Seconds Before Sunrise (The Timely Death Trilogy), page 9
I glanced at his empty seat. He was missing more school than usual. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know,” she said, waving her hand around. “But he’s really excited to have the house to himself. It never happens.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll have to check with my mom, but I think I can come over.”
“Great.” She was glowing.
“What’s going on?” I asked, suspicious of her lightened appearance. She always had an attitude in school.
“Zac called me last night.”
“And?”
“He wants to go out sometime,” she said.
I patted her knee. “That’s awesome.”
“I’m excited,” she said, kicking her feet like a child. I had never seen her as happy as she was now. “We haven’t made the plans yet, but I hope it’s soon. He says he has good news.”
My stomach twisted at the words. I didn’t know Zac, but it was hard for me to imagine any news coming from him was good.
“Maybe he’ll come over to Robb’s,” she continued.
My eye twitched. I rubbed it, and I opened my eyes to Crystal’s mouth hanging open. She was facing Eric, and he didn’t look as happy as he had before.
“Can I have my seat back?” he asked in a low tone.
Crystal leapt up, leaving without another word. By the way she reacted, it was hard to remember they used to be friends.
He sat down so suddenly that his chair moved backwards. I wondered if he remembered what he had said in the hospital about Zac and Robb, but I didn’t want to ask.
“You okay, Jessica?” His whisper was barely audible.
“Of course.”
His gaze landed on the blank notebook in front of us. “You really are a terrible liar,” he said as the teacher took over the classroom’s attention.
Eric was right. I wasn’t okay. I was more worried about Crystal dating Zac than I wanted to admit.
Eric
The sun was setting on Hayworth, and the usually golden glow was gray and cold. It hovered over the still trees, and I breathed in the dense air. I knew the feeling. Rain was coming, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it would be the last time before the transition to snow. Winter was coming earlier than usual.
The realization hit me as soon as her energy did. It was electric, but it was dull, and I knew Camille was in my father’s office. Darkness followed it, and the hair on my arms stood up. Whatever was happening in my house was big, and I didn’t know about it.
I rushed inside, but Mindy and Noah were nowhere in sight. They were gone, confirming my thoughts, and I ignored the overwhelming sensation to transform. If the elders were in my house, they could handle my identity.
“What’s going on?” I began talking before I even had the door open.
They, however, hadn’t stopped talking.
“We’ve already decided this is the best plan,” Luthicer said.
Eu stood by his side in agreement. He was practically the other man’s shadow.
“But Camille is hesitating,” Bracke − my father’s shade identity − said, but Camille didn’t speak. Her white hair was longer than ever before.
“My student has accepted full responsibility,” Luthicer continued. “She wants to go.”
“There’s a better way,” Urte said.
Luthicer folded his arms. Even with his sleeves down, I couldn’t forget his scars.
“What’s going on?” I repeated.
Everyone turned toward me with meek interest, but Luthicer’s face budged.
My mind went to the worst place possible. “Is Jessica okay?” I asked.
“She’s fine,” Camille grumbled. The woman I had barely spoken to was rigid with nerves.
“Then, what happened?”
“It doesn’t concern you,” Eu said.
I shut the door behind me as a response. I was staying whether they liked it or not.
“This meeting is for the Dark,” he continued, stabbing at my inability to change.
“If you haven’t forgotten, I’m in charge of the survival of it.”
“Not anymore, kid,” Eu retorted.
I glowered at the people of my community. “What does that mean?”
“We’re declaring war,” Luthicer said, taking a seat for what seemed to be the first time in my life. He was quiet and so were the others.
“War?” The word held too much definition for three letters.
“The Light wants to meet,” my father informed me. “We already know why.”
I couldn’t breathe. “How long has this been going on?”
“A few days,” Urte said. “We didn’t want to worry anyone.”
“You could’ve worried me.”
“You don’t have time to be bothered,” he said.
“This is about my injuries,” I guessed. “Isn’t it?”
“If they’re offering a war, they don’t believe Darthon can beat you on his own,” Camille said. “It’s a good sign.”
“It’s a trap,” I said.
Her black eyes slid into thin lines. I hated how the lights didn’t have irises.
“We have to consider it,” she said.
“So, what do you have to do with it?” I interrogated her.
“I’m making the deal with them.”
My ribs felt as if they were breaking again. “No, you’re not,” I said, pointing at her as I shouted at my father. “They could kill her.”
“She’s more than capable—”
“I’m guessing they want to have this meeting in their realm,” I said, knowing they would only send a half-breed for one reason. “They could kill her in there − in a second. She wouldn’t even stand a chance.”
“They won’t do that.”
I didn’t bother looking at her. “They will declare war with your death, and you know it.”
She twitched in my peripherals, but Luthicer remained calm. “I’d go myself,” he said. “But they requested your guard, Eric.”
“Even more reason to ignore their request,” I said, throwing my arms into the air. “Aren’t you the one who told me about their ways? You can’t believe they’ll keep their word.”
“If it’s death they want—” Camille began, but I shouted over her.
“They’ll get it in war,” I said. “They don’t need one beforehand, and neither do we.” I was shaking. “Have you even considered how easy it would be to figure out my identity if you get killed as Camille and Teresa disappears? Everyone knows you’re close to this family. Don’t be an idiot.”
Luthicer stood up. “We have considered this, Eric, but we can’t ignore this. A war would improve our chances.”
“Our destined chances?” I argued. “We’re going to win.”
“We can lose.”
“Then, let me lose,” I said, refusing to move.
Among my stillness was a pounding heart.
“If they truly want a war,” I chose my words carefully, “they’ll be willing to meet on equal territory.”
“There’s no such thing, Eric,” Luthicer said. “We’re more powerful here, just as they are in their realm. Either way, one side will have to forfeit safety.”
“We’re talking about war,” I pointed out. “What is safe about that?”
“That’s why I’m going,” Camille interjected.
I resorted to my last tactic. “Then I’m disowning you as my guard.”
“You can’t do that,” she said, her voice squeaking to octaves I’ve never heard before.
“Actually, I can,” I said, searching my memory for all of the training I had as a child. “If a guard is chosen for you, you can disown them and choose another.” I turned to my father. “Can’t I?”
He blinked his ice-blue eyes as if he were clearing his vision. “You can,” he said. “But the Light wouldn’t know.”
“I’ll make sure they do,” I threatened.
“If you transform, you would heal, Eric,” Luthicer said, knowing I could break my father’s binding spell. “You’ll expose yourself.”
“Wouldn’t be any different from Camille getting killed,” I pointed out.
Camille threw her arms down. “Why do you have to be so difficult?”
I didn’t budge. I wouldn’t let it happen. Even though we hadn’t been talking, she was still my sister.
“I won’t see you die for the situation I caused,” I said. “Not if I can prevent it.”
“You can’t prevent this war, Eric,” my father said, stepping away from his desk. “We’ve already decided to agree to it.”
I knew they were right. I didn’t know how long I had between healing and the fight. I’d be weaker, and Darthon was already stronger than I was. Fighting on my own would be riskier, especially if the Light showed up with every warrior they had. Despite our refusal for a war, they could do it anyway, and I would have to fight an army.
“Then wait for them to come to us,” I said. “They’ll show up on their own.”
Urte sat on the desk, running his hand over his beard. “Let’s give them a week,” he suggested. “If they don’t communicate, we’ll consider other methods.”
Camille wouldn’t have to go.
I grinned. “Deal.”
“Then, this meeting is done,” my father said, moving toward the door.
Eu disappeared in a cloud of smoke, but everyone else remained. My father stopped near me like he was about to speak, but only laid a hand on my shoulder. I stared at the wrinkles beneath his eyes. He was too tired to say anything. He dropped his hand and left the room. Urte followed him.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Camille said, but she wasn’t as rigid as she had been. Her movements confirmed her reluctance of what I stopped. She knew what would happen to her, and she had accepted it.
“You shouldn’t have agreed to it,” I said.
She moved across the room in a flash. I half-expected her to slap me, but she did the opposite. Her arms were around my shoulders, and she squeezed me into a hug.
“Thank you,” she whispered, sizzling into light as she left the room. She was gone, and Luthicer was the only one who remained.
“I’m waiting for the lecture,” I said.
“Eric.” His hardened tone was quick. “You impressed me tonight − even if you are just a human.” He pulled on his sleeves, and then he was gone, electricity running down my spine. Even he had to admit what I hadn’t considered before.
I was more powerful as Eric than I had ever been as Shoman.
Jessica
“He was just staring at me,” I whispered, letting my brown hair fall over the side of Robb’s bed as Crystal painted my toenails. She had already redone my makeup and threatened to put it on Robb when he complained, but she never did it. I kind of wished she would.
“We’ve heard it before, Jess,” Robb said.
Crystal shushed him as rain pinged against the window. “I didn’t hear all of the details,” she said, waiting for more. She winked. “Sounds romantic − even if it isn’t real.”
I fought a blush. I didn’t want to think of my dreams as romantic, but they felt nice aside from the last one. I wouldn’t tell them about the one with Eric. “Another man showed up.”
“Another one?” Crystal was about to fall off the bed, but I couldn’t laugh.
“He was frightening,” I admitted, thinking of the man standing in my front yard. I wanted to talk about my dreams with Eric, but it was too awkward once the Stones showed up. I only had my friends to confide in now.
I turned to Robb, but he hadn’t looked at me all night. “That dream happened the night you dropped me off.”
“From the date?” Crystal asked, but I stared at Robb. He was transfixed on the rain.
“You said you saw something,” I said.
He finally glanced up. Thunder smacked against the house, and the lights flickered. “I don’t remember,” he grumbled.
I sat straight up, almost kicking the bed with my freshly painted toenails. “You have to,” I said.
Crystal interrupted, “You’re going to ruin your pedicure,” she said, grabbing my feet as Robb stared at them.
“Don’t ruin it,” he said, his face locked into the same dull expression he held all night. His parents were gone, and he practically begged to hang out at his house for once, but he didn’t seem as excited as he was before.
“I was hoping you remembered what you saw,” I said.
Crystal glanced between the two of us. “Do you think someone was actually there?” she asked.
I shrugged, staring at our friend. He wouldn’t say anything.
Crystal tapped his shoulder. “Why are you so quiet?” she asked.
“Just stressed out,” he sighed. “Family stuff.”
“Is everything okay?” she asked, and he said something, but the thunder drowned him out. When Crystal asked him again, he remained silent. He never talked about his family. Everything I knew about them was from Crystal or Zac. I had only seen them in the photos lining the walls.
“We don’t have to talk about it,” I said.
Robb’s face relaxed. “I must have seen a raccoon or something.” He finally gave an answer, but it wasn’t what I wanted from him.
“You seemed a lot more concerned when you dropped me off,” I argued.
He picked up his controller and turned on the television that hung off his far wall. He had left the conversation.
I sighed, and Crystal rolled her eyes. “So—”
She stopped as the garage opening rattled Robb’s bedroom. He leapt up, and Crystal gaped at him. He shushed her before she could talk. “I’ll be right back,” he said, moving toward the door, but it opened before he could get to it.
“We need to talk,” Zac said, bursting in as Robb leapt up. Zac’s eyes widened as he looked around the room. Rain dripped off his clothes. “I didn’t know you guys were hanging out.”
“Did you run up those stairs?” Crystal joked. “You got up here really fast.”
He chuckled, pulling a stack of papers out from under his shirt. He was still in his school uniform, and he was soaked, but his papers weren’t. “I’m in a hurry,” he said. “I thought I could talk to Robb since our parents are out together.” As usual, I learned more from Zac than Robb.
“What’s the paperwork for?” Crystal asked, leaning onto Zac’s leg.
“Transfer paperwork,” he said, his cheeks reddening beneath his tan. “I’m going to Hayworth,” he said, and he met my eyes. “Good to see you’re feeling better, Jess.”
Crystal spoke up first, “You’re transferring?”
Robb went back to his chair. “Linda is, too,” he said.
Zac sat down next to Crystal. She lit up, but Zac kept looking over at me.
“We don’t have to talk about that,” he said, pressing his back against the wall. His entire torso was facing me, and I suddenly hated being against the corner of Robb’s room. “What were you guys talking about?”
“Nothing,” I said, but Crystal spoke at the same time.
“Jess is having freaky dreams.”
Zac lowered his face, and shadows melted across his wet forehead. “What kind of dreams?”
“Just a bunch of boys,” Crystal answered.
I tapped her, hoping she would get a hint, but she didn’t. Only Zac noticed my gesture.
“Why don’t you want to tell me about it?” he asked, showing off his overly white teeth.
“It wasn’t that,” I lied. “We already finished the conversation.”
“Jess thinks someone was outside her house the other night,” Robb said, turning around to stare at Zac.
Zac’s eyes didn’t leave mine. “Why would you think that?”
“I thought Robb saw him,” I admitted.
Zac looked back at his friend. “Who’d you see?”
“Not sure,” he said, contradicting his raccoon answer.
“You said you didn’t see someone,” I said, but the boys stared at one another, refusing to move. I didn’t understand. I had to wave my hands to get them to look at me again. “What did you see?”
Robb sighed, “I thought—”
“He didn’t see anything,” Zac said, leaning over to punch his friend in the shoulder. “He’s just kidding.”
“I was just freaking you out, Jess,” Robb said.
Crystal threw her hands into the air. “Not funny,” she said. “You two are so immature.” She tapped the top of my foot. “Do you like them?”
I tore my eyes away to look at my toes. Yellow stars settled on sparkling purple polish, and I felt the first burst of relief I had all night. “They’re beautiful.”
“I thought you’d like them.”
“They’re just toes,” Robb grumbled.
Crystal groaned. “Do you have to ruin everything?”
“Trust me,” he said. “I didn’t ruin anything.”
Zac stood up from the bed and grabbed his papers. “I’ll come back later,” he said, only turning to wave to me. “See you later, Jess,” he said, and no one stopped him. He dipped out of the room before anyone could speak, and we waited until the sound of the garage door stopped.
“Well, that was weird,” Crystal said, laying down on her stomach. Robb watched her as she kicked her legs back and forth.
“I don’t think either of you should date him,” he said.
Crystal gasped. “I don’t like him. Jess—”
“I’ve known you long enough to tell, Crystal,” he said. “Just trust me on this one.”
Crystal’s face was beyond red. It was an entirely new color. “What’s your problem?” she asked, rolling over to pick up her things.
Robb stopped her. “I’m not trying to start anything,” he said, speaking quickly. “I just wanted to say what I thought.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have.”
“Crystal—”
She grabbed the door, but I was the one to stop her this time. “Come on, Crystal,” I started. “At least he didn’t say anything in front of Zac.”
“Are you seriously taking Robb’s side?”
“I’m not taking sides,” I clarified. “I don’t want anyone to fight.”
She seethed for a moment, but Robb sighed and reached for her hand. She didn’t shake him away. “I’m stressed out,” he said. “I didn’t mean it.”
