A shape then moved along the windowsill; a hand that curled its overly long fingers around the wood. Its sharp, dark nails scraped back as it found a suitable mount, then another hand joined it. There was no sound, no shuddered scratching or snarling as it crept its way up like smoke through a chimney. Just silence.
I tried moving, thrashing, screaming; anything to alert those below me that something was there. But I had no voice, no movement in my body; I was a dead weight. Only when I saw the frightful red staring at me from outside did I shut my own eyes tight. Nothing came of it. When I opened them again there was nothing in the window, only the leaves that stirred from the morning breeze. My breathing came raggedly as relief washed over me. What a sick dream that had been. Or, at least that’s what I’d thought – until I heard a throaty rumble at my back.
My head snapped around to see the Berserker as it threw something wet and heavy onto my belly. There, with its mouth still hanging agape from a silent scream, lay the head of my father. I couldn’t throw it off me. Instead I had to watch and feel the cold, congealed blood sticking to my nightgown as a whine escaped me. I turned back to face the monster, only to find Roan staring back; his eyes cold and dead. There was little recognition or remorse as he bared his teeth, pointed his angular hand downwards and sliced it through my gut.
“-KE UP.”
I’m dead.
“-come on.”
My family are all dead. Soon, everyone else will be dead too.
“Ava!” someone shouted. I shot up, finally free of the invisible chains that bound me. Instinctively I wrapped a hand around my dagger. “Easy.” I recognised the voice.
“Lav,” I said, dropping the knife on the bed between us. “I’m sorry-”
“You wouldn’t wake,” she said, grasping my shoulders. “You’ve been asleep since this morning and I’ve been trying to wake you for a while. What happened?”
“I was-.” I looked at the sheets around me, relieved that the dampness there and on my nightgown was just sweat and not my father’s blood. “I was dreaming; a terrible, terrible dream.” It was dark outside as the moon lay in cold streaks across the wooden floor. I’d slept the whole day.
Lavender wiped away a tear as it cut down my cheek – I didn’t even realise I’d been crying – and ran her hand along the delicate chain of my necklace. She rested the body of it in her palm, studying its intricate detail. “Who did you say gave you this?”
“I don’t remember. Father would never tell me…though, I’m starting to wonder if he knew either,” I said.
Lavender tucked it back into my nightgown and picked up a small section of hair from behind my ear, braiding it carefully. “I think there’s far more to you than it seems, Ava Ashmaul.”
Once she was done, she got to her feet and left the room quietly. What had she meant by that? I swung my legs out of bed and wobbled over to the mirror. Staring at myself, I shifted closer, running a finger along the dark patches beneath my eyes. How was it that I still looked so sickly? My spirit raged stronger than ever, I could feel it like molten metal bubbling in my veins, but my body was breaking under its weight. I slipped my fingers down the delicate little braid beneath my ear. Was there more to my measly form? The mirror clattered as I swung it open and pressed it back against the wall. I didn’t even know who I was anymore.
CHAPTE R TWENTY-SEVEN
RIC WAS THE first thing I saw when I entered Ava’s room. I don’t know why it shocked me, or why I felt a tinge of jealousy. Of course, nothing was going on. He was sitting on the windowsill as I’d entered, obviously smarter than he looked as he didn’t seem at all surprised to see me. He motioned gruffly, nodding his head toward the window before he slipped through it and into the night. I sighed and glanced at Ava as she shifted in her sleep.
I leapt from the windowsill and clambered down the tree, landing on the ground with a soft thud. We walked until a clear expanse of forest opened in front of us; somewhere the trees didn’t cover the stars. Ric turned to face me and dropped his glare, falling backwards into the soft, dewy grass. I followed his lead and sank down. Whatever had happened since I left, he looked terrible.
We were silent for a while before Ric spoke. “Ethan-.” He used the tone I hated.
“Don’t start. I know what you’re going to say so just don’t,” I snapped.
“What’s that exactly?”
“I’m going to get a lecture about how harsh I was and how selfish I’m being and-”
“You’re half right. You were harsh and you are selfish, but you know that already so I can’t lecture you on it.” Ric propped himself up on his elbow. “I’m firstly interested in what you were doing sneaking into her room while she’s unconscious.”
I met his stare and sneered. “I came to molest her in her sleep, idiot.” I pulled out his elbow from under him. “No, I was just checking to see if she was still breathing. Daeus, any period of time away from that girl has been enough to tear my nerves to pieces.” I turned to him again. “I’d like to ask you the same question. You know the complications of-”
“Stop,” he interrupted. “Don’t try your little mind games to turn this around on me. You know that I see her in the same way you see Lavender…and that I see Lav in the same way you see Ava.” I scowled at him but he pushed on. “You may be able to fool the others, and try to fool yourself, but I’ve seen the way you look at her.” Another silence fell and I flopped back. He sighed, following my movements. “Her nightmares have gotten worse.”
“How could they possibly get any worse?”
“I’m worried,” he pressed on. “The other day when we were walking, we came across a few of them.”
My heart skipped. “This close to the house? To Carrandell?”
Ric nodded. “She had some sort of panic attack just before they found us and pulled us aside. Ethan, it was like she knew they were coming before I did.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said.
“No, it doesn’t. But she kept clinging to her locket.” He motioned to his neck. “Like it was some sort of dead weight suffocating her. I tried to break it and take it off but I couldn’t do anything. Every night following she’s had nightmares like I’ve never seen before. She says it feels like she’s trapped in her own body, unable to protect herself as a Berserker climbs through her window and murders her where she lies.” He rubbed his eyes. “It may sound stupid but ever since she foresaw the event with the chandelier, I can’t help but be cautious of the things she sees in her sleep.”
“Do you think one of them will come for her?”
“I don’t know,” he sat up, “but I don’t want to take the chance.”
“Maybe her nightmares will subside if we chase the bloody creatures away,” I said.
“We already did.” My stomach dropped. “She’s been improving steadily but there’s something off still.” Ric went silent after that, at a loss for words or not wanting to voice the ones in his head. I stared at him and he caught my eye. “I think you need to apologise.”
I groaned. “I thought I wasn’t getting a lecture.”
“I changed my mind. You did this for me a long time ago, remember?”