Broken (19 page)

My heart skips a beat.

He watches me, his grin fixed in place, while I prepare for his announcement. Facing Mr Zavier on my right side, Amber tugs out her ear buds. ‘What’s going on, sir?’

‘Well,’ he pauses to look back at me, ‘I have located Ebony’s biological father.’

‘You did
what
?’ I screech.
No. No. This can’t be true. I can’t be human.
This thought makes my knees go weak for a second. Amber hooks her hand under my elbow, but I straighten quickly and whisper, ‘I’m all right.’

‘He’s a doctor working in partnership with his grandfather, and you will not believe how close his practice is to where you are living these days.’

‘Really?’ My head starts spinning with so many thoughts at once. I don’t trust this man. He’s a brilliant Physics teacher, but, outside of that, I doubt everything he tells me. ‘What’s his name, sir?’

Before he answers he glances at Jordan, who is being strangely silent. ‘His name is Dr Adrian James West, and he is willing to meet you and have a DNA test performed, as long as you are willing to meet with him for the same purpose.’

OK. Here it is. The chance to prove with
absolute certainty
what I am. I should do it, right? But . . . Nathaneal says my heart knows the truth. My heart doesn’t need a DNA test to know that I have powers that humans don’t. Nausea hits. I hold myself steady and just breathe for a moment. Do I have a choice but to have the test? Nathaneal deserves to know if the girl he loves is the one he’s supposed to be with for eternity, doesn’t he?

I take a deep breath and lift my head. ‘Yes, sir, I’m willing.’

Amber and Jordan exchange a quiet glance behind my back. I only catch the end of it, so I’m not sure if they’re happy for me or not.

Amber notices my confusion. ‘I bet you never thought coming to school today could result in meeting your, um, possible biological father.’ Her voice sounds odd, tense, like she’s saying all the right words to support my decision, but they’re not coming from her heart.

‘Do you think I should?’ I whisper.

She doesn’t hesitate. ‘I think you have to. Honey, even if you have only one doubt left, you need to put it to rest.’

Mr Zavier says, ‘I met with Dr West last night.’

If he wanted my attention, he got it with this.

‘I had to ensure I wasn’t making a mistake. This is why it has taken me all these weeks to confirm the facts. I needed to be sure. You have suffered so much already, dear girl.’

Jordan rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest.

I pull him aside and hiss in his ear, ‘Do you think I’m doing this for fun?’

‘Hell, no. I wish you didn’t have to, that’s all. But I agree with Amber, you need the truth and DNA will give you that.’

‘So you agree I should do it.’

‘Absolutely.’

I drag him further away and whisper more softly, ‘You don’t think this is a scam the Dark Prince concocted to have me abducted again?’

He doesn’t answer right away; his frown tells me he’s putting a lot of thought into it. ‘You need this proof, Ebony. I’ll be with you all the way. If I see anything suspicious, I’ll get you out of there fast. You trust me, don’t you?’

I don’t know why I hesitate. Of course I trust Jordan. He and Amber are the two people I trust with my life.

‘I have more news, Ebony,’ Mr Zavier calls out. He waits for us to return. ‘Having a sixteen-year-old daughter has understandably come as a shock to Dr West. He had no idea Rachel had fallen pregnant. And since he has a young family now, at this initial stage he would like to move forward with discretion.’

Now that I’ve made my decision this is disappointing. ‘I understand. How long does he want to wait?’

‘Oh, he doesn’t want to wait. He’s requested an immediate paternity test to settle the matter today.’

‘
Today?
’ Amber yelps, and squeezing my hand she leans over and whispers in a barely audible voice, ‘Are you sure you don’t want time to check Dr West out on Google first?’

‘Dr West will perform the tests himself in a private consulting room at his clinic,’ Mr Zavier says. ‘It will be off the record so there will be complete privacy for both of you, and he will expedite the pathology, as long as you accept these terms.’

I glance at Jordan and find him staring at me with a look in his eyes that’s so miserable it’s like the world is ending. I haven’t seen this look since the day we first met outside the nightclub Chill. ‘What’s wrong? Is there something you’re not telling me?’

He pulls me in for a hug. ‘I’m just happy for you.’

Mr Zavier says, ‘Ebony, I must first assure myself this is something you positively want to do.’

I take a deep breath. ‘OK. Yeah, I want to do it.’

‘Do you confirm you wish to meet this man willingly?’

‘Sure. I mean, yes, sir.’

‘Excellent. And just to be one hundred per cent clear, do you confirm no one is coercing you into attending this meeting?’

Jordan scoffs. ‘What’s with the twenty questions, Mr Zee?’

Mr Zavier gives him a scathing look. ‘If you don’t like what you’re hearing, young man, the door is over there. No one is forcing you to be here.’

They stare at each other with neither backing down. Amber whispers, ‘What’s with those two?’

I shrug and slide my hand into Jordan’s, linking fingers. ‘Relax, Jordan, it’s all right.’ I tell Mr Zavier, ‘No one is coercing me, sir.’

Jordan squeezes my hand. ‘Ebony, wait, I . . . uh . . . I gotta talk to you about this.’

Mr Zavier glares at Jordan. ‘You heard my niece. Now be quiet, or leave, Mr Blake.’ And to me he says, ‘Since Dr West lives nearby in Ferndale –’

‘Ferndale?’ Amber gasps. ‘That’s on Mount Bungarra, on the north-east slopes.’

‘That’s correct, Miss Lang, about fifteen minutes by car from the monastery on Ridge Road.’

‘He’s
that
close?’ I tug over the computer chair and flop into it.

Mr Zavier smiles down at me. ‘Dr West hasn’t always lived in Ferndale but his grandfather is a long-time resident of the picturesque town. It’s why young Adrian West spent time in the valley. He has fond memories, especially of Rachel, his first love.’

He hurries on excitedly: ‘Ebony, I took the liberty of checking your schedule for this afternoon. You have a free study period followed by double English Extension. According to your teacher you’re ahead of other students and would have no problem catching up.’

He stops to give me a moment to absorb what he’s saying. ‘We would have plenty of time, but I suggest we leave at the start of lunch so I can return you home before your curfew.’

‘How do you know about our curfew?’ Jordan asks.

‘The afternoon you came to my house I noticed how concerned you were with the time. And over the past several weeks neither of you have attended any evening school events. I recently learned your legal guardian is overseas. That’s when I figured he must have set you a curfew in his absence.’

Jordan’s hand squeezing mine hasn’t let up. He’s starting to breathe faster too. And his heart is racing. Something isn’t right. He looks . . .
tortured
. Under his breath he mutters almost soundlessly, ‘What am I doing? What in hell am I doing?’

I pull him aside, giving our profile to Mr Zavier. ‘Jordan, what’s going on?’ I whisper.

He sighs. ‘Nothing.’

‘That’s not true.’

He laughs, or tries to, but the laugh is off. ‘Ebony, you know I would never lie to you, right?’

I don’t answer. I’m starting to get strange vibes from him.

‘Come on,’ he says. ‘Let’s get this trip organised. I just have one request.’

‘What is it?’

‘That I come with you.’

Amber hears this last part, and as we turn back she says, ‘And me too.’

I put Jordan and Amber’s request to Mr Zavier. He gives Jordan a long-suffering glance before he tells me, ‘If you’re sure this is what
you
want, Ebony, then of course your friends can come. The problem is my car seats only two.’

Jordan says, ‘Then we’ll go in mine. It seats four.’

‘My car is specially configured for my long legs,’ Mr Zavier says, searing Jordan with a fierce look. ‘We will make the trip with mine.’ He shifts his glance to me. ‘You understand, don’t you, my dear? Of course, your friends are welcome to follow.’

‘Ebony rides with Amber and me,’ Jordan persists.

‘That’s a very powerful car you drive, young man. Fast. Italian. Supercar. I would feel more comfortable if Ebony rode with me.’

‘It doesn’t make sense when my car can fit all of us.’

Then Mr Zavier says, ‘Do you have a licence to drive that vehicle?’

‘This is starting to sound like blackmail.’

‘Just looking out for my niece.’

Jordan accepts the terms. ‘We leave at the same time and drive in tandem.’

‘Agreed,’ Mr Zavier says, already rushing off to his first class for the day. ‘I’ll see you girls in the lab in fifth period.’

27

Nathaneal

Jez offers to take the first shift. Without waiting for my OK, she leaps on to the ledge above and disappears over the snow. About to enter a tent, Michael notices I’m not following and frowns. ‘Are you coming in?’

‘Soon. There’s something I need to do first.’

He glances to the ledge above where the snow Jez dislodged still trickles down. ‘Can I give you some advice, Thane?’

‘About what, in particular?’ I tease, knowing exactly what’s coming.

‘Fire,’ he says, ‘of the black-haired-turquoise-eyed kind.’

I can’t help but laugh. ‘You mean, Je–’

He claps his hand over my mouth, his eyes darting to the upper ledge. I continue in a mind-link.
I don’t need the burning wrath of that black-haired-turquoise-eyed fireball coming down on me, thanks, cousin.

Thoroughly amused at the Great Prince Michael, whose legend precedes him everywhere he goes, cowering at the thought of offending one young female angel, I lift my hands in the universal surrender gesture to assure him I won’t mention her name aloud.
Michael, I don’t need your advice on this.

He links,
I know. I simply suggest you use a mind-link rather than a face-to-face conversation. That female Seraph sure knows how to dig her claws in.
He shakes his head and grins.

I appreciate your concern, cousin, but it’s not necessary. This conversation won’t take long
, I assure him.

His eyes flicker to the overhanging ledge so quickly that a human being wouldn’t catch the movement.
The people of Earth have a saying: if you play with fire, you will get burned.

That happens to be true, but, Michael, fire of the black-haired- turquoise-eyed kind doesn’t interest me.

Good, because I promised your red-haired-violet-eyed fiancée that I would bring you back to her in one piece.

I remember, and I can’t help but smile at the memory of Ebony making Michael swear on our holy High King.

He pats my shoulder.
Remember, you need your rest too.

As he turns to enter the tent, I can’t help one last attempt to tease him.
Yes, Father
.

‘You don’t have to babysit me,’ Jez says, by way of greeting when I return from a brief scout around and sit beside her on a rock wall covered in ice.

‘That’s not why I’m here.’

‘Then why are you here? Can’t you sleep for thinking of what your sweet little high-school girlfriend is doing to fill in her nights while you’re away?’

‘I came to thank you for accepting to join this difficult mission; I needed another healer on board. But if you insist on hurling your hatred of Ebony at me, I’ll leave now.’

She grips my arm to stop me rising. ‘Please, stay. I apologise, Thane. I’m sorry.’

‘Do you even know what you’re apologising for?’

‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m not apologising for hating
her
. Don’t expect me to ever apologise for that.’ Realising what she just blurted out, she closes her eyes. ‘I can’t help what I feel.’

‘We’re not made to feel hatred, but apparently
you
do.’

‘What are you saying? That I’m a dark angel in disguise?’

‘No, Jez, but you need to know I love Ebony. That’s the way it is.’

‘But, Thane,
why
? I don’t understand. For all those years before I met the girl, I had images of what Ebrielle would be like, and I imagined someone stunning and talented, intelligent and suited to you in every way. But Ebony is none of those things. She’s such a . . . a . . .
nothing.
’ Her eyes turn to me, pleading. ‘Thane, do you feel
anything
for me?’

Giving myself a moment to simmer down, I close my eyes and count. Her description of Ebony as a ‘
nothing
’
incites rage inside me of a kind I’ve felt only once before, when I faced the King of Skade in battle.