Scarlet furrowed her brow. “Why do you think she has it?”
“Magic.”
“What?”
Nate looked at her seriously. “The root of this flower is used in very old, very dangerous spells.”
“Spells, hmm.” Tristan slanted his eyes at Gabriel. “That sounds like something a witch would do.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes.
“What kind of magic does Liferoot do?” Scarlet stepped closer to the computer.
Nate studied the flower. “I don’t remember. But it’s definitely used for dark magic.” He looked at Scarlet and bit his lip. “And Raven used to use dark magic. A lot of dark magic.”
Scarlet blinked. “So you think Laura is Raven?”
“I think it’s a strong possibility.”
“O-M-G,” Heather said. “Does that mean Laura is a witch?” She nodded. “Because I can see Laura as a sexy red-headed witch wearing a pointy black hat while stirring a caldron.”
Nate nodded. “This plant is extremely rare and the fact that she has the whole thing, including the roots is textbook witchcraft.”
Heather wrinkled her face. “How would you know?”
Nate shrugged. “Because I’m from a family of dark magic.”
“You’re what?” Scarlet’s mouth fell open.
Nate looked at her in confusion for a moment, and then he nodded in understanding. “Oh, right. You don’t remember.” He clasped his hands together and cleared his throat. “I’m Nathaniel Fletcher. In the 1500s, my family practiced dark magic outside of Gabriel and Tristan’s village.”
Scarlet was so confused. “Like Raven’s family?”
He nodded. “Yeah.” He looked back at the flower and casually said, “Raven was my cousin.”
Scarlet’s mouth fell even further. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“You’re related to the psycho Scarlet-killer?” Heather’s eyes were on him like a hawk.
“Yes,” Nate nodded, and turned to face them. Upon seeing their accusing expressions, he hurriedly added, “But it’s not like I conspired to kill Scarlet or anything. I didn’t even know Scarlet back then. Raven and I were cousins, not partners in crime.”
Scarlet shook her head. “This is all so crazy.”
“So what are you, like some kind of witch?” Heather eyed him up and down.
Nate said, “Well, technically I would be a wizard, but it’s not like that. I don’t practice magic. I find it weird. And scary. And I was never really good at it anyway.”
Scarlet scrunched her nose. “But your family is full of witches?”
“My family members were not immortal, so they’re all dead. But yes, when they were alive pretty much everyone practiced magic.”
“So wait,” Heather said, holding up a hand. “You’re telling us you were a wizard? But not a good wizard? You were like a misfit wizard?”
Nate rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I sucked or anything. I just never got into it.”
“This is just so weird.” Scarlet stared at the computer screen. “I can’t believe you’re Raven’s cousin. And I can’t believe Laura is Raven.”
“Maybe,” Tristan interjected. “Laura may be Raven.”
Scarlet looked at Tristan and for a brief moment their eyes met, and her heart kicked in response.
“Well, either way,” Gabriel said, “Laura is up to something involving magic and it’s probably not for the good of mankind. So let’s just assume, for the time being, that Laura is evil. What should we do about the flower?” He directed his question at Nate.
“I wish I remembered what spell that flower was used for.” Nate looked at the computer screen and frowned.
Me too, Scarlet thought.
Her head was spinning.
63
Gabriel stared at Tennius in disbelief. “What do you mean, he’s dead? He can’t be dead!”
Tennius kept a stoic expression. “Your father passed away this morning. They believe he was poisoned, my lord.”
Poisoned?
“Who would dare to do such a thing?” Gabriel raised his voice. “Where were the guards? Where were you?”
Tennius’s face grew red in anger, but he kept his voice controlled. “We were all there, my lord. Someone must have poisoned him with magic.”
Gabriel’s blood began to boil as he charged out of the room and into the chaotic court. People were frantic and confused, running around the castle, but Gabriel couldn’t make sense of any of it.
He simply marched ahead and let the chaos surround him as he headed nowhere.
Later that day, he was donned the earl of the region, taking his father’s place, and crowds gathered to honor him. He should have been proud to be the new earl. But he was numb.
His brother was dead. His father was dead.
The only good thing left in his life was Scarlet, who stood by his side as he accepted his new title. She squeezed his hand throughout the evening, assuring him that things would be okay and that he would be a great leader.
She was bright and beautiful. And she was the only reason Gabriel believed in himself.
Or anything.
Two nights after Gabriel was made earl, Scarlet held her mother’s hand and watched her writhe in pain as she babbled.
“Scarlet,” Ana said. “Take my brooch. Keep the brooch. It is not for the earl. Not the earl.”
Scarlet nodded in confusion. Her mother had been spewing nonsense for nearly two weeks and Scarlet had stopped trying to find meaning in her words. “Yes, mama.”
Ana started to cry and Scarlet cried right along with her, wanting to soothe the disease and take away the pain. She had known her mother was going to die, and she had had months to prepare for it. In a way, Ana had died weeks ago when her mind went mad. But that did not make their goodbye any less gut wrenching.
“Please don’t die, mama,” Scarlet whispered. “I need you. I cannot do this without you.”
Ana’s body started to convulse and Scarlet watched in horror as the life disappeared from her mother’s eyes.
Scarlet was lost, confused, alone and completely broken.
She was empty. Completely damaged.
Scarlet had lost everyone in her life.
Everyone except Gabriel.
64
Scarlet drove down Main Street, passing the bakery, the cemetery, and a small bookstore, taking note of how very quaint and normal the small town of Avalon looked. Tall trees lined the road, standing guard in front of the town library and the coffee shop.
It was ideal and peaceful and it made Scarlet wish she were normal. She wished she wasn’t cursed and stressed about dying and emotionally connected to a guy she couldn’t touch.