Lost Soul

Chapter Thirty-One: Sacrifice

We're supposed to move on the next morning, but we don't. We decide to rest a little longer. Wash our clothes in the stream before the weather gets too cold. Nick hunts rabbits and Cat collects berries once they're both feeling better.

Cat has black bruises up and down her spine and purple burns that ripple across her back, stretching out like frost.

Charlie has to fly to a village down the mountain to get medicine for the burns. He does what little he can through magic to treat them. It really only makes the bruises fade to a sickly yellow and purple, but it makes it easier for her to move.

The first week in the cave, it rains nonstop. We fall asleep each night to cracking thunder and flashes of lightning that make Cat flinch.

The day the storm breaks, I wake earlier than everyone, which is normal.

I creep to the mouth of the cave with Danny's hoodie on.

Frost creeps along everything and the world seems to hold its breath.

Everything is still, and quiet, and peaceful. It reminds of Rae, with her dark eyes and her calm anger.

Warm arms wrap around me from behind and Danny rests his head on my shoulder.

"Do you think she celebrated her birthday alone?" I ask.

Danny purses his lips. "No. But I'm sure she misses you." He sweeps my hair to my other shoulder and presses his lips to my skin.

I close my eyes, leaning back into him.

Cat had stopped glancing at us in the same sleeping bag before she went to bed a few days ago.

Danny had explained to her that he isn't attracted to women. Obviously, not because of the body, considering Cat and I are identical. I guess it's more about 'vibes' than anything.

Cat spends more time with Nick these days, out in the woods. Once she's gathered enough berries, she'll sit with Nick in the quiet and they'll practice their shooting.

I don't know if Danny wants anything more than cuddling and mutual support. For now, that's all we're both willing to ask for. It's comforting, having him there.

If I stumble, he's there to catch me. And I'm there to catch him.

The days continue to get colder the further into November we get. We put sleeping bags that aren't being used over the cave entrance to seal out the cold.

Ava's visions keep getting worse without James. She'll wake up screaming, and I'll leave Danny in our sleeping bag to go to her.

I'll hold her in my lap and rock her back and forth as she sobs about what she's seen.

She keeps seeing my death. Over and over. Not an almost death, like with the poison, or our friends we sent to Ebony. My real death. In various ways. Trying to save Ava. Hurting myself. Trying to kill Thomas.

Each one seems to make her even more upset than the last, but there's not much I can do to make her feel better.

James seemed to understand the visions in a way none of us do. He claimed he never had them, but growing up on the reservation, he'd known people who had.

Nick tries to help, but it just makes Ava even more distraught.

Meanwhile, Charlie's getting increasingly anxious. He's been reaching out to Shay for the past week or so, without answer.

I barely know her, but she's helped us so many times, I can't help but worry.

Has Thomas learned of her betrayal? Is she... gone now?