Chapter 21
Silence looms from the cavern of the mountainside depression, circling around me until I feel as if my feet have been shoved down into the ashy ground. It lasts hours…days…weeks…I don’t know how long.
“How dare you!” Ava is on her feet, heading straight for Will with her hands balled into fists. “Talen has been a part of our community for years, you little shit! Years! You just got here a few weeks ago. Do you really think you can come in here and make those kinds of accusations against the one person who has always been there for us?”
“But he wasn’t, was he?” Will shoots back. “When you needed him, he was hiding up in the hills. Maybe he already knew what was coming.”
“That’s insane,” Milo says quietly. “Talen, tell him that’s crazy.”
I meet Milo’s gaze, but I have no words.
“You were there outside the capital,” Will says as he turns back to me. “I couldn’t place you at first, but now I’m sure of it. You told us the same thing you’ve been telling everyone here—that everything is going to be all right. It was a lie then, and it’s a lie now.”
“Talen!” Ava takes a step toward me and places her hands on her hips. “Tell him it wasn’t you!”
I stare at her for a long moment. Lies on top of lies flow through my head. I know I can weave a convincing story, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I turn away from Ava and back to Will.
“I didn’t know, Will.” I reach my hand out and then let it drop again. “I swear I didn’t know what he was planning. If I had, I would have stopped it.”
Again, the silence looms as all eyes are on me. I feel Aerin come up behind me, but I can’t take any solace in her presence.
“Talen, what are you saying?” The tone of Ava’s words startles me. I hear the shock, but there’s an underlying fury I’ve never heard in her voice before.
I can’t speak. I can barely meet her gaze. All the years I’ve known her and confided so many things about my life, I’ve never given her a hint about my origins. She’s my best friend, but she doesn’t even know my real name.
“Talen?” She takes a step tow
ard me.
The look in Ava’s eyes tells me everything. All she wants is for me to deny it. If I do, she’ll believe me. She just wants to know that something in her life makes sense, and I have the power to do it.
But I can’t.
“I’m sorry, Ava. I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t let anyone know who I am.”
Ava just stares at me and slowly shakes her head.
Milo steps between me and Ava and places his hand on my shoulder.
“Talen, I need you to just…go away right now. We need to talk to each other without you here. Don’t go far, but give us some time.”
“You lied to me?” Ava says. The pain in her face rips through me.
I have no answer for her.
“Just get the fuck out of here,” Will says. “We don’t need you, and we definitely aren’t following you. I already did that once, and I lost everyone I cared about.”
“That’s enough, Will.” Samuel pushes himself to his feet using his cane and grabs the young man by the arm.
“And take her with you,” Will adds, nodding toward Aerin. “I don’t trust her, either.”
“I said that’s enough, boy!” Samuel yanks Will’s arm, and the young man glares at him for a moment before sitting down.
“Come on, Talen.” Aerin grips my elbow tighter, pulling me back toward her. “Let’s just go outside. We can get some water by the river.”
“Ava, please.” I plant my feet in the ground. “Please let me explain.”
Ava just shakes her head and walks slowly to Layshell. Layshell cradles her against her shoulder as she stares at me in disbelief.