Fire Stones - By Kailin Gow Page 0,42
if she did – after all, I hadn’t told her anything at all about Chance. Yet her happy look made me feel guilty inwardly – and I could see Varun, too, blush when she turned to me and pronounced loudly “he’s a keeper!”
“Yes,” I said quietly. “Yes, yes, he is.”
I was relieved when Varun left. It was hard enough keeping things together in front of my mother, but playing house with Varun made my feelings that much more chaotic. How was I supposed to know what my destiny was – what my heart wanted? I’m only seventeen, I wanted to scream. I shouldn’t have to decide whom I want to spend the rest of my life with. Only a few months ago, I’d been casually dating guys I had no expectation of even going to senior prom with, let alone spending eternity with. But now every decision I made took on that much more importance. I’d never be free.
I texted Chance after my mother went to bed early, letting him know what had happened. “Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m fine.” But I should have known Chance would never take that for an answer. Moments after I sent the text, I heard the sound of stones being thrown at my window. I opened it to see Chance standing outside in the moonlight, an expression of deep concern upon his face.
“I’ve been so worried!”
I climbed downstairs to meet him in the field. The sea was black on the horizon; the full moon gave a luminous glow to Chance’s marble paleness. Chance ran to me and kissed me, squeezing me so tightly that I felt as if I were going to burst.
“Who was it?” he looked concerned. “Did you identify him?”
“I…don’t know,” I admitted sheepishly. “It was dark. He – if it was a he – left a nametag behind from the Cutter Imperial. Brandon. But it could be a setup,” I added quickly. “We don’t know yet. We’re trying not to jump to conclusions. Maybe someone’s just trying to make us think that Brandon is the attacker – for whatever reason.”
But Chance’s face darkened. “I doubt it,” he said grimly. “He’s a friend of mine – no doubt about that – but I’ve known for a while that his allegiance to the fire clan is tenuous at best. He’s not somebody to trust, Mac – mark my words. Beneath that joking exterior lies a person of great personal force and power. Remember that day you wrestled with him? I admit it – I was jealous – but it was more than that. There was something about him I didn’t trust. Something about him I still don’t quite understand. He’s friends with an awful lot of members of the Water Clan. Haven, for example. And Varun.”
“Varun’s not involved!” I protested. “He couldn’t be.”
“We can’t trust any Water clan.”
“Don’t be paranoid, Chance,” I said. “If Varun wanted to kill me in the ocean he could have – far more easily. And he helped fight off the attacker.”
“He what?” Chance looked up, envy spreading over his face.
“He ran in and pulled the guy off me.”
“And you don’t think it’s awfully convenient that he was there just in time to save you?” Chance frowned.
“Yes, I do think it’s convenient.” My eyes blazed as I turned to Chance, angered by his suggestion. “And lucky. But Varun’s a friend – and he’s not an extremist like Abzu. Even you must know that, whatever your personal history means.”
Chance glowered. “You need to be careful, Mac. If finding these stones means compromising your safety – well, I’m not willing to risk it.”
“I’m fine, Chance.” I patted him on the shoulder, trying to reassure him. “I can take care of myself.”
“This time,” he sighed. “But what about next time – and the next? They’ll never stop trying to hurt you, Vesta. They’ll never stop!”
“I’ll be fine. If I’m really Vesta, that means I’m powerful, right? I’ll learn how to control my powers. I’ll learn how to fight. You’ll teach me – we can wrestle together in the woods.”
Chance shook his head. “I don’t like you being out here in this cottage. My father will put you and your mother in one of the suites – I’m sure of it. If I ask him. One of the suites near me. They’re far nicer than the cottage, and they’re supervised by 24-hour security. You wouldn’t have to worry about break-ins there. This place is so secluded – it’s not safe.”
“No,” I said, holding