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.

***

weak, my walk resembles the wobbling of a cooked

the pack lands as twilight hits. The entire

No lights on.

No people.

signs of

field deep in the forest, filled with people. Some are in wolf form. A few are naked.

only ones to drive; everyone

twisting painfully in my gut as I see so many of them turn in our direction,

my leg; Kellan hadn't wanted to

Ava Attending

I'd insisted

makes this air thick, she whispers, slinking out of

such insecure body language. She usually struts about with confidence, tail high

the same way.

Like I don't belong.

Filled with shame.

eighteen pyres, and my heart sinks. Lucas hadn't mentioned that three more

mourning keen. There

pyres, the entire clearing

he points or tugs me in different directions as he leads m We finally settle on a place near Jericho, who stares grimly ahead, his jaw clenched. Even his weathered face, marked by countless scars, can't hide the sorrow

is somber, a heaviness pressing

until it's hard

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

17

of thresereaths are

of unselfish

Every single one

capped in the churches of a madman bur it bleeds for she dead for the familles left behind. For the pack that will never be whole

my actions have caused so much pain.

stoucisa, but I can see the cracks in his armor. The warr his eyes shine with unsited tears. The tightness around

of the mourners

down at me,

selfish. For not thinking about how my choices would affect

clear in his eyes. His

again. It's not your fault. Ava. You

our land:

heart. I

at that party, those vampires wouldn't have