Scorched Skies (34 page)

Fallon bounced up off the bed and strode over to the necklaces and bracelets, fingering them lovingly. “They
’
re talismans. The metals and stones fuel my energy, my magic.”

“Oh. That makes sense.”

Fallon grinned wryly at her as Ari dumped her bag on the spare bed. “You
’
re not at all what I was expecting.”

“Question mark?” It was something Rachel used to say in the tenth grade when she didn
’
t quite understand something. Ari had no idea what made her say it then. Homesickness maybe.

Chuckling, Fallon shook her head, spikes of dark hair flying around her oval face. “When we were told about you, we were like whoa… so don
’
t mind the scaredy-cats out in the sitting room. I thought you
’
d be like… I don
’
t know… freaky-looking. Then you and those guys turn up looking like the cast of a hit vampire TV show and blew my preconceptions all to hell. You
’
re eighteen, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Me too. Is the guy?”

Ari frowned. “What guy?”

“
Silversuns
t-shirt guy. He
’
s hot. I mean, so is the other guy
—
if you
’
re into that stern-faced, bad-ass reputation, outrageously good-looking type. I prefer the unkempt hottie with the tattoo.”

At the thought of Fallon and Charlie hooking up, Ari
’
s stomach clenched. She didn
’
t know if it was just that her body was so used to reacting like that, or if a part of her was still jealous at the thought of Charlie being with another girl. Surely not.

Her continued silence made Fallon frown. “Is there a thing there? Between you two?”

“Not anymore. No.” Ari shook her head and at Fallon
’
s disbelieving look, she shrugged weakly. “It
’
s complicated.”

“So I should back off?”

If Ari told the girl to back off and that got back to Charlie, he
’
d surely get the wrong message. No. It was time to finally let him go. “No. Charlie
’
s free to date whoever he wants. He
’
s just going through something right now so tread carefully.”

“The sorcerer thing?”

Ari
’
s mouth fell open. “The Red King told you?”

Fallon shrugged. “It
’
s no big deal. We
’
re just keeping an eye on him. Actually, when you think about it, he
’
s in the best place he can be. Here he can learn to control his abilities.”

“I
’
m not sure that was the idea,” Ari argued, worry eating at her despite her promise not to care what Charlie did with his life. “It
’
s better if he doesn
’
t use his magic too much.”

“Well, you
’
re the boss I guess, but I would have thought you
’
d want him controlling it not
it
controlling him.”

Feeling annoyed at being questioned, Ari turned away to look out at the tranquil pool. It looked so inviting. “He
’
s learning to control his defensive magic. That should do for now.”

“He should learn how to use talismans, Ari. Magic within someone who
’
s got human blood is a powerful thing. It can be a like a drug if you don
’
t learn to control the psychological effects of having it in your system.”

“You don
’
t understand what he wants it for. If you did, you
’
d agree with me.”

“Does he want to use his magic?”

Ari curled a lip. “Of course he does. He made a wish to get it.”

“Well, he looks like a big boy to me. He can make up his own mind.”

Turning her head to stare impassively at Fallon, Ari was inwardly amazed by Fallon
’
s casualness towards the whole thing. And then she remembered it was because Fallon didn
’
t know Charlie enough to know he had an addictive nature. She didn
’
t know him well enough to care.

And wasn
’
t that how Ari was supposed to be acting now. “You know what? You
’
re right.”

Fallon smirked. “Enough hottie talk. Let
’
s eat.”

“Now?” those nervous gremlins did synchronized knit right loops in her stomach. She
’
d only just gotten there and now she was expected to sit down for dinner with people who, if not actively disliked her, were afraid of her.

“Relax. It
’
s not like we
’
re going to eat you.” Fallon strode from the room and Ari could do nothing but follow. Instead of sitting around the dining room in the main sitting room, Fallon led Ari into the biggest kitchen she
’
d ever seen. Crisp white units, stainless steel and slate tiling gave the room an ultra-modern, crisp, clean, but cold look. An island in the middle of the room was covered in chopped up vegetables, cutlery and a wok, and at the far end of the room was a huge kitchen table with benches. Seated around the table was the entire team, including Jai and Charlie. Jai was talking to a pretty girl around Ari
’
s age who was grinning so widely at him she reminded Ari of the Cheshire Cat. She giggled at something he said and Jai smirked. Ari eyed the girl
’
s red hair and decided there and then she no longer cared for red-heads.

“Hey.” Charlie smiled warmly up at her as she approached the table with Fallon. Fallon took the empty space on his left so Ari squeezed in next to him on the right. “You OK?” he asked under his breath as she got settled.

She glanced up from under her lashes to eyes shifting warily back and forth between the people they were talking to and her. A hush fell over the table as they all stopped talking, their bodies stiff with tension. A scowl found a place on her forehead but she managed a nod to ease Charlie
’
s concerns.

“I hope you like stir-fry.” A young woman with dark hair and blue eyes smiled weakly down at Ari as she passed plates along the table.

“Well if I don
’
t, I
’
ll just command you to make something else,” she answered dryly, too exhausted to play nice.

Fallon choked on her gulp of water as everyone froze.

Ari rolled her eyes. “Kidding.”

“She is kidding,” Jai assured them, casting an admonishing look her way. “Ari has never used her ability against an innocent.”

“Well, there was that baby who wouldn
’
t stop drooling on me.”

Someone gasped.

Jai sighed heavily and turned fully towards her, leaning around one of the guys. “What has gotten in to you?”

Feeling as if he
’
d slapped her, Ari
’
s cheeks burned with humiliation. “Don
’
t talk to me like I
’
m a child.”

“Stop acting like one.”

“Jai, back off,” Charlie intervened. “Not here.”

Jai snapped back in his seat. “She
’
s not usually like this,” he assured the team.

Irritation at his constant high-handedness flashed through her. “Don
’
t apologize for me,” she growled. “They
’
re acting like I
’
m going to hurt them or something. It
’
s been a really long couple of weeks.” Stupid, weak tears began to burn her eyes. “I
’
ve lost a lot and yes it
’
s inadvertently my fault but I am not a bad person and I won
’
t be treated like some escaped mass murderer.”

“Well said.” Fallon grinned, her eyes washing over her companions. “You can all stop acting like dufus
’
now. Straight from the horse
’
s mouth
—
she
’
s not going to use her ability against us. Bread roll?” she offered a basket of them to Ari and Charlie.

Ari smiled gratefully and took one. “I
’
m sorry.” She sighed, looking back up at the group who were shifting around uncomfortably now, traces of guilt in some (but not all) of their eyes. “I
’
m not usually… so vocal… I
’
m just… I just really want to find this guy.”

“Right there with you.” Jacob nodded from the head of the table. “I phoned Michael.” Ari felt Charlie stiffen next to her at the name. “Michael is Fallon
’
s father and The Roe Guild leader. He
’
s going to look into the kidnappings for us and get back to us as soon as possible. For now, eat, get some rest, and tomorrow will be a brand new day.”

Grateful for the reassuring smile the elder gave her, Ari nodded her thanks and held her plate up to the young woman who
’
d asked about the stir-fry.

“Bryleigh is our best cook.” Fallon nodded at the blue-eyed woman.

“Thank you.” Ari took her now full plate back from Bryleigh and waited for everyone else to get served. As soon as everyone was seated they all began to eat, the noise of conversation growing louder as they talked and laughed among one another, shouting down the table, and relaxing more as they forgot to be afraid of Ari.  An ache of longing rippled across Ari
’
s chest as she watched them, a creeping hollow feeling ripping open in its wake as she thought about Derek. Neither of them had had that growing up
—
the big family. It might have been nice. As her gaze slowly drifted over the group it finally snagged on Jai
’
s eyes. He was staring at her, his expression seeming to say he was sorry and that he understood.  Hating his mind-reading skills and his earlier behavior, Ari frowned at him and he looked away, returning to the distracting girl next to him who Ari had discovered was called Anabeth. She was the twins
’
sister. Anabeth flashed her pearly whites at Jai again and placed a hand on his forearm as she leaned in to tell him something.