Like it would tear her soul in half if only to escape….
“Scar,” he said, his voice cracking as he looked at her burning eyes. “You—“
“What did you call me?” His beautiful voice came over her ears and struck something deep and warm inside her. Something she remembered…loving.
“You need to get out of here.” He spoke firmly, but his eyes looked panicked.
“You called me…‘Scar’…” She took another step closer to him, her heart pulling her near, hammering madly inside her chest. Looking up at his handsome face, she tilted her head. Her voice was soft, curious, and aware. “You called me ‘Scar’…. That’s my name…‘Scar’….”
He opened his mouth like he was going to speak—
“Scarlet!” Gabriel’s voice carried down the basement stairs and into Tristan’s room, breaking the silence.
They looked away from one another and shifted in opposite directions.
Tristan turned and retreated to the master bath. Scarlet started walking, slowly and in a state of shock, back toward his door.
He called me Scar…. I remembered his tattoo…. What does this mean? Why can’t I remember?
Frustration filled her veins.
She hated her broken mind.
She hated the secrets Tristan was keeping from her.
And she hated that her eyes were still on fire.
Tristan came up behind her with a fresh shirt on and, without making eye contact, they exited the bedroom and made their way back up the stairs to where Gabriel and Nate were looking for Scarlet.
Scarlet’s heart thrummed away, refusing to calm down.
Partly due to her shock at seeing Tristan’s tattoo.
But also because she had something important to tell the guys.
Something critical.
69
Gabriel and Nate had been across town, trying to figure out what would cause a person to immediately turn to ash upon death, when Gabriel received Scarlet’s text message.
Seeing Tristan and Scarlet come up from the basement together, Gabriel’s first thought was jealously.
But it was quickly replaced by fear when he saw Scarlet’s eyes.
Her very bright, very neon blue eyes.
Ash people were no longer Gabriel’s primary concern. “Scarlet, are you okay?” He looked at Tristan with hatred. “What did you do?”
Tristan shot Gabriel a dark look. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Look at her eyes!”
Scarlet started shaking her head. “Forget about my eyes. I had a flashback.”
She felt something warm trickle down her face and touched a hand to her nose.
Blood.
Her nose was bleeding.
Tristan cursed, looking away with clenched fists.
Nate sucked in a breath.
Gabriel came in close to her, taking her face in his hands. “You’re sick, Scarlet. This is serious.”
“I’m fine.” She wiggled out of his arms and backed away, wiping at her nose. “Listen to me, I had a flashback and I feel like someone is in danger.” Scarlet took a deep breath. “I hid an arrow. In one of my other lives, I remember running away with an arrow and hiding it because I knew it was dangerous. The arrow made me afraid and I was desperate to protect it.”
All three of them looked at her intently.
“The arrow is going to kill someone…or, or something. I don’t know.” Scarlet groaned in frustration. “I can’t remember why, but I know it’s dangerous. The arrow made me sad and scared, so I hid it. Do you guys know what I’m talking about?”
They all shook their heads.
“You thought the arrow was dangerous?” Nate asked, looking at her closely.
“You never told me anything about a hidden arrow,” Tristan said, his voice soft as he looked at her nose.
Was she still bleeding?
“Me neither.” Gabriel’s eyes looked concerned. “Scarlet, are you sure it was a flashback? Your eyes are bright and your nose is bleeding, which means you’re very ill. Do you think maybe you blended two memories together?”
“I might be sick, but I’m not crazy, Gabriel. I hid an arrow! I ran around some old house and looked for a safe place and I hid it!”
They just stared at her.
“Agh!” Scarlet suddenly remembered the wardrobe she’d seen in Tristan’s room. “I’ll show you.” She spun on her heel and rushed back downstairs to Tristan’s room.
They followed after her.
Scarlet entered the forbidden bedroom and rushed over to the cabinet in the corner. It looked exactly the same, but for some wear and tear.
She pulled out the bottom drawer and emptied its contents on the floor.
“What are you doing?” Tristan eyed her carefully.
“Proving I’m not insane.” Scarlet ran her hand against the bottom of the drawer until she found a notch. She looked up at the boys with an eyebrow raised as she lifted the false bottom. “See?”
Everyone in the room stared into the secret compartment with mouths open.
There, as if no time had passed, lay a slim arrow, its tip glinting in the bedroom light.
“Wha…?” Gabriel leaned down to look at the arrow.
Tristan reached a hand down and swiftly snatched the arrow into his palm. “You hid this in my wardrobe?”
Scarlet shrugged. “I guess.”
“Tristan,” Nate said, slowly. “Maybe you should let me hold on to that.”
Tristan said nothing.
“Do you have any idea why Scarlet thought it was dangerous?” Gabriel looked at Nate.
Nate looked at Tristan. “I have a guess.”
Tristan cleared his throat. “Until we know why Scarlet hid it, we should probably keep the arrow safe. I’ll lock it up in the den with the other weapons.”
Nate glared at Tristan. “How about I lock it up?”
Tristan glared back. “No, thanks. I’ll take care of it.”
And with that, Tristan left the room. Taking the arrow with him.
70
Scarlet watched Tristan leave and turned to Gabriel. “The arrow is unsafe.”
She had no idea how she knew that, but it was true. The arrow was deadly.
Gabriel nodded, looking at her in concern. “Okay. Well, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. I’m sure Tristan will put it somewhere safe.” He looked closely at her eyes—her burning eyes.
“How do you feel?” Warmth trickled from her nose again and Gabriel’s eyes widened in fear.
“I feel fantastic.” Scarlet swiped at her face, her hand coming away bloody. She so did not feel fantastic. She felt nervous. And shaky.
“Scarlet, your eyes are flashing out of control.” Gabriel placed his hand against her cheek and looked at her in worry.
Nate took a step toward Scarlet. “You need to get out of the cabin. Tristan’s presence is only going to—“
“I know!” Scarlet cut him off. Why was she snapping at Nate? He hadn’t done anything wrong. No one had.
So, why was she freaking out?
“I know, I know.” Scarlet moved away from Gabriel’s hand. “Tristan’s killing me, I get it. I’ll leave.”
She was angry. And frustrated. And…sad?
What was going on with her emotions?
Scarlet moved to leave the room. “I need to get ready for the dance anyway.”
Gabriel reached for her hand to stop her. “I don’t think we should go to the dance. I think you need to take it easy. Get some rest—“
“And what? Drink orange juice and eat chicken noodle soup? No, Gabriel! I don’t have the flu. I have a rare heart condition sealed with immortal blood and curable only with magic water. I’m not sick, I’m just dying.”