“Yes, now go, before your mother doesn’t let you.”
“Good night, Tara.” He grinned and slipped outside.
I stepped into the living room. Leaning on the couch, I pulled back the curtain and watched him get into his car. The overhead light illuminated him briefly as he made a phone call. It went off as he shut the door and started the engine.
The glow of his cellphone briefly illuminated his face. Remembering how earlier spying on him had brought on my tantrum, I let the curtain fall into place and collapsed into the sofa.
What a rollercoaster tonight had been. Still was. The thought of going on another date brought that influx of emotion—excitement, followed by the dread of what Sam would do in vengeance.
The roar of a car engine retreating told me Asher had gone.
I rose to go to bed when an angry knock banged on the door.
Looking through the peephole, I saw Sam with a way too angelic smile plastered across her face.
“Daniel?” I hissed up the stairs. He instantly appeared, making me wonder if he’d been standing in the hall that whole time.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Sam’s at the door. I’m going to answer.”
He nodded.
Carefully, I pulled the door open. “Hi?”
Sam’s fake smile grew even bigger. “What did you tell Asher about me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I just got off the phone with him.” She tilted her head to one side, her smile growing vindictive. “Apparently he wants nothing to do with me.”
“He said it like that?” I asked in disbelief.
“He didn’t need to say it like that. I got the message.” Her eyes narrowed. “Was destroying my relationship last year not enough for you?”
“I didn’t do anything to destroy your relationship last year,” I said. “You were the one who went around backstabbing me.” I should have stopped right there, but I couldn't resist. Not when she was there, asking for it. “Besides, what kind of relationship did you even have with Jerrick? You were cheating on him every week.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Why you—” She leapt to grab my hair.
Frantically, I stepped back, but she came up short. Someone had grabbed her from behind.
Asher lifted her off the ground and planted her on my sidewalk. “Leave her alone.”
“You’re going to regret this,” she squealed. Sam glared at Asher. If daggers ever flashed from someone’s eyes, they were from hers. Making a snotty “Hmm,” Sam tilted her nose into the air and walked away. She looked my way one more time. “I hope whoever hated you enough last year to make you look like a slut hates you enough this year to do the same thing.”
My eyes widened. She’d known this whole time it wasn’t me?
Sam bumped straight into a shadow, and I realized that Jerrick was standing on my lawn, just outside where the porch light illuminated it.
“Did you really cheat on me every week?” Jerrick asked.
“Ugh,” Sam said. “Get out of my way.” She shoved him aside.
As she quickly swayed back to her house, Jerrick didn’t move, slowly looking my way.
Asher touched my elbow. “I’m sorry. I think I may have made things worse by trying to make them right.”
“You think?” My head ached. I looked up at him with a sad smile. “Whatever you said to her was definitely a declaration of war.” Though I didn’t fail to realize what this meant. He’d chosen me over her.
“I’m sorry. Are we still good?" he asked.
“We’re lit partners, remember? Now get out of here. You’re going to be late for curfew. Then your mom won’t let you hang out with me anymore, and I’ll be left alone to fend off Sam.”
“I’ll blame it on her, not you.” Asher grinned. “Then I really can’t hang out with her group. I like David, though—”
“Get home.”
He glanced at where Jerrick still lurked in the darkness. I could tell Jer wanted to talk to me.
“Daniel’s inside. He’s fine,” I said. “Thank you, Asher.”
“That’s Jerrick?”
“Yes. I’ll be fine,” I added.
As Asher backed away, he kept a watchful gaze on Jerrick. They sized up each other. One represented the past I wanted out of. The other—the future I wanted to pursue.
Asher. I really did want this to go somewhere with him.
Asher glanced my way. “See you tomorrow.” Cutting across the front lawn, he raced to where he’d parked his car near the entrance to my neighborhood. He must have run back when he saw Sam come over.
Desperate superhero. I smiled to myself.
“That’s cute,” Jerrick said from the darkness. “Is he your new boyfriend?”
Irritated, I looked his way. “What are you doing here?”
“I saw Sam coming over here and figured she was up to no good.” He shoved his hands in his pocket. “Tara…” There was a tremor in his voice. “There’s not a night that doesn’t go by where I’m not haunted by what I did. I’m sorry.”
My chest tightened as his words made me recall images from last spring.
Sneaking through his dark home, I quietly entered his bedroom. My hope was that if I could drain Jerrick of his source without him knowing, it would force the fiend he’d taken in out. While Jerrick slept, I drained him of both his positive and negative source. Once it was gone, the fiend came out like I’d hoped, this willowy, intelligent being with red burning eyes.
Before it could come into me, I used Jerrick’s alv dagger to kill it.
In the same moment, Jerrick woke.
He grabbed me, threw me on his bed, then straddled my waist to hold me down. He covered my face with his pillow to smother my cries to keep anyone from hearing. Someone I used to consider one of my best friends was trying to kill me. I struggled against him, trying to escape. The pressure from him on my chest made it difficult to breathe.
I hadn’t expected fury from him for killing his demon. I’d thought he’d be grateful, but he’d taken on the fiend purposefully.
And I’d stolen his source.
Give me back my source!
And then, Jerrick clambered off, and I came up for air.
“Tara, what have I done…”
His remorse was momentary. “Give me back my source.”
Terrified of him, and what he would do if I did, I refused. He snapped the photograph of me in his bed as revenge, before I raced out of the room.
That picture had ruined me with Samantha more than anything else had. She knew nothing of alvs. I didn’t know how to explain to her why I was there without sounding crazy. Jerrick blew it off as if I’d come there to have sex with him.
Jerrick suffocating me was one of those moments I’d avoided thinking about. Even talking to Jack, I’d kept this part of the story suppressed.
Closing my eyes against the onslaught, I pushed my palms against my temples.
“I’m sorry,” Jerrick said, breaking through the past memory. “I really am.”
I looked at him with a shuddering breath. I wasn’t ready to forgive him. I doubted his sincerity. There was a selfishness in his delay of apology. But I’d taken all of his source after he’d waited his whole life building it up in preparation of using his ability. It took far longer for alchemist and healer alvs to develop their abilities.When I drained Jerrick of his, I’d taken away his ability, at least temporarily. He wasn’t asking for source back. I didn’t have his anymore anyway. But I did have some of my own.
Stepping off the porch, I walked to where the light created a line with the darkness. Daniel’s shadow came into view as he stepped into the doorway.
Reaching for Jerrick’s hand, I held it, closed my eyes, and let flow into him the swirl of dark and positive source that had mounted within me all night long, giving him all of my positive, with a little of the negative.
He gasped, then smiled bitterly. “Thank you.”
“It’s not much.” I dro
pped his hand. “Just do something good with your life,” I said. “That way, I can try to forgive you.”
His brows furrowed, and he nodded. His voice was husky when he spoke again. “Why don’t I start by telling your stepfather about it?”
My face trembled as tears flowed even more down my cheeks. Warmth overcame me, because this, more than his earlier declaration, showed sincerity in his apology. He didn’t know how relieving to me his admission to Daniel would be. Quickly, I nodded.
“I am sorry,” he said.
I turned around and looked at Daniel. I waved my hand in a circle to indicate all of us. “Can we talk?”
Daniel folded his arms, then nodded. “It’s about time,” he said, softly.
Fifteen minutes later, last spring unburdened, Daniel kept Jerrick cornered. As I headed up to my room, I felt like I could truly breathe for the first time since May.
A half hour later, I lay awake in bed, a fantasy novel open on my chest, thinking about the crazy progression of the evening, when a knock broke up my reverie.
“Hello?” I called, surprised.
“Are you dressed?” Jack’s voice. “Daniel asked me to bring you something.”
“What?” What’s he doing here? I looked down at my pink comforter that covered my bare legs. Otherwise, I was wearing a long-sleeve T. “Yeah, you can come in.”
He opened the door and stepped in with a silver-coated cat. “This is my sister Jill’s. She’s house broken already.” He came over.
I sat up, making sure the blanket still covered me.
“Daniel said you might like a cat. She’s the cuddliest, introverted cat. Makes for the perfect unneedy companion.”
“Cuddliest, introverted?” I reached up, and Jack handed her down to me.
“Her name is Stardust, and she’s about three years old.”
As I rubbed between her ears, Stardust began to purr. I was instantly falling in love. “Doesn’t Jill still want her?” I asked.
“Jill’s headed on a mission in December, and Mom and Dad’s policy is not to hold on to animals once we leave the house. Plus, she has two others. She told me to bring you Stardust if you want her.”
I smiled, remembering how Jill, the sister right above Jack in age order, had been an animal lover. “Stardust, huh?” I tilted my head sideways to get a better look at her. “She’s beautiful.”
Stardust sat on my lap, holding the blanket in place. I rubbed under her chin. “Daniel sent you over?”
“He asked me to bring her by tonight. Would have come sooner, except Jill was on a date, so it took her awhile to respond.”
I smiled at him. “After I brought Nathaniel his cat, I was tempted to come get a second one.”
Jack chuckled. “Daniel wasn’t keen on another kitten running around.”
“I’m not sure I want to entertain a kitten, either. But if Stardust really needs a new home, I’ll keep her. Thank you.”
“Jill will appreciate knowing she’s getting loved.” He gave the cat a long stroke down her back. “Everything go all right with Asher?”
“He broke up with Sam to be with me.”
“What—he was dating her?” Jack looked alarmed.
I laughed. “No. But I’m pretty sure he told her he didn’t even want to be friends anymore.”
Jack’s eyes widened. “You’re in trouble.”
“Oh, probably. But at least I have you.”
He smiled. “I wouldn’t count on that. I always get a cold the last week of October.”
“You aren’t serious,” I said.
“Perfectly. The last five Halloweens, I stayed inside with a sore throat, drinking herbal tea and wanting nothing to do with candy. But I’ll try to stay healthy just for you.” Jack began to retreat. “Good night, Tara.”
“Good night. Thank you, Jack.”
“You’re welcome.” He paused in the doorway. “Thank you, too.”
I rubbed Stardust under her neck. “For what?”
“Tutoring me. I really missed you when you moved. It’s been nice spending more time together again.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “And you’re sure you aren’t jealous?”
“Not one bit.” Jack hovered for a second, smiling. With a final nod, he closed the door.
I stayed up way too late, getting to know my new friend before we both finally fell asleep, light still on.
Someone turned it off in the middle of the night.
20. Uneasy Feeling
I slept in late Saturday morning.
“Tara?” Mom’s voice invaded my oblivion.
“Hmm?”
“You have a phone call.”
My eyes flickered opened. “Mom?” I yawned. “What?” My brain was sluggish to comprehend.
“Your lit partner is talking to Daniel about the pros and cons of device-assisted learning.”
“What?” I threw off my blanket and grabbed my sweats from the floor and pulled them on. Daniel was having a full-blown, boring conversation with Asher. Heading to the door, I experienced a glimpse of the mortification Asher must have felt when his mother interviewed me. This was a different type of conversation, but I hated for Asher to have his ear talked off discussing what Daniel would have researched had he finished his doctorate.
I hurried downstairs, following Daniel’s voice into the music room. With smartphone to ear, he sat on the big sofa, excitedly talking about something that would have lost my attention two seconds after he’d started.
Daniel cut off. “Oh, Tara’s awake. Yes, it was a pleasure talking with you, too.”
“Pleasure?” I mouthed.
Daniel covered the mouthpiece. “I take back my prior judgement. He seems like a decent chap now.”
“Chap?” I repeated. “Who says that?”
Rising, Daniel passed me his phone. “The answer is yes, if you think of asking permission.”
As Daniel headed toward the kitchen, Mom lingered in the entry.
I sat at the piano with my back to her. “Hello, Asher. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, no worries. I’m in the car, and my dad is driving. I needed a distraction, so talking with your stepfather was actually helpful.”
Relief carried away some of my embarrassment. “Daniel seemed happy to have an audience.”
“Hey, I was wondering if—” Asher’s voice abruptly distanced. “Dad, you’re going ninety again. Slow down.”
“Everyone goes ninety or higher on this highway,” his father shot back. “Quit your worrying.”
“He can’t just quit his worry about it,” his mother spoke up, her voice a softer timbre.
“Well, he ought to.”
“I’ve told you before,” she said. “It doesn’t work like that. He can’t just quit.”
As they bickered about Asher’s anxiety, I pushed a key down on the piano so slowly it didn’t make a sound. Holden was the one who’d played the most. I could, but it had been a number of years since I’d had lessons.
“Not if you and Will keep babying him,” his dad barked.
Asher groaned. “Sorry, Tara.”
I straightened, twirling a strand of hair on my finger. “So, I take it because your dad is driving, your anxiety is through the roof.”
“Yes. He wouldn’t let me drive—says I’m too cautious.”
“You are,” the dad shouted. “You can’t drive like that in Chicago. You’ll spark a dozen people’s road rage.”
Asher groaned. “We’re headed to Navy Pier to meet one of my sisters. When I get back, could I come over to work on our project?”
This must be what Daniel was giving permission for. It would be nice to have lit partner time to refocus after last night. “That would be great.”
“I’ll come around four.”
“Sounds good.” I wished it was earlier.
“See you later.” Then, as he was pulling the phone away, he shouted, “Dad.” and the conversation dropped.
I switched into messaging to send him a text but hesitate
d. I hadn’t texted anyone in months. Taking a deep breath, I wrote: You okay? Then paused. This is Daniel’s phone, so it should be safe. Finally, I hit send and waited.
The phone vibrated with a message.
Asher: Sorry. He cut someone off. I’m about ready to throw up.
Throwing up was how we met. I wrote back: Do you need me to walk you to class?
He sent back a random emoji of a fox that made me smile.
“Tara?”
Startled, I looked over my shoulder. Mom was still there.
“Would you want to go on a bike ride this morning?” She shrugged as she asked, her tone sounding like she expected me to say no.
My heart swirled with conflicting emotions. Half a week ago, I wouldn’t have.
But after last night, even this whole week, I was ready to give her another chance. Plus, a bike ride was a safe activity. It meant spending time together without having to talk.
“Yeah, that would be fine,” I said, trying to keep any excitement that would portray hope out of my tone. As the phone vibrated, I turned back to it.
Asher: I’d love to walk to class with you.
Deal. I bit back a smile, then rose to get ready for the day.
The ride took us past the old ski hill. On the return trip, Mom signaled to me that she wanted to turn into it. I couldn’t remember the resort ever being open for skiing, and the derelict chair lift looked like a safety hazard while the hill was overrun with weather-battered grass and random tree shoots.
Mom said she grew up skiing here, but warmer winters had shortened the season, and the ski resort shut down. Despite that, the shop that sold ski and snowboard equipment was still open. Mom left me outside while she ventured inside.
As I waited by the bikes, a green Toyota Tacoma pulled into the gravel lot. Ferdinand was behind the driver’s wheel, and I immediately had the sensation of spiders crawling inside me, making me shiver. Negative source turned in my gut.
Seeing me, he pulled to a stop and lowered the passenger window. “Hey.” He kind of smiled. “What brings you here? Can’t imagine you’d come to say hello.”
“Hi.” My gaze strayed toward the two homes at the opposite end of the parking lot, tucked up in some trees. “This is where you live?” I asked.
The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1) Page 21