Scarlet frowned. “That’s weird.”
“I bet it has something to do with Gabriel’s ‘vague’ family business. Why else would he meet another dude at a park in the middle of the night?”
“Heather,” Scarlet sighed, “would you leave him alone? I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for last night.”
Like….
Scarlet couldn’t think of anything, but she was certain Gabriel had good reason to be at the park.
Almost certain.
“Let’s ask him, shall we?” Heather raised a brow as Gabriel freed himself from the lunch line and sat down at their table.
Scarlet smiled at Gabriel. “Hey, did you—“
“So, Gabriel,” Heather interrupted, throwing Scarlet a let-me-handle-this look. “What did you do last night?”
“Rescued kittens. Saved the world. The usual.”
Heather gave a fake laugh. “You’re hilarious. But really,” she leaned in to him, “what did you do?”
Gabriel chewed and swallowed a bite of his sandwich while he thought. “I went home after school. Looked for the TV control for an hour. Watched TV. Had pizza for dinner. Brushed my tee—“
“Did you go to the park?” Heather asked impatiently.
Gabriel smiled at her curiously. “No. Did you go to the park?”
Scarlet touched Gabriel’s arm. “You didn’t go to Freemont park last night?”
Please don’t lie. Please don’t lie.
Gabriel shook his head as he took another bite. “No. Why?”
Scarlet and Heather exchanged a look.
“No reason,” Heather said, smiling cheerily. “Just curious.” She went back to eating her yogurt without looking at Scarlet.
Gabriel wouldn’t lie to her…would he?
Angie Woods must have seen someone else. Or maybe she was lying.
Yeah, that was probably it. Angie was lying.
The little bell sounded in Scarlet’s head again as she examined her boyfriend. Even though they’d spent a lot of time together these last few months, she didn’t know him as well as she’d like to.
But still.
Gabriel had nothing to hide.
Right?
14
Gripping his longbow, Tristan pulled back and let another arrow fly. The arrow was barely airborne before he retrieved, drew back, and released a second one.
Both hit the bull’s-eye, mere centimeters from one another.
Arrow after arrow, Tristan shot at the target board he’d nailed to a tall tree in the distance.
He was angry. He was frustrated.
And he was scared out of his mind.
Nothing was working. Over the past few weeks, he’d tried endless weapons, numerous tactics. But still, nothing.
Scarlet was going to die.
Because of him.
Whoosh.
Bull’s-eye.
Nate hadn’t found any weapons yet, so Tristan had been trying everything imaginable in the meantime.
Without success.
Whoosh.
Bull’s-eye.
Gabriel exited the cabin and stood in silence off to the side.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Double bull’s-eye.
Tristan refused to look at his brother. He didn’t want to talk about it…the curse, the future.
But, apparently, Gabriel did. “So, no luck yet?”
Like luck had anything to do with it.
Tristan didn’t answer. He lined another arrow against his bow and let loose.
Whoosh.
Bull’s-eye.
Gabriel fisted and flexed his hands. “I think we need to go back to square one, Tristan. Start over.”
Tristan let another arrow fly before answering, “Square one? You mean find the fountain of youth? The fountain we’ve been looking for for years? The fountain we can’t find? Yes, let’s get right on that.”
Gabriel raised a brow. “Would you rather let her die?”
Whoosh.
Bull’s-eye.
Tristan’s heart started hammering. He didn’t want to talk about this.
“Listen.” Gabriel moved toward Tristan. “Since your murder plan isn’t panning out, we need to rethink our options. So, how about this.” He clasped his hands together. “I’ll stay here with Scarlet and you can go back to Florida and search for the fountain. Again.”
Tristan took a breath and raised his bow. He pulled another arrow back. “I can’t leave.” He let the arrow fly.
Gabriel shifted his weight. “It’s not like you’d have to go far. It’s only a few hundred miles away.”
Realizing he was out of ammunition, Tristan lowered the bow and started walking to gather the arrows in his target board. “No, Gabriel.”
Gabriel traced after Tristan, picking up a long stick along the way. “Why not?”
Tristan kept his face forward. “Because A: We’ve already tried to find the fountain and it doesn’t seem to exist. And B….” Tristan swallowed. “It’s worse this time. I can’t leave.”
Gabriel stopped walking as Tristan closed the distance between himself and his arrows. After picking them up, he walked back to where Gabriel stood.
“What’s worse? The pain?” Gabriel raised a brow.
Tristan nodded without looking at his brother. “I won’t be able to leave. I can barely stay in the cabin.” His affliction was progressing without mercy.
When he’d first arrived in Avalon, the pain had subsided enough to where he could breathe easily, he could sleep somewhat soundly, and he could live in the cabin, ten miles away from Scarlet, with minimal discomfort.
But now….
Now he couldn’t move without aching.
It was as though her beckoning soul knew he was nearby and was trying to draw him closer by the minute.
The torment kept him up at night. So much so, he’d contemplated driving to her house, parking on her street, and sleeping in his car. Just so his soul could have some peace and maybe even get some sleep.
Day after day, Scarlet’s heart howled in need.
But he couldn’t give in, no matter how fierce the call.
Gabriel nodded with a furrowed brow. “Okay, then. We’ll do some research and if we find it I’ll go. I’ll tell Scarlet I’m going on a family vacation or something.”
Tristan sighed, frustration and helplessness darting through him. “Has she remembered anything yet?”
Gabriel twisted his lips, darkness passing over his eyes.
“What?”
Gabriel looked at him suspiciously. “Yeah. She remembers this.” Gabriel drew a familiar design in the dirt with the long stick he held. “She sketches it all over her shoes. It’s incomplete, but close enough.” Gabriel looked back up at Tristan, hardness in his voice, “Isn’t that…interesting?”
Tristan’s green eyes fell on the design and his heart swelled. He understood why Gabriel was upset.
But still, he kept his face expressionless.
Now was not the time to explain why Scarlet would think that symbol was significant enough to remember.
Tristan tried his best to act casual. “So, what?”
Gabriel eyed him sharply. “You don’t think it’s weird that the first—and only thing—she’s remembered so far is this?” Gabriel pointed to the drawing in the dirt.
Tristan shrugged. He didn’t need to answer to Gabriel. Not now.
Maybe not ever.
What he needed to do was break the curse.
As soon as possible.
Tristan shrugged. “I think we need to focus on undoing the curse.”