he asked.

  Dallas had had enough of the cloak and daggers. “I’m not letting you use it until you tell us what the heck this is all about.”

  Christian smoothed a hand over the leather journal at his side. “First things first,” he said. He opened the cover, pulling out the crinkled letter he’d taken from Logan. “You should read this.” He handed the letter off to Rome.

  Dallas nearly dove for the envelope when he spotted his name on the front. “Is that mine? Where did you get that?”

  “Will you all just trust me for two seconds?”

  Rome slipped the letter out of the envelope, noting the lack of a return address. “Should I read it aloud?”

  “If you want to,” Christian said. “It would be nice to hear it as it was intended to be read.”

  Rome cleared his throat. “Dear son,” he said. “It’s been a while, I realize. I hope that you’ve been well and that things are going good at school. I’ve heard you and Christian are thick as thieves these days. That’s wonderful to hear. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to see it myself. I was writing to discuss something dire though, I’m afraid. There’s something else I haven’t been completely forthright about. In truth, I never expected something like this would come to pass. I know I never went into my reasoning before, and I certainly couldn’t expect to explain it all here in a letter. Suffice it to say, I made some less than proper choices. I had a son, with another woman. And, when the second child came along, we knew we wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret forever. A man with two families is not abundant, but divided. We didn’t make the choice early enough with…” He paused, gripping a hand over his mouth. “…with Rome. Donna was already so attached to him by the time I realized how reckless we’d been; it wasn’t something that could be remedied. But you do have family, all around you now, and they need you more than I even realized. I’m sorry to have to put you in this position, but perhaps you can fill a role I never could. Sincerely, Joseph.”

  Rome’s voice was hoarse by the time he’d finished. He could feel Dallas staring at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to look up from the page.

  Ariahna stared across the flames at the lost expression on Dallas’ face. She had known him her whole life, and never really understood until now just how overwhelmed he must have felt. “I know it’s a lot,” she said. “You’ve all been dealt a hard hand… but there must be a reason why you’ve found each other. Maybe you can finally have the family that you’ve always wanted?”

  Dallas swallowed thickly. “I don’t even know what to say.” His gaze settled on Christian. “How long have you known?”

  “Let’s just say Logan knew before I did. And Trent left me a souvenir for my trouble.” He lifted the edge of his shirt, revealing the fresh wound below his ribs. He hadn’t quite gotten clear of the blade. “I didn’t know how else to tell you.”

  Rome handed the letter to Dallas. He seemed content with just holding it, staring at the familiar cursive as the paper quivered in his hands. Rome gripped at his elbows, shoulders hunching considerably.

  “I guess I owe you an apology,” Dallas said. He chuckled, waving the letter towards him. “That doesn’t seem nearly good enough, considering how much of a jerk I’ve been. I’ll say it anyways… I’m sorry.” He swallowed again, feeling like he had rocks in his throat. “I have to be honest. I don’t know what I’m doing. I know I’m supposed to be the one who has it all figured out, but I don’t know how to deal with this—any of this.”

  “Neither of us are expecting you to,” Christian said. “We’ve all had to fend for ourselves. At least it’s made us self-reliant.”

  Rome twisted Christian’s note in his pocket thoughtfully. “How did you know about the curse?” he asked.

  “Kaleb mentioned it. But also, because of this.” He lifted the leather bound journal. “I think it was the Artisan’s. It details the death of a great garden. The place where we’re all sitting right now.” He offered it to Aria who cracked it open eagerly, skimming through the entries. “It makes a lot more sense when you take everything he wrote in there into account. Our ancestors messed up royally, and we have each of them to thank for the issues we’re dealing with now.”

  Dallas sighed. “I was hoping that was the only epiphany we’d all be having tonight. Curses are least on my list of worries, right after kicking Logan’s ass and graduating.”

  “You don’t know how much trouble we’re in,” Christian said. “We’re all cursed, not just those two love birds.”

  “This is the first I’m hearing of any of this,” Dallas said.

  Rome watched the fire as they bickered back and forth. He turned to Aria in a whisper. “Do you have feelings for him?”

  “What? No,” Aria said. She let out a breath. “I don’t know. Not in the way that you’re asking. I care about you both.”

  “I suppose that makes sense,” Rome said.

  On the other side of the fire, Dallas and Christian had come to a standstill. He watched as Dallas fished out the black box Christian had been asking for, frowning at its importance until Ariahna had a chance to explain.

  “So wait,” Rome said. “You all think that thing can actually allow you to communicate with the dead?”

  She shrugged. “It was eerily specific.”

  “Which is why we shouldn’t mess with it,” Dallas said.

  Christian interrupted him. “But it could actually help us figure out what it is that he wants. Clearly, some strange things have been happening. I don’t know about you, but nearly being shot is enough to convince me. That, and the fact that I was pushed near the stairs the other day when no one was around.”

  “We already know what he wants,” Ariahna said. “We found some letters among my father’s things. There’s a way to revive the yew, and undo all of this for good.”

  Rome made a noise in protest. “We’re not doing that. If you give up your magic you could die.”

  “You make it sound so definite,” Aria said. “We don’t know that for sure.”

  Christian frowned. “There has to be another way.”

  “There is,” Dallas said. He moved the box between them, setting it on the dirt. “Why don’t we just ask?”

  They stared at the crude wooden box, being drawn into the dark crevice at its center. The wind spoke softly through the trees, whispering encouragements and warnings both. Ariahna was the first to move, grabbing it gingerly.

  “What are you going to ask?” Christian said.

  “I’m just going to put his name in.”

  “Do you know it?”

  She nodded. “Grove keeper…”

  “How long do we wait?” Rome asked.

  “I don’t know,” Dallas said. “I’ve never tried anything like this before.”

  The four of them sat around the flickering fire, each trying to find comfort in the heat from the burning wood. They opened the box lid once, then twice, three times with no result.

  “Can I see the journal?” Rome said. He flipped through the pages, skimming over the cursive. “How long have you had this?” />
  Christian shrugged. “A few days.”

  Rome stared down at a particular page where the handwriting had sharpened. The six family names were written out there in angry, jagged lines. He was about to speak when the distinct noise of footsteps sounded from over his shoulder.

  The group turned as the brush at his back erupted in a rush of activity – someone or something disturbing the dead silence that had previously permeated the air. The movement ceased, and Rome moved as if to go and investigate what had caused it.

  Ariahna shrieked and everyone froze, turning to see what she had seen. Kaleb was standing between two tall trees at Dallas’ back, a haunting shade in the shifting of the forest’s shadow. Everything around him looked as if it were alive, granting an unsettling effect to his unnatural stillness. He frowned at them in annoyance.

  “What in the world are you four doing?” Kaleb said.

  Christian eyed him as Rome offered Kaleb a place by the fire. They were all staring at him, presumably wondering the same thing. Dallas was the first to speak.

  “How did you know we were here?”

  “I didn’t,” Kaleb said sharply. “I was following someone.”

  “Are you okay?” Rome asked.

  Kaleb released his shoulders in the pantomime of a shrug. “It’s not often that something gets the drop on me and gets away.” His jaw tightened perceptibly. “It came out of nowhere and shoved me. I followed whoever or whatever it was here.”

  He offered Rome an intense and accusatory stare.

  Rome was about to combat that stare when the faintest sound caught his attention. He frowned. “Who opened the box?” Aria shook her head, followed by Christian and then finally Dallas. Rome hesitated before reaching for the object. Etched inside was a single, unsettling word: “Hello.”