The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (109 page)

             
“He’s alive!” Jack screamed, causing me to stop halfway.

             
“Shut up! You don’t talk about him.” I backhanded him across the face.

             
I raised my arms again. “Wait, if you kill me then I can’t prove it to you,” he said.

             
“Tristan’s dead. I saw him and he was dead,” I said, even though I’m not so sure anymore.

             
“No he’s not. After you left I came back and he was still alive.”

             
“You’re lying!” I said, holding the knife to his neck.

             
“I can prove it. In my pocket is a necklace that belongs to him. If you let me go I can show you.”

             
“Ella, no. He’s stalling. Don’t listen to him,” Kyle said.

             
“No I’m not. It’s the truth.”

             
“Then why didn’t he come for me? If he was alive he would have come and found me.”

             
“I told him you were dead. That’s why he didn’t look for you.”

             
“And I’m supposed to believe you just let him go?”

             
“I didn’t at first. I wanted to kill him. He begged me to when I told him you were dead, but he didn’t deserve it. He needed to suffer for what he did. I knew his grief would eat at him until there was nothing left but an empty shell. So I let him go,” he said.

             
I shook my head. I needed to know for sure, I needed to see. “Show me the necklace.”

             
“You have to let me go.”

             
I stood up slowly.

             
I kept the knife close to his chest and let him take the necklace from his pocket. I held out my hand and he laid it in the center. Kyle came over and took the knife from me and put it to Jack’s throat.

             
I looked down at the necklace in the palm of my hand.

             
It was my grandmother’s silver cross.

             
Tristan had told me he found it the night of the accident and said he was going to keep it as a memento, like a good luck charm. He said he would only take it off and return it to my family if something happened to me. I had forgotten all about it.

             
I closed my palm around the necklace. I knew it was hers because it was twined in Celtic knots with a small diamond infused in the center, along with her initials on the back. I looked up at Jack and grabbed his shirt. “Where is he?”

             
“The last I heard he was in Ireland,” he said.

             
I let go.

             
I couldn’t believe it.

             
Tristan was alive.

             
“Ella, what is it?” Josie said, rushing up to me.

             
Dean and Billy had managed to defeat their attacker’s and were standing there watching. “He’s alive Josie. Tristan is alive.” She shook her head at me like I was crazy. “Josie it makes sense. It would explain why you didn’t see him. That’s because he’s alive.”

             
“Ella, I don’t know?”

             
“It’s true. I saw him myself,” Jack said.

             
“Josie I know he is. He has to be.” Jack took advantage of our distraction and knocked the knife from Kyle then knocked him to the ground. Jack picked up the knife ready to kill Kyle with it when I turned and threw my hands up. “No!” I yelled.

             
I put all the power I had left into my shield and when Jack hit it, it sent him flying over the hedges and into the darkness of the maze. My body was shaking from the force I used to create such a powerful shield. “Holy shit,” Dean said, coming up behind me. I didn’t get the chance to respond. I heard Riley crying over in the corner.

             
“Justin,” I said. “Help me up.” Kyle and Dean lifted me to my feet and helped carry me over to them. Justin was bleeding pretty badly and I thought he might even be dead.

             
“Ella, can you help him?” Riley asked, tears streaming down her face.

             
“I…I can try.” I had no idea if it would work. I never healed a wound this big, but I knew I had to try for Riley.

             
“Ella, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Dean said. “You’re too weak and if try to use any more power…it might kill you.”

             
“I have to at least try. I can’t just let him die,” I said. Dean knew better than to argue with me when I had my mind set so he let me go. I placed my hand over Justin’s chest as Riley ran her fingers through his soft fur. My hand glowed, but at first it didn’t do anything. I concentrated harder, pulling the power from within. I could feel it flowing through me as I placed my other hand over his chest.

             
I saw him take a breath and the wound slowly started to heal. “Ella, it’s working!”  Riley cheered.

             
I started to feel really hot and dizzy. “Ella, you don’t look so good,” Josie said. I ignored her and kept concentrating on pulling the power from within. My hands started to shake and I noticed my whole body was glowing, like it had in the dining hall when I stopped the fight. Justin was turning back into his human form. “Dean, give me your jacket.” Josie took Dean’s jacket and placed it over Justin’s naked body.

             
“Ella stop, you did enough,” Dean said worried. But like always, I didn’t listen. “Ella, you’re using too much power, stop.”

             
I saw Justin’s eyes twitch. He opened them and I smiled, just before I passed out.

Chapter twenty-eight

I could hear voices all around me, calling my name. I blinked a few times, but every time I opened my eyes my vision was blurry. I could feel my body was weak as I struggled to move. “No Ella, don’t move,” Kyle whispered in my ear. I felt someone sweep me up off the ground. I was being carried.

              I was coming in and out of consciousness as I was carried through the maze. “Can’t you just transport her?” I heard Josie say.

             
“No, she’s too weak. Her body won’t be able to handle it,” Kyle said.

             
I heard other voices, strange ones. They were all jumbled together, but through the mix I was able to pick out Gabe’s. “Ella, what happened, what is wrong?” he asked panicked.

             
“She drained what little power she had left to heal Justin,” Josie said.

             
“Who is this?” Gabe asked defensively. I knew he had to be talking about Kyle.

             
“Long story short, he’s an angel and a good guy,” Josie said.

             
There was a long pause of silence. “I can vouch for him,” Dean said.

             
“Take her to the infirmary,” Gabe said.

             
“Jack…” I tried to speak, but it was barely a whisper. “Ja-ack,” I tried again.

             
“Wait, she’s trying to say something,” Josie cried. “Ella, what is it?”

             
“Jack…find Jack,” I managed before I passed out again.

When I came to, I was hooked up to all types of machines. “Kyle?” I said. My voice was raspy and my throat was dry. “Kyle?”

             
“No Ella, it’s me, Roman,” he said sadly.

             
“Roman…” I reached for him and he took my hand.

             
“Shh, just rest,” he whispered. I overheard him talking to one of the nurses and she came over and checked my vitals.

             
“Hi Ella, I’m nurse Edie. How are you feeling?”

             
I moved a shaky hand to my throat. “Thirsty,” I said scratchy.

             
“I’ll go get you something to drink,” she said, leaving the room.

             
I turned back to Roman. “Where’s Dean…and Josie?” I tried to swallow, but my throat was burning.

             
The nurse returned with a cup of ice chips and pitcher of water. “Here you go sweetie. I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake and we’ll come back in to check on you in a bit.”

             
Roman took the cup of ice chips and went to feed them to me. I ripped the cup from his hands. “I’m not a child. I can do it myself,” I snapped.

             
“It sounds like she’s doing okay,” I heard Josie giggle and peek her head around the curtain. “You up for some company?” I nodded and she pulled the curtain back to reveal all my friends standing there. Even Justin was there with his arm in a sling.

             
“I’ll be back later,” Roman said, getting up and leaving. I wanted to stop him, but I knew I had hurt his feelings and now was not the time.

             
“I didn’t know what you liked, but it’s the least I could do, you know…for saving my life,” Justin said, handing me a small bag.

             
I reached in and inside was a box of Oreo cookies. “Is this my treat for doing a good job?” I laughed. He shrugged and cracked a smile. “Thank you. I guess we’re even now.”

             
“Something like that,” he smiled as I offered him an Oreo.

             
“What did I miss here?” Cameron asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

             
I just shook my head. “How are you feeling?” Riley asked.

             
“Tired and kind of warn out,” I sighed.

             
“You look good though,” Sienna said. “And you have another blue streak,” she squeaked. My smile fell. “Oh…you didn’t know. It looks great,” she smiled perkily.

             
“Okay guys, that’s enough for the night,” nurse Edie said coming back in the room.

             
“But we just got here?” Riley said.

             
“I know, but Ella needs her rest,” she insisted.

             
I asked Dean and Josie to stay a moment and said goodnight to the rest of my friends. Once everyone else was gone, I automatically started with the questions. “Where’s Jack? Did they find him?” Dean turned away from me and looked out the window. I turned to Josie and the look on her face said enough.

             
“No honey, they didn’t,” she said.

             
I clenched my fist tight and that’s when I felt it.

             
The necklace.

             
It was still in my hand.

             
I opened my fist back up and held the necklace up. “Tristan,” I whispered placing my fist over my heart. “What’s the word about Tristan? Did anyone find anything out?”

             
“Ella…you don’t really believe him do you? You know he would have said anything to distract you from killing him.”

             
“Josie it’s true. I know it is. He’s alive and he’s out there somewhere.”

             
“Ella, I just don’t want you to get your hopes up…at least until we can find out for sure.”

             
“Dean?” He was quiet the entire time he was there.

             
“Josie, can I please have a moment alone with my sister?” Dean asked.

             
“Yeah, I’ll be right outside,” she said, squeezing my hand.

             
I turned my attention to Dean who was still staring out the window. “When I heard you had gone in to that maze after Jack,” he paused and looked down at his hands on the windowsill. “I thought…” he shook his head. “I thought I might lose you,” he admitted.

             
“Dean, I’m okay. See,” I said, waving my hand over myself. “Good as new, well, almost.”

             
He finally turned to face me. “Ella, that’s not funny.”

             
“Oh, come on Dean, this is the third time Jack tried to kill me and failed. You think you’d get used to this by now.” He gave me his I’m not amused look. “Dean, look, we can sit here and talk about what could have happened or we can be happy at the fact that once again I have proven Jack cannot get me.”

             
“This coming from the girl who only months ago wanted to give up. What’s the sudden change?”

             
“Someone once told me we McCallisters don’t give up. We’re fighters.”

             
He smiled weakly. “I have to admit when you blasted him into the air like that I thought it was pretty bad ass,” he said.

             
“Why thank you.”

             
“Get some sleep. I’ll be back in the morning,” he said, kissing me on the forehead and sending Josie back in with the nurse.

             
“I remember telling you you need your rest,” the nurse said, looking at Josie.

             
“I know, but can’t she stay just a little while longer?” I pleaded. She rolled her eyes at me and said she could stay, but only for a little.

             
Josie sat down on the bed next to me. “So, how are you feeling, really?”

             
“I’m just so…I don’t know. I mean I feel better, stronger, but I just have so many questions.”

             
              “I know you do, but I think that should wait until later.”

             
“Josie no. You know I won’t be able to rest until I know everything that happened.”

             
She sighed, knowing I was right. “Well I’m not going to lie. The guardians have a big mess to clean up. The school is in disarray and they’re currently discussing on what to do. Parents are panicking and threatening to close down the school.”

             
“No, they can’t do that. What else did they say?”

             
“I don’t know Ella. That’s all I heard.”

             
“So…how mad is Roman?”

             
“Why would he be mad?”

             
“I kind of said Kyle’s name when I first woke up, not to mention I snapped at him.”

             
“Hmm…I can understand the Kyle thing, but the snapping part I’m sure he’ll get over. I mean if he really knew you he would have known better.”

             
“That doesn’t help,” I said, wondering how the hell I was going to fix that. “Speaking of Kyle…where is he?”

             
“He had to go back,” she said softly.

             
“Do they know? Is he in trouble?”

             
“I don’t know. We really didn’t have time to chat if you know what I mean. He carried you here and then he was gone. I’m sorry. I wish I knew more.”

             
“I know,” I said, thinking the same thing. “Alright, now I need you to go pack me a bag and find my passport.” I sat up and started to pull the IV out of my arm.

             
“Whoa, what are you doing?”

             
“We are getting out of here.”

             
“Ella, you’re not a hundred percent yet. I think you need to stay here another day or two.”

             
“I’m not going to lay here hold up in some hospital when I know Tristan is out there somewhere.”

             
“Ella, I really think you need to think this through.” She gave me that,
‘I’m crazy’
look for believing him.

             
“Josie, I know you think I’m crazy and you find it hard to believe that he would tell me something like that, but think about it. You said so yourself that you didn’t see him.”

             
“Yes but that doesn’t mean –”

             
“I know it’s not concrete proof and yes Jack could have stolen the necklace from him, but I saw him. I just didn’t believe it at first.”

             
“What do you mean you saw him?”

             
“When Jack bit me. I thought maybe the spell was broken or he just didn’t try to block his mind, but I saw him. I saw exactly what Jack had told me. How he went back and Tristan was alive. I saw Tristan take off the necklace and put it in his pocket, but he missed and it fell and that’s how Jack got it. Josie I have to at least try. Even though you won’t admit it, I know you love Billy and if the roles were reversed you would want to know. Wouldn’t you?”

             
She looked at me concerned, but I knew I had her. “Okay, fine. I’ll give you one week for this little adventure, but then you have to promise me if we find nothing you’ll let it go.”

             
I crossed my fingers behind my back and promised. I was not going to give up until I found Tristan. “Okay, so we need to find a way to get out of here.”

             
“I’m going to go back to your room and pack us a bag. Then I’ll meet up with you back here in an hour and we’ll figure it out from there.”  She turned to leave but stopped by the door. “By the way, I just wanted to tell you that whole glow thing was pretty cool,” she smiled.

             
After Josie left I got back in bed and waited. That was all I could do for now. I thought about how I was going to explain this to Roman. I didn’t think I could. He wouldn’t understand and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings any more than I already had. I knew Dean was going to be pissed off and Gabe. Oh God Gabe. I hadn’t even had the chance to talk to him or see him.

             
I turned on the little light next to my bed and searched for a piece of paper and pen. I wanted to leave a note for Gabe to explain to him why I had to leave. I sat there going over excuse after excuse, but there was nothing I could say to him that would make this okay. I felt someone behind me and I turned to look. “Kyle.”

             
“Ella,” he smiled. I got up and ran into his arms. “I can’t stay. I just had to see you one last time before I left,” he said, pulling back and looking into my eyes.