Holt was nodding. “We talked about that, I know. But how are we supposed to find out who it was? They must already know that the Water Sprite was defeated.”
I felt cold all over even though the day was warm. If what Holt and Samuel were saying was true, that the Water Sprite was just a pawn, there was a mastermind out there who still had it in for me.
I tugged on Holt’s arm. “Can’t we just leave it alone? If the Water Sprite is gone then I’m not going to get hurt. Am I?”
Holt’s face was tight. “We don’t know why you are being targeted.”
He let that sink in. What he meant was, “We think you are being targeted because of us.”
I took a deep breath. “So, you don’t think I’ll be safe until this person is caught?” I asked. I had a flashback to the night when Samuel came to find me alone on the beach, when I had felt the pull of the Water Sprite so strongly. I had seen someone walking along the sand that night, and now I wondered if that had been my true attacker. I wondered how close I had come to getting hurt, or worse. And I had been mad at Samuel for interrupting, I thought ruefully.
“Do you think it’s your mother?” I asked Samuel. This was no time to tiptoe around issues.
Samuel shook her head. “First, she’s not anywhere near here. Second, it’s not her style. She likes to make people miserable herself, not have others do it for her.” I almost grinned. That was a perfect description of his mother. But she wasn’t the only Cheshire who disliked me.
“And don’t even start on Lydia or Leslie,” said Samuel. “They’ve done nothing but try to help against the Water Sprite. Like just now.”
I looked at Holt. He was nodding as if he agreed with Samuel, but if the Cheshires weren’t out to get me then who could it be? Who else could possibly have a problem with what was happening with Holt and Samuel?
“Let’s not worry about it tonight,” said Holt. “Let’s just relax. She needs to rest.” He pointed down at me, and I nodded. I didn’t realize until he said it, but I was exhausted. I nodded again.
“Everyone should come to our house tonight,” said Samuel. “We’ll relax and maybe talk about what to do. But we won’t do anything else today. We are going to find out who is behind this, though.”
Now it was Holt’s turn to nod. After Samuel walked away I asked, “Why aren’t we going to your house?” I liked the Roths’ house better. There was no risk of running into Mrs. Cheshire.
“The Cheshires aren’t really welcome at our house at the moment,” said Holt, so close to my ear that I felt his breath on my cold skin. I shivered again. He thought it was from cold, so he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
“We’ll have a nice, relaxing evening. And tomorrow we’ll figure everything out.” I put my head against his shoulder. Tomorrow we would figure everything out.
After I talked to Samuel and Holt, Nick insisted on driving Carley and me home and taking care of us. Carley made some comment about his not being the best choice in nursemaids, but he ignored her. Before we left the beach Holt gave us each a flower. Mine sparkled. At first I hesitated to take it because I wasn’t sure what it meant. But when he produced an identical one for Carley I stopped worrying. I wasn’t sure what kind of flower it was, but it had brilliant purple petals and a small brown center. The petals almost glowed. As Leslie walked past I thought she might have muttered, “Show off.”
As I expected, Carley perked up when she touched the flower’s stem. I smiled. I was glad that Holt was looking out for my friends. She perked up even more when she heard we were all going to the Cheshires’ that night. She hadn’t stopped talking about Samuel’s house since we had been there the last time.
“A shower will revive me,” she said. “I can’t believe I slipped in the water.”
“You aren’t usually clumsy,” said Nick, shaking his head.
Carley blushed and looked down. Nick had gone to get his car, commenting that we could both use the rest. I didn’t even have the energy to protest. I was dead on my feet.
“I’ll need a nap before tonight,” I said as we waited for Nick to come back.
Holt, Lydia, Leslie, and Samuel had all left. Logan had shown up to take Holt home, but not before they made sure I was okay. Lydia and Leslie were even civil, but my suspicious nature just assumed it was because Samuel was there and had threatened to send them to Florida for the winter.
“I’ll need a nap too,” said Carley absently. She was staring off in the direction of where Nick had disappeared.
“So, how are you two doing?” I asked Carley. Normally I avoided the subject of Nick with her, but my nerves were raw and my friend’s love life would help distract me. Anyhow, it had all blown out into the open in the last couple of days, so I didn’t see the need to keep beating around the bush.
Carley’s blush deepened and she fiddled with Holt’s flower. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think he likes me and I’m the only girl in the world and at other times I feel like he couldn’t care less.”
“Are you talking about him or yourself?” I demanded. I had never seen Nick waver about Carley. He had always been the one who was sure.
Carley glared at me. “Sometimes I’m just not sure what he wants. Sometimes I think he doesn’t want the pressure of a real relationship. This way he can have me and still do what he wants. It’s a nice bargain for him. Guys don’t like the idea that they aren’t in control of what they’re doing. If Nick thought that he had to be with me I think he’d be scared.”
I thought about that. Some of what she said could be true. “But that’s what Nick wants. What do you want?”
Carley sighed. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I want the pressure of a relationship either. It’s been so wonderful this summer. We can hang out and then we can...go do what we want...if we want to.” She was staring at the ground as she talked.
“Carley, when have you ever ‘gone and done what you wanted when you wanted to’? Every time we go anywhere Nick goes, and when he does see you flirting with other guys, like Big Jake, he gets himself beaten up.”
“He didn’t get beat up,” Carley protested. “He just fought for me because I had been thrown in the water.”
When I didn’t say anything Carley stamped her foot. “He asked me out at the beginning of the summer, then again the first time we kissed, and he hasn’t asked since!”
“Carley,” I said, crossing my legs on the grass. “He asked you out twice, right?” She nodded. “How many times did you turn him down?”
“Autumn, that’s SO not the point,” she protested. But she didn’t sound convinced.
“If you still want to date him, maybe it’s your turn to make a move,” I said. “Just a thought.”
I didn’t know what had made me so bold; I had promised myself I would stay out of my friends’ love lives, because I didn’t want to see either one of them get hurt. Maybe fighting the Water Sprite had made me stronger. I would have to think about it when I had had a little time to rest.
Before Carley could say anything else, Nick’s car came into view.
“Not a word of this to him,” she said, pointing her finger at my chest.
“Cross my heart,” I answered, grinning. “I promise not to tell Nick you’re head-over-heels in love with him. That should really come from you.”
“Shut up!” Carley giggled and pretended to try and kick me, but even as exhausted as I was, I was faster than she was.
“What are you two arguing about?” asked Nick suspiciously as he got out of the car.
“Whether or not plaid is still ‘in.’” I said, while Carley rolled on the grass laughing.
“I don’t even know what you just said,” Nick replied, looking back and forth between us. “I’m going to pretend you made sense. Ready to go?”
“Yeah,” I said. Nick pulled me to my feet, then went over to help Carley, who was still struggling through giggles.
Once we were at home, Nick fussed over us until Carley accused him of acting like her mother, but
not even that stopped him. We had given him a big scare. Carley stopped arguing when she finally realized that Nick’s fussing was just as much for Nick as for us.
I dragged myself up to my room, took a shower, and stumbled into bed.
I woke up to Nick gently shaking my shoulder.
“Hey Autumn, it’s almost seven. We were going to head to Samuel’s for dinner, but you don’t have to come if you’re too tired. Samuel said to say that he knows you’re lazy and like to stay in bed, so if you don’t want to make the effort to come over that’s fine. I think he was kidding....” I groaned into my pillow.
“Samuel is under the mistaken impression that he’s funny,” I mumbled into cotton. “You should do everything you can to help him understand otherwise.”
Nick laughed.
“I’m coming. Just give me five minutes. I don’t want to look like I got hit my a truck. A small car is so much better.”
Nick laughed again and left me alone. Every muscle in my body hurt. My mom had always told me I should exercise more, something about living a healthy, fulfilling life, but I hadn’t regretted not doing it until I was attacked by a Water Sprite. I wondered what my mom would say to that.
Looking in the mirror I flinched. My skin was pale and there were circles under my eyes. Even so, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had been carrying around a worry ever since Samuel had told me about the Water Sprite and it was gone now. Even if they said the mastermind behind the attacks was still at large, somehow having both Samuel and Holt ready to defend me made everything less scary.
I pulled on a sweater for the cool late August evening. Carley and Nick were waiting for me in the living room. If you had told me that Carley had been dragged through the water today I wouldn’t have believed you. She gave me a brilliant smile and her cheeks were rosy. When I walked into the room she got up to give me a hug.
“Nick and I talked,” she whispered into my ear.
From the dopey-happy look on Nick’s face I could guess the result of that conversation.
They walked out to Nick’s car holding hands.
When we got to Samuel’s, Holt’s car was already there. It gave me a thrill just to see it. I realized now how much he had risked in coming back when I was in danger. He had thought that everyone he cared about would be safe from the Winter Queen if he stayed away, but the Water Sprite had convinced him that there were other dangers. Now, with the Winter Queen and the Water Sprite gone, I hoped we could actually spend some time together. Tonight would be a good start, except that with Samuel there it would be awkward. Holt wasn’t the possessive type, but since I was technically Samuel’s I was worried about what Holt would think if he realized how friendly the two of us had become.
I sighed. I wasn’t going to figure anything out tonight. I was too tired and didn’t have the benefit of time. I just needed to relax and enjoy myself.
Lydia met us at the door. Instead of her customary mini-skirt and cami, she wore a hooded sweatshirt and boyfriend jeans. There was very little makeup on her face, and when she answered the door she actually smiled at us.
“How are you doing?” she asked Carley, who was so nervous at coming face to face with Lydia that her knuckles had turned white as she clutched her shoulder bag.
“I’m fine,” Carley squeaked out, looking at me.
“And how are you, Autumn?”
What I wanted to answer was, “Who are you and what have you done with Lydia Cheshire?” but I was too tired to argue with her. Instead, I said, “I’m good. Thanks for today.”
“What did she do today?” asked Carley?
“Um, she helped pull you out of the water,” I said. Lydia raised her right eyebrow at me and smiled.
To my relief, Susan was with Holt and Samuel in the kitchen. And there was another surprise. Logan was there. Susan gave me her usual bright smile, but Logan looked a little tired.
“Hey,” I said. Both Holt and Samuel came towards me to give me a hug. When each realized what the other was doing they both came to a dead stop. Already it was awkward.
Instead of choosing between them I scurried to the chip bowl on the table. I knew it was cowardly, but in my defense I was really hungry. Logan seemed to be the only one who noticed what had just happened. He snorted.
Leslie came into the room and said, “Today was exciting, huh?” I got the idea she wanted to be more specific, but Carley and Nick still didn’t know what was really going on. I almost regretted having them there.
“So,” said Logan, “what are we doing tonight?”
“Why are you so impatient?” Susan demanded. “Can’t we all just hang out?”
Logan rolled his eyes and continued to lounge on the counter.
“I have some news,” said Nick suddenly. Lydia had gotten him a Coke, but he set it down to make his announcement.
“Oh, this ought to be good,” Logan muttered. I was still at the chip bowl. Holt and Samuel were standing on either side of Logan.
“Speech, speech,” Lydia cried. Everyone laughed. Susan grabbed her camera. “To document the moment of Nick’s big announcement. Whatever it is,” she said, grinning.
Carley was standing next to Nick, but I noticed that she looked a little worried. The alarm on her face was clearer as Nick reached for her hand. It looked like a dead fish in his.
All eyes were on Nick. He took a deep breath. “As some of you know, Carley and I have been friends for a really long time. I’m grateful for that friendship.” He cleared his throat. “But as some of you also know” – he looked at me, then at Samuel – “I have wanted more.”
“Nick....” Carley tried to cut in. She looked green under her tan.
“I just wanted to let everyone know that Carley and I are dating,” said Nick proudly, raising her hand to his lips. “And I couldn’t be happier.”
“Nick!” Carley cried before he finished. Nick looked bewildered. He hadn’t noticed how upset Carley was getting. Confused, he said, “What?”
Carley was breathing hard. “What is the matter with you?” She pulled her hand from his and stormed out of the room. Nick stared after her in amazement. I got up to go after her, but Susan stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “Let them work it out.”
Nick looked back at the rest of us. “What did I do?” he asked.
“Who knows, man,” said Logan. “Girls. One couldn’t make up her mind to save her life. Let alone ours.”
“Thanks for that charming interpretation of female behavior,” said Leslie coldly. “And you wonder why you’re single.”
“Only by choice,” said Logan with a smug smile. Leslie rolled her eyes.
“Should I go after her?” Nick asked.
“Yes,” chorused the four girls.
Nick left. A few breaths later I heard his car start. Carley must have run away from the house and Nick was going to drive after her.
Holt shook his head. “Poor guy.”
“Why was she mad?” Susan asked me.
“No idea,” I said. “I think they only just made it official this afternoon, so maybe she wasn’t ready to tell everyone.”
“She has a guy who wants to shout it from the rooftops that they’re together,” said Lydia. “She should be happy.”
“Not if he’s not what she wants,” said Samuel. “A girl should have the guy she wants.”
“Yeah, you’re all for believing that, aren’t you, Sammy?” Logan asked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Samuel asked with a deadly calm in his voice. He set down his glass and turned to face Logan.
“Nothing,” said Logan. “Look, no offense, but this party sucks. I’m going to head out.”
“Logan, why do you have to be such a jerk?” Susan demanded.
“ME?” Logan nearly shouted. “Are you kidding? At least I’m loyal to the family. Unlike the rest of you. I thought Lydia and Leslie had it right, but it turns out even they’ve been caught up in this nonsense.”
Holt had been leani
ng against the counter with his arms folded. Until this moment he had looked relaxed, but now he uncrossed his arms and shifted his weight forward. “Logan, what are you talking about?” His voice was quiet, but it carried over the noise of the others arguing.
“You know what I’m talking about,” Logan spat out. “It’s pathetic.”
“What is he talking about?” Susan asked Holt. But he didn’t answer. He was staring at his little brother.
“Be very careful with what you are about to say,” he cautioned. One set of green eyes was locked on the other.
Logan gave a bitter laugh. I looked from Susan to Samuel, but both looked as bewildered as I felt.
“You let this stupid girl ruin us, Holt,” said Logan. “I thought you were better than that.”
“Stupid girl?” Holt asked, incredulous. “Ruin us? Logan, what are you talking about?”
Now I understood. The reason that Logan acted like he hated me was because he did. All this time he had been blaming me for what happened at the Solstice Party, and no one had had a clue.
Logan’s eyes were bulging and his breath was coming hard. “Are you blind? Look at what she’s done to us! She almost got everyone in the family killed. If you think the Winter Queen is going to leave us alone come winter, you have another thing coming. She attacked us during our own special time, at the party. All because of your stupid love life.” Logan was screaming now, and everyone was too stunned to stop him.
“She isn’t yours,” Logan continued hoarsely. “She never was and she never will be. She’s destined for the Winter Court if she’s destined for anywhere, and the sooner you accept that the sooner you can move on.”
“How long are you going to give me to ‘accept that’?” asked Holt quietly.
Logan’s face turned hard. “I didn’t think you would.”
“Logan,” said Holt, “Who I date or fall in love with, and what Samuel does about it, isn’t any of your business.”
“It becomes my business when it almost gets me killed. I fought for you. I had to fight for that!” He flung out his hand in my general direction. “There are plenty of girls, Holt, but you have to choose the one girl that puts us all in mortal danger. You want to make her MY queen by giving her your Rose?”
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