Anew

64

Tristan waited until Gabriel left the cabin to be on night watch duty before seeking out Nate. He found him upstairs in his newly renovated cave. “Hey.” Tristan stood in the doorway and waited for Nate to pause his game.

“What’s up?” Nate turned around.

“We need to talk.” Tristan entered the room.

Nate rolled his eyes. “I hate our ‘talks’.”

Tristan sighed. “Trust me. So do I.” He leaned against the wall. “Have you been able to find any potential weapons?”

“No.”

Tristan pushed away from the wall. “I have a feeling you’re not really trying, Nate. Scarlet’s getting worse.”

“I’ve contacted anyone and everyone I know of who might be able to help us find the fountain. I’ve got websites, blogs, ads, and bounties dedicated to tracking it down. Gabriel’s looking over every ancient map he can find and you’ve been pouring over old ship logs and journals. We’re doing everything we can, Tristan.”

Tristan’s jaw tensed. “To find the fountain maybe. But not to help me find the right weapon.”

“I’m not going to help you kill yourself.”

“Oh, come on.”

“No way.”

Tristan groaned, “Please?”

“Don’t beg, dude. It’s lame.”

“So, what then? Are you just gonna let her die? Again?” His voice cracked and he immediately tried to get himself under control.

Nate sighed. “I’m not sure what the right thing to do is.”

“The right thing is to save her life.”

“At the cost of yours? Uh-uh. I don’t think so, dude. Gabriel would kill me. And then Scarlet would kill me. And they could just keep on killing me over and over again because I don’t ever die. Do you know how much that would suck?”

“Think about this.” Tristan took a step toward him. “That very thing you just mentioned…dying over and over again? That’s what Scarlet’s been doing—for five hundred years.”

Silence fell between them.

“You don’t have to do it for me,” Tristan sighed, “but …could you just…do it for her?”

Nate hesitated before shaking his head. “I can’t help you find a way to kill yourself. It feels…wrong.”

Tristan clenched his jaw and moved to leave.

“Hey.” Nate said.

Tristan turned around.

“Gabriel said you’re in more pain this time? That you can’t even sleep?”

Tristan shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”

Nate narrowed his eyes. “It’s not just you. Scarlet’s illness is accelerating faster than it should. What changed?” He squared his jaw. “What happened in her last life?”

Tristan tried to look innocent.

No such luck.

“Don’t play with me, man. I know how the curse works, and I know she shouldn’t be as connected to you as she is, all of a sudden. What happened?”

Tristan looked around the room as he exhaled. “Let’s just say…I didn’t practice very much…self-control last time.”

Nate nodded. “Is that why she died so early?”

“I don’t know.” Tristan swallowed. “But I think it’s why she ran away.” His chest felt hollow as he thought about the last time Scarlet died.

Nate shook his head and closed his eyes. “You are one tortured soul, man.”

“Then why don’t you help this tortured soul out and find a way to kill me.”

Nate looked at him apologetically. “Nope. If you want to die, you’re on your own.”

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to change Nate’s mind, Tristan uncrossed his arms. “Fine.”

He left the room, memories chasing after him with their guilt and sorrow.

As he descended the stairs his hands began to shake.