Burning Bridges

by Nadege Richards

  With his hands around me, Ayden led me further and further into the forest until I thought we’d seriously gotten lost. Every time I asked where we were, he kissed me just to get me to shut up. I couldn’t complain, of course, because his lips were my biggest weakness, but I still would have liked to know where he planned on taking me.

  Finally, we stopped and Ayden whispered in my ear, “When I let go, you have to be very still. One movement and you’ll scare them off.”

  Scare them off? “Okay, I promise.”

  Ayden silently counted to three and released his hold on me. My vision came back in a blur and settled on the sun poking out behind a cloud. Then I saw the slight movement below me and nearly swallowed my tongue as I gasped. I let out a hysterical giggle as I watched the millions of butterflies alighted on the thousands of bleeding hearts around us. It was, by far, the hugest and most colorful garden I’d ever seen.

  “Shout something,” Ayden whispered, a smile on his face.

  I shook out my hands and screamed, “I’m free!” My voice echoed in the clearing and within seconds the butterflies had taken flight, capturing us in a fluttering sea of pinks, yellows, and blues. I clung to Ayden’s side and didn’t dare let him go. When wings brushed my cheek, I laughed as if I’d just discovered the meaning of life and reached out to touch them. I spun in circles and reveled in the way they responded. I allowed myself this time, feeling alive in this moment.

  When all the butterflies had long gone, I glanced back at Ayden and asked the question that seemed to be on my mind the whole time. “How did you find this place?”

  He shrugged and guided me further into the clearing, being careful not to step on the hearts. “I found it when I was smaller, maybe around ten. I was angry about our move here to Shadow Hills and just kept running until I found myself here.”

  “And what is here?”

  “I don’t know. Some sort of garden, but in a way, it’s not. I’ve never seen those kind of butterflies anywhere but here.”

  I smiled big and squeezed his hand. “I love it. Thank you.” I brushed a stray hair from my face and climbed to my toes to kiss him. Like always, I melted against him. If it weren’t for his hands placed securely around my waist, I would have fallen to the ground.

  When the kiss ended, Ayden said, “This place makes me think of you. Your smile, your hair.” He grinned and kissed my nose. “Your lips…your eyes. Eyes so blue I swear I can see my soul within them like my own view of clarity. In the light they are almost iridescent and they light up every time I see you. They are only a part of you, I know, but they make you that more special. So…innocent and pure.”

  I smiled slightly and allowed his words to carry with the wind. They would never grow old as I would never tire from him. Ever. I kissed him again and said, “Truthfully, you are the first to ever be so honest with me. That’s all I ever wanted, and while others found it ridiculously hard, you give the truth so freely. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

  The glint in his eyes told me he loved the sound of that. When we settled into the grass and watched up at the sky as funny shaped clouds rolled by, seconds that had turned into hours seemed to come and go faster than either of us wanted them to. The sky bled an inky red-orange as I lay in Ayden’s arms and he told me hilarious stories of his family. I only wished I had stories of my own, something good to remember. But all I had were broken dreams and a broken heart. There was nothing funny about that and I refused to bring up the already forgotten past.

  Forgotten? Probably never, but I sure as hell could ignore it.

  “What are you thinking?” Ayden whispered.

  I sat between his legs and played with the torn thread of his pants. He told me he liked them that way and it gave him an ‘edge’, but I had only laughed to hide my confusion. It did give him a bit of a bad boy look, but clothes weren’t important to me. He—himself as a whole—was all I needed to worry about.

  “I’m thinking I really loved today. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “But…” Ayden added, his forehead furrowing.

  I sighed and faced the clearing and open skies. “But my mind has been on everything New Haven since I woke up this morning. I wonder if they’ve even begun the search for me. Or maybe they already know where I am.”

  Ayden’s arms tightened around my waist and he held me closer. “Didn’t we promise to not talk about it? And anyway, you can’t expect everything to just disappear, Echo. It’s the memories that hurt the most that last the longest.”

  I considered his words as I lay in his arms, refusing to move or do anything but think. “I have a feeling that this will not be easy, no matter how bad I want it to be. I can’t picture my father ever being okay with this, especially after he threatened your life.”

  “He can’t take you from me,” Ayden said simply. “He’s taken enough, and while I can admit I did nothing to stop him before, I refuse to let him take what’s left of my happiness.”

  I took his hand in mine and pressed our palms together. I smiled at the way his practically covered mine. “I refuse as well. There is only so much time I have on this world; I do not want to spend it alone if I can spend it happily with you.”

  “You mean that?” Ayden asked. He feathered a kiss to my cheek and I sighed.

  “I do.”

  “So, you’ll fight?”

  I thought about my life in New Haven and how much it differed from my two nights in Shadow Hills. Maybe I was wrong when I thought there to be no differences in the people. Inferiority put Old Haven people in difficult situations where contemplating death was the easy way out. It humbled them—most, if not all—and made them look at life from a different perspective. Even in the light of this, they strived. That was one thing New Haven lacked—perseverance. When things got old, they traded it for new. When things weren’t going according to plan, tempers fumed and people were slaughtered. If only they could see the world from the other side of the country like I could, maybe they’d wise up. Maybe they wouldn’t.

  Looking Ayden in the eyes and finding my reason to strive, I said, “I’ll fight.”

  T W E N T Y–

  F I V E

  Ayden

  It wasn’t possible that I could get any happier. This was it, and Echo here with me was the highlight of my being. It’d been only two days, but she’d quickly made her stay here comfortable. She fascinated me in the smallest ways and managed to make me fall even more in love with her every second. She was such a free spirit and I’d finally found the sanity I’d been craving in her.

  “A is for apple,” she sang. Milo and Misty stared at her in awe. It was the silliest song I’d ever heard, but just the fact that Echo was singing it made it sound brilliant. We’d been out here in the back yard by the garden for hours, Echo attempting to teach them a few words. They knew very little, but were fast learners like myself.

  “A is for apple,” Milo and Misty sang in unison.

  “See, not so hard, right? And it’s really fun to sing.” Echo smiled at the twins and I laughed when Milo deadpanned her.

  “What’s so fun about singing?” Milo countered. He crossed his arms across his chest and his sandy brown hair fell into his eyes.

  “Oh, shut up, Milo,” Misty grumbled. “I quite enjoy the singing. Thank you for teaching us Aly.”

  At that, Echo smiled. “You’re very welcome. Did you know Ayden knows it too? He can sing the whole thing.”

  I groaned and looked away.

  “Does he?” Milo asked, a challenge in his tone. “Okay, I’d love to hear it, tough guy.”

  “I’d like to hear it, too,” Misty chirped in.

  Echo smirked at me and said, “I’d love to.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck and shook my head at Echo. This was a game to her and I could see it in her eyes. She was a complete tease, knowing well that I didn’t want to sing the song. “I’d rather not.”

  “Oh, please. Pretty please, Ayd,” Misty whined. She gave me that look I could
never resist and Echo’s devious smile grew wider.

  “Okay, but just once.” They nodded and I began singing the damn song from A to Z. When I hit the high note I heard someone laugh, but continued to sing till the end anyway. When I finished, I said, “Happy?”

  Milo and Misty immediately busted into fits of laughter and I scowled at them. Echo, on the other hand, had the softest smile on her lips as she regarded me. “Very. You earned yourself a reward, Ayden Grey.”

  “Wait, why does he get the reward?” Milo sniped. He jabbed his thumb in my direction.

  “Fine, all of you get a reward.”

  The twins and I said in unison, “What kind of reward?”

  “A reward kind,” Echo quipped.

  Misty’s forehead furrowed and Milo just sat staring at her. “I feel as if there is something we’re missing, Milo. What is a reward kind of a reward?” Misty asked whimsically.

  “I don’t know, but she’s scaring me.” Milo pulled Misty to her feet and dragged her in the direction of the garden.

  I bit back a smile, but Echo didn’t think it was so funny. “What did you tell him? He doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

  “It’s nothing,” I replied with a smirk. “But I think we need to talk about my reward.”

  “Really, do we?” A smile came to her lips and she moved closer to me until our arms touched. “I don’t think you’ve earned yourself a reward quite yet. Tell me what you told him.”

  “I’d rather not talk at all.” When I leaned in to kiss her, she turned away, making me feel like I’d done something wrong. Though, when I caught the look in her eyes, I knew she was purposely trying to annoy me. “So that’s my reward, huh? A kiss.”

  Echo rolled her eyes and tried her best not to smile. It never worked, of course. “What did you tell him, Ayden? I want him to like me, but the boy is insistent on making me feel like a pariah.”

  “I told him you casted spells on me,” I said curtly with a coy smile. When she gasped I added, “I was trying to tell him how I felt about you, but he seems to assume you’re a witch.”

  “And what did you say about me?” she asked.

  “That you’re really hard to look away from and your dimples make me smile.” I touched her cheek and felt her shiver. “Telling him that you aggravate me and make me love you at the same time may have led him to believe the whole witch thing, but it was worth the reaction from him. He’ll get over it.” I leaned in closer to her and she stared up at me longingly. “Do you know how badly I want to kiss you right now?”

  “Yeah? I think you’ve earned it,” she whispered, her eyes on my lips. “But one last thing.”

  “What?”

  “Do my dimples really make you smile?”

  Laughing, I said, “Rhetorical question. I’m taking my reward now.” My lips met hers in a sweet embrace, the smell of her peach-scented hair overwhelming my senses. We got lost in the moment for only a second before ice cold water broke us apart. Echo shrieked and moved from me, shaking off the water from her hair. When I looked to my left, Milo stood there with the garden hose in his hands.

  “Why the hell did you do that?”

  Milo dropped the hose and smiled. “Witch, remember?” he whispered.

  Sighing, I stood to my feet and brushed myself off. “I think we need to talk.” I pulled him over to the side while Echo and Misty tended to the garden. “You can’t keep calling her a witch. When I said she casts spells, I meant that I really loved her and was enthralled by her.”

  “I thought she’s just a friend?” he asked. “That’s what you told Mother.”

  I knelt down to his level and spoke softly, concealing my frustration to the best of my ability. “She’s not my friend, Milo. She means a lot to me and I love her. I lied to Mother because really bad things might happen if they figure out there is more between us.”

  Milo crossed his arms and stared back at me. He was as stubborn as I was. “Why? What’s going on? Who is she, Ayden?”

  “Aleksandria Esolen, exactly who she said she is. She’s just different, okay? Stop being so mean.”

  Milo nodded and, for now, it would suffice. I wasn’t sure if he would warm up to Echo as fast as I would have liked, but it was a start.

  “Did you talk to him?” Echo asked when I came to stand behind her.

  “Yeah. Something like that. Look—”

  “Ayden, Aly. Come, I want to show you something,” Mother called from the house. I glanced over my shoulder and sighed.

  “We were actually planning to head for the markets.”

  “We were?” Echo asked silently behind me.

  Mother shook her head and looked at Echo. “It’ll only take a moment.”

  “And then we can go?” Whatever Mother had to show us had to be important, but so was me taking Echo to the markets. Probably even more so.

  “Yes, now can you get in here? Milo and Misty get ready for a bath!” Mother walked back into the house and the twins groaned as they followed suit. She sat us down at the kitchen table as she brewed something on the stove. Over her shoulder, she said, “How have you enjoyed your stay, Aleksandria?”

  “Quite well, thank you,” Echo muttered. She rubbed her hands down the front of the dress she wore and occasionally played with the thin fabric. I grabbed her hand to stop the nervous habit and she smiled up at me.

  “And does your family know you’ve been staying with Ayden? I would love to meet them.” Mother moved from the stove and took the seat across from us at the table.

  “Er, yes.” Echo, as humble as she was, nodded her head and decided to ignore the upbringing of her family.

  “Her father owns a butcher shop and thought it would be better if she stayed with me while he takes care of the moving in business and all that,” I said.

  “And how does he know you?”

  “Work.” It was the first thing that came to mind and Mother never knew my working schedules anyway. “I worked for him for a while, which is when I met Aly.”

  “Oh? Well, I wanted to show you what came in the mail today. It’s for Aly.”

  Echo stilled at my side and my curiosity was officially piqued. How would anyone even know Echo was here? How would they know to address it to Aleksandria? Fear prickled up my spine and anxiety dominated, shedding light to a disturbing reality. When Mother walked into the living room to get the package, I turned to Echo and she stared helplessly back.

  “Someone knows I’m here, Ayden,” she whispered.

  “Who, though? And how did they get this address? Were you followed?”

  She shook her head fervidly. “No, I wasn’t. I’m sure. The only one who knew where I’d gone was the guard at the border.”

  “Liamik.” Echo nodded and I sighed, slouching in the chair. “No. He wouldn’t have said anything. The man’s a rebel himself; he hates working for the King.”

  “And he’s the only Warrior there. The rest of the guards are Hunters.”

  The clock on the wall ticked loudly as we sat in the deadening silence. At that moment, I think the both of us realized the kisses, the hugs, and the talks wouldn’t be enough, ever. Saying all that you needed would never suffice, not when we had death to worry about.

  “I’ve seen what they do to people in those chambers. Ayden—”

  I took her hand in mine and kissed her knuckles. A tear fell from her eye and she quickly rubbed it away. “We don’t know what’s in the package yet. I don’t want to talk about that right now, or ever.”

  She nodded and turned her attention back to her dress. I released her hand the same moment Mother walked back into the kitchen with a box in tow. She looked at us inquiringly, but said nothing. “Here.” She handed the box to Echo and Echo’s hands shook as she took it and began to open it.

  “It’s addressed to me,” she whispered.

  “Yes,” Mother agreed. “But there is no sender address, not even ours. Just your name. I asked Ashlynn, but not even she knows the sender.”

  “Not
even a name?” I asked. Mother shook her head.

  Echo removed something small wrapped up tight in silk from the box and rested it on her lap. She glanced up at me and I shrugged. I hadn’t a clue what was in it, but I was curious to find out.

  “Oh, and there’s a card, too.” Mother reached into the box and pulled out a pink envelope.

  “You didn’t read it, did you?”

  Mother frowned at me. “No, of course not, Ayd. It’s the girl’s business, I’m not nosy.”

  Sighing, I watched Echo as she unraveled the silk and held in her hands a small embroidered hair brush fit for a little child. She stared at it and fought back the tears. “And there’s a letter?” she finally said after moments of silence.

  I handed it to her and she quickly opened it. As she read, her lips moved as if she was consuming every word. When she finished, she handed it to me and speculated the brush.

  The letter read:

  Dear Echo,

  I can only begin to understand the pain I’ve put you through, but I apologize and hope that you will one day forgive me. In your hands is something that once belonged to your father’s mother. He gave it to me when you were born. I wouldn’t blame you if you hate me for keeping him from you, but you must know that I loved him, still do. I can’t say I regret my mistakes, though I can admit I made some terrible ones. But having you and loving him I will never apologize for.

  I’m giving you the brush because it’s the only thing I have left of him. And yes, he is a Hunter. It is why I wanted so much for you to be different, to not end up like me—unhappy and living a lie. It’s best I don’t tell you who he is, but given the chance to know you, he would never forsake you. He is a good man, Echo, and a proud father, but I couldn’t do it with him. I was already married to the prince, you see, and dishonoring my family was ludicrous. I raised you as the King’s heiress, but I’ve always known you were your father’s daughter.

  Don’t worry how I know where you are staying, it is not important. Like I’ve said, I see things. In a way, I should have seen this coming and I should have stopped you. I was too naïve, and I am afraid it is too late for me. But it isn’t for you and Ayden. Listen carefully, my sweet daughter, you must keep away from Shadow Hills. Stay as far away as you can. I’ve tried to stop the King, but he was a born tyrant. He knows of your lineage and will not hesitate to throw you into the chambers if he must. The wedding has long been forgotten and he only seeks revenge. Swear on your soul you will stay away, or I have failed us both.