Return to Avalon, page 6
Jed quickly laid me down on something soft. I pried my eyes opened a fraction to find him watching Delilah rifle through her rucksack. Though weak, I managed to reach a shaky hand out to Jed.
“Did you see that too?” I whispered, my dry throat making it barely audible.
His attention snapped to me, and I watched his face become a few shades paler. The look in his eyes was answer enough, but I needed to hear him say it.
“Found it.” Delilah stood and walked over. Kneeling in front of me, she pressed a small vial filled with a luminescent green liquid to my lips. “Here. Drink this.”
It smelled as ghastly as homemade ale. I hesitated before swallowing the disgusting drink. Panic began building when I felt my throat start to close. I spluttered, sure that she’d poisoned me until warmth spread from my chest and I began feeling a little stronger.
When I was able to push myself into a sitting position, Jed’s shoulders slumped in relief. He turned to face Delilah.
“What happened back there?” he said, his tone clipped.
Good to know that wasn’t a normal travel spell. Delilah shook her head, seemingly just as confused.
“Barriers were thrown up around the island mid-travel. It was like someone was purposefully trying to throw us off course. Do you think the queen was able to lift the illusion spell I placed on the guard?”
“No.” Jed shook his head. “That would mean that she was expecting one to be there. The only way that would happen was if she was told beforehand, and we’re the only ones who know about it.” He looked at her with slight suspicion.
“You think I told her?” she said. “Why would I place a spell to hide the guard, drag his body out into the rain and deplete my magic getting you two the hell out of there if I were planning to ruin everything by tipping someone off? How do we know it wasn’t the half-blood?” She turned to me with a snarl.
I began to protest but Jed gently placed a hand on my arm. Delilah’s eyes sparked with fury at his action, but Jed ignored it, bringing her attention back to him.
“Because that would mean breaking the blood oath and losing her chance to avenge her sister.”
Delilah’s eyes widened and she took a deep breath. I guess to reign in her temper. Witches were notorious for having short fuses.
“That was the other end of the oath? You’re going to help her get revenge on the person responsible for her sister’s murder, when she’s the one responsible?” She let out a bitter laugh. “You’re a fool!”
He stood and growled deep and menacing with every step he took toward her. I tried to sink a little deeper into the couch. Delilah must have felt the same because she stepped back, though a show of challenge simmered in her eyes beneath the surface.
“You are the fool if you doubt my abilities, Delilah. There were three scents in the room and Kenna’s was the faintest. She was not the one who murdered her sister.”
They stood like this until Delilah shook her head in disgust and stormed into the room closest to her.
Sighing, he fell into the seat beside me and ran his fingers through his hair. It must be something he does when he’s uncomfortable. So many questions swam through my mind. If I didn’t ask them, I was certain I would explode.
“What would have happened if the barriers were up before we got out?”
When he looked at me, I could see just how tired he was, yet he replied anyway. “We would have been thrust back into the cabin—possibly injured, more likely dead.”
“Before you held me in place, I felt like I was about to fall into oblivion,” I said. He nodded but stayed silent, so I continued. “Delilah shouted for you to stop. Why?” I whispered and glanced at the door to the room she’d gone into.
“If you had fallen, then you could have ended up anywhere between the island and here. If that happened, I don’t know how or even if, we would have found you. Jumping from my zone into yours interrupted the process and created a suction which tried to force me from your zone. If that had happened, I would have died.”
I didn’t know whether to be grateful to him for risking his life to save me, or angry because he risked his life, which in turn put me in even more danger. I felt his gaze on me and my cheeks heated.
Snap out of it, Kenna!
The warning bells ringing in the back of my mind weren’t working. Neither of us broke eye contact as his hand moved to caress my cheek. As if pulled from a dream, or a nightmare—I still couldn’t quite decide, he shook his head and pulled away. His eyes darted over the light bruises on my neck, and I looked away.
“She’s probably hungry,” Delilah said, leaning against the doorframe to the room.
“When did you last eat?” He asked without glancing at her.
I licked my chapped lips, thinking of the taste of the dark brown pears and worm-infested apple I’d eaten with disgust. “Two days, maybe three. I can’t really remember.”
Delilah walked toward the window with a small object in her hand. I tilted my head to get a better look at what she was up to. She paced the length of the small apartment, whispering into it. The object looked similar to what the queen’s guards carried around in their pockets, but I couldn’t be sure—I’d never seen one up close. In fact, the only time I’d ever laid eyes on something similar was when a guard pulled one out during a conversation at one of the queen’s events. It was so long ago, and we were very high up, but I was certain it looked like what Delilah held. She stopped speaking and turned to me with a scowl. I must have been staring for too long, because she rolled her eyes and sighed.
“One sec,” she said to the object and walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
With Delilah gone, I decided to use the opportunity to my advantage. I needed to know if Jed experienced the same memories I had.
“I know you saw what I saw.” I bluffed.
His widening eyes confirmed my suspicions.
“Just tell me what it is.” I pleaded. “I don’t know if what I’m experiencing is real, or if it’s a part of this wretched curse. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
“That’s just it,” he whispered, looking out the window. “This curse, it makes you crazy. So I can’t say that you’re not crazy because there’s a good possibility that it’s making me crazy too. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
“As soon as you jumped from your zone to mine, I experienced another vision. Are they real—like parts of your memories or future possibilities? I didn’t recognize any of the people or places so there’s no way it could be my imagination, so they must be coming from you.”
He stiffened and dug his fingers into the armrest, splitting the red material. Ignoring his discomfort, I kept pushing. I needed to understand the curse that linked me to him. At least then I would be able to differentiate between what was real and what was not.
“What did you see?” I asked, hoping he’d explain the same vision.
Clearing his throat, he stood. “It doesn’t matter what you saw, it’s not real. Just forget about it.”
Before I could ask another question, he grabbed a black jacket and shrugged it on. He left, slamming the front door behind him.
JED
The upbeat melody of a saxophone played in the distance as I walked through the darkened streets of New Orleans. The lights draped from one building to the next created a soft glow that followed me down the narrow street. People still milled around at this late hour, either listening to street bands, taking the ghost tour, or visiting late-night psychics. It was the one thing I missed most about home—the way the city came alive at night. One of the easiest places in the world for supernaturals to hide in plain sight.
Even after all the time spent away, I knew exactly where to go. I followed each turn toward the street that was all too familiar. The distance was quite a way on foot. Most would have driven, I suppose. I could have raced through the back streets, but I was in no rush. I needed to clear my head, to figure out a way to put what happened into words. It had been years since I’d allowed myself to think of her. The memory of what I had seen still burned in my mind, opening old wounds that never fully healed.
Her green eyes looked up at me with so much love, I couldn’t help but smile. I brushed a strand of curly red hair behind her ear. Her skin was so soft and delicate that I couldn’t resist the urge to kiss every inch of her. Not that I ever had to ask permission to do so—she was my mate, my love and my whole life. If only fate hadn’t been so cruel, tearing her away from me so soon. We didn’t have enough time together, not nearly enough.
My throat tightened, my heart pining for the feel of her skin on mine, the soft touch of her fingers running along the muscles on my back. She had done that often when she thought I was asleep.
Leaning against a lone lamppost beside the cream-colored house, I tried to build up the courage to approach the home I’d left so long ago. Would they welcome me with open arms, or would they shun me as punishment for my absence over the last few years? Whatever the reaction, I knew I had to try. We needed guidance. Judging from the phone call Delilah was in the middle of when I left, it looked like finding her witch would take a while longer than anticipated. We didn’t have time to lose, and I knew another powerful woman in New Orleans. Whether or not this one would be willing to assist me was yet to be seen.
Straightening, I adjusted my jacket and prepared myself for what lay ahead. I took a step forward only to have a solid weight crash into my left side, knocking me into the tree in front of the house. Snarling, I turned to my attacker. I only saw a blur of blonde hair before being tackled from the back and forced to my knees. With a growl of fury, my body began to change. Mid-shift, my assailant moved to the front of me with a cocky grin on his face. When I realized who it was, I relaxed and returned to my human form before I ripped my clothes.
“Haden, you little shit, come here!” I laughed and put an arm around his shoulders before ruffling his hair. “You’ve grown, man.”
“So have you,” he said, ducking out of my grasp and playfully shoving me. “And you’ve become slow in your old age.” He winked. “Come. Mother will be so happy to see you.” He ran up the stairs and pushed the door open.
“I somehow doubt it.” I mumbled to myself and climbed the stairs after him. Walking into the entrance hall the same old sign, ‘Agatha’s children’s home,’ greeted me. The late hour meant nobody would be seated at the large, black desk underneath the sign, but I heard a commotion stirring from the first floor and clashing of pots and pans in the kitchen to the left. Someone was always cooking up a storm here, no matter the hour.
The blended scent of pancakes, wood polish, and lavender brought a smile to my face. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply. Home. It felt like forever since I’d been here.
“It’s true,” an elderly lady said, standing at the top of the stairs with tears in her eyes. She looked like she’d just got out of bed by the way her silver hair stood up in all different directions and her light pink gown was thrown on inside out. “You’re home.”
Guilt tore through me. I averted my eyes in shame, yet she raced down the stairs and reached up to wrap her arms around me. She squeezed, then placed both hands on my cheeks, her eyes darting over my features.
“Mom, I’m so sorry. I—”
“No, love,” she said, patting my cheek before settling her hands on my shoulders. “There is no need for an explanation. I of all people understand that you did what was needed in order to heal. The important thing is that you’re home now.” She smiled through her tears and hugged me close to her again.
I hadn’t the heart to tell her that I probably wouldn’t be able to stay, but, perhaps, once the bond was broken and everything returned to normal, I could stay for a little while before moving on again.
“Where are the others?” I said, expecting to see my sisters and brothers come rushing in any second.
Turning, she gave a sad smile. “Haden just went upstairs. Todd, Samantha, Jess and Jane left a year or so after you did.” She sighed. “But at least they still call.” She gave a pointed look in my direction.
“Sorry.” I shrugged not knowing what else to say. I followed her into the sunroom. She took a seat at the table where her tarot cards lay stacked in the middle of a lime-green tablecloth. She gestured to the opposite side of the table, and I took a seat on the rickety old chair. I tried not to let my nerves get the best of me when she picked up the cards and began laying crystals in a circle around the edges of the table.
With her dominant gene being witch, she was a talented seer and very respected in the supernatural world. She never hesitated to force you into the chair and deliver a message she felt was urgent—whether you wanted to hear it or not. The last time I had sat in this chair, these exact cards had predicted the worst tragedy of my life. If only I had listened to her warning back then.
“I know you’re here for a reason. I had visions of your return a few nights ago. Though, I must admit, I had my doubts. You never know if they’ll remain the same or if a change of heart will lead to a change of course.” She looked down at her cards.
“Something is happening, something I can’t explain,” I said, her blank stare surprising me. She just sat there shuffling her cards. Usually, she dived right into the questions. Just like the little hexblood. “When I left, I tried to find seclusion. I escaped to a secret island ruled by a powerful Fae woman.”
She gave me a wide-eyed, sharp look, no doubt horrified that I’d have any sort of dealings with the Fae. Avoiding them and remaining cautious of their tricks was something she drilled into us all from a very young age. Before she could say anything on the subject, I held up my hand. She didn’t look impressed with the gesture, but I didn’t have time to listen to that same old lecture again.
“She offered me the solitude I needed at the time,” I said, defending my reasons for defying her warnings. “Anyway, I was out one night, scheduled to leave the island for a hunt when someone invaded my territory.
It was a young hexblood. She’d run away from a nearby village, and all I could smell was adrenaline and blood. It had been a while since I’d had the opportunity to hunt, so when she tried to sneak through the forest surrounding my home my bloodlust kicked in. Stalking, I hid in the shadows until the time to pounce came. It was only when I had her pinned to the floor that I saw it was no animal but a girl.”
“Why didn’t you just return her to the village, or leave her there?” Mom said, watching me closely.
“Because when she ran from me, she tripped and hit her head. It was only once I’d reached her that I found she’d fallen unconscious. I reached out to lift her from the ground and that’s when it started. I was pulled into a type of vision. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. Just so vivid. And it wasn’t a premonition or anything like you get, they were memories. My memories.” I looked up, expecting her to be shocked by my story. However, she seemed more interested than surprised. She nodded and set her cards down, then picked up a trio of crystals. She clasped them in the palm of her hand and gave me her full attention.
“Tell me everything.”
JED
The chair I leaned back in squeaked. I tapped my finger on the glass table—a nervous habit I could never really shake. “I saw her. I saw Tara.” I moved forward again, looking into my mother’s chocolate brown eyes. She needed to know how serious I was about this. “It happened more than once. Each time there’s a close physical connection with the hexblood, I relive memories of Tara and I from before, and I’m almost certain she sees what I see.
She doesn’t know I’m experiencing the same thing at the same time, but I believe she’s starting to suspect as much. It’s happened twice now, and I can’t explain it, but I think this…” I stood and spun around, lifting my shirt to reveal the mark. “…has something to do with it.”
She gasped and stood, scraping her chair on the wood floor. She moved closer and traced the mark’s outline on my back. “Aphrodite’s flower.”
“How can this be? As soon as her heart stopped beating I—” I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw, trying not to fall apart. The images from that night began pushing their way to the front of my mind.
I should have protected her—I could have done something if only I was there. I should have realized something was wrong when she insisted I go out without her. Maybe if I had been more observant, she would be alive and well instead of scattered out at sea. All these regrets haunted me every single day, but now was not the time to deal with it. I shoved them away and forced myself to focus on the current situation instead.
Shrugging her off, I turned around. “I felt a shift, a change in me.” I tapped my fist on my chest, over my heart. “I felt it deep in my soul, Mom. It’s a pain unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I’d know if she were alive now. Crazier things have happened in our world but not that.” I shook my head. “It took a long time to accept it, but she is gone. So why has this happened? How is it possible for it to go from a white scar back to black ink when my mate is dead?”
Her features gave away just how much she understood my pain—she lost her mate quite young as well. She pursed her lips together and shook her head.
“I’ve never heard of someone being mated twice in one lifetime, but perhaps the Scrolls know something about it. I’ll have a look, but, In the meantime, I think I need to meet this hexblood. If she’s in any way connected to this, it may help me find a solution to your problem if I can learn more about her history, her parents, where she grew up and such.”
Not good. How would I explain to my mother that the hexblood was a slave on the island I’d been living on? And when I first got there, I had been a big part of the violence and unjust actions that took place there, daily.
Everyone there knew the way the Fae ruled that island was harsh and cruel beyond measure to the majority of the people living there. It was an island of their own, for their own, where they ruled and made the rules. A place where supernaturals of value were allowed to live as they pleased but only got there if they were invited by the queen herself—something that didn’t happen to the most well behaved supernaturals of the world. This was going to be a tough one, but we were out of options. I needed answers before I went crazy.
