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.

***

so weak, my walk

as twilight hits. The entire

No lights on.

No people.

signs of

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

everyone else used four paws to get

see so many of them turn in our direction, surprised by

presses against my leg; Kellan hadn't wanted

Attending the

I'd insisted she

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

language. She usually struts about with confidence, tail high and head erect... But

the same way.

Like I don't belong.

Filled with shame.

and my heart sinks. Lucas hadn't mentioned that

for the occasional mourning keen. There are no words to be said. No

pyres, the entire clearing bathed in the darkening

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

somber, a heaviness

until it's hard to

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

17

thresereaths are on

because of unselfish

Every single one

heart aches for Lisa capped in the churches of a madman bur it bleeds for she dead for the familles left behind.

eyes but I blink them back. I have to right to cry, not when my actions have caused so much pain. Not when I've been so focused on my own desires that I didn't stop to think about the

I 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 tears. The tightness around his mouth. Tim sorry I whisper, my voice barely audible over the soft

of the mourners

me, his

selfish. For not thinking about how my choices would affect

stares at me, anguish clear in his eyes. His face. In how his lips curve

staring ahead again. It's not your fault. Ava. You didn't cause this. We were too arrogant

our land:

heart. I recognize

at that party, those vampires