Avow (36 page)

“Why do I have to go first?”

“Because I’m team captain and I say so.”

Heather rolled her eyes. “Two members of Team Awesome almost died today. I say we nominate a new team captain.”

“Hey,” Nate said, offended. “The captain’s job is to be a leader. Not a babysitter. Okay, Gabriel. What will you do with your curse-free life?” 

Gabriel fiddled with a stick. “I would move back to my apartment in New York. Maybe I’d get a pet. Maybe fall in love. Maybe not. Either way, I’m staying away from witches. Permanently.”

“If only you’d had that philosophy five hundred years ago.” Nate grinned at him before looking at Heather. “What about you? What will do you with the rest of your life?”

Heather thought for a moment. “Try to get into a good college so I can study fashion. Ooh, and travel the world. And try new foods. And get married and have kids and become one of those fun grandma’s that always over-decorates for Christmas and constantly smells like cookies.”

“Wow. That’s…specific,” Nate said.

“I also want to eat grass and ride a bear,” Heather added with a frown. “But that could be the drugs talking.”

“Right.” Nate looked at Scarlet. “What about you? What will you do once the fountain makes you mortal and you only have one life left to live?”

Scarlet took a moment to control the ache in her chest at his question. “If I had only one life to live…” She shook her head. “I already had my one life to live in the 1500s when I was mortal and poor and surrounded by love. That was my life and it was beautiful.”

Nate exhaled loudly. “Way to raise the bar on the friendly fireside question, Scarlet. How is anyone supposed to follow that?”

“I’m just being honest.,” she said. “What about you Nate? What would you do if you only had one life left to live?”

He smiled. “I would find a time machine and go back to when I first met Molly so I could live my life with her all over again. She was the happiest I’ve ever been. Life after her is just…” he shrugged, “time. What about you, Tristan?” He turned to the very silent Archer beside Scarlet. “What would you do with one mortal life to live?”

“Marry Scarlet.”

Everyone stared at him. Including Scarlet.

How could he say that? How could Tristan so openly admit that without hesitating?

Scarlet’s heart tore down the middle leaving jagged pieces in its wake. The green-eyed boy beside her wanted to marry her and she was on a suicide mission to save his life.

Nate rolled his eyes. “I’m never playing this game with you or Scarlet again. You’re both way too dramatic. Can we go back to the grandma that smells like cookies?” He looked at Heather. “What else will you do with your life?”

Heather smiled dreamily at the ground and traced a finger through the mud. “Dirt is pretty.”

Gabriel leaned over and quietly said, “Heather—“

“What?” she snapped her head up and looked around the fire. “What? Was I doing it
again
? Acting crazy?”

No one said anything.

“O-M-G.” She groaned. “I’m an addict. I’m losing my mind because I’m a druggie.”

“You’re not a druggie,” Scarlet said. “You were poisoned. There’s a difference.”

Heather’s eyes widened. “But I feel crazy inside. Like I wanted to scream and laugh and swim in a big pool of chocolate pudding.”

“That does sound crazy,” Nate said. “And sort of delicious.”

“Shut up!” Heather yelled, then gasped in apology. “I’m so sorry, Nate! I don’t know why I yelled at you. I don’t want to be crazy. This isn’t fair. I don’t want to die —“ Her voice cracked as she covered her face with her hands.

Scarlet scooted off her seat by the fire and walked over to Heather. “Hey…it’s okay,” she said, rubbing Heather’s back. “We’re going to cure you and then all of this will go away.”

“I’m not crazy.” Heather’s muffled voice said from her hands. She looked up. “But I might be crazy.”

Scarlet nodded sympathetically. “Drugs have that effect on people. But you’ll be fine. I promise.”

Heather rolled skeptical eyes away from Scarlet.

Scarlet squeezed Heather’s hand. “I
promise
.”

They sat in relative silence for the next few minutes, everyone shifting uncomfortably and not making eye contact. Nate spoke a few times about the logistics of the next day, but other than that the conversation was stale.

When the fire dwindled, everyone headed off to sleep. Scarlet and Heather shared a tent while Nate, Gabriel, and Tristan slept by the fire, taking turns keeping watch for Raven and her Ashmen.

Scarlet stared at the red vinyl roof of the tent above her, thinking about her many lives and journeys to get to this very place. Funny how she always thought that if she found the fountain, life would be better.

“Scarlet,” Heather said. “Are you still awake?”

“Yeah.”

Heather’s voice had a smile in it. “Remember that time when your ex-boyfriend’s crazy ex-girlfriend drugged me with a syringe from her boob purse and then we had to go on a hike to find a magical fountain while being chased by zombies?”

Scarlet smiled, grateful Heather was normal for the moment. “I think so.”

“That was good times.”

“The best,” Scarlet said. “We should totally do it again sometime.”

“Totally.” Heather shifted. “And remember last year when I swore I would never go camping because it was dirty and uncomfortable and the worst way to have a sleepover. Like ever?”

Scarlet smiled at the roof. “Yeah.”

“I was totally right. Camping sucks.” She kicked at her sleeping bag. “There’s dirt under my fingernails, my feet hurt ,and earlier today something sticky got on my arm and I can’t get it off. When we get back home—after I take five showers, of course—we’re totally going camping my way. With soft pajamas and ice cream and indoor plumbing.”

When we get back home.

Tears rushed up her throat and Scarlet quickly pushed them back. “Indoor plumbing is a nice perk.” She smiled. “Do you remember the first night Laura was out of town and I told you I would be fine sleeping in my house alone, but you showed up on my doorstep with ice cream and a butcher knife?”

“Uh,
yeah
.” Heather said. “It’s in the Survival Handbook for Blondes. Always sleep with a butcher knife under your pillow. Right next to Always Wear Flats When Walking Down Dark Alleys.”

“This handbook sounds awesome.”

“Oh, it is. I’ll bring it to our sleepover next week.”

Next week.

Scarlet swallowed. “Remember my first day of school in Avalon, how I was all nervous and freaked out? But then I got to school and you’d taped a bunch of pictures of us inside my locker with cheesy inspirational one-liners on them?”

“Yeah. I think my favorite was
You Are The Po
wer.”

“I
am
the power.”

“You
are
.”

Scarlet laughed. “I couldn’t have done school without you. I couldn’t have done…anything without you.” She turned her head to look at Heather. “You’re a really great friend.”

Heather rolled her eyes. “That’s what I keep telling you. But you still insist on going braless when wearing tank tops, even when I advise you strongly against it.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “Friends don’t let friends jiggle, Scarlet.”

She scoffed. “I hate bras. They’re like corsets for boobs.”

“Boob corset. I’m going to patent that.”

Scarlet shook her head. “I love you.”

Heather yawned and her eyelids fell shut. “I love you too.”

Scarlet’s heart started twisting again and her throat tightened. She whispered again, “I love you.”

***************

It was Tristan’s turn to keep watch but Nate was standing right beside him.

“What’s up?” Tristan glanced at him.

Nate shrugged. “Nothing. Just, you know, taking in the beautiful night sky and the cool breeze.”

Tristan nodded. “You heard a wolf howl?”

“Yes! Did you hear it too?”

“No.” Tristan smiled. “Dude, we’ve talked about this. There are no wolves in Georgia.”

“There might not be any
common
wolves—“

“There are no werewolves either.” Tristan shoved his hands in his pockets. “If you’d like to be afraid of something, try armies of Ashmen or evil cousins who have hooked up with Gabriel.”

“Okay,
ew
.”

Tristan waited a beat. “So why are you really awake?”

He took a deep breath. “I’ve just been thinking about stuff. The map, the journals, the magic.” He shuffled his feet. “We’ve been searching for this fountain for five hundred years and it’s been this elusive adventure, you know? It’s just weird that we’re so close to the end.” He looked at Tristan. “I’m sure you’re happy.”

Tristan thought for a moment. “It doesn’t feel real yet. I’ll be happy when Scarlet is cured and I never have to watch her suffer again.” The dark trees swayed with a gust of wind. “She’s up to something.”

Nate shrugged. “It’s probably just nerves. We’ve got monsters and caves and witches to battle. It’s like we’re in a real life video game.”

Tristan nodded. “And you’re the slayer.”

“That I am.” Another gust of wind came and Nate shivered. “Don’t worry about Scarlet. Sometimes people keep secrets to protect the ones they love. You just have to trust her.”

Tristan nodded. Right.

His chest started to hurt.

CHAPTER 39

The next morning, Gabriel stared at Nate. “What are you wearing?”

Everyone rushed around the campsite, packing up and getting ready for their hike to the Bluestone caves.

Nate looked down at his outfit. “Adventure attire.”

“You look like Indiana Jones.”

“Exactly—ooh! I need my whip.” Nate rushed over to his backpack just as Heather exited the tent.

She looked at Gabriel and turned around in a circle. “How do I look?”

She was wearing a pair of tiny jean shorts and a bright pink T-shirt. Her blond hair was matted on one side and there were dirt smudges all over her arms, legs, and face.

Gabriel hesitated. “Like a Barbie doll that got run over by a garbage truck.”

“
Wow
. Really, Gabriel?”

He shrugged. “What do you want me to say?”

“Say something encouraging,” she snapped. “Something like
you look like G.I. Jane
.”

“But you don’t look like G.I. Jane. And why are you wearing pink?”

She looked down at her shirt. “What color should I wear?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a color that doesn’t scream
helpless girl in the forest
?”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Found it!” Nate stepped away from his backpack with a whip in his hand—an actual whip.

“Why on
earth
do you own a whip?”

“Why don’t you?”

Oh dear God.

Flicking his wrist, Nate let the whip sail. It lashed out and made a snapping noise before slapping against his wrist and drawing blood.

Nate dropped the whip and clutched his hand. “I’m a little out of practice.”

“With whip usage? I should hope so.” Heather crossed her dirty arms over her pink shirt.

Gabriel shook his head. “Why did you even bring a whip?”

“Because Tristan wouldn’t let me bring the Thor hammer. Besides, you never know when you’ll need a whip. What if we need to climb something really tall or swing across a deep chasm?”

“I seriously doubt we’ll be swinging across any chasms.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Nate straightened his shoulders. “I’m still bringing the whip. And you know what else I’m bringing?” He grabbed something from behind his backpack. “This.”

He placed an Indiana Jones style hat on his head. Retrieving his whip from the ground, he stood beside Heather with his hands on his hips and grinned at Gabriel. “Now how do I look?”

Gabriel stared at Indiana Jones and Garbage Truck Barbie.

Heaven help us all.

Scarlet exited the tent dressed in cargo pants and a black tank top with her hair pulled back and a knife in her hand.

“Now,
that
is how you dress for a hike to a deadly fountain.” Gabriel gestured to Scarlet.

“A tank top, Scarlet?” Heather looked at her chest. “Seriously?”

“It’s comfortable.”

“What’s the deal over here?” Tristan stopped rolling up sleeping bags. “Why is everyone standing around chatting and wasting time? And why is Heather wearing pink? Come on, people.”

Heather rolled her eyes and disappeared back inside the tent, reappearing a minute later with a dark gray T-shirt on.