Huntsman by Cambria Hebert
27
Earth
Dull shouts could be heard evenfrom out on the street.
Glass shattering made my blood run cold.
She was in there. A girl no bigger than a sprite, a soul gentler than a lamb.
Her whimper for help still burned my eardrum. It pounded at my temple as if any part of me needed a reminder.
It was me she called. My phone that rang.
She could have called her brother. She should have.
She didn’t.
And then she reached for me. Lifted her arms, seeking solace I didn’t have but she always managed to find regardless.
Neo and I both stood in front of her, but it was me she looked at. Me she chose.
In that moment, I felt the heavy weight of an invisible collar shackle itself around my neck. The key wasn’t mine to wield, but even if it was, I wouldn’t have used it.
She owned me now. Despite my busted lip and thoughts of disappearing. Despite the fact I was not nor would ever be good enough.
I belonged to Virginia, and the rest of the world could go straight to hell.
“We aren’t done talking,” Neo informed me after we’d all been kicked out and the doors to the Tower locked behind us.
“Talking involves words, not fists,” Ivory stated coolly.
We both glanced at her, then back at each other.
“I thought things were getting better between you two. What happened?” Ivory asked.
I glanced at my brother—funny how I still thought of him that way—and quirked an eyebrow.
He made a face. “I saw them kissing.”
Ivory’s brow creased, but then realization dawned. Her eyes blew wide, and her naturally red lips pulled into a smile. Her arms grasped my forearm to tug in excitement. “You and V?” she exclaimed. “Oh goodness, this is wonderful!”
I glanced down to where her manicured hand lay on my arm, then up, and our eyes collided.
Nothing.
I felt nothing.
“It is not.” Neo glowered.
Ivory turned to him to demand, “Why not?”
“You know why.”
Her lips pursed, and she turned back to me. “You would never hurt Virginia, would you?”
“I would rather die.”
Her eyes turned warm as if I’d recited some romantic poem. She was a weird woman.
“See!” she told Neo.
“And so I’m supposed to take his word?” Neo bit out. “He tried to kill you, Ivory. More than once. He—”
“But he didn’t.” Her quiet words cut off Neo’s tirade and drew my eyes once more.
Hers were gentle and forgiving when they touched on mine, and she smiled. “If it weren’t for Earth, I really would be dead and it was all because of my wretched stepmother.”
“Don’t make excuses for me,” I told her.
“I’m not. But I have forgiven you. You’re my family now.”
A lump formed in my throat. My eyes drilled holes in hers as I thought so many things I would never say. Things I wouldn’t even know how to voice. How it had been her who woke up the change inside me, how her annoying, screeching presence in my life had somehow cracked open the door to the humanity I’d managed to suppress.
“Family,” was all I said.
“She called you instead of me.”
I looked away from Ivory to acknowledge Neo’s words. “Yeah.”
“You could have rushed out without telling me she was in trouble.”
I could have.
“You care about her.”
“No,” I said immediately, feeling my upper lip curl. I could have just agreed, but I didn’t just care. “I love her.”
Neo rocked back on his heels, and Ivory made some kind of low squealing sound.
I stood there stoic because that declaration wasn’t all hearts and rainbows. Not all love was like that. Some love was dangerous and slightly obsessive. Some love was capable of living in the dark. Some love was capable of burning the world down around the one you gave it to.
That was my kind of love. The kind of love that consumed and was loyal to a fault.
Neo grabbed the collar of my jacket. “Don’t you play games. That girl up there ain’t strong enough for games.”
I shrugged him off. “She’s stronger than you think. But that won’t matter because, with me, once you’re in, you’re in. I’ll do anything for the people I love.” I flicked a glance at Ivory. “Including turning my back on my own set of rules.”
A jealous growl ripped out of him. “My sister is not a consolation prize. She isn’t a placeholder for—”
Slam!
My fist cut off his words instantly, the force of the blow knocking him back onto his ass. I stood over him nearly vibrating, his words angering me like nothing else.
Ivory moved as if she would rush to Neo, but I pinned her in place with one cold, hard stare.
Knuckles stinging from where they’d plowed his face, I dropped onto my haunches, squatting in front of him. His lip curled when I dropped a hand onto his shoulder, a light snarl forming on his bloodied lip. I didn’t back off, instead squeezing the tense muscle there.
“V is not a consolation prize, and not even you are allowed to suggest it. All your girl did was show me I could feel more than I thought. And all those newfound feelings are directed at one girl… a girl who isn’t yours.”
I stood and stepped back, aware of Ivory staring between me and Neo like she wasn’t sure what she should do. It was the closest we’d ever come to talking about the elephant in the room, and I hoped he understood. There was no need for his jealousy because I wasn’t looking at his princess. I had my own.
Neo jumped to his feet, swiping at his lip, all the heat and anger gone from his tone. “But she is my sister.”
I realized then that this conversation was likely pointless, and I wasn’t into pointless things. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” I said, straightening. “You told her who I really am.”
“Neo!” Ivory exclaimed, horrified.
Neo winced. “She has a right to know.”
“You could have let Earth tell her!” she scolded.
But would I have? Would I have told the one person who might look at me like a hero that I was actually a villain?
Probably not. Villain, remember?
“Let’s go,” Ivory insisted, pushing Neo toward a big black SUV at the curb. Ethan, Fletcher, and Beau were long gone. “I’m tired, and you’re bleeding.”
“You just want to lecture me more,” Neo complained.
“You deserve it,” Ivory informed him, that haughty NYC elitist air coming over her. She gave him another shove toward the SUV but then turned back to me.
Before I knew what was happening, she stretched up on tiptoes to wrap her thin arms around me.
I stood there frozen, shocked she would hug me like this. I cut a glance at Neo and saw him staring at us, frowning, and started to push her away.
“He’s fine.” She promised. “I’ve wanted to do this a really long time, but I think now it’s okay.”
“Because now you know I’m not harboring some mega crush for you?” I deadpanned.
Her giggle against my ear made my lips lift just a fraction.
“Because sometimes sisters want to hug their brothers.”
I lifted my arms to hug her back but put them down again.
She pulled back, a strand of black hair blowing across her cheek. Reaching up, she pushed it away and smiled. “Maybe next time.”
Neo materialized beside her, tucking her possessively against his side. “She called you, E. Not me.” He reminded me.
Then he was bundling Ivory into the SUV and they were driving off before he could even make sure I left first.
Maybe because he knew I wasn’t leaving and maybe because this was his way of saying it was okay.