Page 52 of A Brighter Yellow
“Elliot stabbed him with that Brett guy’s knife. I thought he was OK to travel. Ochre said he could make it through the woods. I shouldn’t have believed him. But there were all those warlocks and the police. We had to go.”
“It’s OK,” said Scarlet, dropping her clothes on the bed and reaching into a drawer. “It’s going to be OK. I’m pretty sure Azure would have warned me if Ochre was going to die. So we just have to go in there and… sort through a million dimensions till we find him. I’m sure we can handle it.”
Anna thought Scarlet didn’t look all that certain. “I can find him,” said Anna.
“OK,” agreed Scarlet, pulling on jeans and a t-shirt.
“You said Brett?” called Liam from the living room. “Not Brett Hubbard?”
“Yes,” said Anna going back to the doorway of the bedroom.
Liam let out a growl. “I should have killed him.”
“Ochre already did,” said Anna.
“Oh,” said Scarlet. Anna looked over her shoulder at the blonde girl, who had one running shoe on and one in her hand. She looked shocked and concerned. “Um.”
“Brett was trying to rebuild the spell that led to the Night of 1000 Deaths.”
“Well, fuck him,” said Scarlet sharply.
“And then Elliot stabbed Ochre with a piece of Brett’s knife.”
“Who is Elliot?” asked Liam, looking up as he swabbed down one of Charlie’s cuts.
“Charlie’s stalker,” said Anna. “A scientist. He was helping Brett. I… ripped his throat out.”
“Well,” said Scarlet coming out of the bedroom with both shoes on. “Things apparently got very exciting while Ochre was away. Good thing you were there!” She went to the closet by the front door and pulled out another slightly smaller backpack, and began to pull on her red rain jacket. “Liam, I’m taking the spare first aid kit. If we’re not back by dawn, call Azure and my grandmother.”
“I already texted Azure for Charlie,” said Liam. “She’s on her way.
“Good thinking!” said Scarlet.
“Maybe you should wait for her,” he suggested.
“No,” gasped Anna.
“No,” said Scarlet, more calmly. “We can’t wait for her. The quicker we get back, the better chance we have.” Liam looked grim and unhappy with the answer.
“Scarlet,” said Liam, standing up.
They exchanged one look, and Anna saw with naked clarity that they were indeed mates. He crossed the room and kissed Scarlet, and then helped her put on the backpack.
“Come back to me,” he said.
“Always,” said Scarlet, with simple sincerity.
Anna looked at Liam and tried to come up with words. She needed Scarlet, but she could sense the fear in him. The fear that Anna was taking Scarlet away.
“I need Ochre,” she said. It was the only thing that made any sense.
“Yes,” he said, with a smile so understanding that Anna felt a tear roll down her cheek. “Go get him, and then come home.”
Episode 26
The Path to True Love
Scarlet
