Under the Burning Stars (8 page)

The wind billowed around Ava, her hair flying around her face like snakes, and the charging electricity throbbed in her veins. She watched the woman unpin bed sheets from the line and sloppily roll them into the laundry basket.

A
va could feel a smile stretch on her face.

To finally end the betrayal of her best friend. One lightning strike was all she needed. The clouds darkened and once the little girl was out of sight, Ava raised her arms to the sky and
were met with white veiny hands, holding her. Comforting her with the power of revenge.

Ava
’s eyes bolted open and she looked around. Her breaths came in short gasps and adrenaline pumped throughout her. She raised up into a sitting position and wiped the sweat from her forehead. The room was sweltering and she made herself cold.

For the past month, she’d had the same dream. From the killer’s perspective. Why had she been dreaming about her mom? Was it because of Marcel?

She tried to breathe normally, but her body still shook. Knots twisted around her stomach as her necklace glowed.

Her phone buzzed next to her and she answered.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked.

She nodded but then remembered he couldn’t see her. “
Yes. Just a dream.”

“
Same one?”

“Yes.”

“I wonder what provokes them. I mean, have you been thinking about your mom lately?”

Since the
night Marcel told me that my mom was a Cimmerian? No. Not at all
, she thought sarcastically. “A little. But not about her death.”

“
Want me to come over?”

“
No, it’s fine. You’ve got camping to do.” Ava was actually grateful that he and Seth made plans to go camping because she and Link were going to the Cruciari. She wasn’t going to get her hopes up but she didn’t want to tell Peter.

“I can always cancel.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

“No. This will be good for Seth.” He had been struggling with his new life more than Peter.

“I know. I’ll see you tomorrow night. I’ll miss you.”

“You, too.”

She hung
up and climbed out of bed and dressed. She wondered if her mother’s killer was at the Cruciari. Only one way to find out.

Ava tried not to appear nervous as she headed downstairs.
The quicker she found Link, the quicker they could leave. She walked into the library and halted once she saw Jeremy sitting at the table with Gabriel, Link, and Nicole.

“Ava.” Jeremy smiled as he stood and hugged her.
He’d cut his sandy blond hair short. Gillian hated that he cut most of it off. But he looked better, Ava thought. She wondered if he was going to get in trouble with Gillian for being at the Manor without her.

She was so glad to see him. “It’s good to see you.
How did you manage to come here without Gillian?”

“It’s still early. She’s still asleep.”

“I’ve missed you.”

“I know. And don’t think for a second that I agree with Gillian and Thomas. They’ll eventually come around.”

“Maybe. I wish I could stay and hang out, but Link and I have plans.”

“Oh. What are you two up to?”

“Yes, please tell us what your plans are,” Gabriel said in an all-too-knowing voice.

She looked from Gabriel’s
expectant eyes to Link’s guilty eyes. She clenched her teeth. Ava made him swear not to tell anyone. “We don’t have any.”

“Ava,” Link called as she walked out of the room.

She ignored him and stormed out through the conservatory.

“Ava, listen—.”

She whirled around. “Who all did you tell, Link?”

“Look, Nicole wanted to know. Gabriel almost forced it out of
me. He wanted to know what we’ve been up to lately.”

“And you told him?”

“I had to.”

“Why?
Did he threaten to hurt you or something?”

Gabriel came up behind Link.
“No, because what you’re about to do is dangerous and you’re all too naïve to go alone.”

Ava didn’t know why, but a small part of her hurt when
he called her naïve.

“Look.
” He stepped closer with Nicole and Jeremy behind him. “I know you all want to find answers, and I’ll help you, but you can’t just go do these things on your own.”

“What’s the danger if all of the Cimmerians are dead or locked up?
” Ava asked. “That’s what the Elders say. That everything is fine. But they don’t have nightmares every night about their mother who could have been a Cimmerian or get a drink poured on them just for wanting to enjoy an evening.” She felt her cheeks warm and she swore she saw a glimpse of pity in Gabriel’s eyes.

He held his hands up in surrender.
“It’s just a precaution. Your anger could land you in serious trouble. If you cause any problems at the Cruciari, they won’t hesitate to throw you in a cell.”

“So what is this? Are you here to stop us?
Tell the Elders? We’ve already planned this out and are well aware of the dangers.”

Gabriel sighed. His crystal blue eyes held a hard look.
“I’m not here to tell the Elders. I’m here to help you. You can trust me.”

“Why are you helping us?”

“Personally, I think you’re wasting your time. But if I know you all, you’ll just figure out a way to go without someone who knows a thing or two about the Cruciari and you can’t afford that. So you might as well take my offer now or I will warn the Elders of your scheme.”

“What makes you such an expert?” Ava asked.

“Because I’ve been there several times. Do you really want to stand here and argue or do you want to go?”

“Let’s
go.” Nicole pushed past Gabriel and Ava toward the woods.

Ava stared
defiantly at Gabriel until she felt a hand on her arm.

“Come on, Ava.
” Jeremy slightly tugged on her. “Let’s go.”

Link and Nicole
led the way, and while it was supposed to have been just Link and Ava, she was secretly glad that more came. She trusted Gabriel and knew he wouldn’t rat them out, but part of her wondered why he seemed adamant about going. Was it really to protect them?

“Why can’t you teleport us?” Link asked Gabriel.

“I will once we get out of eyeshot of the Manor.”

“Would they ask why you teleported?” Ava asked.

“Probably.”

“Why? Aren’t you free to go wherever you want?”

“Yes, but Aaron worries.”

Ava halted.
“About what? Is there something you aren’t telling us?”

The rest of them stopped and looked back at them.

Gabriel glanced at everyone before his eyes landed on Ava. “Aaron has his reasons.”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one I can give right now.”

Ava wanted to press further, but the pleading look in Gabriel’s eyes made her decide against it.
She knew something was going on, but she let it go for now.

“How ar
e you and Peter,” Jeremy asked.

Ava shrugged. “We’re good, but h
e’s been struggling with everything. And it doesn’t help that the Ephemerals terrorize us.”

“I’m sorry. What
were you talking about when you mentioned your mom?”

She didn’t want to talk about it, but because it was Jeremy, she would. “I was told by a Percipient that she was a Cimmerian. That’s why I’m going today. I’m hoping Xavier or someone can tell me who murdered her and if she was a dark Enchanter.”

Jeremy gave a dubious look. “Maybe. But I don’t think it could be true.”

“
What have you and Gillian been doing this summer?”

“Not much of anything really. We hang out at Melissa’s like usual.”

Ava felt a pang of sadness. They always hung out at Melissa’s every summer but now that Ava had broken her Aureole and their trust, she didn’t see any of them. It didn’t make sense though. If Melissa and Lance weren’t mad at Ava, why hadn’t they come to see her at the Manor? So far, only Jeremy had.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Why hasn’t anyone come to see me?” She didn’t intend to sound so pathetic, but these were her best friends. They didn’t even know she was going to the Cruciari. Or why for that matter. Or that she’d been having nightmares for an entire month. Or why she needed information about Percipients. Had she really burned all the bridges?

“Gillian has been hogging all of mine and Melissa’s time. And well, Thomas has been hanging out with Lance. For a while I guess some of us figured you were happy because you ha
ve Peter.”

“Of course I’m happy. But I feel so disconnected from all of you. Peter is trying to adjust and help Seth out.”

“What about Gabriel and his clan?” He nodded toward Gabriel.

“They’re nice and all, but Natalia hates me for some reason. We went to New Orleans a while ago, and she didn’t go because I went. What’s that about?”

Jeremy shrugged. “I really wouldn’t worry about it.”

“I think Peter’s still scared.”

“Of course he is. His entire life has changed. But that doesn’t mean his feelings for you have changed.”

“I’ve really missed you this summer, Jer.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

Once they were out of view, Gabriel instructed them to touch him so he could teleport all of them at once. Ava
felt awkward taking his hand, but it was warm and surprisingly comforting.

They arrived at
a large embankment with small rowboats moored to the docks and several guards stood their posts. Across the raging sea was the Cruciari. The ocean waves pounded against the rocks that surrounded the building as if trying to knock it down. The wind blew Ava’s red hair all around her. She held it back, wondering if there was a storm pending. Seagulls flew above in the overcast sky, squawking. The salty sea air usually relaxed Ava, but the atmosphere was tense.

T
hen she felt Link’s animosity.

“It would be so easy to bomb it right n
ow.” Link clenched his teeth, glaring at the building.

“Your powers don’t work here.
” Gabriel reminded him.

“How did the Cimmerians escape before? Did they pull a Monte Cristo or something?”

Gabriel chuckled slightly. “Maybe.”

“I wish we had a morphing ability right now,” Nicole said and Ava winced. The last morphing
Enchanter she had encountered made her believe he was her father, and Thomas had burned him while still in her father’s form. She would never forget that image.

“Let’s just get this over with.
” Ava moved forward.

They walked down an incline and met with
a burly guard with an eye patch that watched them carefully.

“What’s your business?” he asked in a gruff voice.

“We’re here to see Xavier Holstone,” Gabriel said. He didn’t seem as relaxed as before, but being there made Ava uneasy as well. It could have been the looming storm.

“He sure is a popular one.”

“Who else has been here to see him?” Ava asked.

“I’m not allowed to share that information.”

“Why not?”

Gabriel warned her with a look.
“That’s fine. We’re ready to go.”

The guard guided them down to a small boat and Gabriel took Ava by the elbow. “Don’t ask questions or they’ll get
angry,” he whispered and then released her.

“
Angry about what?”

“I’ll explain later.”

They stepped into the boat and Ava wondered if it was going to capsize in the giant waves. If only she could use her ability, she could calm the water. She gripped the sides of the boat, hoping she wouldn’t get sick. Nicole quickly bent over the side and hurled. Link rubbed her back. The guard chuckled slightly and moved the boat across the choppy sea.

Ava exchanged an
anxious glance with Link. Maybe they should’ve gone another day. Usually Ava welcomed water, no matter how torrential it was. But this was frightening. She couldn’t control it and didn’t know what it was going to do. “Isn’t it too early for hurricane season?”

The guard laughed. “It’s like this all the time. It’s designed to drown people.”

How ironic? Ava could possibly die by drowning.

“Don’t worry. You’re perfectly safe,” the guard said. The
rowboat settled against the tall brick building. They exited the boat one by one.

They walked inside the
tall stone building with its arched entrances. The square castle flanked by three towers was built on an island with nothing around for miles. Ava could feel the wariness of the group as they moved in a single file line past guards and through a small courtyard. They followed the chaperone down stone stairs. The only sounds were their shoes shuffling along the steppingstones and every so often a soft whimper from a prisoner. The place was dark and cold just like a cellar and the lights along the walls were dim. They passed cell after cell with Cimmerians watching them.