Under the Burning Stars (15 page)

Ava wept, ignoring the pain in her side as her body heaved. She had to stop crying. She didn’t want anyone knowing what had happened or why she felt so guilty. She turned off the faucet and then heard a knock at the door.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked through the door.

She wiped her tears from her face. “I’m fine.”

To keep up appearances, Ava forced herself to eat dinner at the table, even though it was always optional. But since she’d spent most nights eating with her dad, Mrs. Arrington, and a few others, tonight was not going to be any different. So far, she had managed to keep her attack a secret. No one had asked why she was so afraid the other night. Melissa must have been convincing when she told some that she had just had a bad dream and stayed at Melissa’s.             

She reached the stairs and halted. They intimidated her and she knew it would be painful.
At times like these it would be nice to have Gabriel’s teleporting ability. Or Peter so he could prevent her from feeling the pain. She wished he hadn’t gone home.

Ava
clenched her teeth and curled her fingers around the railing as she descended the stairs one-step at a time, fighting through the sharp, stabbing pain. She steadied herself at the bottom, took a few breaths, and then proceeded into the dining room.

“Well, hello there sleepy head.” Mr. Hannigan smiled and pulled the chair next to him out for her.

She faked a smile and almost collapsed in the chair. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep much last night.”

“I’m teasing.”

Aaron and Savina came into the dining room with casserole dishes. Ava wondered how much it took to feed this many people every night. Soon, a few others joined them at the table. Gabriel, Joss, and Eric sat next to Ava and her father.

Mr. Hannigan dished out food for everyone around
them, which was followed by a chorus of thank you’s. Ava stared at the creamy noodle and beef casserole in front of her. It smelled savory and her stomach growled.

“How was school?” Joss asked. “I bet since the two boys died, people were even more depressed.”

Ava’s heart lurched forward. What was she talking about? How did she know? She had to remain calm. “What?”

Her father held up a newspaper.
The words, “Two Teens Dead in Scuffle” glared at her. “Didn’t you hear?”

The food was suddenly repugnant. The guilt returned and she could feel her stomach churning. She pushed her plate away, scraping it across the table.
Her breathing picked up and she gripped the edge of the chair.

Her dad lowered the paper and cocked an eyebrow. “Something wrong with the
casserole?”

“No.”

“Are you okay? You’re looking quite pale.”

“Yeah. I think I’m coming down with something.”

“Tis the season.”

“
I guess you didn’t know the two guys,” Joss said. “I wonder what they were fighting about.”

“Wait,” Gabriel said. “Let me see their faces.”

Ava shifted uncomfortably. She knew he would recognize them as the ones he and Joss spied on. Her father handed him the paper and Ava bit her lip.

“Weren’t these the guys that were at Thomas’s house fire?” he asked.

Ava nodded, but refused to meet Gabriel or Joss’s eyes.

“Those poor parents,” her father said. “
Did you know one of the boys lost a sister in the bombing?”

Ava nodded
. The guilt twisted inside her as if the bullet was still lodged in her stomach.

“Are the kids at school still giving you all a hard time?” Eric asked.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Mr. Hannigan placed a hand on hers, but she quickly withdrew it. She didn’t know why she did that. Maybe she was afraid of him realizing that her ha
nd was sweaty or that she had an erratic pulse.

“I’m fine,” she
said too sharply. She needed to get out of there. Gabriel and Joss knew what she had done.

Ava got to her feet abruptly and winced from the stabbing pain in her side. “I’m going to lie down.”

“Do you need anything?” her father asked.

“No.”
She looked away so they couldn’t see her oncoming tears and hurried out of the dining room and to the stairs. She drew a shaky breath, and clutching her side, she felt something warm and wet. She looked down and saw that blood had seeped through her shirt. The stitches must have come loose. She stepped on the first stair but then she felt a hand on her arm.

Ava turned around, looked up, and stopped breathing.

“Come with me,” Gabriel said and started pulling her away from the stairs.

“What are you doing?”

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine.”
Ava wasn’t going back to the hospital, nor was she going to Savina with this. She would have to tell her everything, and there was no way Ava was going to do that. She tried releasing her arm from Gabriel’s grip but it was no use. A second later, they were in Savina’s parlor.

“No, no, no. I can’t be in here.”
She stepped back toward the entrance, but Gabriel blocked her.

“Ava, you obviously need healing. Come on.” He reached for her hand but she quickly sidestepped him.

“No. I don’t want her to know.”

“
Ava—.”

“Let me leave,” she yelled as she pushed against his hard chest.

“She’s not in here.”

Ava
looked up. His eyebrows lifted in sympathy and worry flashed in his eyes. The pain had become so intense she felt as if she would pass out. “So, what are we doing in here?”

“Healing you.” He moved a black curtain aside and reached for a small vial from a shelf. “
You need to drink this.” He removed the top, and handed it to her.

“What is it?”

“It’s a healing potion. Savina makes them in case of emergencies and if she’s unavailable. Or in your case. I couldn’t tell you what she puts in it though. Here.” He handed it to her.

“No. I deserve this pain for what I did.”

Gabriel sighed. “I don’t know what happened, but you look like you’re about to pass out. So take the damn vial and then maybe you can think with a clearer head.”

She clenched her teeth from the pain,
and took the vial. She tipped back her head, and the liquid slid down her throat. It tasted like tart lemons mixed with a pungent flavor she couldn’t place. It almost made her gag.

“Yeah, sorry about the flavor.”

“It’s okay.” She could feel a small tightening in her stomach where the stitches were. She lifted her shirt and peeled away the bandage. Her wound had sealed itself with the help of whatever was in the elixir. The pain was gone and she could breathe again.

Ava didn’t want to be there any longer than she needed. She didn’t want to have to answer questions. She just wanted to be alone.

“Ava, you don’t have to tell me anything, but I’m here if you need to talk.”

She
turned for the door. “Thanks.” Too bad the potion didn’t take away her guilt or the pain she felt for killing two Ephemerals.

“What is wrong, dear?” Ava stiffened at the sound of Colden’s voice.

She twisted around and faced them both. She was seconds from falling apart and she didn’t know what to do.

“Ava?” Colden’s smooth voice was calming even though it sounded weak. He looked very fragile and
she wondered if something was wrong with him. “I assure you, you are safe here. We can keep a secret if you desire.”

And then she broke down.

“I-I didn’t mean to do it,” she cried. “I swear. It all happened so fast.”

She felt Gabriel’s arms around her and then
they followed Colden deeper into the parlor. Colden closed the door behind them. This was a mistake. She couldn’t tell them what happened. What was she thinking?

Ava reached for the door. “I can’t do this.”

“We’re here to help you,” Colden said. “Please. You are hurting.”

She drew a shaky breath
and watched them both. “I killed them.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to, I swear.”

“Who?” Colden asked.

“Drew and Jonah,” Gabriel replied.

Ava gripped the door handle behind her and watched their concerned eyes. “Yes. I couldn’t stop myself. I thought I only knocked them unconscious. They didn’t deserve death.”

“It’s okay.”

“They shot you, didn’t they?” Gabriel asked.

“Yes.”

“Then it was self-defense.”

“I could have just injured them and left it at that.”

“You were protecting yourself. It was self-defense.”

“I didn’t have to kill them. Their families are hurting already.”

“What do you mean?”
Colden asked.

“Jonah’s sister died from the bombing.
He kept saying it was my fault. I tried to stop him. He wouldn’t. I tried distracting Jonah, but then Drew took the gun and shot me.”

“You had
nothing to do with the bombing,” Colden said with a stern voice.

“I know. I’m a killer. Just as if I were a Cimmerian.
What if Marcel was right? What if it runs in the genes?”

Gabriel moved closer and gripped her shoulders. “Ava, don’t do this to yourself.
Don’t think like that, because you know it’s not true.”

“How can I not think that? I’ve been having dreams and thoughts.”

Colden stroked his bare chin. “What sort of dreams and thoughts?”

“Ever since I saw Marcel and he told me that my mother
stood next to Corbin, I’ve been dreaming of her death. But from the killer’s perspective. And thoughts about…” She paused. “Thoughts about hating Ephemerals.” She looked away from both of them.

“That doesn’t make you a Cimmerian,” Gabriel said.

“He’s right. And Marcel’s visions aren’t always correct. I think your mind has been consumed with these thoughts and with everything going on has heightened those worries.”

“But it happened to Corbin, didn’t it? He suddenly started hating them when he returned from Caprington.”

“Corbin had inner demons that he couldn’t escape. They got the best of him. Hunters were after Veronica and her entire family. It angered him that she had married one and he had fooled them all.
Ephemerals treated Corbin poorly his whole life, but when he moved from Caprington, he started over. And he was good.”

“Until Veronica showed up.”

“Yes.”

There was a silence in the room and Ava wanted to ask the one question that had been circling her head for months.
“Colden, was my mother a Cimmerian?”

He hesitated.
“I can’t say, dear.”

His reply angered her.
She knew he was holding something back. “Someone has to know,” she yelled. “What did she do? Did she betray anyone? Is there someone out there that’s taken Corbin’s place? Because I know there are Cimmerians watching us. I had a vision right before Drew and Jonah forced me into the woods. The only person who can do that is Trudy McVaine. So what are you all hiding from us?”

Colden remained calm.
“There is nothing out there, dear. I assure you. There aren’t any conspiracy theories or such as that. You just need to rest and forget about all of this for a while.”

“
Easy for you to say.”

“Ava, please just listen to me when I say there is nothing to worry about. I know Savina and Aaron would not withhold information if it could potentially put you all in
harm’s way.”

“They did before. When I first mentioned Xavier, she didn’t believe me.”

“I know.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed a little. “You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you or anyone else. Believe it or not, but you are like a daughter to me. I understand your concerns and your fears, but you can trust me. You are safe.”

“I haven’t felt safe in quite some time.”

He frowned. “I am sorry, Ava. I assure you that all is well. Just try and clear your mind.”

Ava nodded and felt a little relieved. Maybe she had let the paranoia get the best of her
and that had caused her to concoct all those scenarios. Damn Marcel and his vision. That was what had started all of it. “What’s going to happen to me? I killed Ephemerals. Am I going to be banished?”

“They didn’t make it easy, Ava,” Gabriel said. “You were protecting yourself because they were trying to kill you. I’ve killed them before.”

Ava was shocked. Gabriel had killed Ephemerals? “But we’re supposed to protect them.”

“We can’t save them all,” Colden said. “
And if they are trying to kill you, you did the right thing by doing what was necessary to come out alive. You have to think of yourself from time to time.” Colden gave her a small smile. “Please. Do not worry. I will not share this information with anyone.”

Ava nodded. “Thank you.”

He hugged her. “I’m afraid I must lay down. But if you need to talk, I am here.”

Gabriel and Ava made their way out of the room and into the main hall of the Manor.

“Will you be okay?” Gabriel asked.