Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
“I will,” I say in a single breath.
“What?” Dad looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Blame me,” I say. “They’re already saying I’m a killer.” I raise my eyes and meet theirs without fear. “And if they want a villain, they can have one.”
Aspen
A few days later
Everyone is dressed in black when they come into our house to offer condolences. It was Mavis’s favorite color, and I’m pretty sure this funeral reception is the only thing Mavis would’ve literally died to attend.
Hell, maybe she’s watching over us right now, floating somewhere in the chandeliers.
I snort to myself and take another swig of my drink to calm my nerves.
“What’s so funny?” Xavier, my brother, asks.
“Mavis would’ve loved this,” I say.
He nods. “True. She always had a thing for morbid jokes.”
“This is her biggest one yet,” I reply, rolling my eyes.
“What if she’s turned into a ghost and started haunting us?”
“I was thinking the same thing.” I frown. “Are you digging in my head again, Xav?”
“No. I was just thinking … maybe we should get the Ouija board. Ask her if she’s having fun.”
I punch him in the shoulder. “Ha ha. Very funny. You know that thing never worked.”
“What are you two talking about?” Melody, my other half sister, is right behind me, and her sudden voice startles me.
“Jesus, you scared me.”
“Sorry,” she says with a high-pitched voice. “I tend to do that.”
“Tap your feet if you’re gonna creep up on people. At least then they can hear you coming,” Xav says, sniggering.
Melody rolls her eyes. “And break a foot? No thanks.”
“You’re not that fragile,” he retorts.
“I could be.” She folds her arms. “Want that on your conscience?”
Xav sighs out loud. “No, thanks. I don’t want another death in the family.”
“I said breaking a foot, not a heart, geez,” Melody replies.
Mom stops talking with some friends and heads over to us. “Can you guys please be nice to each other today?”
“We were just chatting,” Xav says.
“Yeah. And I’m bothering them, as usual.”
“No, Mel. Xav’s just being a prick,” I say, wrapping my arm around her. “Ignore him. I do it all the time, and it works like a charm.”
“Oh, grow up,” Xav growls.
“Xavier. Aspen. Melody.” Mom’s stern gaze keeps us in place. “Keep. It. Civil.”
The darts she’s sending with her eyes mean serious business.
“Hey, guys,” River mutters, offering a hand.
His brother, Talon, steps out from the crowd of people and holds out his hand. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” I reply.
River’s eyes tear up. “I’m … I’m …”
I pull him in for a hug, and he cries against my shoulder. There weren’t many people present that night, but he was one of them, and I can’t ever explain to the rest what that means. How witnessing death changes you.
“I’m sorry,” he says between sniffles. River is such a gentle soul.
“Me too,” I say.
Océane comes up to us too, and after River pulls away and wipes his tears, she hugs me tightly. “I’m sorry, girl. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.”
It feels wrong to say thanks when someone dies.
I don’t want to need their support.
I wish Mavis were still here so I wouldn’t have to say thank you.
I suck in a breath as she releases me. “Are you okay?”
I nod a few times. “As best as I can manage after what happened.”
She rubs her lips together. “I don’t even know what to say, honestly.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Xavier says. “She’s dead. Nothing will change that.”
I elbow my twin in the side to make him stop.
“What? It’s the truth,” he hisses.
I get that he’s pissed off. I am too, but there’s no use taking it out on others.
“I’m going to go see how your parents are doing,” Océane says, grabbing Talon’s hand and whisking him with her. “We’ll talk later, okay?”
I nod, and River follows along as if he’s unsure of himself in a group of people, as usual.
“My condolences,” my uncle Alec says, shaking my hand. “How are you holding up?”
“Barely,” I reply.
“And your dad?”
I rub my lips together. “Even more deranged than usual.”
Uncle Alec raises a brow. “Is he killing stuff again?”
I swiftly shake my head. “No. More like … trying to burn things down.” I awkwardly laugh it off.
He nods a few times. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”
As he walks off, Apollo Torres looks my way from the hallway, and I clear my throat.
“I’ll see myself out,” Melody says, bouncing off on her light feet. “Have you seen Atlas anywhere? I’m gonna go look for him. Bye.”
Xav looks at me like he’s unsure whether to leave me or to guard me with his life, but he opts for a run to the kitchen for some drinks instead. Traitor.
“Aspen,” Apollo says.
“Apollo,” I return.
He actually put on a suit today. I’m impressed.
Too bad it hides all of his amazing tattoos.
“How have you been holding up?”