Anew

35

Tomorrow came and Scarlet managed to brush her hair, much to Heather’s approval. She also decided to pay Gabriel an impromptu visit at his cabin after school.

She had questions and the Archer brothers had answers.

Scarlet pulled her car into the cabin’s dirt driveway, took a deep breath, and got out.

She made her way up the porch steps and stood before the door. It seemed like years since she’d stood on that very porch and met Tristan. So much had changed for her since then.

After knocking a few times, the cabin door swung open to reveal Tristan.

Holding a sword.

A vey long, very sharp sword.

Scarlet’s heart began to knock around inside her chest. She looked at the sword, then at Tristan—who provided no explanation—and back at the sword.

“Uh…what’s with the weapon?” Scarlet asked.

Tristan looked at the blade in his hand and shrugged. “Do you really want to know?”

Scarlet thought about it. “Nope.”

She had too much on her mind right now, she didn’t need to add any weird Tristan facts to the mess in her brain.

He stood back from the door, motioned her inside and shut the door behind her after she entered.

Gabriel appeared in the entryway and smiled warmly. “Hey. I didn’t know you were coming over.”

Tristan disappeared down the hallway.

She shrugged. “I have a lot of questions. You know, about the curse and…well, everything.”

Gabriel nodded. “Sure. Come on in.”

Scarlet made her way to the living room and sat on the same couch as before. The last time she’d sat on that couch, her whole world had come undone.

Hopefully this time, her world—as fragile and weird as it was—would stay in one piece.