Tangled

176

176

176 Ava: Attending the Rites

Odd? How so?

Selene's soft whine catches Kellan's attention. "We'll be there soon. Will she be okay?"

It doesn't seem that he realizes the dog is not actually a dog. "She's

fine."

I thought I had all my memory, but when I try to think back, everything is fuzzy. Even my own name doesn't come to mind.

My head aches at the thought of trying to unravel that. What kind of memories? From becoming a dog?

Not exactly. My past life. My identity. Many things... Things I thought I remembered. Vanessa's words sound familiar, but I cannot access the memories. It feels important. That just sounds... Yeah. She's right. It's odd.

How long have they been missing?

Silence.

Then, I don't know. Forever.

Leaning down, I rub at Selene's head. It'll be okay. I'm sure we'll figure it out. But we both know my promise is hollow. I have no way of keeping it.

Selene whines again, resting her head on her paws as she stays beneath my chair. Ava, am I a detriment to you?

Of course not. My denial is swift and from the heart. But... I think

176 Ava Altending the Rites

we might make bad decisions together.

Her mood plummets; I can feel it in the back of my head. Like Lucas and his wolf, as children.

Scratching behind her ears in gentle consolation, my heart is

buoyed when she leans against my touch. You have given me much strength by being here. We'll figure it out together. Together, she confirms, but that insecure edge to her words is still

there.

***

my walk

to the pack lands as twilight hits. The

No lights on.

No people.

of life

make it to a large field deep in the forest, filled with people. Some

the only ones to drive; everyone

my gut as I see so many of them turn in our

Kellan hadn't wanted to

Ava Attending

insisted she

air thick, she whispers, slinking

language. She usually struts about with confidence, tail

the same way.

Like I don't belong.

Filled with shame.

hadn't mentioned that three more people had died in

sound breaks the silence, save for the occasional mourning keen.

bodies surrounding the pyres, the entire clearing bathed in

as we make our way to the back of the crowd. His hand rests on the small of my back, guiding me with gentle pressure as he points or tugs me in different directions as he leads m We finally settle on a place near Jericho,

somber, a

it's

so much loss, I'm hit with the price of my willfulness, of my

17

many of thresereaths are on my

because of unselfish

Every single one

Lisa capped in the churches of a madman bur it bleeds for she dead for

to cry, not when my actions have caused so much pain. Not

him. His face is a mask of stoucisa, but I can see the cracks in his armor. The warr his eyes shine with

of the mourners

me, his brow furrowed For

thinking about

eyes. His face. In how his lips curve down

your fault. Ava.

our land:

in my heart. I recognize

I hadn't been at that