Under the Burning Stars (24 page)

“Colden.” Savina lightly touched his forehead, the way a mother would
to her sick child. “Ava is here. She’s a Healer.”

He slowly opened his eyes and his lips twitched as if he wanted to smile. “How extraordinary.” It seemed to be a struggle just to speak. His voice was a gruff whisper.

“I asked her to help you.”

He nodded and then Savina held out her hand to Ava and
her hand shook as she took it.

“Do not be scared. If this doesn’t work, then at least we tried.”

Easy for her to say. Savina was asking Ava to heal someone near death it looked like.

“Take a deep breath and will your water to heal.” Savina placed Ava’s hand on Colden’s arm and then moved behind her.

Ava closed her eyes and concentrated. She wanted to heal Colden. He was in so much pain and had become a large part of her life. She trusted him more than Savina.

Slowly, water trickled down to her fingertips, and she opened her eyes. She watched the water latch onto him just
like it did with Gabriel. Then, the color from Colden’s face returned. He took a deep breath and looked at Ava with astonishment.

“I’m feeling better,” he said.

Ava felt herself smile. She did it. She healed Colden.

“This is incredible,” Savina said.

Ava tried to remove her hand, but it was stuck. It felt as if something was drawing the water out of her. She pulled harder and broke the connection. Had anyone else noticed? When she looked back, everyone seemed amazed at her healing him.

“How do you feel?” Aaron asked.

“I feel wonderful.” Colden pulled himself into a sitting position. “A little tired and sore, but I can breathe and I’m not in any pain.”

“The soreness should go away within a few days,” Savina said. She turned to Ava and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Ava.”

“You’re welcome. This is amazing.”

She smiled proudly.
“I have much to teach you about Healing. We shall begin tomorrow.”

After a few more hugs f
rom everyone else, Ava left the room. She was on a high. She had healed two people in one day. It was the first time in a long time that she felt good about herself. She had to tell her father. And somehow tell him about her mother.

The knife glinted from sunlight that flooded the room. Ava sat perched on the bench window and made a slit in the palm of her hand. Blood pooled, but then she conjured water and watched it rush over the wound and seal it.

Ava
could heal. Despite all of the bad things that had recently happened, knowing she was a Healer made her feel good. She couldn’t wait to show Peter and her father and the rest of her Aureole. But she had to keep it a secret from the Cimmerians.

Thinking of Peter made her sad. She hadn’t heard from him since yesterday
at school. It felt like days since she’d seen him. Hadn’t he felt her when she was in trouble? Was he still trying to avoid his Enchanter life? Or was he wanting to spend more time with Valerie than Ava?

It was her eighteenth birthday, and the last thing she wanted was to sit ar
ound feeling sorry for herself or angry with Peter. It was going to be a good day, no matter what.

Ava dressed and then met her father and a few others downstairs at the dining room table with a silly smile plastered to her face.

“Good morning.” She took a seat next to her father, who eyed her warily.

“Happy birthday.” He smiled.

“Thanks.”

“It’s your birthday?” Joss asked. She playfully smacked Gabriel on the arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“He didn’t know.” Ava shrugged.

“I knew.”

Joss raised an eyebrow.

“You did?”

“That’s why I took you to the library yesterday,” he said. “Early birthday. But it backfired.”

“Oh.” That was thoughtful. It had been a nice trip until they returned and Xavier ambushed them. She shook her head. She was not going to think about all of that today. “Well, thank you. It meant a lot.”

“You’re welcome.” She met his eyes, but his heavy gaze intimidated her so she looked away.

Colden emerged from the kitchen with a pot and set it on the table. “Tunisian Chickpea Breakfast soup,” he announced to the group. “
It’s chickpeas with a lot of different spices. And the garnishes are for you to mix with the soup.” He waved his hand across ramekins of cilantro, croutons, scallions, parsley, cumin, chopped tomatoes, and several more ingredients. “I was up all night preparing it and making sure it was cold enough for this morning.”

“Wow
.” Joss’s eyes glazed over all the fixings.

Colden squeezed Ava’s shoulder. “
And a very happy birthday to my hero.”

“Hero?” Natalia
asked as she sat beside Gabriel and Thomas and his mother came to join them.

“Ava is a Healer.”

Joss’s jaw dropped. “Omigod.”

“She healed me last night. And Gabriel.” Colden smiled and then left the room.

“You did that?” her father asked.

“Yes.”

“You never cease to amaze me, Ava,” he said. “I am so proud of you.”

Everyone stared at her and she wanted to shrink into the chair. She was
honored, but didn’t necessarily like being the center of attention.

“That’s awesome.” Joss lit up like a little kid. Her violet eyes
widened and she clasped her hands together.

“Thanks.”

“We should celebrate. It’s your birthday and all this crazy stuff has happened and you’re a Healer.”

“We could have a party here,” Eric said.

“How about we go to New Orleans?” Thomas asked.

“Ooh, great idea.” Joss clapped enthusiastically.

Ava felt a little overwhelmed by her excitement.

Natalia took a sip of her coffee. “We’re on the brink of a war and you people want to go to New Orleans?”

“They gave us until the new moon,” Thomas said. “Besides, we all deserve one night of fun.”

Natalia gave him a sidelong glance.
“Count me out. I doubt the Elders will let you all go anywhere.”

Joss rolled her eyes
and sprinkled cumin over her soup. “They’ll never even know we’re gone. Gabe can have us back here in a jiff.”

“I can’t teleport. Aaron’s orders.”

Thomas scraped his spoon against the bowl. “Sounds like a road trip then.”

“Let me see what I can do,” Gabriel
said.

Ava ate as much of the delicious soup as she could and then hugged and kissed her father goodbye. She didn’t necessarily want to go to school, but maybe she would see Peter.

When she arrived, she felt her smile widen. Peter stood waiting for her at her parking space and she could feel his guilt. Ava got out of her car and he wrapped his arms around her tight.

“Ava, I’m such a dipshit. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there last night. Melissa told me everything. I felt you for a second, but then you were fine. I didn’t think anything of it.”

She drew back and held him at arm’s length. “I forgive you. But you have to take this seriously now. We’re on the verge of a war and I need you by my side. I know a lot has happened, but I don’t want it to affect us. I love you, Peter. I’m sorry my stupid jealousy got the better of me. I just need to know if you are really up for this.”

“Yes. I’m going to start practicing and training again. I’m just really terrified.”

Ava placed her hands on both sides of his face. “We all are.” She leaned in and kissed him. He molded his lips to hers with urgency and she felt his arms around her. She held him tightly, not wanting to let go.

His lips traced her jawline and then
he left a trail of kisses along her neck. Her pulse quickened and her breathing became labored.

“
We should probably skip if we’re going to continue doing this,” she whispered.

He pulled away and smiled. “I can’t believe I’ve been such a dick to you.”

“It’s in the past. Let’s leave it there.”

“
I haven’t been there for you lately and I know you needed me. But I want you to know that I love you.” He took a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. “Happy birthday, Ava.”

She opened the box and
her breath caught in her throat when she saw a beautiful solid flat silver bracelet. She lifted it from the soft padding and took a closer look. Engraved in an elegant cursive writing was
without you, I’m nothing
.

“Peter, it’s gorgeous.” She smiled, and slid it over her wrist. Her hands reached around his neck and brought his lips to hers. “I love you, Peter,” she whispered, and then rested her forehead against his. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He tipped her chin up. “Whatever you’re going through, or need to do, we’re in this together.”

She nodded. “
Okay.” She hoped he really meant it this time.

“You’ve been quite happy today
despite what happened yesterday. Is there something I don’t know?”

Ava felt the smile on her face again. She leaned i
n close to his ear. “I can heal.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yes. I healed Gabriel and Colden yesterday. It’s quite amazing. Now if we do end up going to war, there’s another Healer.”

“That’s incredible. How did you find out?”

“When Xavier and the others attacked Gabriel and me, Gabe got hurt and my water healed him. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen or done.”

They started walking toward the building hand in hand.

“And you never knew you could do that?”

“No.
If I had known, I would have saved Jonah and Drew.”

Peter squeezed her hand. “Ava, they were going to kill you. They wouldn’t have saved you if the roles had been reversed.”

“That doesn’t matter. I would have if I knew I could. They were awful but they didn’t deserve to die.”

“Okay. So what happens now? Are we going to war for sure?”

“I don’t know, but we have to be prepared.”

Peter’s face fell
.

“Let’s not talk about any of this today.
Tonight, we might be going to New Orleans for my birthday celebration.”

“Is that such a good idea?”

Ava shrugged. “Why not? We have until the new moon. It’s one night of fun.”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “How many times have we said that and it turned into the complete opposite?”

“Well don’t jinx us.” She playfully hit him on the arm.

He walked her to her locker and then to class. The bell rang and everyone settled into
their seats.

Ava didn’t pay attention to the lecture because she was excited about New Orleans. She hadn’t told anyone her real reason for wanting to go, but no one needed to know.

She watched the hands on the clock, wishing them to move faster, but the morning dragged on.

“
Join us. It’s your destiny.” Someone had whispered in her ear, but when Ava popped her head up, everyone was busy taking notes or falling asleep or texting. Maybe it was just her imagination. But she felt a presence right next to her. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

“You know it’s the right thing to do.”

She tried swatting at the empty air but she felt nothing. What was going on? Couldn’t anyone else hear the voice?

“You’re so weak now.
Think of what you can become if you give yourself to Havok.”

Ava shot up out of her desk, ignored the confused looks of the class, and bolted out of the classroom.

“You can’t run from me.”

She knew that voice. Trudy McVaine. She clenched her teeth and her fists.
Trudy wanted to play? Ava was ready.

Ava slammed open the bathroom door,
knocking it into the wall. She heard two gasps. Then she was face-to-face with Valerie and Amanda.

“You hate them.” Trudy’s voice was still in her ear. “You want to kill them.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Valerie asked. A white bandage laid across her bruised nose. Even though she acted like she wasn’t afraid, Ava knew she was.

“You need to get out of here,” Ava
demanded.

Amanda crossed her arms. “Or what? You gonna punch me, too?”

“I don’t want to hurt either of you.”

“Kill them,” Trudy whispered. “Your mom would be so proud.”

“Shut up!” Ava yelled.

Amanda and Valerie exchanged looks. Ava knew they thought she was going crazy but she didn’t care. She was not going to kill them.

“You seriously need help,” Valerie said. “There’s a hospital not far from here where they can lock you up for good. Away from Peter. You’ve ruined him, but I’m helping him.”

Ava knew she shouldn’t care, but what did Valerie mean by that?

“You know you want to drown them. Just like you did with Jonah and Drew.”

An image of their dead eyes flashed in her mind.

“I said shut up.”

“Are you too scared?” Trudy asked. “I’ll start it for you.”

“Whatever psycho,” Amanda said. She and Valerie headed for the door but Valerie halted, grabbing at her throat.

“Val, what’s wrong?”

Her face flushed and there was a pronounced vein on her forehead. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Trudy was choking her.

“Stop it!” Ava yelled.

“
Omigod!” Amanda shouted. “What are you doing? You’re strangling her.”

Ava had to guess where Trudy was standing. She was about to risk her identity, but she had no choice. Water dribbled down her arms and she blasted at the
mirror right behind Valerie. Shattered glass shot out and Amanda screamed. She grabbed Valerie and they ducked from the falling pieces.

She didn’t know if she hit Trudy, but
neither Amanda nor Valerie made a move, except for their heavy breaths.

Amanda looked as if she had seen a ghost. She knelt beside Valerie and held her. “
Wh-what did you just do?” Both of them started crying hysterically. She reached for her phone and dialed a number.

“Peter, I need your help.”