Huntsman by Cambria Hebert
9
Earth
Swallowed up by leather.That’s how she looked sitting there with a giant dessert in front of her, whipped cream on her nose, and my jacket literally concealing her frame.
She looked ridiculous, especially with all those flowers in her hair.
Flowers and leather do not go together.
“Earth?” Virginia asked suddenly, words punctuated by leaning over the arm of her chair toward me. Long lashes fluttered, brown eyes tugging on my attention. “Do you have a penny?”
“A what?”
“A penny,” she repeated, pointing back toward the fountain.
“You seriously want to make a wish?” I deadpanned.
“If I don’t make one, then how will it come true?”
“Wishes don’t come true.”
She gasped, sitting back as though my words shoved her. She was so ridiculously animated. Practically a girl version of Fletcher except… prettier. “I object!”
“You aren’t a lawyer,” I quipped.
“I have some,” Ethan offered, reaching into the pocket of his trousers. “I carry them around for Fletch.”
“Really?” She beamed, sitting up straighter, away from me.
How annoying. “Give them to Fletcher, then,” I told him, reaching into my jeans. “I have some too.”
“But you said you didn’t!”
“No, I said wishes are stupid.”
“I don’t think I can make a wish with that penny,” she replied, staring at the grubby-looking coin I’d produced.
“Why not?” I demanded. My penny was just as good as Ethan’s.
“It’s cursed by your negative attitude.”
I sighed loudly.
“Curses are real,” Fletcher added, his voice low and sage.
Everyone glanced at him, and any smart remark I would have made died on my tongue. He’d been through a lot, that kid who really wasn’t a kid.
“Curses can be broken.” Ethan reminded him, palming the back of his neck.
Smiling, Fletcher snatched the penny out of Ethan’s palm and headed toward the fountain. “C’mon, V!”
Virginia pursed her lips, looking dubiously at the penny. “Make a wish with me.”
“No.”
“I will, V. Come on.” Ethan stood, coming around the table like he was going to lift her out of the chair.
My hand slapped onto his arm before I realized I’d moved. “What the hell are you doing?”
“It’s too narrow between the tables for her chair.”
The legs of my chair scraped against the floor when I stood, lifting V with me. “I’ll take her.” The automatic way her arms looped around my neck sent a rumble of satisfaction through me.
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Her voice was so quiet when she spoke I might not have heard her if she wasn’t in my arms.
“What?” I questioned, gazing down.
Her cheeks were pink, the tip of her nose still smeared with whipped cream.
“The staring,” she whispered, refusing to meet my eyes.
I always made it a point to be hyperaware of my surroundings and the people in my space. I worked to make it seem like I wasn’t paying attention, but in reality, I scoped out an entire room every time I stepped inside. So of course I’d noticed. The sidelong glances, the lingering stares. The way people would smile when caught as if they were friendly and not nosy.
Truthfully, I didn’t give a damn. People in general meant very little to me, so why would I give a flying fuck what they thought?
But it was different for her. Coming to a new place after a day of disappointing news, the prying eyes probably felt more invasive.
“Nah,” I told her, leaning in. “They’re just jealous I get to hold such a beautiful girl.”
She giggled, her cheek tucking into my chest.
“Come on, then,” I said, stopping in front of the fountain, which was giving off a fine mist and making me feel sticky. Opening my hand, I showed her the penny.
Her fingertips felt like butterfly wings when they dipped down to take the coin. “What should I wish for?”
Before I could answer, she gasped, squeezed her eyes closed, and clutched the penny against her chest. Her breathing was even, and a small smile curved her lips.
Seconds later, those brunet eyes popped open, glimmering with whatever unspoken thing she’d come up with. Pressing a quick kiss to the penny, she tossed it out.
It landed with an audible plop and then fluttered to the bottom, where it winked up at us through the rippling water.
“It’s done!” she announced.
“Is everything you do such an ordeal?” I wondered.
“I bet everyone thinks I wished to walk again.”
“But you didn’t.”
She shook her head. “No. I wished for something better.”
I raised my eyebrow. “And what is that?”
“I’ll tell you after it comes true.”
“Good thing I’m not that curious, or else I’d die waiting.”
Back at the table, our foursome finished up, Fletcher and V talking endlessly until Ethan bustled my brother into the passenger seat of his white Mercedes.
“Bye! Let’s do this again!” Fletch called, rolling the window down to talk more.
V waved frantically, smiling wide. But she didn’t agree, and even though I’d spent many minutes wondering when she’d shut up, her silence now irritated me.
Fletcher was still waving out the window as Ethan pulled away from the curb.
“Why didn’t you agree?” I asked, voice gruff.
Her stare left the retreating car, lifting to me. “I only make promises I can keep.”
“And you don’t think you’ll be able to come back?”
One slim shoulder shrugged. “It took me this long to get here.”
Anger at Neo burned hot and bright in my gut, making my fingertips burn. Why doesn’t he bring her out more? Why does he keep her locked up in that tower? Why does she listen to him?
Dropping down in front of her chair, I hooked my hands around the sides, pulling her closer. “Anytime you want to come back, you call me. I’ll bring you. I’ll take you anywhere you want to visit.”
Hope bloomed in her eyes, creating a warm glow. “Really?”
What the hell did you just promise? Neo is going to be so pissed.
But for the first time in my life, my dark warning thoughts were no match for her sunlight. “Yes.”
Take it back before it’s too late!
I nearly lost balance, tipping to the side when her arms flung around my neck and squeezed. I recovered, steadying us both, my hands flexing against the chair, not understanding the urge I suddenly felt to hug her back.
She didn’t say a word, just nearly choked the life out of me, which I strangely sat and allowed. When she pulled back, it was only enough so our stares could collide, the tips of our noses nearly bumping together. The ring of golden yellow around her irises reminded me once more of the sun.
Like a private sun just for me.
“Tell me what happened between you and my brother.”
I was a quick guy. My mind sharp, reflexes honed. But those words took longer to sink in than they should have, and when they did, they stuck like chewed gum to the bottom of a shoe.
The sun I’d been so mesmerized by was instantly swallowed whole by my darkness. I’d always been secretive about who I really was, but even in secret, I’d never been ashamed.
Why should I be? I made those choices, and so I would own them.
But now, suddenly, standing here looking into her innocent, curious eyes, I faltered. For once, I felt a tinge of shame for who I was.
I couldn’t tell her.
I couldn’t tell her the man who just took her out for hot chocolate was actually a killer.