“What about Thomas?” Lance asked. “Can Peter protect him?”
“I do foresee an issue, but Thomas is in pain. He will heal, though. Peter, we invite you to join. I would prefer you spend time thinking about it, however, there isn’t much. We’ll need to know by tomorrow.”
“We will need all of you here tomorrow for training,” Colden said.
“I’d be more than glad to join,” Peter said.
“Do not be too hasty.” Her green eyes locked onto his. “Please think about it tonight. This includes a lifetime of the unknown.”
“However, if we end this war once and for all, we can live peacefully.” Colden gave a warm smile.
Savina moved to the door and opened it. “I will see you all here tomorrow. I can see that you need rest.”
Ava wanted answers about her mother. “Can we talk? Just you and me?”
“Of course,” Savina said. “The rest of you, please make yourselves welcome in the parlor. Peter, it was lovely seeing you once again.”
“You as well. And thank you for hearing us out.” He released Ava’s hand, and followed Lance, Melissa, and Colden outside.
Savina turned to her. “Are you okay, dear?”
She wanted to choose her words carefully, and didn’t want to stumble over them or place blame. “When Trudy made me see my mother die again, it wasn’t from my memory. It was someone else’s.” She kept her voice calm, but stared down at the Persian rug and its elaborate design. “It was like I was in their skin. Pulling the lightning from the sky and directing it at my mom. She was murdered, wasn’t she?” Her eyes watered.
Savina frowned. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she yelled.
“I would have, but you were not ready to know.”
“Who are you to decide that?”
“No child is ready for that knowledge.”
“I’m not a child anymore. I could have handled it.” A tear dropped and she swatted at her face to erase the trail. “Does my dad know?”
“No, but I’m sure he suspects.”
“Who killed her?”
“We do not know. There are many things we are investigating—.”
“You’ve been saying that this whole time,” she snapped. She was tired of all the vague answers. “What’s taking so long? Why aren’t we out there killing Devon and his army? There are too many unanswered questions floating around.”
Savina cupped Ava’s chin and peered into her eyes. “Do not be blinded by hate, my child. We are not vengeful. We are better than that. They will pay for their crimes in due time.” She released Ava.
Ava took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You are not the only one seeking answers. I promise we will end this. Now, get some rest and come back tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She nodded and Savina left.
But if something didn’t happen soon, Ava was going to find her mother’s killer by herself no matter what. How could she not be vengeful?
“Is everything okay?” Gabriel’s voice came from the doorway.
Ava looked up and then felt her cheeks redden. “Fine and dandy.”
“I know that look,” he said.
She met his crystal blue eyes. “What?”
“The ‘I’m going to do this myself’ look.”
“Leave me alone.” She crossed her arms and brushed past him to leave, but he caught her arm.
“Hey, she’s right you know. If we’re angry, they’ll take advantage of that.”
“Did she tell you that as well?”
He let go of her. “No. I learned that myself.”
“How can I not be angry? How could she keep something like that from me?”
“If you’d known, you would have stopped at nothing trying to find the killer. Which is a suicide mission, especially for such a young Enchanter.”
“I take it you’re still seeking answers?”
He gave a lopsided grin. “Not exactly. Corbin killed my parents.”
Now she felt like an idiot. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay. I’ve had a few years to cope.”
“How long did you sit and wait to find out?”
“I didn’t. I was that naïve Enchanter set on finding the truth. Needless to say, it didn’t go well. Just don’t let that rage take over. You’ll only end up regretting it.”
“Noted.” She wanted to know what had happened, but she kept her questions to herself. She felt her shoulders relax.
“I’m sorry about what happened to you. We were all worried.”
“Thanks. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He nodded and gave a slight smile. “Looking forward to it. Sleep well.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
FIRE
Lance dropped Ava and Peter off at her house. She was sure her father wouldn’t like the idea of Peter staying over, but she was too tired to care now. Her body ached for rest. Maybe the stamina came with practice. Then again, she’d been up three days straight.
Her eyes felt heavy as she yawned. Exhaustion clung to her like wet clothes.
She quietly walked inside, careful not to wake her father, who was passed out in his chair. She didn’t want to wake him, and have him yell or be worried. She’d talk to him tomorrow.
They crept upstairs into her moonlit room.
Peter unzipped his jacket and tossed it into her desk chair, and then sank onto the edge of her bed.
Ava stood in front of him. “All this time I’ve felt like it was me who had to keep you safe. But it’s the opposite.”
“And I’ll always be here,” he whispered. “I can’t lose you.”
She felt his arms around her waist and he pulled her close. She ran her hands through his soft hair and then kissed his head.
Ava couldn’t believe her secret wish for Peter to join them had come true. Just last night she wept thinking that he wouldn’t even know her and all the memories they had shared. But here he was, in her arms. They were together. However, she still feared going into battle with Devon and his army. What would happen to them? Had they prepared enough? Would any of them die?
He pulled away slightly and looked up at her. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m just scared. Have you really, and I mean really, thought about this? I’ve wanted nothing more than to be with you and to have you by my side, but this isn’t a game at all. We really are about to go to war.”
He grabbed her hands, and held them close to his chest. “I know it’s all happening so fast, but I don’t need to think about it anymore. Xavier kidnapped me and I was tortured. I want to fight them just as much as you do. I can do this and I’m ready.”
“You could easily be killed, Peter.” A tear escaped down her cheek.
“I would rather die, than live one day of life without you.”
She crushed her lips to his, and his arms tightened around her. He pulled her onto the bed next to him as they continued kissing.
His lips grazed the hollow of her neck and she let out a low moan. Ava slid her hands under his shirt and she touched his smooth chest. He kissed her neck, cheek, and lips. Her fingers ran across his stomach and up his back and she felt him quiver. Her heart pounded, and then her necklace grew warm with Thomas’s anger. She clutched the pendant.
“What is it?” he asked, breathless.
She picked it up and stared at the single glowing red point at the bottom. “He’s furious. I guess even with a broken Aureole they can still tell what we’re feeling.”
“He won’t hurt you anymore.”
Ava let go of the necklace and looked at Peter. The moon reflected in his eyes in little white dots. “I know.”
“Am I going to know what you feel?”
“Yes.”
“What’s it like?”
“You feel like you’re angry or whatever emotion, but you know who’s producing it. It can be intense sometimes.”
“Like now?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
Ava didn’t want to hurt Thomas, but maybe this would teach him to control his anger. She was envious of her mom for not having to go through this. She wished she could have talked to her mom about Peter, or that she could have met him.
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She cuddled closer to him and felt his soft hands slowly rub her back. Then, she gave into the flood of tears. He held her so tight it was as if he squeezed the tears out even more. She wept until she couldn’t breathe.
“I’m so sorry,” he said.
Vengeful or not, Ava would find her mother’s killer.
The warmth of her necklace spread throughout her body, making her sweat. She kicked off the blankets, and untangled herself from Peter’s arms, but it was still hot. She took a deep breath, but coughed as a thick air entered. She immediately opened her eyes.
Ava sat up, and gasped. Orange flames licked the side of the house, reaching her window. Black smoke swelled inside her room faster than she could operate.
“Peter!” She choked. The entire room glowed orange.
With a jerk, he quickly rose and cursed. He grasped her hand, and they shot out of bed.
“Dad,” she yelled as they fled the room.
The smoke cut the inside of her throat like a razor. Her eyes stung and she couldn’t breathe. They kept their heads below the filling air. Both of them constantly coughed.
“Dad,” Ava called. She was on her hands and knees in the hallway and pushed open his bedroom door. Through the incredibly thick smoke, she felt around for his bed. She hit the sheets to find him but found it empty. He was still downstairs.
She turned to follow Peter down the hall. A creak sounded as if something were to give way. The ceiling to the bedroom collapsed and pieces of debris fell on her. The cool night’s air kissed her, and smoke escaped through the wide hole in the roof.
“Ava,” Peter yelled, and then scrambled to help her.
He seized her hand and then they stumbled down the stairs, skipping two at a time. She scurried into the living room on her hands and knees, blindly feeling. She touched his hand and shook him.
“Dad! Dad!”
“The front door is too hot,” Peter shouted. “We have to go out the back.”
She pulled her dad from the chair, and Peter hoisted him over his shoulder. She fumbled with the latch on the sliding glass door, and finally opened it. They staggered out the door, and then collapsed on the cold dead lawn.
Her lungs were grateful for the fresh air.
“Dad.” Her voice was hoarse as she tried to yell, hoping to wake him. She rolled him on his back, and checked his pulse in the now well-lit night, feeling the heat from the fire that engulfed her home. She hovered over his limp body.
His eyes were wide and still. Blood gushed out of the top his head and trickled out of his mouth. His clothes were shredded and his body singed.
This wasn’t right. This was what her mother had looked like when she was killed.
Ava clenched her teeth and forced the image from her head. She closed and opened her eyes. Her father looked normal.
Trudy was there. She looked back at the woods and all around them.
“Stay with him,” she told Peter, and got to her feet, still searching for any movement in the woods.
“What are you doing?”
“Trudy’s here.”
Then, she saw straight ahead some branches rustling and bolted for the forest.
“Ava,” Peter cried. “Don’t go.”
Now was her chance to get answers from Trudy. Her mind was clear and she was ready to attack as water dripped from her fingertips. She hoped her coven would realize she was in danger and come to help.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
BLIND HOPE
Ava raced through the forest to find Trudy. Her throat was scratchy from the smoke, and her eyes watered from the cold. She saw a movement to her left, and picked up the pace. She collided with something and fell to the ground.
She looked down and realized she had fallen on a woman. Black hair sprawled all around her face. She opened her eyes and they were a piercing green.
“Who are you?” Ava asked, and pushed off her.
The woman grabbed Ava’s arms and flung her in the air. Ava landed hard on her back, but shot to her feet. Water built around her hands, and she discharged it at the woman, but missed.
Then, a bright flash ignited. It was so bright, Ava had to cover her eyes, and she lost her balance. She felt the woman slam her to the ground and hold her.
Ava couldn’t see anything but white flashes behind her lids. Her eyes refused to adjust in the dark night.
She heard several footsteps coming closer and she struggled to get to her feet, but the woman’s grasp was tight.
“There’s no use struggling,” the woman said. “You’re surrounded.”
When her eyes finally adjusted, she looked around. Xavier and his Halflings stood in a circle. The woman grabbed Ava by the shoulders and jerked her to her feet.
“You’re all doing this against your will,” she said, meeting the eyes of the Halflings. “Don’t you see what’s happening?”
Xavier had a sly smile and sauntered closer. “Some of us are under our own will.” He touched her cheek, and she flinched.
Water trickled down her arms. “So you gladly support this? Without anyone compelling you?”
He laughed. “I was the one who helped Devon escape. You all thought it was over, but it’s only just begun.”
Xavier was an Enchanter. Not a Halfling. How long had he been around?
She glared at him. “You know who killed my mom.”
“Aww, did you just find out that she was murdered? She wouldn’t cooperate. Which is what will happen to you if you don’t.”
Ava clenched her fists, and envisioned him drowning. His eyes bulged, and his face turned red, then purple. He clawed at his neck and gasped for air. Xavier collapsed to his knees.
Then, a flash of bright light blinded Ava and she lost her concentration.
She felt something slam her body to the ground. Ava knew she had threatened Xavier’s ego.
“You can’t kill me,” Xavier said, and then he punched her in the face.
Her jaw throbbed and a liquid leaked out of her mouth.
“Enough,” someone shouted.
Ava blinked several times before her eyes came into focus. She couldn’t wait to get rid of the black-headed woman to stop the blinding. A tall man emerged from behind Xavier. His hair was white-blond, and his eyes were a vibrant green. He looked way too young to be a leader of a revolt, but ages were deceiving. His lips were set in a wicked grin, as he walked closer to Ava. She assumed he was Devon.
The black-haired woman jerked her to her feet once more. Ava was tired of the woman pushing her around. Where was everyone? Didn’t they know she was in danger? She just needed to hold on a little bit longer.
If she could punch the woman holding her, shoot water in Devon’s face, and somehow conjure enough water to disable everyone, she could escape.
“Hello, Ava,” Devon said. “I really hate to do this, because I can tell you will be a very valuable Enchanter. But after Havok has all of your powers, he won’t need you.”
There was that name again. Did he think of himself in the third person?
“You’ll never succeed.”
He smirked. “We’ll see.” He raised his hand as if to touch her, and then she could feel a strange pull that left her cold and dizzy.
Ava focused her strength. She could do this.
She fought against the pulling sensation, and quickly elbowed the woman in the throat, knocking her backwards. Then, she shot water at Devon. It was powerful enough to bring him to his knees. And then all the men froze, seemingly in a trance.
Natalia appeared through the forest with a fierce look, and Ava never thought she’d be so glad to see her. The wind blew, and picked up. Fireballs shot near Xavier and Devon. The ground shook as rocks collec
ted near a tree and Ava assumed Melissa stood there.
Jeremy, Thomas, Lance, and Gillian came into view. The black-headed woman grabbed Ava, and then punched her. She grappled with the woman, and tried imagining her underwater, but then the woman’s hands wrapped around Ava’s throat. She squeezed tightly, cutting off her air. Ava punched and fought but she was slowly losing strength.
“You can’t kill me,” Ava tried to say.
“Try me.”
Flashes of fire and lightning surrounded her. Screams and explosions were muffled, and thunderous sounds shook the ground. All while Ava was slowly dying.
CHAPTER FORTY
DOWNFALL
Ava gasped for air. The black-headed Enchanter had her hands wrapped around Ava’s neck, squeezing. She hit the woman but she never loosened her grip. She pictured the woman once more underwater. It was a weak image, but it was all she had. The woman coughed, and then the pressure around her throat was gone. She scrambled away from the woman. Her throat ached and it felt as if she couldn’t get the air in fast enough.
She looked up and saw Joss, the petite Enchanter, electrocuting Devon. He twitched and fell to his knees. He continued to twitch, and then he was still.
Ava drew a shaky breath. Devon was dead. She looked to her left and saw the black-headed woman lying in an unnatural position.
Gabriel held out his hand for Ava. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She nodded, took his hand, and he helped her to her feet.
Her coven held Kristen and the rest of the Halflings captive. Xavier was on his knees with Aaron’s hand on his shoulder. Eric, Maggie, and Kira stood next to Natalia, and Savina and Colden stood nearby.
Ava walked toward Xavier. She wanted to kill him for kidnapping all the innocent Ephemerals, for taking Peter, her friends, and her, for bombing the school, and for setting fire to her house.
“He won’t hurt you now,” Aaron said. “I’ve weakened his powers.”
Melissa stepped forward. “How did you do that?”
“That’s what I do. I can weaken or enhance.”
“He should die,” Ava said.
“Ava, don’t,” Savina said. “We will take him to the Cruciari.”
Under A Blood Moon (Elemental Enchanters) Page 30