Avalon High - Мэг Кэбот 13 стр.

 I was there. Id made it. I staggered toward the sign, not even aware, until that very

moment, that Id been crying, probably since the hail started. Me, who never cries.

 And then the rain stopped.

 Just like that. As if someone had turned off a spigot.

 I paused only long enough to wipe the water from my eyes. Then I started running

againsprinting, reallyfor the arboretum, while overhead, the sky rumbled in protest, as

if there were giants up there, talking among themselves.

 As I passed the dripping tennis courts and flooded lacrosse field, I saw a sight more

welcome than even a dry towel would have been at that moment:

 Wills car, sitting all by itself in the parking lot.

 He was here. He was safe

 Except that he wasnt in his car. I checked. It was locked tight.

 And empty.

 He couldnt have spent the entirety of that hailstorm in the arboretum. Not when he had a

nice safe car to run to.

 I was too late. I had to be. Marco had already come and gone. I was going to find Will

stretched out dead on that boulder of his. I knew it.

 But surely, if he were dead, the dark side would not have worked so hard at keeping me

from getting here

 Except that it had stopped. The rain had stopped.

 Then I caught myself. What was I thinking?Dark side?

 It was a storm.Just a storm .

 A storm that had come from nowhere. A storm that had turned over trees and electrified a

highway and sent my cat streaking for the safety of the inner recesses of the house. A

storm that had sent a dog barking hysterically into the phone. Barking at me.

.

.

 I turned up the pace, running all out now, the sword clutched in one hand by its hilt.

 Inside the arboretum, which I expected to be a messbranches and even some trees

downeverything was precisely as Id seen it last. The smell of rain was thick in the air,

but clearly no rain had fallen here. The trail was so dry, puffs of dust rose up from my

feet as they pounded against it.

 How that was possible, I hadnt the slightest idea. But I didnt really have time to think

about it, either. Because finally I was in front of the ravine, cursing myself for not having

brought a flashlight, because it was dark in those woods, with the storm clouds overhead.

I crashed through the heavy bracken, trying to get a glimpse of the creek bed. I thought I

could see someone down there, but it was hard to be sure

 And then I saw him. Will.

 But he wasnt sitting on his favorite boulder. He wasnt standing on it, either. Instead, he

was stretched out across it, on his back, like

 Well, like a dead man.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

 I didnt scream.

 I dont think I could have uttered a sound if Id tried. For one thing, I was breathing too

hard from my run.

 And for another, the cold hard fear that had been gripping my heart since Id heard

Cavalier barkingbut which I had refused to let myself acknowledgeseemed suddenly to

convulse, cutting off all the blood supply to the rest of my body.

 I dont even know how I got to the bottom of the ravine. I suppose I stumbled there

somehow. I do know that by the time I reached Wills boulder, my legs were covered in

oozing scratches from all the brambles Id apparently encountered, but hadnt felt.

 Lifting my gaze to where he lay, his eyes closed, I could detect no sign that Will was

breathing. But neither could I see any obvious bloodstains. Still, he had to have heard me

coming. And yet he hadnt moved

 My legs trembling uncontrollablyboth from emotion and the endurance test Id just put

.

.

them throughI walked around the boulder and set down the sword, still safely wrapped

in my dads jacket. Then I placed the toe of my shoe into one of the footholds Id used to

climb Wills boulder the last time

 And his face suddenly popped up above mine.

 Elle, he said. He reached up to pull off a set of headphones hed been wearing. You

came. I knew you would.

 And then he grabbed my hand and pulled me up onto the top of the boulder

where I completely lost it. My limbs turned to jelly. All the blood in my body, which

seconds before had been frozen, seemed to thaw at his touch and left me feeling as if I

hadnt the strength to so much as stand.

 Will must have recognized this, for just as I felt my knees begin to give, he said, Hey

and let go of my hand, throwing an arm instead around my waist. When my still-liquid

limbs continued to sway, he caught me up against him with a laugh that ended abruptly as

our bodies met, and my hands flattened out against his chest.

 Then he said, Hey, againbut in a different, much softer voice.

 Staring into his swimming-pool blue eyes, just inches from my own much plainer brown

ones, I finally found my voice.

 I thought you were dead, I whispered raggedly.

 Far from it, he whispered back.

 And then he was kissing me.

 And suddenly, my arms and legs didnt feel like jelly anymore. Instead, I felt as

electrifiedas if I really had been struck by lightning

Because you cant wrap your arms around lightning. Or feel lightnings heart skip a beat

beneath yours. Or taste the coffee hed had to drink earlier, or smell the nice clean scent

of his shirt. I could do all these things with Will, and did

including press myself as close to him as I possibly could, and not just because I was

so cold, after all that rain. Also to prove to myself that he was alive.Alive.

 And he was kissing me.

 And seemed to like kissing me. Very, very much.

 Now why havent we done that before? Will wanted to know, when wed finally

stopped kissing and his forehead was resting against mine.

.

.

only better. Much, much better.

.

 Because you already had a girlfriend, I reminded him. I was amazed that I still

possessed the ability to speak. I would have thought, after a kiss like that, Id have been

rendered speechless. My lips were still tingling from it.

 Oh yeah, he said, still holding on to me. Then he lifted his head. Hey. Youre

shivering. He rubbed my arms with his handshis big, warm hands. No wonder. Youre

all wet. Howd you get so wet?

 Because it was raining, I said. And as if to confirm this, thunder rumbled ominously

overhead.

 Not here, Will said.

 Obviously, I said.

 How can that be? He let go of me, but only for a second, while he leaned down to lift

up a jean jacket hed left lying beside his iPod. He threw the jacket over my shoulders,

then pulled me to him again. Look, Im sorry about what happened back there. At the

school. With Marco. That was bad.

 Yeah, I said, loving the way his arms felt around me. It was. I

 Nothing for you to be sorry for, he said. You didnt do anything. I could have killed

him when he pushed you.

 Yeah, I said. About Marco, Will. I swallowed and then, placing both hands on his

shoulders, I pushed him away a little, so that I could look up into his face. It was as

darkly handsome as ever, his brilliant blue eyes ringed by thick black lashes.

 What? he asked, gazing down at me. He didntyou havent heard from him, have

you? I lost him outside schoolI drove around, looking for him, but I couldnt find him. I

I didnt want to go home. He glanced away from me then. I tried calling your house a

few times, but the operator kept saying all circuits were busy. I thought about coming by,

but after what happened, I wasnt sure

 I grabbed his face between both my palms and turned it so he had to look me in the eye.

 You cant be serious, I said. You think I wouldnt want to see you? Just because of

what happened at school?

 That shadow I knew all too well flitted across his face, darkening his features, although

his grip on me didnt loosen.

 It must be all over town by now, was all he said.

Im sorry, too.

 Will, your mom called me. Shes really worried

 He did let go of me then. He let go of me and turned his back, running a hand through

his dark hair.

 Look, he said to the trees. I just need a little time away from her. And my dad. To

think things over. He looked back at me, his expression wry. Its not every day a guy

finds out his moms not really dead, you know.

 I know, I said, again. Thats not why she called, though.

 He grimaced. I know why she called. Its Marco, isnt it?

 I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. Overhead, thunder rumbled again.

 Will sighed. Whatd Marco do now? He was grinning, but not as if he found the

subject a particularly amusing one. Trash the Land Cruiser? Empty Dads liquor

cabinet? No, hes already done all that. Besides, none of that would hurt me, and Im the

one he blames for all this. Oh, wait, I know. He took thePride Winn out and ran her

aground.

 No, I said, and swallowed. Hes stolen one of your dads guns. And I think hes going

to try to kill you.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

 Thats impossible, Will said flatly.

 Will.

 I felt miserable. Id come crashing down from the high his kisses had sent me to. It was

almost as if theyd never happened. Had I dreamed them? Everything that had gone on in

the past hour seemed like a dream, from the storm to

 Its not impossible, I said. Your fathers gun case was broken into, and Marco is still

missing. I know you didnt take it. Who else could have?

 Oh, I believe Marco took the gun, Will said. But kill me? JeanI mean, Momis

overreacting a little. Marcos not a killer.

 This was exactly what I had said to Mr. Morton. Before Id found out the rest.

.

well, this.

 Um, I said. Will. This may be a little more complicated than you think.

 More complicated than my real mother giving birth to me while her husband was

overseas, and giving me to the man whod actually fathered me to raise, so her husband

wouldnt find out shed been unfaithful? More complicated than having been told my

whole life that my mother was dead, until today, when I was told shes actually the

woman my father married after rising high enough through the ranks to be able to send

his best friendher husbandto his death? Wills laugh was without mirth. Believe me,

Elle. I get the gist.

 Yeah, I said. About that. I have something to tell you, and it might sound a little

strange, but you know before, when you were telling me about how you sometimes get

this feeling that youve been here before? Well, theres this group of people who believe

you actually

 Whats he want to kill me for? Will interrupted, as he paced up and down the length of

the boulder. Above our heads, his question was answered with another loud rumble of

thunder. My dads the one who did it. Not me. I had nothing to do with it.

 Yeah, I said. Well, see, remember when Marco attacked Mr. Morton last year? It turns

out

 And its not like my dad did it on purpose, Will went on. I mean, yeah, he sent the

guy into a hot spot. But it wasnt like he shot that helicopter down himself. They were

under enemy fire. It could have happened to anyone.

 Will, I said, reaching out to grab him by the shoulders so hed quit pacing a minute. It

doesnt matter why. The fact is, Marco wants to kill you. Now, dont you think you and I

should get out of here, in case he shows up?

 Here? Wills dark eyebrows slanted downward. But he doesnt even know about this

place. Ive never brought him here, much less told him about it.

 And the meeting today with Mr. Morton and your mom, I said. Did anybody tell

Marco about that? Or did he just show up?

 No, nobody told him. He

looked down at me. How could he have known about that meeting? Unless

have been listening in on the other extension when Mr. Morton called.

 Right, I said. Or

 One side of Wills mouth quirked up. What? That hes got ESP?

 That, or hes an agent for the powers of darkness.

Wills expression changed from fury to confusion as he

Well, theres one other explanation.

 I said it fast, to get it out before I thought better of it. I still didnt believe it. At least, not

completely. But I thought I had to give him fair warning, since Mr. Morton obviously

hadnt.

 The powers of

 But instead of laughing it off or otherwise dismissing it the way Id half-expected him to,

Wills gaze grew even more intense.

 What did you mean before, when you said that about my thinking Ive been here

before? he asked. And what was that about a group of people who believe

 You know what? I gripped his shoulders more tightly than ever. Its kind of a long

story, and theres a good chance it may not even be true. But true or not, I still think wed

better goat the very least to get out of the rain, if not away from Marco.

 Will looked up at the ever-darkening mass of clouds overheadwhat we could see of

them, through the treetops. Funny how it had rained everywhere else but here.

 But not ha-ha funny.

 Okay, he said, and started to follow me as I climbed down from his boulder. But

where do you want to go?

 The deep voice seemed to come out of nowhere.

 May I recommend Tahiti?

 I froze. The blood that Will had thawed with his kiss iced up again.

 Because I recognized that voice. I knew who it was even before I turned around and saw

him standing in the creek bed, the mouth of an ugly black gun trained on the center of

Wills chest.

 I hear the Polynesian Islands are lovely this time of year, Marco said casually.

 The two brothers stared at each other, Marco, down in the creek bed, and Will on the top

of his boulder. It was so still, I could hear both of them breathing. At least until lightning

coursed across the sky overhead, making me jumpeven before it turned everything along

the horizon a bright, cardinal red.

 Then thunder crashed, and the red disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

 Elle, Will said, in the sudden silence that followed these celestial pyrotechnics. He

never took his gaze off Marco. Go home.

Wills voice trailed off as he stared down at me.

something?

 Yes,Elaine , Marco said, in a voice dripping with malice. Run home tofloat some

more. Theres nothing you can do here.

 I bristled. I knew what Marco meant. That there was nothingElaine of Astolat could do

here.

 But that was fine, because I wasnt Elaine of Astolat, no matter what he might think. And

there was plenty Elaine Harrison could do.

 Im not going anywhere, I said.

 Marco feigned that he was touched.

 Aw, how sweet, he said. Shes going to stay to defend her man.

 Will didnt seem to think it was very sweet, though.

 Elle, he said, in the same voice hed used that day with Rick, outside Mr. Mortons

classrooma voice that really did sound as if it might belong to a king, it was so filled

with outrage over his wishes being disobeyed. Go home. Ill meet you there later.

 Uh, no, you wont, Will, Marco said. Thats why shes not budging. She knows as

well as I do that you wont be meetinganyone later.

 Another jolt of lightning. Again the sky turned red. Then just as suddenly, thunder turned

it gray again.

 Marco, Will said. This is stupid. You dont want to do this.

 See, thats where youre wrong, Marco said. Ive been wanting to do this for a long,

long time. You think I didnt get sick of it, back home?Why cant you be more like Will?

Look at Will, he didnt flunk shop. Look at Will, he didnt wreck the car. Look at Will,

hes not skipping class to get high behind the Dairy Queen. Look at Will, the Golden Boy.

The QB. Mr. Four-Point-Oh, Prom King. I never got it, you know. I never understood

why my mom was always harping at me about you. Until now. He switched off the

safety on the gun.

 And then, he went on casually, as if wed all bumped into one another down at Storm

Brothers, or something, she up and marries your dad. Lucky me! Now I get to live with

you! Yeah, I get to see up close and personal what I could have been, if Id applied

myself. And as if thats not enough, guess what? Turns out were brothers!

Yeah,brothers ! Like I didnt feel completely inadequate before. Now I have to deal with

the fact that you and I share a significant amount of DNA. Oh, and that your dad was

boffing my mom behind my dads back? Yeah, nice one.

 Marco, Will said, in a low, even voice. Our parents are screwed up, okay? But we

dont have to take that out on each other.

 Dont we? Marco laughed without humor. Gee, thats big of you, Will. Considering

my dad didnt kill your dad, the way yours did mine. The way I see it, theres only one

way to even up the odds. An eye for an eye.

 If its an eye for an eye you want, Marco, I said, my voice shaking, kill Wills dad, not

Will.

 Will threw me aStay out of this look. But I didnt care.

 I thought about that, Marco said. But the thing is, I want the old guy to suffer. And

what could hurt more than knowing that his precious golden boy died because of

something he did? Hell have to live with that for the rest of his life, just like Ill have to

live without my dad. Thats what I call an eye for an eye.

 But whats the point, Marco? Will wanted to know. Its not going to bring your father

back.

 No, Marco said, in a voice that sounded entirely reasonable. It wont. But it will make

me feel a hell of a lot better.

 And when youre in jail? Will asked evenly. If he was afraid, you couldnt tell by

looking at him. He was standing straight and tall, and his voice didnt shake a bit. He

looked almost

 And apparently I wasnt the only person who thought so. Marco couldnt seem to take his

gaze off him.

 Which was a good thing. Because it gave me the opportunity to slide down the back of

the boulder and reach for the sword Id left at its base.

 Ill only go to jail if I get caught, Marco was saying. And I dont plan on that

happening.

 Oh, right, Will said, with a laugh. What are you going to do, go on the lam? You dont

even have any money. You blew it all on that stupid Corvette of yours. Which I hope

youre not planning on using as a getaway car, by the way. You wont get any farther than

the Bay Bridge before the cops pull you over. Theyre already looking for you, after that

stunt you pulled back at the school.

 I couldnt see Marcos expression, since I was busy unwrapping my dads sword from

the windbreaker. But he sounded as coolly disinterested as ever.

 Ill just use your car, then, he said. And whatever cash I dig out of your wallet after

well, kinglike.

youre dead. Now come on down from there. Youre giving me a crick in the neck.

 Youve got problems, Marco, Will said, in a preternaturally calm voice. You need

help. Put down the gun and lets talk about this.

 Its too late for talking. Marco was starting to lose his cool. His voice had risen, and

not just because the thunder overhead was growing even louder and more menacing. Get

down off that rock, Will, or Ill shoot your girlfriend in the head. What is she doing back

there, anyway? Yo! Lily Maid! Get out from behind there. Im not kidding. Ill blow a

hole through him, I swear.

 I scrambled back up to the top of the boulder, dragging my dads sword behind me. No

one seemed to notice.

 Marco. Will had spread his hands open wide, appealing to Marcos better nature

Marco even had one. Come on. Were brothers.

 Aw, now, see. There was real disappointment in Marcos voice. Whyd you have to go

and remind me? Im just going to have to shoot you now. And I was going to wait and

shoot your girlfriend first, and make you watch. And he raised the gun, closing one eye

to take aim. Oh, well.

 Will! I cried. Here!

 And when Will glanced my way, I threw the sword to him, hilt-first.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

 The gun went off, a muted pop in the deeply forested ravine that Will seemed hardly to

notice. The bullet whizzed harmlessly past his head, because hed stooped to catch the

sword. Looking down at what Id passed to him, confusion clouded his face.

 Asword ? He held the blade aloft, still staring at it in confusion, as if to ask,How is this

supposed to help me?

 He had a point. I mean, what good is a sword against a gun?

 Except

 Except that when Wills fingers wrapped around the hilt, something seemed to

couldnt put my finger on what, exactly.

 Maybe because at that moment,everything changed. It was as if someone had hit the

autofocus button on the world.

 Because suddenly, everything seemed brightersharpermore colorful. The dark shadows

beneath the roots of the trees and at the base of the boulders seemed

 And the green of the leaves overhead seemed

 The sword in Wills hand seemed actually to gleam, the rust spots nowhere near as

noticeable as theyd been just a second before.

 Thats when I saw that the sky overhead had started to clear up. The massive black

clouds were rolling away, revealing the dusty pinks and soft lavenders of an Indian

summer sunset

 So that was why. I mean, why the minute Wills fingers closed around that sword hilt,

everything suddenly seemed so much

 Although it didnt quite explain why Will himself seemed taller, his hair glossier and

darker than ever. His shoulders seemed broader, his blue eyes brighter. It was as if he

were radiating some kind of inner

 Well, Light. There was no other way to put it.

 I shook my head. No. That wasnt possible. It was just that the storm was passing. Or my

love for him, candy-coating him in my eyes

 Except that didnt explain Marcos reaction when Will turned to face him again, holding

the sword in front of his body as naturally as if he went around holding swords in front of

his body every day of the week.

 Put the gun down, Marco, Will said, in a voice that, like everything else around us, was

just slightly different than it had been beforedeeper and more self-assured. Morethough

I didnt like to admit itkinglike than ever.

 Which is when Marco, his face as white as the tank top he was wearing, fell to one knee,

as if his legs had simply given out beneath him.

 Or as if hed suddenly recognized who it was, exactly, hed been waving a gun in front

of.

 N-no, he said from where he knelt.

 I had come to stand just behind Will. When Marco finally lifted his head, it was to glare

at me with eyes filled not only with malice, as before, but also with something Id never

well, darker.

greener.

.

brighter.

seen in them before

 Fear.

 Yourenot the Lady of Shalott, he breathed.

 I shook my head. None of this made any sense. Except that, in a strange way, it sort of

did.

 I never said I was, I reminded him.

 Ill put the sword down when you put the gun down, Marco, Will said, in that same

super-authoritative voice. Then we can talk this over. Like brothers.

 Brothers! Marco echoed bitterly. Then he jerked the gunand his gazeat me again.

Whyd you have to go and give him a sword? he shouted. Only one person is supposed

to give him a sword. And its not you. Itcant be you! Thatsimpossible !

 Only those in Arthurs closest circle can put an end to the dark sides reign.

 Drop the gun, Marco, Will said. Nowbefore someone gets hurt.

 I saw Marcos fingers loosen on the gun handle. It was almost as if he couldntnot do as

Will said.

 It was working. He was giving up.

 Which was when a blue-jeaned streak burst from the thick woods beside him. A second

later, Marco was flat on his back at the bottom of the creek bed, Lance Reynolds

sprawled on top of him. Lances fingers closed over the hand that clutched the gun

Marco had let go of it before Lance ever hit him.

 The man said drop the Lance went to pull the gun from Marcos hand, and, seeing it

lying harmlessly in a nearby clump of brambles, looked flummoxed. Oh. Well. Good.

 A second later, Jennifer delicately picked her way through the underbrush. She looked at

Lance and Marco, then up at Will and me.

 Oh, good, she said, her tinkly little voice filled with satisfaction. Were in time. See,

Lance? I told you theyd be here.

 Beside me, Will slowly lowered the sword, staring at it as if he had only just realized it

was there.

 Then he raised his dazzled gaze to meet mine, and I saw that his chest was rising and

falling as if he had just run

.

Well, two miles through a raging noreaster.

 Then the next thing I knew, hed wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me to him.

 Thank you, he murmured into my damp hair.

 I didnt do anything, I whispered back.

 Yes, you did, he said, holding me closer.

 Then Jennifers tinkling voice cried, Oh, look, Lance! Didnt I tell you theyd make a

cute couple?

 Then her tone changed. Wait a minute. Whatshe doing here?

 And I looked up to see Mr. Morton struggling toward us down the side of the ravine,

trailed by several officers from the Annapolis Police Department.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

 I thought you were leaving for Tahiti, I said accusingly.

 Ellie, my mom said in a warning voice.

 Well, thats what he told me.

 I glared at Mr. Morton from where I sat on the couch, a blanket around me, even though

Id changed from my wet clothes into my oldest flannel pajamas, and drunk about a

gallon of hot chocolate. I just couldnt seem to get warm, in spite of the fact that the

storm was over, and the night air was a relatively balmy sixty degrees.