Avow

CHAPTER 10

Six months later

Tristan glared at Scarlet. “You’re doing it wrong.”

“I’m not doing it wrong,” she bit out. “I’m doing it differently.”

They both had been irritable all morning, snapping at one another and bickering. Tristan was starting to think that sparring with sharp knives might not have been a wise choice today. Especially since Scarlet—despite her stubbornness to learn new defense tactics—was incredibly talented.

With his dagger raised, Tristan moved through the trees and swung down—precise in his movement so as not to hurt her—and waited for her to block him correctly. She didn’t.

He rolled his eyes. “Would you at least try to learn?”

She jabbed at him again. “I’ll try learning as soon as you try not being jealous.”

And there it was. The reason for all their morning animosity.

Tristan had made the mistake of telling Scarlet how Gabriel was cursed to be without love outside of her. And Scarlet’s emotions had gone wild in sympathy, anger, and love.

She loved Gabriel.

It wasn’t the same kind of love she felt for Tristan, entangled in devotion and desire and absolute resolve, but it was love nonetheless. And Tristan hadn’t taken it well.

He blocked her incoming dagger with his own.

“I’m not jealous.” He was a little jealous.

“Ha.” Scarlet thrust her dagger at him again. “You practically accused me of being unfaithful with my emotions.”

He blocked her blade and grimaced at her words. “Right. Well. It’s difficult to feel you care for someone other than me.”

“Then stop feeling me.” She swiped at him.

“I can’t turn it off—ugh. Quit trying to stab me, woman.” He knocked the dagger out of her hand then threw his own weapon on the ground.

They stared at one another.

“You’re being ridiculous, Tristan I love you. Not Gabriel. You.”

“Yet you won’t marry me.”

Months ago, he had suggested they resume their marriage plans, but Scarlet refused. That, along with her emotions for Gabriel, had Tristan feeling a bit crushed.

She rolled her eyes.

He said, “I was good enough for you to wed in your last life, but somehow I’m no longer fit to be your husband?”

She thrust out angry arms. “Fine! Let’s get married! Let’s dance at our wedding and sleep by each others’ sides and have children and live happily ever after.” She dropped her arms. “We can’t have those things, Tristan. And if we don’t find a cure, I may die. I will not wed you only to die and leave you bound to me for hundreds of years until I return. I will not trap you into a lonely commitment like that.”

She started walking through the trees.

Tristan paced behind her, dumbfounded at her reasoning. “You think ‘commitment’ magically happens upon wedding vows? I’m already bound to you—and have been for years.”

“Yes. And I am committed to you. Which is why I won’t marry you until I’m cured and no longer a burden.”

“You could never be a burden.”

“I’m already a burden.”

“How?”

She spun around. “You can feel my emotions. You can feel the most honest things inside me and it’s driving you mad!”

“I’m not mad,” he said. “I just don’t want to share your heart with Gabriel.”

“You’re not! My heart is completely yours.”

“But you care for him.”

“And I love you!” She looked incredulous. “Why are you so threatened by your brother?”

“Because he can touch you!” Tristan yelled, his heart going hollow in sadness. “He can hold your hand and kiss your lips and dance with you and keep you warm. He can do all the things I cannot.”

His chest tightened.

“Hunter.” Walking up to him, Scarlet stood a breath away and stared into his eyes. “There is no replacing you. Not ever. But I cannot keep fighting like this. Every day is a struggle between us. I want to kiss you and slap you at the same time. It’s exhausting and it’s breaking my heart.”

Tristan looked at the ground and nodded. “Then perhaps we should spend some time apart. Until you’re cured.”

Anger and hurt flared inside her, but her face remained expressionless. “Perhaps we should.”

“Have you told Scarlet about your curse yet?” Nathaniel’s question caught Gabriel off guard as they waited for Tristan in the library.

They had been actively searching for more magic water since Scarlet’s return. Nathaniel had called upon friends and acquaintances, Tristan had bought countless potions, and Gabriel had ventured to the harbors to see if word from the New World brought any news of the Fountain of Youth or its water. But nothing.

“No.” Gabriel shifted. “And I don’t plan to. She is happy with Tristan. I do not wish to burden her with my loveless heart.”

A quiet pang of jealousy shot through Gabriel. Ever since Scarlet had come back to life, his soul had been…more. Scarlet eased the emptiness inside him and, while he understood and respected her love for Tristan, he couldn’t help but envy her affections.

But he was grateful for her friendship.

He enjoyed spending time with her; introducing her to the current world and informing her of the history she had missed. She seemed pleased to live in such an advanced time, but disappointed that hunting had gone out of fashion. Tristan seemed to sympathize with her and Gabriel figured that to be perfect.

Tristan and Scarlet spent nearly every afternoon in the forest, playing with weapons and returning in the late afternoon, usually arguing. The two fought as much as they swooned. It was obnoxious.

“If you do not wish to tell her, that is your prerogative.” Nathaniel looked around the library. “I wonder what it is Tristan wished to speak with us about. Where do you suppose he is?”

“He and Scarlet were arguing over how to make pancakes when I left them earlier, so who knows? They may very well be slaughtering each other with table knives as we speak.”

Scarlet and Tristan stuck fast to Nathaniel’s warning and carefully existed alongside one another without touching, though they occasionally exchanged looks more intimate than any touch could be.

Gabriel tugged at his collar.

Striding into the room, Tristan said, “I think we should schedule a passage to the New World as soon as possible.”

“And hello to you too,” Nathaniel smiled.

“From what I gather,” Tristan went on, “it will take us approximately three months to make arrangements. Once we reach the wild land, we can begin asking locals and natives about the Fountain of Youth and find the damned thing ourselves.”

Gabriel scoffed. “Right. We’ll pack up and travel to a land where everyone dies and there is no food. And then we’ll blindly hike our way to a fountain that may or may not be there. It’s a huge risk, Tristan.”

“So is letting Scarlet die,” he snapped.

Nathaniel held up his hands. “Perhaps a trip to the Americas would be helpful. I shall look into it and, if it seems beneficial, I will start making arrangements.”

“Soon,” Tristan demanded.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “Why are you so eager?”

“We are all eager.”

“Yes. But Scarlet hasn’t shown any sign of illness so it is safe to assume she is still healthy.” Gabriel paused. “What has you so raggedly desperate?”

“Because we have nowhere else to look and I do not want to waste another day without the cure. And also,” Tristan paused, “I can feel her.”

Gabriel blinked. “What?”

He cleared his throat. “I can feel her emotions and it is becoming hard to keep myself from responding to them.”

The pang returned to Gabriel’s chest.

“You can feel her?” Nathaniel said. “How long has this been going on?”

“Since we found her.”

Gabriel stared at him. “And you’re telling us just now?”

“I did not think it was important before,” Tristan said impatiently. “We need to cure her and get her feelings out of me. Immediately.”

Nathaniel twitched his lips. “Does Scarlet experience your emotions as well?”

“No.” Tristan rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, “Thank God.”

Well, this was just awkward.

Nathaniel slowly nodded. “I will start making arrangements immediately.”