Flamethroat (25 page)

‘
That doesn
’
t sound like Ava,
’
said Jack, his heartbeat quickening.

He did not believe it. Why would Avalon deliberately hurt Georgia? He knew that they did not like each other very much
–
but Avalon would not attack someone completely innocent; at least, not on purpose.

‘
Don
’
t go after her, Jack. She said she didn
’
t need you, didn
’
t want you. She said you have been nothing but a burden!
’

‘
She did?
’
Jack felt his innards twist uncomfortably. He had been worried that his presence had slowed her journey down. Perhaps if Jack hadn
’
t been there, Ava might have reached Concord City in time to save her sister from being sold on the market. Is that what Avalon really thought?

Georgia nodded.
‘
Uh-huh. She said … something about a woman … Korra Waterson.
’

‘
Did she?
’
Jack said slowly.
‘
What else did she say?
’

‘
I don
’
t remember much after that,
’
Georgia said quickly.
‘
At that point, well, it was like an explosion. You saw my hand
–
she ruined it!
’

Jack tried to make sense of it all.
‘
But … Avalon wouldn
’
t do that. She wouldn
’
t attack you and then leave me. Would she?
’

‘
You don
’
t believe me?
’
Georgia
’
s eyes filled with tears.
‘
You saw what she did. How else would I have been burned?
’

‘
No, no,
’
Jack began.
‘
It
’
s just very out of character.
’

‘
I knew she hated me, that fire demon! All I tried to do was help.
’

‘
It
’
s okay.
’
Jack rubbed Georgia
’
s back soothingly. Georgia embraced him tightly and he felt her lips by his ear.

‘
She said she wished you never came with her,
’
Georgia whispered.

Jack grew increasingly suspicious. This did not sound like Avalon at all. But why would Georgia lie? And how else would she have received such a burn? Did Avalon really attack her or had it been an accident, causing Ava to flee with shame?

Jack detached himself from Georgia and stood up. She looked at him curiously.
‘
What are you doing?
’
She asked.

‘
I
’
ve got to try and catch up with Ava,
’
said Jack, grabbing his bag from the sofa.

‘
You
’
re going after her? Even after what she did to me?
’
Georgia said, astounded.

Jack flung the bag over his shoulder and looked at Georgia apologetically.
‘
I
’
m sorry, but I can
’
t let her go alone.
’

‘
But she doesn
’
t want you!
’
Georgia got to her feet,
‘
I thought … I thought you liked
me
!
’

‘
This has nothing to do with how much I like anyone,
’
said Jack.
‘
I made a promise to my best friend and I intend to keep it. There must be a reason why Ava behaved the way she did.
’

‘
She
’
s a fire demon!
’
Georgia burst.
‘
They
’
re violent! All of them!
’

‘
Ava isn
’
t violent-
’
Jack began, but then he thought about the previous day. He recalled the look in Ava
’
s eyes when she injected Korra with the serum. Satisfaction. Avalon was glad that she had taken Korra
’
s memories and she had wanted to do it again, to Alastor. She wanted to let Alastor bleed to death too.

‘
Think about it,
’
Georgia said softly.
‘
You are blinded by your affection for this girl. You can
’
t see what she is really like.
’

‘
I know what Avalon is like,
’
said Jack, unsure now.

Scenarios flashed through his head.

Avalon had broken Master Forsythe
’
s nose when he had caught her snooping through his belongings. She had melted Elvira Frost during a moment of rage at the top of her ice tower. Only yesterday, Avalon had attacked a Realm Official and threatened another, forcing him to leave the city. And today she had mutilated Georgia
’
s hand.

Maybe Georgia was right; perhaps Avalon
was
violent. But that didn
’
t mean she wasn
’
t a good person. After all, wasn
’
t she doing these things to get her family back?

‘
She
’
s just … going through some stuff,
’
Jack said lamely.

Georgia pursed her lips.
‘
What gives her the right to treat people like rubbish?
’

‘
She doesn
’
t,
’
Jack said defensively.

‘
Jack,
’
Georgia crooned, running her fingers through his hair.
‘
She left you after everything you have done for her and I know you do so much. You
’
re a healer. Healers care too much.
’

Jack
’
s mind was racing. Did he believe Georgia? Part of him knew that she was right
–
Avalon
’
s Power made her dangerous. But had Ava really said those things; that he was a burden? That she wished he had never come with her?

‘
You know I
’
m right,
’
Georgia said, sliding her arms around Jack
’
s neck and breathing in his ear. Her warm breath washed over his body and he felt the fight in him slipping away.

‘
Avalon is dangerous sometimes,
’
Jack agreed half heartedly.
‘
But she
needs
me. She is utterly hopeless -
’

‘
I
need you,
’
Georgia simpered, brushing the tip of her nose against Jack
’
s cheek.
‘
She left you.
’

‘
I don
’
t know why she would do that. I thought she … I thought -
’
Jack felt his resolve slipping as Georgia
’
s lips brushed his neck lightly.

‘
I told you, she wished you had never come.
’

Jack let out a low, guttural growl as Georgia
’
s lips found his earlobe and bit gently.

‘
No,
’
he said suddenly.
‘
I need to hear it from Avalon herself.
’

He felt as though Georgia was trying very hard to persuade him to stay.

Georgia did not know about Hawthorne, obviously, but Jack knew that Avalon would take advantage of the newfound swiftness. Without him, Avalon and Hawthorne could fly, or run together. They would reach Flamethroat Valley in two hours by air. It would take him several hours to get there on foot. It had already been half an hour since Avalon had left. For all he knew, she could be a
quarter of the
way there by now.

Georgia coaxed Jack onto the sofa, where she stroked his hair. He wished he knew why Avalon had decided to go on alone. He could not be comforted. This heavy feeling in his chest was new to him and he did not know how to make it go away. He felt defeated. Exhausted.

‘
Honestly, as if you would choose her, over me,
’
Georgia crooned.
‘
She seemed quite upset about our kiss-
’

Jack
’
s head snapped up.
‘
What?
’

‘
Hm?
’
Georgia said, looking up at him.

‘
What was that you just said? About when you … when we-
’
he couldn
’
t bring himself to say it. He had felt guilty about that kiss ever since it had happened.

‘
Oh,
’
Georgia said.
‘
Avalon said she saw us. Just before she left
–
she mentioned it.
’

‘
She saw us kissing?
’

Georgia nodded and then frowned.
‘
What
’
s the big deal? It
’
s not like you are together.
’

Jack bit his lip. Avalon had seen him kiss Georgia and not said a word about it.

Georgia scowled.
‘
Honestly, spying on me in my own house. What I do is my own business.
’

Jack remembered how the picture frame in the hall had smashed to the ground during the kiss. Had that been from Avalon, fleeing the scene? Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and thought hard. He knew Ava had expressed dislike for Georgia, yet he hadn
’
t understood why. Was it jealousy? A sudden thought occurred to him. Did Avalon leave because she was jealous and thought Jack preferred Georgia? He knew it was vain to think such a thing
–
but his heart leapt in hope.

‘
She saw us,
’
Jack groaned into his hands.

Georgia stood and put her hands on her hips,.
‘
Why do you care so much?
’
she asked.
‘
What does it matter any more? She left. It
’
s just you and me now.
’

Jack stared at Georgia.
‘
Is this what you wanted?
’

‘
Of course! You are too good for that Fire-Mage. She didn
’
t know how good she had it with you. I
’
m glad she left!
’

Jack stood up from the sofa. Something was not right.

‘
You did something,
’
Jack said suddenly.
‘
You made this happen.
’

‘
No!
’
She reached out a hand and touched Jack
’
s arm. Instantly, he felt soothed by her touch.

Jack wrenched his arm away from her.
‘
You
’
re doing something to me. Stop it.
’

‘
I
’
m not doing anything,
’
Georgia said, taking a step closer, her arms outstretched to embrace him,
‘
Don
’
t you know how I feel about you, Jack?
’

‘
What did you tell Avalon?
’
Jack said in a low voice.
‘
I know Avalon and she wouldn
’
t leave without me. How did you make me believe you so readily?
’

‘
Jack, she
left
you,
’
Georgia said, grabbing his wrist and holding tight,
‘
Why won
’
t you believe me? She
’
s not here, is she?
’