Prophecy Girl (Lacuna Valley #1)

Chapter Sixteen

Sam never bit her nails, but her life was full of first time experiences lately. She thought it would help calm her nerves, but it wasn't really working. She stared out the window and chewed on them, waiting for Alzina to start the car and drive. The day was moving by fast and it was already starting to dim outside. The winter sun set earlier there than she was used to, or maybe the time had just gotten away from her.

"Okay, I'll bite. What happened?" Alzina asked. She stared at Sam impatiently.

"Nothing," Sam answered, annoyed. She was trying to think—not that there was anything to think about. "Isobel wasn't very helpful."

Alzina snorted. "From what I hear, that's to be expected."

"You've never met her?" Sam asked, surprised.

"We have Nick for that. Werewolves and seasonals don't exactly get along," Alzina explained with a smirk. "So, what are you going to do now?"

That was a good question, which really only had one answer. As much as Isobel rambled on about choices, she needed to keep Violet safe. There was only one way to make sure of that.

"I understand your focus on my sister. But she's not really the problem now, is she? My mother is the problem." Sam tried to explain it calmly. Alzina seemed reasonable enough. She'd driven her out there, anyway.

Alzina glanced back at Violet and then refocused her attention on Sam. "You know those decisions aren't up to me."

Sam nodded in reply. She may think she didn't have the power to make those calls, but Sam suspected she could make it happen.

Alzina sighed and turned to stare straight ahead. "I don't think you understand how Adam sees it."

"I understand he sees that she is the key. But my mother is the one trying to use her," she reasoned.

"Even without your mother, the threat still exists."

"Not immediately," Sam whispered, almost as a plea. If she were a puppetmaster, she knew there would be no way to control her desperation in that moment. In the back of her mind she realized how difficult it must be for Violet to control her power when it was so connected to her feelings.

"I just don't know that Adam can see it that way." Alzina's voice was heavy with guilt. She didn't like this, either. Sam felt a flutter of hope.

"But he doesn't have a lot of room to do what he wants to do now, right? Tommy's still standing in the way? So without that as an option, maybe he could refocus his desire on a new Plan B," Sam suggested, her heart in her throat.

Alzina nodded, but was obviously still debating with herself. "I can see what I can do. Are you sure that's what you want?"

Sam closed her eyes and tried to swallow back her tears. With her eyes closed, it was hard not to see her mother's face. Stroking Violet's hair, laughing on the phone, or even laughing when she was alone and hitting Sam—when she switched to images of her mother gone, really gone, all she wanted to say was No, I love her. You can't. She's my mother. But then she pictured Violet. She opened her eyes and turned to stare at her sister, and knew, without a doubt, that her mother would kill her. She could argue all she wanted that her mother had no reason to hurt Violet, but when had her mother ever cared about reason? It was her mother or Violet. She cleared her throat and stopped biting her nails. There was nothing to decide, really. There were no other choices left. Staring Alzina straight in the eye she nodded and said, "Yes."

Alzina glanced back at Violet and nodded again. "Alright, then. I'll talk to Adam. No promises." Sam nodded back at her. Alzina started the car and pulled back onto the highway. Sam was relieved that Violet was staying quiet, but also wondering what she'd gotten out of that conversation. She'd have to pull her aside and try to talk to her when they got back to the house.