Александра Адорнетто - Halo

“I’ll look after her,” Xavier said. He seemed offended by Gabe’s insinuation that he wouldn’t be able to protect me. “You know I wouldn’t let anything happen.”

Gabriel looked skeptical. “I don’t doubt your physical strength,” he said. “But . . .”

“But what?” Xavier asked in a low voice. “I would lay down my life for her.”

“I know you would, but you have no idea what you’re facing here.”

“I have to protect Beth—”

“Xavier.” Ivy put a hand on his arm, and I knew she was sending a soothing energy through his body. “Please listen to us. We don’t know what these people are . . . we don’t know how strong they are or what they’re capable of. From what we’ve seen so far, it’s likely they have no reservations about killing. Brave as you are, you are still only one human facing . . . only Our Father knows what.”

“So what do you propose we do?”

“I think we should do nothing until we’ve consulted a higher authority.” Gabriel’s face was expressionless. “I’ll make contact with the Covenant right away.”

“There isn’t time for that!” I cried. “Molly could be in serious trouble.”

“Our first concern is protecting the two of you!” The anger in Gabriel’s voice caused a hush to fall over the room. Nobody spoke until Ivy looked at us with sudden decisiveness.

“Xavier, whatever we decide to do, you cannot go home this weekend,” she said. “It’s not safe. You must stay with us.”

The scene at Xavier’s house wasn’t pretty. Gabriel and Ivy waited in the car while Xavier and I went inside to tell his parents he was staying with me for the weekend.

Bernie glared at him when he broke the news. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.” She followed Xavier into his bedroom and stood in the doorway, hands on hips as he packed a bag.

“You can’t go—we have plans for this weekend.”

She seemed to have missed the part where he’d told her he was going rather than asked.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” he said, striding around the room and throwing clothes and underwear into his sports bag, “but I have to go.”

Bernie’s eyes widened. She threw me an accusatory look, evidently holding me responsible for her model son’s transformation. It was a shame because we’d been getting along so well. I wished there was a way we could tell her the truth, but there was no chance she would have understood that it was too dangerous to leave Xavier unprotected.

“Xavier,” Bernie snapped, “I said no.”

But Xavier wasn’t listening.

“I’ll be back on Sunday night,” he said, zipping up the sports bag and slinging it across his shoulder.

“That’s it; I’m getting your father.” Bernie whirled around and stormed down the hall.

“Peter!” we heard her calling. “Peter, come and talk to your son—he’s out of control!”

Xavier looked at me apologetically. “Sorry about this,” he said.

“They’re just worried,” I replied. “It’s natural.”

A few moments later Xavier’s father appeared in the doorway, his forehead creased with concern and his hands buried in his trouser pockets.

“You’ve got your mother in a bit of a state,” he said.

“I’m sorry, Dad.” Xavier put a hand on his father’s shoulder. “I can’t explain it all right now, but I have to go. Just trust me on this one.”

Peter looked over at me. “Are you both all right?” he asked.

“We will be,” I said. “After this weekend everything will be fine.”

Peter seemed to sense the urgency in our voices, and he put his hand over Xavier’s.

“I’ll take care of your mother,” he said. “You two worry about taking care of yourselves.”

He gestured to the bedroom window. “Go that way.” We stared at him, wondering if it was some sort of joke. “Hurry up!”

Xavier smiled grimly, pushed open the window, and tossed his bag out before helping me through.

“Thanks, Dad,” he said and hoisted himself up after me.

From outside, pressed against the cool bricks, we heard Bernie come back into the room.

“Where did they go?” she demanded.

“I’m not sure,” replied Peter innocently. “They must have slipped past me.”

“Are you okay?” I asked Xavier once we were safely in the car. I knew how terrible I’d felt lying to Ivy and Gabriel, and I knew that Xavier had a lot of respect for his parents.

“Yeah, Mom will recover,” he said, and smiled at me. “You’re my top priority and don’t you forget it.” We drove home in pensive silence.

Raising Hell

Hard as I tried, I couldn’t accept Gabriel’s proposal of waiting for divine guidance. It seemed unlike him to respond in such a way, uncharacteristically cautious, which told me everything I needed to know; Jake Thorn was a serious threat, and that meant I couldn’t sit at home while Molly was in his clutches.

Molly had been my first friend at Venus Cove. She had taken me under her wing, confided in me, and made every effort to ensure I felt included. If Gabriel, of all people, didn’t feel confident enough to act alone, then something was seriously wrong. So I didn’t think twice. I knew exactly what I had to do.

“I’m going out to pick up some groceries,” I told Gabriel, careful to keep my face impassive so he wouldn’t detect the lie.

My brother frowned. “We’re not running low. Ivy stocked up yesterday.”

“Well, I need something to get my mind off this whole business with Jake,” I said, trying a different tact. Gabriel looked at me closely, his silver eyes narrowed, his chiseled features severe. I swallowed. Lying to him was never easy. “I just need to get out of the house.”

“I’ll come with you,” he said. “I don’t want you going out alone, given the current situation. . . .”

“I won’t be alone,” I insisted. “I’ll be with Xavier. And besides, I’ll only be gone ten minutes.” I felt awful lying to his face, but I had no other choice.

“Don’t be such a worrywart.” Ivy patted my brother’s arm. She was always so quick to trust in me. “Some fresh air will do them good.”

Gabriel pursed his lips and folded his hands behind his back.

“All right. But come straight back.”

I took Xavier’s hand and tugged him out of the house. He started the Chevy in silence. I told him to make a left at the end of the street.

“You have a terrible sense of direction,” he joked, but the smile didn’t touch his eyes.

“We were never going to the grocery store.”

“I know,” Xavier said. “And I think you’re crazy.”

“I have to do something,” I said quietly. “Lives have already been lost because of Jake.

How will we live with ourselves if Molly’s his next victim?”

Xavier was unconvinced. “Beth, do you really think I’m going to take you right into the path of a murderer? The guy’s unstable. You heard what your brother said.”

“This isn’t about me anymore,” I said. “I’m not worried.”

“Well I am! Do you realize the danger you’re putting yourself in?”

“It’s my job! Why do you think I was sent here? Not just to sell badges and work in soup kitchens—this is it, this is our challenge! I can’t turn my back on it because I’m too scared.”

“Maybe Gabriel’s right—sometimes it’s smart to be scared.”

“And sometimes you just have to bite the bullet,” I insisted.

Xavier was exasperated. “Look, I’ll go down to the graveyard and bring Molly back. You stay here.”

“Great idea,” I said sarcastically. “If there’s one person Jake hates more than me, it’s you.

Look, Xav, you can either come with me or you can stay home. But either way I’m going to help