Tightrope
I couldn’t decide whether Asher’s expression was baffled or offended or maybe a combination of the two as he watched us. My attention was ripped away from his face by the sight of a brand-new Mercedes speeding up to the accident scene. The dealership sticker was still on the window.
Ryann. She was driving. Lad sat in the passenger seat. My heart twisted at the horrified looks on their faces as they caught sight of the burning factory. When the car stopped, they got out and ran toward the building.
Culley must have spotted them, too because he backed away quickly. “I believe I’ll go grab a cup of coffee. I’ll be around—if you need me just call.”
“I will never need you,” I assured him, watching his retreat. He’d be back—I knew it. And he was probably right about my escape plans.
How would I evade Audun’s lackeys if he sent them out to search for me? How could I even flee without a car? And how would I support myself? If I continued modeling, it would be very easy for Mother and Audun to find me. A rising tide of fear threatened to swamp me. I couldn’t think about it right now. I’d figure it out later. All I knew was I needed to get away from this horrible disaster scene and from Asher’s troubled gaze.
“Don’t go with that guy, Ava,” he said softly. “I get a bad feeling from him. I don’t know what happened between you two, but I don’t think you should trust him.”
Letting out a weary sigh, I turned toward him, looking up into Caribbean blue eyes that had no doubt caused many a smart girl to turn stupid in his presence. “Should I trust you? Who I know nothing about and have talked to three times in my life, including today?”
Without hesitation, Asher responded, “Yes.” He pulled me close and whispered against my ear, “You should. You should also let me do this.”
Then he shocked me by taking my face in his hands and kissing me—soft, sweet, the kind of first kiss I’d read about but could never have imagined. Because my imagination didn’t know something like this actually existed—this tingly, floaty feeling, the warmth and softness of his lips, the heavy thump of my heart that forced my lungs to work overtime and my head to spin.
“Um... Ava?”
The familiar voice jerked me back to reality. I pulled away from Asher and blinked several times, battling to regain my grasp on the world around me. I felt sort of disconnected and wobbly, grateful for Asher’s supportive arm around my back.
Ryann stood in front of me, Lad close by her side.
“Asher?” she said, her voice sounding even more incredulous this time.
“Hey Ryann.” He stepped toward her but kept a hold on me. “I am so sorry. Did someone call you?”
She shook her head in a dazed sort of motion. “No. I... we saw the explosion and came to see what had happened. I didn’t know you two... knew each other.”
Now I spoke up, snapping out of my stunning-kiss high. “We met a few days ago in town. And he got me out of my car just now.” I hooked a thumb toward the wreckage that had been my Corvette.
“Well...” she said, her gaze still bouncing between the two of us, trying to figure out our apparently close connection. “I guess I’d be pretty grateful, too. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Do you know if anyone was hurt?” Lad asked Asher.
“A few people were transported to the hospital—they were also in their cars during the blast. I don’t know if anyone was in the church.”
Both guys looked toward the damaged building.
“Do you know who did it?” Ryann asked me. Her voice was quiet, deadly serious.
“Do you mean... are you asking if I did it?” Cold pain cramped my insides. Did she really think I was capable of such an atrocity?
I noticed Asher’s eyes slide to the side, back toward me. He’d obviously heard the odd question.
“No—of course not,” Ryann said. “I’m asking if you saw anything... or anyone.”
Culley, she added silently.
I answered her without speaking. I saw him. He denies it. I don’t know.
Asher squeezed my hand. “Richie just showed up. Listen, I’m gonna go talk to him and see if he found you a rental. I’ll be right back. You should get anything you might need out of your car before he scrapes it up and takes it to the junk yard, okay?”
I nodded and watched him walking toward the large tow truck that was coming toward us, carefully weaving between the disabled vehicles on Main Street.
Following his suggestion, I went to my car and got down on my knees to peer inside through the open driver’s side door. The back seat was less squashed than the front. Reaching an arm into the open space, I was able to snag the handle of my overnight bag and drag it out. My suitcase was in the trunk. No way I’d be able to retrieve it until the vehicle was flipped right-side-up again.
At least my purse was there, though it was nearly empty. It had been tossed pretty thoroughly during the wreck. On my hands and knees I crawled further into the car and gathered my lip gloss, brush, gum, and some loose change. But where were my wallet and phone? Uh oh. I wanted to find my phone of course, but I needed my wallet. It contained all my money and credit cards, my driver’s license, and other identification. I couldn’t rent a car, buy a plane or a train ticket without it.
After a thorough search of the interior, I determined the missing items must have been thrown from the car, so I walked around the perimeter of the crash site searching for them.
“Can I help?” Lad said.
I looked up, spotting Ryann behind him talking to a sheriff’s deputy.
“Maybe. I can’t find my wallet or my phone. Maybe someone picked them up already and turned them in to the police.”
“You should ask,” he said and nodded toward Ryann and the officer. “I’m going to hang back here. I’m not exactly a registered resident of the county.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Taking his suggestion, I approached the officer and asked if anyone had turned in a stray wallet and phone.
“Not that I know of. Are you okay, ma’am? Were you in the explosion?”
“No. I mean, yes, my car was overturned, but I’m fine.”
“Well, you better get yourself checked out just in case.” He was already reaching to tap the radio clipped to his collar, no doubt to notify emergency services they had another potential patient.
I darted my eyes at Ryann. Help me out here... please.
She touched the officer’s hand holding the communications device. “Officer Jefferson—that won’t be necessary. Ava is my friend. I’ll make sure she goes to a clinic and gets checked out, okay? And would you ask the dispatcher to check on that missing wallet and phone? See if anyone’s turned them in?”
She was swaying him, and I appreciated it.
The man immediately spoke into his radio. “Hey Mary Lou? This is Marc. I’m out at the scene right now. We got someone who had a wallet and cell phone go missing from their car. Anybody turn anything in there?”
A static-y voice came back and informed him that no wallet or phone had been brought to the sheriff’s department. He let go of the device and turned his eyes to me. “Not yet, but check back in later in the day. And give the car another look. They’re probably in there somewhere. I doubt anybody around here would steal things from a wrecked car in the middle of Main Street. And make sure you do go by and get yourself checked out, young lady.”
“Thank you, I will,” I lied.
By the time I’d made one more fruitless search of the car, Nox and Vancia had arrived. They now stood with Lad and Ryann, the four of them looking like they were ready for a magazine spread. Good thing Ryann had already swayed the officer into moving along to other business—a group like them would definitely draw attention—and unwanted questions.
“Any luck?” Ryann asked.
I shook my head.
Nox and Vancia both wore troubled looks. “You’re okay?” he said.
“Yes. Thanks. And no—I don’t know who did it. Culley denies it.”
“Do you believe him?” Vancia asked.
“I’m not sure. He’s hard to read. I’m starting to think the appearance-morphing may be only part of his glamour.”
“What do you mean? What is Audun’s glamour?” Vancia turned to Nox. “Davis never told me. Do you know?”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure,” he said. “It’s not the appearance thing—Culley got that from his mom’s side. Audun told me it was persuasion, something like Davis’s, but I’ve barely spent any time with him—I’ve been back in the Dark Court such a short amount of time. What is it really?”
Before I could answer, Asher returned, stepping up beside me and resting a hand on my shoulder. He eyed my purse and bag. “Got everything?”
“My suitcase is still in the trunk—maybe I can get it after Richie lifts the car? And I couldn’t find my wallet or my phone.”
He kissed my temple. “Don’t worry about that—you don’t need any money right now. I’ll take care of anything you need. So... you know Nox apparently. Who are your other friends?”
He eyed Vancia and Lad—and his former schoolmate Nox—in exactly the way you’d expect a human encountering three incredibly beautiful Elves to do.
“Oh, guys, this is my friend Asher. Asher, this is Vancia. She’s also from... California. And this is Lad. He’s Ryann’s—”
“Boyfriend,” she interrupted before I could utter the word husband. “He lives in Deep River, but he’s homeschooled.”
Asher sized them up for a moment and extended a hand, shaking each of theirs in turn and offering a polite, “Good to meet you.” Then he shot a side-glance at me, as if measuring me against my companions and realizing we all fit in some strange way.
“You ready to go, Ava? We’ll make a run by the hospital, and I’ll get your suitcase from Richie later. He doesn’t have a car available for you right now—his are all lent out. But he might be able to locate one tomorrow. For tonight—you’ll stay at my house. I’ve already called my mom, and she said it was fine. She’s making up the guest room.”
As if they’d all been pinched simultaneously, my Elven friends developed shocked looks, their eyes widening.
You’re staying with Asher? Ryann asked me mind-to-mind. How well do you know him?
No, I told her. I’m not. Then I turned to Asher. “Could you put my stuff in your truck? I’ll be there in a minute. I need to talk to Ryann.”
His glance bounced between the two of us then he nodded and picked up my overnight bag, walking away toward Big Red and giving me a few moments of privacy with my friends.
“I don’t know how this happened,” I explained to her. “But it seems like your alpha-male friend has a hero complex, and for some reason he’s fixated on saving me. I’ll get rid of him. Could I come back to Altum with you tonight?”
“Of course,” Lad answered for her. “We’ll have a lot to talk about. There’s no way that...” he nodded toward the flaming factory. “... was an accident. We need to figure out who was behind it. If Audun gave the order he’s got to be deposed immediately.”
“I agree,” Nox said. “But I’ll find out soon enough. Vancia and I are headed for the Oxford airport from here. We’ll take her plane to L.A., and I’ll confront him face to face, ask him mind to mind.”
“You shouldn’t do that,” I said. “For one thing, your safety could be in danger if you show up there and start demanding answers. There are some things going on that you’re not... aware of.”
“A coup?” he demanded. I could see in his eyes it was something he’d feared all along.
And here it was, the moment where I had to decide whether to switch sides completely. I felt like I was walking a tightrope suspended between my own clan and the right thing to do. On one end were these people I’d come to know as good and honorable. On the other, my heritage, my mother’s expectations—and Audun’s terrifying power.
I took a deep breath. “A plot, yes. To work behind your back and continue Davis’s mission to re-establish Elven rule over humans. Audun... and my mother... and a few others. They were hoping to do it quietly, without violence. They feared outright assassination would be too risky. It might turn our people away from their cause. There’s been much rejoicing about your return from the ‘dead,’ about you taking the throne. Your parents and Vancia’s were beloved, and the people want you to rule. Audun’s plan was to let you be a figure-head ruler while continuing his schemes behind your back.”
“I don’t get it,” Nox said, shaking his head, his dark brows drawn tightly together. “I mean I believe you, but he swore fealty to me. He told me mind to mind he was loyal to me and had no interest in furthering Davis’s plans.”
“Yes... well, that’s the other thing. His glamour allows him to say something like that... while doing the exact opposite.”
“He can lie mind to mind?” Vancia asked, clearly shocked.
“Yes. To anyone. About anything.”
“I’ve never heard of anyone with that glamour before,” Lad said, his grimace indicating grave concern.
“Me either,” said Nox. “Well, now at least we know he can’t be trusted. And he’s got to be taken down.” Turning to Vancia, he said, “I want you to stay here. I’ll go alone. I don’t want you around that pack of vipers. Who knows how many of the Dark Court he’s got on his side? We can’t be sure who’s trustworthy.”
She grabbed his hand. “No. I want to come with you.”
Lad spoke up. “Neither of you should go. It’s too dangerous. And barging in there demanding answers will tip off Audun that we’re onto him. It could speed up his plan or even cause him to do something drastic like reconsider the assassination option. I think you should take that plane to an international airport and go abroad again—skip your California trip entirely. Go work on the international tribes and gain their trust and cooperation. It’ll help to have that strength in numbers when we eventually do confront Audun and his co-conspirators.”
“Do you really expect me to jet off and just let this... this cancer in the Dark Court continue to grow?” Nox said.
“Be calm, brother. You’ll have your chance to do some ‘surgery’ within your court,” Lad assured. “But you need more information first.” He turned to me. “We need someone on the inside to find out how strong Audun’s backing is, to find out who’s with him. And to figure out his next move. He’s taken out the tea production—for now. We need to know what he plans to do to re-establish Elven rule—bring back the fan pods? Use politics? Physical force?”
Now all their gazes rested on me. I started backing away, my palms up in front of me, my hammering heart rising up to block my throat.
“You don’t mean... I don’t think I can... I can’t go back there. I wasn’t going back there—ever. I don’t want to work for him anymore. You don’t know what Audun is like.”
“But you do,” Lad said. “And apparently he trusts you—he sent you here to strike a blow against the Light Court. He arranged for you to be betrothed to his son. If anyone can get close to him, you can.”
“But Culley knows what I did,” I argued. “... confessing to you and repairing the damage to your memory. What if he tells Audun?”
I’d never been the direct recipient of Audun’s wrath, but I’d certainly heard the rumors. At times, I’d been one of his methods of punishment.
“Culley cares about you, Ava,” Ryann said. “I suspect he could be very easily persuaded to keep his mouth shut, as long as he believed there was a chance you cared for him, too.”
“No. I can’t. There’s another aspect to Audun’s glamour—and if Culley has inherited it, he’ll know what I’m up to. Audun is like a walking, breathing lie detector. He can lie to anyone, but no one can lie to him. I’ve seen it in action.”
“And I’ve seen you and Culley together,” Vancia said. “There is something there—attraction at least. We need you Ava. You’re the only one who can get inside the Dark Council and tell us what’s really going on. Many lives may depend upon it—human and Elven.”
As she spoke the last word, her gaze drifted over to Nox. She was clearly afraid for her husband’s life. As long as the Dark Council was plotting against him and against peace with the Light Elves and with humans, Nox’s life would be in jeopardy.
I couldn’t let the two of them go to L.A.
But I also couldn’t go back there myself. I had changed. I had gotten a taste of what it was like to make my own decisions. I’d seen a glimpse of a future free from hurting and using others for the gain of the Dark Council. The thought of being in Audun’s presence again, under his thumb again, made my skin crawl and my belly sick with dread.
Casting a glance to the side, I saw Asher sitting in the cab of his truck, waiting patiently as I’d asked him to do. Suddenly, a ride with him in Big Red seemed very, very appealing. I wanted nothing more than to climb up into the seat beside him, turn up the radio, roll the windows down, and tell him to drive as far and as fast as possible in the opposite direction from the west coast. The Florida Keys were sounding just about perfect right now.
“I know you’re afraid,” Ryann said, obviously reading my emotions. “I know what it feels like to worry that your heritage and your glamour make you a bad person. I’ve been there. But this could be the first step toward forgiving yourself and moving ahead free and clear from guilt. Running away might sound attractive, but you can’t run from yourself or your past. You have to face them.”
Shaking my head and fighting tears, I whispered, “No. I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“Think about it. You could turn your gift into something beneficial instead of something destructive,” Lad encouraged. “I’ve learned that myself about my leadership glamour. I couldn’t run from my birthright. Instead, I adapted it to my own identity. You have a choice here. I’m asking you to help us—help the humans, like your friend Asher.”
Before I even had a chance to do the natural thing and turn to look at Asher again, there was a loud cry from his direction. His voice. I recognized it though I’d never heard it that loud—or that upset—before.
“No! No. What was he doing there?” he said.
I whipped my head around to see him, now standing beside his truck, the door wide open, and a man talking to him with a hand outstretched to Asher’s shoulder as if to calm him. Or comfort him.
Without a word to my companions, I ran toward him, reaching his side in moments. “Are you okay? What’s wrong? What happened?”
Asher’s face, which had been so appealingly tan before, was now whitewashed with shock. He turned his dazed eyes to me. “It’s Granddaddy. He was in the church. They took him to the hospital and then transferred him to Oxford—he’s in the intensive care.”
“Oh no,” I wheezed, finding it hard to breathe. I didn’t know Asher well, but I knew his granddaddy was extremely important to him. This put a very real face on the tragedy. It wasn’t just the destruction of Ryann’s factory and the important product being made there.
It wasn’t just “humans” who’d been hurt. It was someone’s loved one. Asher’s loved one. It could easily have been him who was caught in the crossfire of the Dark Elves’ plot against the humans, and that thought was nearly unbearable.
“I’m so sorry,” I told him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He covered my head with a large hand and pulled it in to his chest, crushing me against him. When that big chest began to shake and then to heave with sobs, my own heart cracked open. I buried my face against him and held him as tightly as I could, whispering over and over again, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
He could never understand how sorry I was. My people had done this—maybe even my former fiancé. Lad and Ryann were right. I had to do something. I couldn’t let Audun get away with hurting people like Asher and his family. If there was anything I could do to stop him—I had to try.