Flamethroat (27 page)

But maybe Jack was right. Maybe I was selfish. Everything I did, I did for myself. Everything Jack did, he did for me. Perhaps enough was enough.

‘Who cares?’ I burst, making Hawthorne jump. ‘We don’t need him!’

Hawthorne licked my cheek and I felt my anger ebb away in spite of myself. Who was I kidding? I needed Jack. I had thought that once I had found my family, Jack and I could stay together, live together. Hadn’t he expressed the same desire? He had, but that was before we stayed at Georgia’s apartment. It would only be a few more hours until I reached Flamethroat at this pace.

I rested by a large oak and sat between the large protruding roots, where my anger stewed for another half an hour. Hawthorne had wandered off, as usual, to find himself a meal. As I sat there, I felt more alone than ever. The events of the morning stung my heart as I tried to think of anything but the look in Jack’s eyes as he had sent me away. Sitting here and thinking too much would be dangerous. If I dwelled on it any longer I would be reduced to tears again. No, I did not want to cry. Jack had left me and made it very clear that he preferred Georgia.

Jealousy welled inside me as I thought about them kissing. They were probably together right now, laughing at me. In my mind, Georgia threw her head back and laughed heartily while Jack lowered his head and kissed her throat.

‘Hawthorne!’ I shouted, forcing the imagery from my mind.

I stomped through the forest, expecting Hawthorne to trot along beside me at any moment.

A minute passed.

‘Hawthorne?’ I said, unsure.

Usually, Hawthorne could sense when I needed him. Most of the time I didn’t even need to call for him. My heart quickened and I turned on the spot, listening in every direction.

I called his name several more times, but to no avail. He did not come. I backtracked, winding through the trees from the direction we had come from. I could not see him, or hear him. I began to panic now, my chest rising and falling quickly with each breath. I was alone. Where was Hawthorne? Had he left me too? I spun on the spot. The only sounds I could hear were the whistles of birds and the trees rustling in the wind.

I wasn’t sure how long ago Hawthorne had left me. Had he run off as soon as I had sat down to take a break? He could have gotten very far in the last forty minutes.

Footfalls.

I spun around and stared through the dense trees.

‘Hawthorne?’ I called.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.

Heavy paws on dry leaves.

Yes, I could see his white fur shining in the light that streamed through the canopy above. He was walking slowly, as though encumbered by weight.

I started forwards, he was walking so slowly I was worried he had been injured. but I stopped dead when I saw who Hawthorne was carrying.

Hawthorne stopped too, only a few meters from me and the passenger upon his back slid down and looked at me, a relieved expression upon his
face
.

‘Hawthorne, why have you brought
him
here?’ I said to my fox. Hawthorne averted his eyes and pawed the ground nervously.

‘He knew I was coming to find you-’ Jack began, taking a step forwards.

I held out my hand warningly. ‘Don’t take another step.’

‘Hawthorne found me,’ Jack continued quickly. ‘He brought me to you.’

Jack took another step towards me, his arms outstretched as though he wanted to embrace.

‘You stay away from me, Jack Greenwood!’ I yelled to him.

Jack stopped dead and looked at me pleadingly.
‘
Let me explain what happened.
’

I ignored him.
‘
Hawthorne, come.
’
I pointed to my side. He obeyed and slinked next to me. I would fly away from Jack without a backwards glance. Jack seemed to sense my imminent departure and panicked.

‘You have to listen to me!’ Jack said quickly.

‘I don’t want to see you,’ I hissed over my shoulder. I made to mount Hawthorne, but Jack grabbed my arm and spun me around.

‘Avalon!’ he pleaded.

‘Don’t touch me!’ I wrenched my arm free.

It was instinct; flames appeared in my hands and Jack took a step back warily.

‘Touch me again and so help me, I will set you alight.’

Jack looked at the fireballs in my hand apprehensively,
‘
Just calm down, okay?
’

I sent walnut sized balls of fire at his clothes, one after the other.

‘Ow! Avalon! Stop that!’ Jack put his arms over his head to shield his face. The fire singed his clothes
and left holes in the fabric.

I could not help myself. Instead of leaving, I found myself advancing on Jack. He backed away and cowered before me.

‘You left me, Jack
,
’
I yelled at him.

‘I didn’t!’ Jack protested, still covering his face. ‘Argh! Just let me explain!’

‘What is there to explain?’

‘Maybe if you stop hitting me I can tell you!’ Jack was getting mad now. His fingers curled around my wrists
and prevented the next blow from making contact with his body. We struggled for a moment while I tried to break free of his grip, but his hands were like vices around my wrists.

‘Let go of me!’ I struggled.

‘Avalon.’ Jack took the opportunity to explain. ‘You were tricked. It wasn’t me who sent you away, you have to believe me.’

‘It wasn’t
you
?
’
I scoffed.
‘
You told me to leave and then you
slapped
me!
’

‘I would never hurt you,’ Jack said with wide eyes. ‘I would never lay a hand
on you! You should know that.
’

‘I
did
,
’
I said.
‘
Until this morning.
’

‘It was Georgia,’ Jack said hurriedly. ‘She’s a shape-shifter! She can take on the appearance of anyone she
likes. She sent you away because she thought you were competition.
’

My struggling faltered and I stared at Jack.

‘A shape-shifter?’ I repeated.

‘Yes,’ Jack said with a sigh, glad that I had stopped struggling.

‘Why should I believe you?’ I asked.

‘You burned her,’ Jack said quickly.

‘No, I burned
you
,
’
I glowered.

‘Exactly,’ Jack said. ‘So why didn’t I heal?’

After Jack had slapped me, I had erupted, sending burns across his hand. He had howled in pain, but I was already out of the door by that point.

‘Think about it,’ he said, seeing my confusion. ‘Why would I send you away? And why wouldn’t I heal? Georgia’s Power to shape-shift doesn’t give her the ability to use my gift.’

‘Georgia?’ I said slowly. Did I believe Jack?

I recalled how his eyes had been dark and cold; so unlike his pale blue ones.

‘Yes!’ Jack felt it was safe to release my hands now. They dropped to my side and I frowned.

‘But … why?’ I asked.

‘When I got back to her apartment, Georgia was there – as herself. Well … actually, come to think of it, I’m not sure what the real Georgia looks like. She can look like anyone she wants to, can’t she?’

I frowned.

‘Anyway,’ Jack shook his head a little. ‘She was there, hurt. There were burns on her hand. While I was healing her she told me that you attacked her out of jealously. I thought that it was really strange
and I believed her at first.
’

‘You believed her?’ I repeated. ‘You think I go around hurting everyone?’

‘I had no reason not to believe her,’ said Jack apologetically. ‘You must understand – she is very persuasive.’

‘What happened? Did she kiss you again? Did you swoon
over her and believe every word she said?
’
I snapped.

Jack deflated.
‘
No, it
’
s not like that.
’

‘What
is it like then?
’
I didn
’
t want Jack to know how much that kiss had upset me.
‘
I saw you two kissing the other night. I knew you wanted her all along.
’

A vein in Jack
’
s temple throbbed as he clenched his jaw.
‘
I didn
’
t want
her
.
’

I folded my arms and glared at him, waiting for an explanation.

Jack heaved a sigh.
‘
I know it seems as though I wanted her, but she has the ability to manipulate thoughts and feelings. She
’
s been doing it to me since she met me at the lodge.
’

I scoffed.
‘
I
’
m sure you put up a fight.
’

Jack
’
s eyes were pleading. He wanted me to understand.

‘I thought I did like her, at first,’ Jack admitted
and I felt my stomach churn with jealousy.
‘
But something about it didn
’
t feel right.
’

‘So, why did she want
you
so badly?
’
I said, a little more harshly than intended.

Jack
’
s ears turned pink.
‘
I guess she didn
’
t really. She said … she said she has many partners
–
but that is not the point - you were gone and she was hurt. I thought you had run off. I thought you-
’
Jack stopped suddenly.

‘What?’

Jack seemed on the verge of saying something important, but he was holding his tongue.
‘
I thought you didn
’
t need me anymore,
’
he said.

‘So what happened next?’ I asked, wrapping my arms around my body defensively.

‘She was fed up. Said I was too much effort – too much baggage. It’s how she makes a living, you see. She tricks men into giving her gifts, money
or a place to stay. She is currently in forty-seven different relationships, under different disguises.
’

I gaped, forgetting to look angry.
‘
Forty-seven
?
’

‘
Georgia might not even be her real name,
’
Jack continued.
‘
Before I left she transformed into you, right before my eyes.
’

I stared.
‘
Me
? Why?
’

‘To make me stay?’ Jack shrugged. ‘To seduce me?’

I snorted.
‘
Well, that wasn
’
t very bright of her, was it? I
’
m the last person who would-
’
I stopped when I saw Jack frown at me.
‘
-What?
’

             
He shook his head. ‘She kissed me – when she was you, I mean.’

             
I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say. ‘Oh.’

             
Jack smiled
cheekily,
‘
It was awful.
’

             
‘I’m sorry. That must have been awful for you.’

Jack laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. I allowed myself a small smile before an idea struck me.
‘
How do I know this is really you then?
’

Jack grinned and took my hand, which was still extremely hot from the fireballs.

‘Who else would hold the hand of a Fire-Mage?’
he asked.

‘Fire demon, don’t you mean?’ I said.

Jack
’
s smile faded.
‘
Don
’
t call yourself that.
’

‘Why not?’ I said. ‘Everyone else does.’

‘Because it’s not true.’

‘
Fire demon and proud of it,
’
I said aggressively.

Jack laughed and raised his hands to my face, touching my skin lightly with his fingertips. I allowed myself a sheepish smile. I had been silly to think he would treat me like that.