Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four (12 page)

He was goading me on purpose, but how was I going to break his grip without using my powers? I squirmed in his arms till he was
nearly bent over trying to hold on to me. I managed to get him off balance and flipped him to his back.

He fell hard, his back hitting the boulder
, causing debris to fall on his chest and face. He remained still for a moment, and I immediately bent and began removing the rubble from him.

“Colt, I’m sorry.” Blood was running down his cheek.

He sat up, brushing the remaining dirt off himself.

“I hurt you.” I touched the cut on his cheek.

He pulled my hand away and stared at the blood.

“Well
, that’s a first,” he let out a small chuckle.

“Are you okay?” I helped him to his feet.

“I’m fine.” He smiled down on me. “I wasn’t expecting that move.”

I gave
him a faint smile, but then glanced around. It was growing dark.

“We need to get back.”

“Come on.” He waved me on as we made our way back down the hill.

I’d hurt him
. Blood ran from his cheek. Without his powers, he was weaker, weaker than I’d ever seen him. He had the strength of a human his size, but nothing compared to what he had…and it was all gone because of me. I couldn’t train with the constant fear that I would cause him harm, but what else was I to do?

We paused for a moment as he picked up his coat. He turned
slightly, and I saw the thick stream of blood running down his neck before we walked on. It was worse than I first thought.

This was going to be hard to hide. Someone would figure this out. He was Timeless and would heal
quickly, but he’d have to hide out for a while…and then everyone would wonder.

I bumped into Colt’s back. I’d
been so absorbed with my thoughts I hadn’t noticed he’d stopped.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

He reached back and grasped my arm. We were at the forest’s edge, near the back of the building. I was going to have to make a run for it.

“I’m going to enter through the front,” he said in hushed tones. “You go around the back. I’ll keep them distracted.”

“You can’t! Your face!”

Colt turned,
frowning.

“We both
need to sneak in through the back entrance. It’s the only way,” I said.

He remained silent for a few moments
, contemplating his options. If he went through the front, they’d see him, question him. If he snuck in with me, they wouldn’t see him till his face was cleaned up, at least. But then that left him open to questions about how he returned without anyone seeing him. My thoughts drifted to Koda. He’d turned his head allowing me to leave. Was it on purpose?

“Will Koda help?” I asked.

He sighed. “He might. I’m already pushing it with him.”

“Because he allowed us this time together?”

“Yes.”

“He’s hesitant,” I said, but I didn’t need confirmation
. I could tell from his actions earlier. “We don’t have a choice,” I added.

I grabbed
Colt’s hand and pulled him towards the shrubs and the hidden passageway. It was going to be harder to sneak in two people, but at least darkness was on our side. We just had to make sure Maes wasn’t roaming nearby. He’d catch our scent in an instant, and I’d never hear the end of it.

Colt and I stopped at the edge of the forest. We’d
only have one chance at this or risk being caught. Lights flickered on in the kitchen, and we lingered back in the trees. A lanky shadow drifted near the lone rear window. Brogan glanced out and then turned and suddenly walked away. We ran for the secret entry.

Once we were
securely inside, I latched the door tight and took a few moments to catch my breath. I bent and searched for the candle and match I’d left nearby. I couldn’t find it. We had to get upstairs before someone missed us.

Colt tugged my hand as he led the way. We
slowly crept along the wall, his hands and feet searching the gloomy, smelly space to find our way. The tip of my toe hit a stair and I tripped. Colt caught me before I fell, and step-by-step we made our way back up to the top landing. How we’d managed not to end up down the wrong corridor, I didn’t know, but finally we got where we needed to be.

He paused at the door,
pressing his ear up against it. The bedroom was silent, and he carefully opened the door and scanned the room. We exited the passageway the same way we’d entered it, quietly. Colt latched the door, and I had him wait near my bedroom door.

I touched his cheek, my fingers running through the now sticky residue.

“We need to wash this off.” I glanced over his clothes; even in the dark I saw the blood on his jacket and shirt. “Take them off,” I said and removed my own jacket.

He removed his coat and shirt and I rolled them up in a ball. I
opened my bedroom door and glanced down the hall to see if was clear, wishing they’d gotten my bathroom plumbing fixed so we could have done this here. I tugged on his hand, knowing we needed to wash the blood away. We hurried down the hall, and I had him pause outside the bathroom as I checked to make sure it was empty.

We entered the bathroom
, and I pointed towards the sinks. I ran back by the showers to grab a few towels, and loaded a wash bin with cold water. Whoever had designed this facility had made sure laundry could be done. Granted, it was old, and you had to run it by hand, but it was better than nothing at all. I glanced up; above the wash bin on the shelf were some cleaning solutions and hydrogen peroxide. This wasn’t the first time we’d had to wash blood out of clothes. I dumped them in and swished them around before heading back towards Colt.

Colt had filled a sink with warm water and splashed
it across his face, trying to remove the dried sticky mess.

“Here, let me,” I
offered.

I dabbed the corner of a towel in the warm water and began wiping his cheek. He leaned against the wall as I cleaned his cut. I
couldn’t help myself. As I moved closer, my free hand came to rest on his bare chest near his heart. I felt the life in him, the beat of his heart, strong and steady as he’d always been for me.

One of his hands came to rest on my lower back while the other landed on my hip. Now it was my heart I felt beating strong
. It was my heart racing at his touch and my heart that knew what it still wanted, even after all this time had passed, even after all the heartache I’d endured because of him.

I lowered my hand and placed the towel on the sink. Icy blue eyes stared down at me, unsure,
just like me. I couldn’t help myself as I gently stroked his cheek. I needed to move away, I needed to stop this, but I couldn’t. As much as I wanted to, my body wouldn’t cooperate. We stood in silence, absorbing the rare moment.

The bathroom door swung open
, and I turned to see Nakari’s wide eyes. It only took a moment for them to turn cold and vicious.

I pushed back from Colt, but it was too late. She closed the door behind her and stepped forward. She pressed her clothes to her chest
tightly as her fingers dug into them.

“So that’s where you disappeared to,” she spat. “Running off with Colt behind everyone’s back!
It didn't take you long to get over Callon, did it? The man who gave his heart, his life, his duty to you, who sacrificed his own happiness for the sake of a spoiled brat who doesn't know what it means to love someone!” She narrowed her eyes. "So you take his brother instead, making the cuts deeper, breaking his heart even more...” She stepped closer and visually inspected the cut on Colt’s cheek.

She turned on me in an instant.

“And then you try and kill his family, too!” Fire burned in her words. “You're nothing but a weak coward! You should be ashamed to even call yourself Timeless, let alone Kvech.” She pushed on my shoulder, causing me to step backwards. “Go rot in hell with your cowardly mother. It only makes sense her daughter would abandon us to the Sarac, just like she did!”

I stood
completely still, stunned at her words. I could’ve spoken up, should’ve said something, but I had no words. Colt stood immobile as well. I moved away from the sinks and headed for the door. There was nothing I could do to make things right with her—ever. I’d burned that bridge, and I’d never be able to rebuild it. I pushed the door open and headed for my room.

“
I do know what it means to love someone…” I whispered.

“Cheyenne,” Colt called after me, but I ignored him.

It was best if I left him alone, left him out of this. He’d been so careful with me, assuring me that our time was over. He just wanted to help me heal, help me find my strength, Callon, and I’d gone and done this… I entered my bedroom and closed the door, locking it behind me. I leaned against it, hearing Colt’s footsteps nearing. The knob turned, but he couldn’t enter. This is what I should have done before—lock him out of my life. He didn’t need to endure any more misery than he had. I needed to keep him out, keep everyone out, so I could accomplish the one thing I was set upon this earth for—destroy Marcus.

“Cheyenne,”
he said, his words heavy with worry. “Don’t lock me out.”

It was too late—I already had.

Nakari’s words hit home. Callon had sacrificed everything for me, and I’d done nothing in return. He’d given me love and I’d pushed it away, pining for something I could never have. When I finally did give in, when I finally realized I could love him—it was too late. I’d broken him, injured him so profoundly he’d left us—me—to find solitude to heal his wounds. I was the sole person to responsible for this. He’d abandoned me, and I couldn’t blame him.

What hurt worse was that Nakari thought I would bring harm to Colt,
and to the rest of them. She probably thought I was trying to pick them off one by one. The one thing I was trying to do was protect them, and I was now hated for it. I was a coward in her eyes, just like my mother. Regardless of my mother’s words, knowing I’d be judged harshly for my choice, deep down I’d hoped she was wrong about my family’s reaction. I’d hoped they’d come to understand and support me. But it wasn’t going to be, as much as they said otherwise, and it was time I came grips with it.

A single tear streamed down my cheek. I
was truly all alone.

I heard Colt’s heavy weight sliding down the door at the same time I did. He was going to wait it out, hoping I’d change my mind, but I
wouldn’t. I couldn’t for his sake and the sake of the others. I had to go this path alone.

I
’d continue with my training, but I’d leave him out of it. I’d find a way to hone my skills by myself, to prepare myself for battle. I was already secluded from everyone else, and as soon as they heard about what Nakari saw, any hope they had left in me would die.

Lilly would think I’d gone my own way. She may or may not say anything, but I’d see it in her eyes—all the disappointment I’d brought her. All the disappointment I’d brought the clans. Dex, Andre, Bree
, Daniel, they’d lose any hope in me they still had alive and view Colt differently as well. They’d think he was up to his old ways. I needed to protect him from myself before this went too far. I was married now, even if I’d married a man I didn’t love. Marriage meant commitment, and I was committed to follow through on this task that had been laid out before me—regardless of the cost. I had to, for the sake of the Timeless clans. It was all up to me to end this once and for all.

Chapter 8

I stoked the fire, bringing the flames back to life. A chill ran over me
. The room had grown colder than I liked, in spite of the morning sunshine outside. I sighed, and grasped the metal bucket beside the marble fireplace. I needed more wood. I was completely out. But that would mean I’d have to leave this room to gather more, and leaving this room meant I’d see Colt and possibly Daniel, not to mention the others. I’d managed to keep myself locked away from them for the past week, securing the secret passageway too, but now I was getting desperate. I was shivering, not to mention my stomach was growling loudly. I was way past being hungry.

I
grabbed my boots, laced them up, and pulled my warmest jacket on. It wasn’t a heavy one by any means, but it was better than nothing. I grabbed the bucket and glanced back at the secret passage. I could exit there, but then the others would know about it. Instead I headed for the door, but my fingers hovered over the lock. If Colt, Daniel, or anybody else were out there, I’d be bombarded immediately. They’d knocked on the door several times, talking through it, trying to get a response, but I’d remained quiet. They knew I was in here or they would have broken the door down, besides, I’d heard Colt in the passageway, but I’d made it impossible for him to enter, at least impossible without his powers.

The lock clicked, and before I had time to move
, it opened, knocking me back. I looked up into very worried blue eyes.

“I didn’t think you’d ever come out,” Daniel said and grasped my arms
, pulling me into a hug. The metal bucket clanked against the doorframe.

He drew back. “You hungry?”

A number of replies flew through my mind, ways to get rid of him, but this was Daniel, and he was already an anxious mess.

“Yes,” I replied.

“I’ll make you something then,” he said. A faint smile appeared, and he grasped my hand, pulling me down the hall. “Lilly made dinner last night. I’m sure there’s leftovers.”

I knew Lilly had cooked last night
. The smell had drifted upstairs and prompted my stomach to growl in protest. No one had come to the door either. Lilly was probably trying to get me to come out on my own, and it had finally worked, but only because I was cold.

We made it to the top of the stairs when I heard voices in the great room.
I paused, listening.

“He’s gone,” Brogan said. “He’s gone and doesn’t want to be found.”

I didn’t need a name to be said for me to know who they were talking about: Callon.

“We can’t just give up,” Lilly pleaded.

“We don’t have a choice, Lilly,” Maes replied.

“We always have a choice!” Nakari shouted. “Let me go
. Let me bring him back.”

“No,” Brogan replied, his voice growing gruff. “The more we search for him, the more chances we
create of exposing our location, not to mention that Marcus will find out that Callon’s abandoned us.”

“He
hasn’t abandoned us!” Nakari said.

“Then what do you call him wandering off into the wilderness
, Nakari?” Brogan growled. “He left us when we needed him most. We needed his leadership, but instead he’s wallowing in his hurt, and he left us with
her!
”

“
He was hurt,” Nakara protested. “He needed time to heal away from her, but I know I can find him!”

“We need you here with us,” Dex said. “If you leave us, we’re vulnerable. Your powers make a difference, Nakari.”

“If she hadn’t given away Daniel’s powers…” Nakara accused.

“What’s done is done
. We can’t change—” Dex was cut off.

“I can’t believe you’
d forsake him so easily. After all he’s done for all of you over the years, all the leadership he’s provided, and the one time he’s hurting, you do nothing! He didn’t abandon us, we abandoned him!” Nakari cried.

It grew strangely quiet;
I heard footsteps and then the creak of the front door.

“Nakari!” Andr
e called, her voice fading.

Daniel’s fingers tightened over mine. I turned, trying to return to my room, but Daniel stopped me.

They were giving up the search for Callon because they’d lost hope. He didn’t want to be found, and it was my fault. Daniel tugged me down the stairs unwillingly, forcing me to face the crowd now, rather than later.

I wasn’t going to pass through without being seen,
not after this last conversation. But what did it matter? I didn’t need their approval, but I did want Nakari’s forgiveness, as pathetic as it sounded. I never meant to wound Callon, and the fact that she thought I purposely ripped out his heart and ran to Colt hurt. And now with the search being halted for Callon, it only made matters worse.

We paused at the bottom of the stairs so I
could drop my bucket and jacket, and the low murmurs began. I decided it was best to keep my head down and eyes focused on the ground. I’d read too much in their eyes over the past few months, too much that I couldn’t ever forget.

Daniel and I made our way down the long corridor and stopped in the kitchen. I sat on the stool while he moved to the fridge.

“I can make you a meatloaf sandwich?” he suggested as he peeked around the old metal fridge.

“Sure,” I replied and fiddled with a towel
that had been lying on the counter.

Heavy footsteps
moved down the hall, and I didn’t need to look up to know that Colt had arrived. He pulled up another stool, moving closer, and sat down. He’d straddled it so he could face me.

I caught Daniel’s worried glances as he prepared a sandwich on the other side of the kitchen island.

Colt’s hand reached out to stop me from playing with the towel, his fingers wrapping around mine.

“Nakari didn’t mean what she said, Cheyenne,” Colt said. “
I’m just as much at fault as you are, she was angry.”

I pulled my hand away and placed it on my lap.
She’d meant every word she’d said, both earlier and now.

“They’re all angry, Colt, and that’s not going to change.” I clasped my hands together in my lap. “What Nakari said was true. I crushed Callon, and I can’t ever take it back.”

“But he’s the one who abandoned us, Cheyenne. You’re still here.” The muscles in Colt’s neck tensed. He was angry about it now.

Daniel slid the plate in front of me
, his gaze downcast. He fiddled with the towel I’d held in my hands earlier. He was torn. I was the one to blame for Callon’s departure, Colt was angry about it, and now Daniel didn’t know which way to turn. I picked up the sandwich and began to eat. Daniel and Colt watched.

“So are you going to hide in your room now?” Colt asked. “You’re going to let
them win and have control over you? Where’s your fight? Where’s the Cheyenne I know and love?”

I finished the last bite of my sandwich and pushed the plate away.

“Thanks, Daniel,” I said and rose from my stool.

Colt grabbed my arm as I tried to leave.

“You can’t keep hiding, especially from me.”

He was right. I
couldn’t keep hiding, but neither could my family. They were the ones cowering in the Canadian wilderness; they were the ones who were holding me back from freeing myself. It had to end.

“You’re right, Colt
. I can’t.”

I pulled away and headed for the great room
. Callon wasn’t here, nor was he coming back, but he’d taught me one thing. I was going to hit this thing head on, like he would have in the past. He still gave me strength in his absence.

Daniel and Colt trailed behind me. I stopped near the entry, pulling my jacket on and picking up my bucket.

“Where are you going, princess?” Brogan asked as he came up behind me.

“To get wood and train.”

“We’ve already talked about this, Cheyenne,” Dex said, joining the conversation. “It’s not safe for you to use your powers. You’ll put us all in danger.”

“You put yourselves in danger the moment you took me from Marcus, Dex,” I replied and turned towards them. “And I never said I was going to use my powers.”

“No.” Brogan crossed his arms and leaned against the steel doors.

“I’m tired of sitting here and doing nothing.
Callon’s not coming back. I have to prepare. What you choose to do is your own choice. Now move, Brogan.”

“If you go out there, Cheyenne,” Maes said, “you open yourself up to another Tresez attack.”

I crossed my arms. “Have you seen any Tresez since my last attack, Maes? Have you seen any signs of Marcus’s army even moving?”

I’d paid attention to their conversations whether they knew I was listening or not.
Marcus wasn’t doing anything but waiting. Maes’s jade-rimmed eyes grew dark. He didn’t like me questioning him.

“That’s not the point, Cheyenne,” Dex stepped closer, his jaw firming. “We can’t have an accidental release of power. You
could cause someone serious harm.”

I knew what Dex was really saying…
they were afraid Marcus could control me.

“I wasn’t planning on doing it here, and nobody will be coming with me.”

“Cheyenne, no…” Daniel said.

I
turned on Daniel. “I’m more than capable of protecting myself, Daniel. I don’t need you, Colt, or anyone else to babysit me.”

“You’re not going alone,” Colt protested.

I headed for the door and Brogan surprisingly moved aside. “Have it your way, princess. It’s not going to make a difference if you come back or not.”

I ignored Brogan’s comment and pulled open the heavy steel door. Colt tried to come
after me, but as I closed the door, I saw Maes and Brogan stop him.

“Let her go,” Maes said. “She won’t go far.”

I dropped my bucket on the stone steps and headed towards the meadow. I’d actually been surprised how easily they’d let me leave. I’d expected more of a fight, but maybe they’d given in because they had other ideas…like I wasn’t actually going out alone. It was pretty obvious to me that Marcus wasn’t coming.

I
glanced back at the building as I made my way further into the meadow. Maes would probably try to follow me later, but I wasn’t about to make it easy on him. I headed straight for Mandi. It had been a while since we’d ridden, and I needed to create some distance between this family and me. I was growing tired of the mistrust.

Mandi began whin
nying the moment she caught sight of me. At least someone was happy to see me. I grabbed her tack as I entered the small outbuilding and quickly had her ready to go. I didn’t hold back once we left the corral either. I let her take off in a gallop.

She
headed straight for the trees at the far end of the valley. Once in the forest, I allowed her to lead me where she wanted to go. She needed a release as much as I did. It’d been ages since we’d run together freely, ages since we’d be given any freedom.

I
n my heart I knew I’d never be free until Marcus was dead. He had held me captive for years, first when I was forced to hide from him, then after I found him. I was back to square one…hiding. But not for long. I had no intention of sitting out and letting others fight for me. This was my battle, and I was going to fight. I was going to win—I had to.

The trees
flew by with even more speed as the forest thickened. But Mandi didn’t slow; she knew how to weave in and out of them. I sat lower in the saddle as she leapt over a fallen log. Wind whipped against my cheeks, and I loosened my hold on the reins. She’d stop when she wanted to, when she was ready. There was no trail here, only her heart leading the way.

I too had let my heart lead me in the past. I’d trusted it to be faithful and true, but in the end it
only caused me grief. It only caused those around me misery.

Mandi’s fast pace began to slow until she
finally came to a walk. Just ahead, the forest opened up into a valley, the valley I’d visited before. How she’d known this is where I wanted to go, I had no idea, but my fingers drifted to her neck and I thanked her.

She shook her head up and down and came to a stop amongst the wilted flowers. I dismounted and let her roam
freely. The wildflowers had yellowed, and they crunched beneath my feet as I wandered further into the field. The same slow moving mountain river lay ahead, with the canvas of steep mountains ascending behind it. Snow was now thoroughly etched into the crevices, its white glove reaching further down towards the valley floor.

The cool breeze caused me to shiver, and I pulled my jacket up tighter around my neck. Any day now the snow would arrive, and dark clouds hovered behind the peaks. This would be my last chance to come here and admire the simple beauty till spring. My last chance at freedom till the rain broke through the deep snow.