Avow

  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 Power.”

  “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.

  “Better?” She cocked her head at Tristan.

  “Yes. You’ve just extended your life by at least an hour.”

  ***************

  The morning sun warmed Scarlet’s face as she looked up at the happy sky. Warmth was nice, she decided. The sun, in general, was a happy constant, rising each morning and bringing newness with it. Why had she never seen the sun as such a beam of hope before?

  She stretched her hands out and absently let the leaves of nearby trees brush against her fingers, green and soft, cool from the earlier dew, still living while attached to the great tree that brought them life day after day. Another leaf brushed her palm an
d she squeezed it briefly, releasing it before it was pulled from its life source by her greedy palm.

  To her left, Tristan’s face was staring ahead, alert and beautiful in the daylight. Next to him, Nate adjusted his backpack as he weaved through trees. To her left, Gabriel walked along quietly, looking every few minutes at Heather by his side.

  Heather scratched at her neck and twitched, then looked at Gabriel. “Am I acting crazy?”

  Gabriel smiled. “Nah.”

  It was a lie, but it was a beautiful lie.

  Scarlet was grateful for beautiful lies.

  Heather would be cured.

  Gabriel would fall in love someday.

  Tristan would understand Scarlet’s sacrifice.

  Nate’s heart would heal from Molly’s death.

  Beautiful lies, all of them.

  They walked until the sun began to set and, finally, they found the Bluestone caves.

  The mouth of the caves looked just like a cluster of boulders, but with bright green wines wrapped around them. The only thing that gave away the caves themselves were the glinting blue stones that jutted out from between the thick vines every few feet.

  “This is it,” Scarlet said, bringing everyone to a stop.

  Gabriel eyed the thorny tendrils that blocked the cave entrance like a giant green gate. “And these are the magic vines?”

  The vines were as thick as Scarlet’s forearms, covered in thorns, and too overgrown and tangled to see through.

  “Yep,” said Scarlet. “And they’re supposed to be deadly, too.”

  “They don’t look very magical,” Nate said. “Or deadly.”

  “The journal said the vines can only be cut with immortal blood, so,” Scarlet took a blood-coated knife from her belt, “let’s see if this works.” Raising her knife, she swung the blade down on the nearest vine and watched as it easily sliced in half.

  Huh.

  Heather made a face. “Well, that was anticlimactic.”

  Scarlet frowned and was just about to shrug off the whole magical/deadly plant thing when the severed vine began to move. It grew new tendrils and pulled itself back together, mending the green gate until there was no longer a gap.

  “Now that looks magical,” Nate said.

  Scarlet took a deep breath. “All we have to do is cut through these vines as quickly as possible and enter the caves before they close back up.”

  “And trap us inside,” Heather added with a shrug. “That’s not terrifying.”

  Tristan was already handing out bloodstained weapons to everyone. “If we all swing at the same time, we should be able to make a wide enough hole for all of us to squeeze through before the vines grow back.” He gave a pointed look at Gabriel then nodded to Heather.

  “Wha—what was that?” Heather lifted a brow. “What was that hey bro, make sure the blond chick doesn’t cut any body parts off look? Because I’ll have you know, I’m an expert with butcher knives.”

  Tristan pointed at the weapon in Heather’s hand. “That’s a machete.”

  Puckering her lips, Heather looked at the blade. “Aren’t they the same thing?”

  “I’m going to pretend like you didn’t just say that. Everybody ready?” Tristan looked around to make sure everyone had their weapons raised. One…Two…Three.”

  Everyone swung and pieces of the vine fell to the side as Team Awesome hurried through the vines and into the blackness beyond.

  “Ow.” Nate sucked air through his teeth just as the vines started to move back together. He lifted his torn sleeve to show a bloody scratch on his shoulder.

  “Watch out for the thorns.” He wiped the blood away. New blood bubbled from the wound. He wiped again. Still bleeding.

  “Why aren’t you healing?” Gabriel asked.

  Scarlet examined the thorns. “The thorns have blue tips. Maybe they work like Bluestone.”

  “Perfect,” Gabriel said. “Killer plants.”

  The vines continued slithering until the vine wall was completely reconstructed and had shut them inside the caves which, Scarlet now realized, were not completely dark.

  A soft, blue glow illuminated the cave walls and softly pulsed, as if the caves were alive and breathing. The pulsing blue shimmered with each breath like glowing stardust and it was almost beautiful.

  “Oh no. I’m seeing them again.” Heather sounded panicked. “I see more sparkles. Like everywhere, you guys. O-M-G, O-M-G—“

  “No, no. It’s okay, Heather,” Scarlet said. “That’s just the caves. The walls are actually sparkling.”

  “Oh.” Heather calmed down a bit.

  “When you said ‘caves’,” Nate said to Scarlet. “I had something less sparkly and more bat-infested in mind.”

  Scarlet stepped forward. “So did I.”

  Nate said, “Well this is awesome. The glowing walls will make navigating the caves much easier.”

  Though it was still rather dark, the blue walls gave off enough light for them to find their way through the tunnels without flashlights.

  Tristan shifted. “And these caves are supposed to weaken immortals?”

  “Yeah. If the deadly plants don’t kill you first.” Gabriel touched a hand to the cave wall and waited. “I don’t feel any different.”

  “Me neither.” Nate scratched his head.

  “I actually feel…stronger,” Tristan said.

  Scarlet felt for him, but nothing echoed inside her soul.

  “Maybe the caves aren’t as debilitating as we thought,” Nate said.

  She looked at Tristan and tried again, but still nothing.

  He caught her eyes. “What’s up?”

  “Uh…” Scarlet felt around inside herself. “I can’t feel you anymore. Like at all.”

  Tristan frowned. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “Can you feel me?”

  He shook his head.

  “That’s weird.” Scarlet looked at Nate. “Do you know why—“

  Tristan wrapped a warm hand around her wrist, gently encircling it in his fingers and Scarlet turned her eyes to where they were touching.

  “Do you feel anything?” he asked.

  She felt no supernatural pleasure at his touch. She just felt…normal. Wonderful.

  “Oh,” Nate said in realization. “That’s what the journal meant by deadly to immortals. The caves must cancel out our immortality.”

  She walked her eyes up to Tristan’s. For the first time in five hundred years they were touching without one of them being in danger.

  From the look in his eyes, he’d realized the same thing.

  And now the hand around her wrist felt incredibly intimate. Warm and safe and intimate.

  Nate nodded. “It would also explain why you guys can’t feel each other in here and why Tristan feels stronger. You’re not sharing a life-force right now.”

  Imagine that.

  Tristan hadn’t released her wrist yet and Scarlet was absolutely okay with that. For like ever.

  “Everyone’s mortal. Yay. Now can we get moving?” Heather said.

  Tristan ran his thumb over Scarlet’s wrist and something about it made her heart leap. It was a simple touch, but it was carefree and unafraid. Tristan hadn’t touched her in such a weightless way in hundreds of years and she didn’t want him to let go.

  But he did. He slowly released her wrist, his fingers brushing the length of her hand as he pulled away and it took Scarlet a moment to get the butterflies in her stomach to behave.

  Everyone was staring at them.

  “O-kay.” Nate clasped his hands. “Who wants to walk through the uncomfortable sexual tension first? Gabriel? Heather?”

  “Ugh. Gag me,” Heather said. “Wait no. No one gag me.”

  Gabriel rolled his eyes and walked deeper into the cave, Heather and Nate moving behind him.

  Scarlet followed her friends through the glowing caves, staying by Tristan’s side as they walked along. His shoulder brushed against hers and the electricity that ran through he
r body had nothing to do with immortal blood or magic. It was just…real.

  She glanced at him, looking at his shadowed profile in the blue glow around them. It had been so long since anything between them had been real. Or allowed. Or safe.

  His eyes met hers and held them for a beat before Scarlet faced forward and swallowed. Her throat was dry. Her heart was dry. She missed him. He was walking right next to her and still she missed him. She’d been missing him for centuries.

  As if he could still read her emotions, Tristan’s fingers brushed the back of her arm and slowly slid to her wrist before slipping into her hand. He wrapped her hand in his like there hadn’t been years between them, between their hearts. They were connected at the hand and Scarlet could breathe, really breathe, for the first time since she and Tristan had run in the trees together in her first life.

  She lightly squeezed his hand, just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. They were touching and no one was dying. If Scarlet hadn’t been so wrecked over what she was planning to do, she would have smiled.

  The first hour of their hike through the caves consisted mostly of Nate contemplating the most efficient route to the fountain. The caves split off into dozens of tunnels that went every which way. Following the map, Nate led the way through a series of rather uneventful tunnels and was fairly confident they would get to the fountain ahead of schedule.

  But a few hours into their hike, they hit a wall.

  It was a wall of vines, but still.

  This vine gate was different than the last. It was wide and in constant movement. Stretching almost fifteen feet across, the vines twisted and crawled across the tunnel like a wall of snakes, making a shhh, shhh sound.

  Through in the vines, Scarlet could only see more vines, indicating the wall was very thick, and the blue tips of the vine’s thorns glowed in a pulsing rhythm.

  According to the map, breeching the wall of thorny vines was necessary if they wanted to continue.

  So that sucked.

  “Goodie,” Gabriel said. “A moving wall of death.”

  “Think of it like an obstacle course,” Nate said. “We just need to hack through the vines and tuck and roll until we’ve made it to the other side.”