Field of Innocence (The Euphoria Series) (18 page)

“Hey,” he says under his breath.

“Hi, you spying on me?” she asks irritated as she lies back down on the ground.

Tristan sighs and sits on the ground next to her, reminiscent of their time in the field in the mortal world and how far away they seem to be from those people now.

“Not spying,” he says, “just checking up on you.”

“I don’t need to be checked up on, Tristan.”

“You sure about that?”

Calandra sits up and glares at him. “Yes,” she says flatly.

“Hmm.”

“What? What could you possibly be getting at here?”

“Just seems like you may need someone to be checking up on you and your interactions with Drake.”

Calandra opens her mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. She sighs and lies back down.

They sit in silence for several long moments. Calandra’s eyes are closed and she refuses to give into Tristan.

“You know he’s dangerous, right?” Tristan finally cuts into the silence.

“Of course I do, Tristan.” Calandra keeps her eyes closed and rolls them to herself.

“So why do you still let him influence you that way?”

Calandra remains silent while she tries to find a way to respond to that. “I don’t know,” she finally says with a sigh.

Truthfully, she doesn’t know. She knows that she shouldn’t do anything Drake tells her to, yet somehow something deep within her draws her to listen to him anyway. Maybe Drake was right earlier, maybe it is purely temptation. Temptation and darkness embodied, that is what Drake is after all. Then again, Jarreth could have been overreacting when he told her that.

“You know bad company corrupts good character, right, Cal?”

“No, Tristan, I don’t know and you certainly don’t know. Just stop with the guilt trip again, I’m not in the mood right now!” She didn’t mean to snap, but snap is what she did. She can’t imagine going through another talk like what they had at the ball.

Tristan stares at her in disbelief. “I guess this isn’t exactly easy for you. I mean, you wouldn’t want your new friends to think badly of you or anything,” he says firmly.

“I’m sorry,” she says, “I didn’t mean to—”

“I know, Calandra.” He scoots into her and holds his arm out.

Calandra smiles and leans into him. She takes in his comfort as she has so many times before. She lets him hold her and tries to pretend for the moment that things are okay, normal even. Tristan traces circles along her back. “Calandra?”

“Please don’t.” She looks down at the ground, unable to bring herself to look at him.

He looks down at her with sadness in his eyes. It’s a disappointment that breaks her just a little bit more. “Are you really okay?” Tristan asks her, sincerity written all over his face.

Calandra pulls herself away from him and is suddenly aware that she is using him in a way she shouldn’t be. She realizes that this interaction means more to Tristan than it does to her. He’s getting the idea that she’s changing back to who she used to be and she knows she’s not. As if she hasn’t put him through enough already.

She shrugs. “I will be.”

“You are strong,” he informs her.

“No, Tristan, not really. I always fall apart and you put the pieces back together for me, remember?”

“Maybe it’s time you learn how to put yourself back together, Cal. You’ve always known how to, you only think you need someone to fix it for you.”

Calandra smiles, somehow reassured. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get him to let you go, I really did try.” She changes the subject, afraid to go down that road with him.

“I guess I’m starting to get used to this place.” He shrugs.

“It’s not exactly terrible.” She smiles.

“Not at all.” Tristan’s eyes fill with a longing, a sense that he’s getting through to her finally.

“So, I guess I’ll see you around.” She gets up and dusts herself off.

“You’re leaving?” He looks up at her, confused.

She nods. “It’s time to get back,” she says simply. “Are you staying here?”

Tristan shrugs and doesn’t move to get up.

“Bye Tristan,” she says, and without another word walks away and heads back to the clubhouse, hoping that Jarreth isn’t there at the moment. She would like some time alone tonight to just think.

Chapter Twenty-One

Vision

A familiar dense, gray fog rolls in. Everything clouds over and grows colder in its presence. The air feels thick around her and she can’t make anything out other than a few shadows. Her head feels like it’s being pressurized from the inside out. Her eyes close automatically against the feeling and it instantly clears out. She opens her eyes slowly to find that the fog is gone and simply a dense mist remains.

The field lies in front of her. It’s early morning, the sun is still rising in the distance. The sky is tinged a euphoric mixture of pinks, oranges, and yellows. There are beads of dew on each blade of grass and the sunlight reflects against it to create a beautiful scene. Calandra could stand here and stare at it all day, until a shadow catches the corner of her eye.

She looks in the direction of it and is shocked to see a man that seems oddly familiar standing in the field. He seems to be staring straight at her. Her body forgets how to breathe, or move, or think clearly, it simply freezes. They stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. A voice from behind her makes Calandra realize that it’s not her the man is staring at after all.

“Long time no see.” The voice behind her is familiar, she knows she’s heard it before, but at the moment, her body is still unwilling to react from the shock of seeing this stranger here, much less turn to see who the voice belongs to.

“I’m back for good!” the stranger replies to the person behind Calandra.

“We’ll see,” the voice counters.

“Oh ye of little faith.” The stranger seems more than a little surprised by the attitude coming from the voice.

“You know that she is here now, or you wouldn’t have come back.”

“I do.”

“And you still think you have a chance? She was marked, as soon as she crossed over.”

Calandra suddenly processes that they are discussing her. The realization also pushes through for her who the voice coming from behind her is.

“No matter.” The stranger shrugs.

“We’ll see,” Drake replies again.

Her body finally wakes up from the shock that it’s been in and she is able to turn and verify that it is in fact Drake standing behind her. He is dressed in his all black attire as usual, and his eyes look darker than normal, much more purple than lavender.

“She was born to stop you, Kailen, and you know that, so why do you insist on trying still?” Drake’s smile is sly and he has a smug confidence about him.

“Prophecies aren’t always true you know?” Kailen responds.

“More often than not,” Drake counters.

“Maybe, but in case you haven’t noticed, this is a special situation, so I just may have a chance after all. Have you managed to get her on your side yet?”

Calandra turns to look at Drake whose face has gone sheet white. His eyes are holding steady at their normal lavender color and Calandra waits for him to answer. Everything suddenly dissolves around her and she is surrounded by the tree house. Of course as soon as she finally starts to process things, the vision ends. Go figure.

“Cal?” Jarreth is sitting next to her, his eyes are concerned as he leans in and inspects her.

“I’m fine,” she assures him, “I could use some tea, though.” She doesn’t even mean to say the last part, it comes out on its own accord.

Jarreth instantly jumps up and heads into the kitchen.

“And after I get some, you’ll explain the vision?” he asks, sounding unsure.

Calandra nods and Jarreth continues into the kitchen.

****

Calandra’s surroundings have changed once more, only this time it was of her own accord. She now sits in Drake’s living room. She can’t keep the memories of her last visit here out of her head. Jarreth had insisted they come and discuss her vision with Drake after she explained what she had seen to him. Tristan had tried to leave when her and Jarreth arrived, but she begged him to stay. She knows deep down that it was wrong to do so, but some part of her needs him here for support.

Drake sits on the left side of Calandra. His legs are crossed over each other and he is leaned into the couch, he looks utterly relaxed. Jarreth is on her right side, his entire body is tensed, as per his usual when he is around Drake. Tristan is off to the other side of the room in the small wooden chair, his expression is unreadable and his body is cloaked in shadows.

“So you finally figured it out?” Drake chuckles.

“Who is he and when is he coming?” Calandra asks.

“Why do you assume that the vision is the future?” Drake smiles coyly.

Calandra looks over to Jarreth, confused. She didn’t know she could have visions of the past, the only other one she had experienced was of the future. She once again made assumptions, which she was quickly learning she shouldn’t be making in this world as nothing seems to add up the way you think it will. How far in the past could it have been? For a quick moment, she wonders if it had taken place before she had even arrived. Then she remembers Drake’s line about her mark and is slightly relieved in knowing that it couldn’t have been that far back.

“When?” Jarreth finally breaks the silence.

“The ball.”

“He was at the ball?” Calandra squeals.

Drake nods. “I told you the mystery man didn’t look like good news, didn’t I?”

“Who is he and how was I born to stop him?” Calandra can’t quite figure out why she’s as shocked as she is, this is Drake after all.
Sin and temptation
, she reminds herself. “Stop him from what exactly?” Nothing makes sense and no one seems to be willing to cooperate and give her any help.

“I didn’t see what difference it would make for you to know his name since you still wouldn’t have had a clue who he was.” Drake shrugs to belittle it even further.

“What is he doing? What prophecy?” The questions come out little by little without making any sense.

“Calandra,” Tristan’s voice seems to have a warning behind it, which finally sends Calandra over the edge completely.

“Don’t start with me!” she snaps at him.

“Why am I even here in the first place? You made me stay for what exactly?”

“I don’t know!” The truth slips out harsher than she intended it. She knows if it weren’t for the shadows she would see the hurt all over his face. She’s just cut him deep, she can feel it in the room. Without another word, Tristan gets up and leaves the house. Something tells Calandra to go after him, but she fights the urge. What can she say at this point? She’s done nothing but stomp all over him and use him since this whole ordeal started. Unfortunately for Tristan, the trend doesn’t seem like it’s going to let up anytime soon either.

In her distraction of Tristan’s breakdown, Calandra didn’t see Drake leave the room, but he returns with a cup of tea. Her first impulse is to say thanks, until she remembers that he is what caused the stress that made her need the drink in the first place. She gives a quick, timid smile instead.

“What does he want?” Jarreth asks.

“Like you don’t know,” Drake replies instantly.

“Um, I don’t!” Calandra chimes in, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Drake nods his head toward Jarreth, signaling for him to be the one to explain.

Calandra starts in on her drink to prepare for what may be coming.

“He’s here to prevent you from stopping him,” Jarreth says simply.

“Yeah, thanks for clearing that up, Jare!” Calandra rolls her eyes at him as she begins in on her tea.

“Kailen was the reason behind the downfall of Faerie, he was the human that Echo fell in love with that caused all of this to happen. Only he’s not exactly human anymore.”

“What does that even mean?”

“No one’s totally sure,” Drake jumps in. “He was human when he was here, when he fell in love with Echo. Then after the veil got closed and he was taken away from Echo, he went a little … crazy?”

“He’s completely ruthless, Calandra, he has no heart, and more than likely no soul. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a deal with the devil himself to be able to come back for revenge.” Jarreth takes the explanation down a slightly different path and causes it to make even less sense.

“Exactly how heartless is this man?” she asks before she downs the rest of her drink. “Like Drake heartless?”

“I would be hurt,” Drake insists, “if I had a heart that is.” He smiles mechanically.

“Worse,” Jarreth says.

Calandra holds her empty cup out to Drake, insisting he go refill it for her again. He rolls his eyes, but takes the cup and leaves the room anyway.

Jarreth puts his arm on her shoulder. “You okay?”

Calandra shrugs.

Drake returns and hands Calandra her cup.

“So are you guys figuring out a plan or forming some sort of spiritual connection over here?” he asks.

Calandra rolls her eyes. “Still butt hurt over the heartless comment are we?”

Jarreth clears his throat and they both stop talking. “Do you know exactly what Kailen plans to do?” he asks Drake.

Drake shrugs. “Not exactly, we’re not on the best of terms at the moment.”

“Oh really?” Jarreth seems unbelieving of this. “And why is that?”

Calandra almost chokes on her drink when she remembers the vision. “Because he didn’t take his side, he told him I was going to win.” She smiles.

Jarreth looks at her, confused. “He also was working with Kailen and trying to get you on his side, remember?”

Drake rolls his eyes. “Don’t let your head get all big, sweetie, it had nothing to do with you.”

“So what do we do?” Jarreth changes the subject quickly.

“Trust me,” Drake starts, “when Kailen is ready for you to act, you’ll know. He obviously doesn’t have a plan yet or he would’ve already acted on it.”

“So we do nothing?” Calandra asks.

“Precisely,” Drake replies, “don’t draw attention to yourself before it’s necessary. Figure it out when the time comes.”

Calandra gulps down the rest of her drink.

“You won’t be alone when he does decide to show up, Calandra, we’ll do this together, I promise.” Jarreth smiles reassuringly and Drake scoffs in the background.

Calandra knows it’s a promise that he can’t really make, but she allows herself to take solace in it regardless.