Page 12 of Twisted Truths (The Sunburnt Hearts #4)

Chapter Nine

HADLEY

M y chest is too tight, my body still thrumming from Nash’s touch as I push through the crowd. Every step away from him shoots an agonising pain through me, like I physically can’t bear the distance between us.

Nash Stone.

Zara’s brother.

What is he doing here?

He’s supposed to be in the US playing basketball. Did she call him?

My eyes dart around the crowded market, searching for her.

Is she here? My heart races at the thought of seeing her, of making sure she’s okay, but deep down, I know she won’t be here.

It’s too dangerous with Gabriel and Isaac here.

She won’t take any unnecessary risks, and she won’t know that I’m here. I’m not supposed to be here.

Nash’s words play on repeat in the back of my mind. You knew my sister. I’m almost at the Circle stall when I stumble over my own feet. He said knew not know.

My body trembles .

No.

No, no, no, no.

It’s not true.

She’s coming back for us.

As if sensing my distress, Gabriel’s steel gaze finds mine as the box of fruit spills from my shaking hands and falls to the ground, sending grapefruits rolling in every direction. The memory of him crying in the bathroom assaults me, and I shake my head.

No. It can’t be true.

Concern creases his brow, and he strides towards me, his strong hands catching me as my legs give way. Grief and guilt overwhelm me as I whisper Zara’s name.

Gabriel’s hold stiffens, and he growls. “What did you say?”

“Zara,” I whisper, my throat thickening with grief. “She’s gone.”

Gone.

How can she be gone?

What happened to her?

“Is she okay?” Isaac’s voice cuts through the ringing in my ears.

“She’s fine, just a little faint,” Gabriel says, tucking one arm around my waist, the other under my legs. “I’m going to take her to the truck to rest until you finish up.”

No.

This is wrong.

Everything is all wrong.

Gabriel straightens to his full height, and my body nestles into the hard plains of his chest.

Zara.

The healed shards of my shattered heart break again. Yet another person I was close to is gone. Maybe I’m destined to be alone .

“I didn’t know you knew her,” Gabriel murmurs softly as he carries me through the crowded market.

There’s that word again.

Knew.

People are staring, so I turn my head away from their prying eyes, burying my head in the crook of his neck.

“She was my friend.” I don’t know why I’m admitting this to him, but it feels important.

He sighs, his warm breath feathering over the top of my head. “I’m glad she had someone.”

“How?” I whisper, my voice muffled against his shirt. The material is wet. I hadn’t realised tears were rolling down my cheeks.

“It’s not important.” His tone is gruff, in contrast to the tender way he’s holding me.

“How?” I demand, my voice splintering. “Please, Gabriel.”

His heart races under my palm as he leans down to murmur in my ear. “She was murdered.”

Murdered.

The word rolls around in my mind like a storm, tumbling and crashing against my thoughts.

She was murdered.

I’m no longer safe.

“I’m going to find who did it,” his hoarse whisper is only meant for me. “I swear, they’ll pay.”

The world tilts and everything goes black.

I’m in my bed when I wake, a cool cloth resting on my forehead. Turning my head, I find Gianna on her bed, reading a book. The soft glow of her bedside lamp causes shadows to dance across the room, and I wonder how long I’ve been out.

“What happened?” I croak out, wincing at the dryness in my throat.

“You fainted.” She closes her book and sits up, hiding it beneath her mattress before moving to the side of her bed so she’s facing me.

“Guardian Gabriel reamed Ascendent Sierra for not ensuring you ate before you left for the market this morning, though it’s not like he gave you any warning of your change in role. ”

Manoeuvring into a sitting position, I wait for the dizziness to pass before I reach for the glass of water next to my bed and gulp it down greedily.

“He left food and said to make sure you eat.” Gianna points at the plate of fruit on my bedside table.

An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach. “Why?”

She shrugs. “So you don’t faint again, I guess.”

Ascendent Sierra calls for Gianna, Brielle, and Samantha to attend Sunday Confessional.

I move to the edge of my bed, closing my eyes briefly to fight off my wooziness, but Gianna shakes her head and offers me a kind smile. “You’ve been excused for tonight. Rest up.”

“Thanks,” I say, reaching for a grapefruit as she closes the door.

The moment the sweet juice of the fruit hits my tongue, I gasp, choking as I breathe it into my windpipe. Memories from this morning rush back to me, each image a shard of glass cutting through the fog.

Gabriel.

Nash.

Zara.

I stifle the gut-wrenching sob that escapes my lips as grief washes over me. Zara was murdered. She’s not coming back for us. I bury my head in my blankets and cry for my friend.

She was a good person.

She didn’t deserve this.

Why do bad things keep happening to good people?

I don’t know how much time has passed when heavy footsteps fall outside my bedroom, and I fight to get my emotions under control. I can’t afford to fall apart. Zara made me promise to keep him safe, and I can’t let her down. Somehow, I need to find a way to get us both out of here.

A brief knock is the only warning I get before the door is pushed open and Gabriel’s imposing presence fills the space.

“What are you doing?” I gasp as he steps inside, closing the door behind him.

“Checking on you,” is his gruff reply.

My heart races as my eyes dart to the only escape from this room, which he is effectively blocking.

“I—Y-you shouldn’t be in here, it’s not proper. We?—”

“Need to talk,” Gabriel finishes for me. He doesn’t move, remaining still as his heavy gaze washes over me.

I drop mine to my lap. “I have n-nothing to say, Guardian.”

“Why are you lying to me?” There’s no anger in his voice, only a resigned curiosity mixed with a tinge of … sadness? But that can’t be right. This is Gabriel, the fiercest of Guardian Solomon’s four sons.

“I’m not,” I whisper. “Please, I must ask you to leave. We cannot be alone. If?—”

“If what?” he barks, and I flinch. “What will happen if we’re found alone, Hadley? Please, enlighten me.”

“I—I’m of age,” I stutter, swallowing down the loneliness I felt turning twenty-one without my sister or even Zara to share it with. “Please, this isn’t right. I don’t want to be cast out by?— ”

“By who?” He strides forward until his legs are brushing my bed.

I cower from him, my body trembling.

I cannot tell him.

“Please.” I’m not even sure the word is audible.

He releases a deep sigh and takes a couple of steps back.

“You’re related to Madeline,” he murmurs, but it’s not a question. He shakes his head. “Her sister. All this time, I thought I was catching glimpses of her ghost haunting me, blaming me for not being able to save her and our child. But it was you.”

I draw in a sharp breath. “I can’t—I didn’t—Please, you have to go. We can’t be alone like this.”

“How did you know Zara?” he presses, ignoring my pleas.

The mention of her name causes my heart to clench and the feeling of loss and hopelessness hits me all over again. Zara is gone. She’s not coming back. Silent tears stream down my cheeks.

Gabriel grunts out a sound of frustration. “I’m trying to understand the connection, Hadley. Zara was told to keep to herself while she was here. Tell me how you knew her.”

I shake my head. “I c-can’t.”

“We don’t have much time. What did she tell you?”

Keep him safe.

Zara’s last words cause me to press my lips together.

“Nothing.” Swallowing down my fear, I straighten my spine, but I can’t bring myself to look at him. “I don’t know anything, so if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave. Please, Guardian.”

Tension thrums in the air, but he makes no effort to move. I risk a peek up at him, and he’s tugging at his hair. When he finally speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper. “You don’t know how dangerous this is. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what you know.”

The front door to the cabin opens and the sound of voices drifts down the hall towards us.

“You need to leave,” I implore. How am I supposed to explain being alone with a man in my bedroom, let alone a guardian? Especially after the same guardian made allowances for me to change my role this morning. There are going to be questions. I can’t have this getting back to Seraphina.

Light footsteps make their way down the hall, and I hear the door to Brielle and Samantha’s bedroom open only moments before my own does.

Gianna freezes, her hand still on the handle.

“I’m glad to see you are feeling better,” Gabriel says, moving to leave. “Take care of yourself, Hadley.”

“Yes, Guardian,” I reply, bowing my head.

He slips past Gianna without another glance in my direction, and when she closes the door behind him, I finally feel like I can breathe again.

“What was he doing here?” she hisses, rushing over to drop onto my bed next to me.

I shrug. “He was checking on me.”

Her mouth gapes open. “You know what this means, right?”

My stomach sinks, because I know she’s right before she even says the words out loud.

“You’re going to be Chosen at the next Awakening.”