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“Is that how you rationalize your friendship?” She stomped back into the water. “You can’t like vampires; therefore, Ashley shouldn’t be a vampire. Is that how this works? You love herdespitewhat she is?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
They were both yelling, and an external part of Esther acknowledged that it was ridiculous to be in a shouting match with her friend over who loved Ashley the “right” way.
“Are you two all right?” Uther walked over with a look of concern.
They were loud enough to reach him up the beach. Or he had seen them fighting. Either way, Esther didn’t want to make a scene.
“We’re fine, Uther. Just a disagreement. I’m going to go back and check on Ashley. I’ll see you two for dinner.” She padded off to grab her towel and head back to the house.
“Esther,” August called. “Just think about it.”
She continued walking. Not responding or even giving him a parting glance, but the vision of Ashley laughing under a sunny sky was forever burned into her mind.
31
Esther
Esther refused to think about it.
Finals were a month away, then weeks, then days. She doubled down on her studies, spending every daylight hour, and most of the night, finishing her final report. She hated avoiding Ashley, but Ashley had her own finals to look to. If there was ever a time to buckle down and stay busy, it was now.
But she still couldn’t escape the dreams. She stood in the shallows, but instead of August with her, it was Ashley laughing and splashing in the waves. As Esther drew near, the sun brightened, a burning blaze lapping at their skin, until they were both set aflame.
She woke up screaming and sweating.
Esther avoided sleeping over, not wanting to worry Ashley with her nightmares.
The day wasn’t any better. Anytime she leaned over her desk for another paper, the vial beat at her chest like a drum, reminding her of the choice she was given. She started keeping it in her pocket, only taking it out when Ashley was around.
She didn’t tell Ashley what August had said about the cure. She didn’t need to. She knew what Ashley’s answer would be—a firm and resounding no. There was no way Ashley trusted witches with a cure. Which was exactly the answer Esther was sticking to. But a part of her worried about keeping a secret from Ashley. That she would want to know, even if the knowledge of Esther considering the option might hurt her.
Needless to say, when Esther stepped out into the rain that afternoon, she was actively not thinking about that day at the beach.
She’d forgone an umbrella, opting instead for her black hooded raincoat. She was in the mood to feel the rain pounding against her hood. Water filled the gutters, streaming down the sides of the roads so she had to leap to cross the street, and still, her boots splashed on the landing. Her black jeans were soaked through by the time she made it to campus, and she was sure the lecture hall’s air-conditioning would freeze her, but maybe the sensation would keep her mind from wandering.
She gave up navigating around puddles and was clomping through an especially irksome moat when she found a flowering purple crocus sprouting through the cracks on the brick path. Esther first considered how strange it was to see a crocus in May before considering that crocus were not weeds and someone had to purposefully plant it under the sidewalk for this flower to sprout here.
“Esther. How lovely to see you.” The woman in front of her wore a bright yellow raincoat and white rain boots spattered with flowers. She smiled at Esther, as though they knew each other.
There was something familiar about her, but for the life of her, Esther couldn’t place her.
It wasn’t until the woman behind her joined in, that Esther recognized them as a set. The witches from the island on the lake.
“We’re here for the necklace, Esther.” Meg had on her usual Carhartt with the hood pulled up and a scowl across her face. As though Esther, through some unknown negligence, had inconvenienced Meg’s day, and now she was in the middle of setting it right again as quickly as possible. “You’ve made your point. Now hand it over.”
“Made my point?” The request was so out of nowhere, Esther could only parrot a response. They shouldn’t even know about her necklace and what was inside.
“You have no people skills,” sighed Gwen. “You’re supposed to build up to the request.”
“It’s not a request,” Meg said. “We’ve waited long enough. She may know that August is a pushover, but I’m not as patient.”
The pounding rain on Esther’s hood made it hard to make out what they were saying, but she was certain she’d heard August’s name. Her eyes widened in understanding followed by a tightening in her chest as she pieced the information together. August had told them about Ashley’s blood.
“I need to get to class.” She changed course to walk around them, but Meg shifted to block her path. So much for the easy route. “I already told August you can’t have it.”
“I know,” replied Meg. “And I’m not August. We need that blood before the situation gets worse.”
