Frost Arch (34 page)

It was certain now, more than ever, that no matter where I went or what I did, destruction and misery seemed to follow me.

Growing up I hadn’t had any friends because I had been too dangerous. I’d put my little sisters life in danger more than once. I’d run away and caused my family a lot of grief. I’d even stolen from the man who had brought me to Frost Arch. Hawthorne … who was currently missing because I had lashed out and hurt him physically and emotionally. Then there was Noah, the first man I had ever harboured feelings for, who had taken advantage of me, and caused me to lose the use of my Power. Seth Swaggart, who predicted my impending demise, and now I had destroyed Master Sebastian’s prized possessions, and broken his nose, resulting in him wanting to find, and to hurt me severely. All these things had led me to where I currently was. I was a scared, lonely little girl, hiding from everyone and everything. My best bet now was to go back to my family and suffer their wrath. At least they wouldn’t kill me. But I couldn’t go anywhere without finding Hawthorne first.

So my first plan of action was to lie low for the night, and tomorrow I would search for my beloved boy with Jack. The thought of going home and leaving Jack did hurt me greatly, but he had a life here and it would be selfish of me to take him away from that.

A new thought crossed my mind. What if Sebastian Forsythe sent people to look for me for days, weeks, until I was caught? The thought made me feel physically ill. Surely he would assume that I had left the city? I hoped he would.

I gave a huge yawn and realised that I was absolutely dead on my feet. Without bothering to change out of my uniform, I kicked my boots off and hid under the blankets. It was lovely, seeing as I had only used those itchy sheets from the manor for the last few months. Within a matter of minutes I was fast asleep. My dreams were laden with horrible images and I woke up shaking and sweating many times during the night.

Finally the next time I woke the sun was starting to rise on the horizon. Looking out my window I found that it was snowing heavily. I would have a hard time locating Hawthorne in this weather, yet it didn’t dampen my determination. I wondered when Jack would come back. I had asked him the night before not to keep me waiting. From my window I could look down at the street below and see the early birds bustling about doing their daily things, shielding themselves from the heavy snow. A bird swooped past my window as I gazed out of it lazily.

When the sun had fully risen and I had dressed in more suitable clothes I heard a knock upon the door.

“Who is it?” I said cautiously.

“It’s Jack.” The familiar voice spoke.

With a sigh a relief I opened the door and let Jack slip inside.

“I could have been anyone.” He said shaking his head at me, “You can’t be so trusting.”

I folded my arms, “I’d recognise your voice anywhere.” I said defensively.

Jack waved a hand, pushing the matter aside, “That’s not important now anyway, I have news for you.”

Jack sat down upon my unmade bed and frowned at me, “Well, Master Forsythe isn’t very happy at all. I healed him up when I got back to the manor, and got away from him quick smart. He started asking me questions about you, and well, I couldn’t really lie, could I?”

“Why not?” I fired up.

“Sebastian Forsythe’s has the Power to uncover lies.” Jack reminded me. Noah had told me this weeks ago.

“So what did you say?” I asked.

“I just shrugged most of the time, and told him to stay still while I fixed his nose. You shattered it pretty good.” He smirked, “But I don’t think he can get anything if I’m mostly unresponsive.”

I nodded, “I hope not.”

“But that’s not all.” Jack said with a frown, “He’s very determined to find you, and he’s hired people to put up fliers, and to go looking for you.”

I gaped at him, “Search Parties? Fliers?”

Jack nodded, “With drawings of you. Skilled artist too.” He mused.

“Jack!” I groaned, “My face will be all over Frost Arch!”

Jack nodded sadly, “I think they will be putting them up tomorrow. They’re still making them.”

“Right, so that gives us all day to look for Hawthorne.” I said clapping my hands together.

Jack shook his head, “I think there are still people looking for you around the city.” He said quietly.

“So I disguise myself.” I folded my arms.

Jack sighed and thought about it for a few moments, “It’s dangerous, Ava.”

“Jack, if I ever plan on leaving this bloody city, I need Hawthorne. We have to find him soon, before I get caught. How long do you think it will take for Samuel Bludvok to realise I’m wanted by one of the most important men in the city?”

“Bludvok won’t care, I already told you.” Jack sighed.

I groaned and tugged at Jack’s clothes, “Please, we have to find him.”

Jack looked at me and rolled his eyes, “If you get taken away by a guard, it’s your own fault.”

“Okay, so where should we look first?” I asked quickly.

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and scrunched his eyes up, “I’d suggest the forest again, but it’s too close to the manor. You’d risk getting caught, and if they find out that I’m helping you …” He trailed off.

“Don’t worry.” I said grabbing my coat and shoes, “We’ll be in the trees, no one will see us. We’ll just walk through the slums again then start looking.”

Jack bit his lip, “You’re supposed to be the scared one. Not me.”

“What are you afraid of? Being caught with me?” I asked, slipping my shoes on.

“No.” Jack scoffed, “I’m scared of losing you. Silly girl.”

I smiled and punched Jack playfully on the arm, “C’mon. Let’s go.”

He sighed, “Let’s swap coats.” He said, “Mine has a hood.”

After I had put on Jack’s coat, I tied my hair back and hid it in the hood as I pulled it over my head. We headed out of the room and downstairs where Samuel Bludvok nodded to us as we left and stepped into the snow outside where I kept my face hidden.

It was easy to go unnoticed through Frost Arch today. The wind and snow was so harsh that by passers shielded their face against the wind and the figures on the street were just a mass of unisex coats. Jack and I had no trouble walking the high street towards the slums, for no one cared about anyone but themselves.

“I expect the fliers will be put around Frost Arch through the night.” Jack said wiping away the snow that was beginning to melt on his face.

I wasn’t sure what I would do with myself if we couldn’t find Hawthorne today. Would I go into hiding within Frost Arch? Or would I simply abandon the search and go home? I fretted about this through most of the walk, and Jack kept silent, obviously thinking hard too.

I was severely cold yet I kept my complaining and chattering teeth to myself. As we reached the edge of the forest that would wind and lead us towards the manor Jack and I glanced at each other momentarily before stepping into the density of trees.

We walked for hours, backtracking and going in circles, looking up into the branches, and poking sticks at large mounds of snow just in case Hawthorne was hiding underneath its mass. Luckily Jack had packed enough food and water to keep us going for another few hours, and by the time my stomach was rumbling from hunger once again, the sun had begun to set. I knew we would have to stop searching soon. My legs ached and I fell over often on branches hiding under the snow. Jack grabbed me by the back of my coat and hauled me back onto my feet several times.

Finally, after hours upon hours Jack and I were both exhausted and could look no longer. Jack had started complaining several hours ago, but I had begged him to keep looking.

Yet it was to no avail. Hawthorne was nowhere to be found, and it was clear that he was no where within this forest for it felt as though we had covered every inch of it.

I asked Jack where else Hawthorne could possibly hide where no one else could find him.

“There really is nowhere else in this city that is safe for him. The forest would give him the most cover.” Jack said, jumping slightly as a bird called out from the branches above, breaking the silence.

“Jack.” I began slowly “What if someone found him?”

The realisation that this might be true hit me hard.

“Now, wait a second.” Jack began.

“What if someone saw him, and took him?” I began to fret.

“I don’t think-”

“I knew there would be no way Hawthorne would leave me.” I said angrily, “Someone has taken him, I know it! Jack, what do we do?”

Jack sighed then smiled, and I looked at him annoyed.

“Sorry.” He said shaking his head, “But the idea of someone actually over powering Hawthorne and hauling him back to their place is actually quite amusing.”

“You think it’s funny?” I hissed.

“Avalon, no one took Hawthorne.” Jack said seriously now, “The thought is simply preposterous. He’d tear them in two.”

I bit my lip and looked around, less panicked now. Perhaps Jack was right. My baby was no longer a baby anymore, and I had to come to terms with that. It was hard as I felt like Hawthorne was my own child; someone that I needed to protect. Yet if anything, Hawthorne was more capable of protecting me than the other way around.

“Come on Avalon.” Jack said putting his hand on the small of my back, “Let’s go back to the Inn.”

I didn’t want Jack to know how much the thought of going back into Frost Arch frightened me, let alone going back without Hawthorne. The fact that we still had no idea where he had gone was tearing at my heart. I pressed my lips together and concentrated hard on a twig on the ground while my eyes began swimming with traitor tears. I nodded silently and bowed my head as we turned around to make the long walk back to the Inn. The intensity of the snow storm had died as the day wore on, but there was still a slight wind that whipped around us. Licking my lips I felt how cracked and dry they had become, and I was rather sure that they would be a very deep shade of blue by now. Even Jack who had grown up around this weather was shivering and had very pink cheeks.

I couldn’t believe that we were giving up already. Part of me still thought that perhaps Hawthorne had been taken. When I tried to bring that subject up again, Jack merely shook his head with a smile.

“Avalon, you would have to be barking mad to approach a five foot tall fox, which could not only swallow you whole but out run you in a second flat.”

I muttered darkly to myself, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I started falling behind Jack’s fast pace. I was starting to linger in the hope that Hawthorne might pop out at any second. The sound of rustling made me stop dead in my tracks.

Jack hadn’t heard it and continued walking, though after a few paces he realised that I was no longer behind him. Turning around he gave me a quizzical look, wondering what I was doing.

I was standing very still, listening very hard for the noise again.

“Ava, what-”

“Shhh!” I hissed at Jack, holding up a finger to indicate that he needed to be quiet for a moment.

Jack watched me in confusion and we stood there very still for several seconds, listening.

Crack.

The sound of a twig breaking rung through the silence between us, though neither one of us had moved a muscle.

“Hawthorne?!” I called desperately.

“Shut up!” Jack hissed, “It could be anyone!”

“Hawthorne?” I called even louder, “Hawthorne?” Adrenalin pumped through my body and my heart raced, “HAWTHORNE?” I swirled frantically on the spot.

Jack closed the distance between us in a few short strides and clasped his hand over my mouth. I struggled furiously with him momentarily before slapping his hands away, but he kept a firm hold onto my shoulders.

“What are you doing?” I said angrily.

“It’s not Hawthorne.” Jack fumed.

“How do you know?” I snapped.

“Because,” Jack began, taking a deep breath, his nostrils flaring, “The noise came from above.”

My expression was one of confusion momentarily before I realised what Jack meant. We looked towards the treetops in unison and from above a pretty black bird stared back at us.

My breath caught in my chest and I clutched at Jack.

“Jack,” I breathed, “Do you think she is working for Sebastian Forsythe? What if she was sent to find me?”

Jack licked his lips nervously, “I think she has been following us for a while.”

“Should we run?” I whispered, though it felt like my feet had been glued to the ground.

“She can fly. She’d beat us anyway.” Jack muttered from the corner of his mouth.

I swallowed hard and Jack and I continued to stare up at the black bird. My heart pounded uncomfortably in my chest and I remembered that Jack had asked Ræven on a date yesterday. Had it really been yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago. I had never even bothered to ask Jack how it had gone for I had been so absorbed with my own problems for the last twenty four hours. Though of course this was normal behaviour for someone who was going through the worst ordeal of their life.