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

lands as twilight

No lights on.

No people.

of

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

drive; everyone else used four paws to

gut as I see so many of them turn

Kellan hadn't wanted to

Ava Attending the

insisted she

this air thick, she whispers, slinking out of the car with

language. She usually struts about with confidence, tail high

the same way.

Like I don't belong.

Filled with shame.

heart sinks. Lucas hadn't mentioned that three more people had died in

save for the occasional mourning keen.

pyres, the entire

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, who stares grimly ahead, his jaw clenched. Even

a heaviness pressing down on

until it's hard to

of so much loss, I'm hit with

17

of thresereaths are

because of

Every single one

churches of a madman bur it bleeds for she dead for the familles left behind. For the pack

when my actions have caused so much pain. Not when I've been so focused on

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

of the mourners

down at me, his brow furrowed

thinking about how my choices would affect everyone

me, anguish clear in his eyes. His face.

turns away, staring ahead again. It's not your fault. Ava.

our land:

in my heart.

hadn't been at that party, those vampires wouldn't have