The Phoenix Prophecy: Nova

Nova is screaming. I wrap my arms around her and drag her from the room as Snow knocks Kole sideways. He was lunging for her, straining so hard his chains were almost breaking free from the walls. But that wasn’t why she was screaming.

The strength of what she saw makes me nauseous. I can feel it. The anguish. The pain. Her heart breaking into a million pieces. Waves of grief. A tsunami of it. Locked away for twenty years. Now free.

It takes all my strength to get her up the stairs and into the kitchen. She fights me all the way.

It’s dark now. I pull her through the doors, across the lawn to the fountain. I let go of her, open my arms, and tell the water to fall like raindrops onto her skin. She blinks up at it. Shocked. She yells. Screams. Then quiets.

I wait until she’s still, then tell the water to stop and fold her in my arms. “I’m sorry.”

She’s shaking, but not crying.

“I’m sorry.”

She grabs for me, like she doesn’t believe I’m real or that I’m here. “Tanner.”

“I’m here.”

“Tanner…”

“I’m here.” I kiss her forehead, find her lips, kiss her long and deep. “I’m here. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

When Mack joins us, he’s Mack again. He jogs urgently down the steps and kneels in front of us. “Nova. Are you all right?”

She nods. She still hasn’t told me what she saw. She hasn’t spoken at all.

In a voice that’s barely a whisper, she finally says, “Is Kole all right?”

“He’s coming down. He’s okay.” Mack looks at me. “He’ll be okay.”

“It was me.” Nova stands up and lets the blanket fall to the floor. Mack and I exchange a worried look. “It was me. Sam bit me. I got mad. I killed them.”

In unison, Mack and I stand and reach for her arms, but she tugs away from us.

“I killed them.” Her eyes are wide and unblinking. Like she’s not really here. She turns and lets the blanket fall from her shoulders. She’s walking toward the woods.

I go to follow her, but Mack stops me. “Give her a minute.” His jaw twitches.

“Whatever she just saw,” I say darkly. “I think she’ll need more than a minute.”