Gabriel looked at Heather. “When you went to Scarlet’s house, was Laura home?”
Heather blinked. “Yes.”
Gabriel’s stomach dropped.
“Ohmygoodness. It is Laura.” Scarlet stood up and ran a shaky hand through her hair. “It has to be.”
Heather wrinkled her nose. “Laura?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense.” Scarlet bit her lip. “Laura’s been acting so weird and so interested in my eyes and…and she knew Tristan’s name and she visited Mr. Brooks….” Scarlet looked at Heather. “Laura must have let the Ashman into my house last year when I was sleeping to get my memories. And, today, she must have drugged you and stolen your memory.”
Heather frowned. “You think the same Laura who’s scared of spiders and wears high heels to the grocery store has been trying to use Head Ghosts on you? And now me?”
“Yes,” Scarlet said, wincing a little, “I do.”
“Okay, new plan.” Gabriel clasped his hands together, trying not to sound panicked.
But he was completely panicked.
“For the time being, I think it’s best if we don’t trust Laura. Which means you,” he pointed at Heather, “are going to stay here, at the cabin with Scarlet, until further notice. We can’t keep you safe from Ashmen and Head Ghosts if you’re sleeping twenty miles away. So call your parents and say whatever you have to so you don’t have to go home.”
Gabriel looked back at Scarlet who was lowering herself to the couch. “Call Laura and act normal. Tell her you’re having a sleepover or something so you don’t have to go home either.” He flexed his hands. “In the meantime, we need to figure out just what Laura’s connection is to the Head Ghosts and the Ashman.”
Nate nodded to Scarlet, who was now curled into a ball on the sofa. “And we need to figure out why Scarlet is in so much pain.”
Gabriel looked at Scarlet in concern. “How bad is the pain, Scarlet?”
She looked confused. “I don’t know. It comes and it goes and I can’t control it.”
Gabriel’s head was spinning.
Laura was up to something. Heather had been drugged and brain-robbed. And Scarlet was biting back tears on the couch.
Everything was going to hell.
Hours after the sun had set, Scarlet and Heather followed Gabriel into the basement to the spare bedroom next to Tristan’s. Scarlet tried not to let her eyes linger on Tristan’s bedroom door as she passed by.
The spare bedroom had blue walls and white furniture. White bed, white dresser, white desk, white mirror.
White, white, white.
And blue.
Scarlet collapsed on the big, white bed, grateful to be laying down again. She felt feverish and sweaty.
Heather looked at Scarlet in concern. “I think it’s jammie time. I’ll go grab our stuff.” She darted back up the stairs.
Gabriel came over to the bed and exhaled as he looked Scarlet over. “I’m so sorry, Scarlet. I wish there was something I could do to help you feel better.”
Then let me go to Tristan.
Scarlet smiled weakly. “I’ll be fine.”
No, I won’t.
Gabriel cupped the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek as Heather reentered the room.
“Okay, ex-lovebirds. Kissy time is over.”
Gabriel let his hand trail down Scarlet’s face before rising from the bed. “I’ll be upstairs if you guys need anything, okay?” Scarlet nodded and pulled herself up, careful not to wince.
She didn’t want Gabriel to worry about her more than necessary. Gabriel left the white room and closed the door behind him.
“Okay.” Heather pulled a handful of clothes from one of the bags. “I have fleece PJ pants with a sweater, or yoga pants with a long-sleeved shirt. Which do you want to wear?” Heather grabbed a handful of satin as well. “I also brought this little lingerie shirt with matching shorts because it was adorable, and I was shocked to find something so sexy in your closet.” Heather twisted her lips. “But since it’s freezing down here in Tristan’s creepy basement of pianos and bookshelves—hello, tortured soul—I suggest you go with the yoga pants.”
“I want the lingerie,” Scarlet said.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
Heather made a face. “You won’t wear the sexy blue shirt to school, but you want to sleep in satin shorts that are pretty much just glorified panties in Tristan’s ice dungeon?”
“Yes.” Scarlet was getting impatient. “I’m in pain, Heather. I’m hot and uncomfortable and I don’t feel like having thick, cotton hanging all over my skin.”
“Okay, okay.” Heather tossed the satin outfit to her. “But if you get frostbite, I will laugh at you.”
Scarlet sighed in relief as she changed out of her suffocating school clothes and slid the thing, cool satin over her burning skin.
When they were tucked in with the lights outs, Scarlet laid awake as her body ached. The only light in the room was a nightlight Heather had brought from Scarlet’s house. Scarlet hadn’t even known she had a nightlight.
Heather’s breathing became heavy and regular and Scarlet stared into the darkness, thinking about the possibility that Laura had used a Head Ghost on Heather. Was Laura bad?
Laura didn’t feel bad. She felt…suspicious. But not evil.
Right?
As the hours passed, Scarlet’s aching gradually turned into torment. Barely able to breathe through the pain, Scarlet eventually rolled out of bed and crumpled to the floor.
She balled her fists as more pain wracked her body. Endless minutes passed without relief, wearing Scarlet down until she cried out in agony.
Heather sat up and shoved the satin sleep mask she wore up to her forehead, looking around in alarm. “What’s wrong?” She jumped out of the bed and met Scarlet on the floor, her pale face concerned.
Scarlet tried to swallow, but her throat wouldn’t work. “It hurts…so…much,” she whimpered.
She got on all fours and tried to keep her balance, but her muscles shook in revolt, bringing her back to the floor. Feeling completely defeated by pain, Scarlet curled herself into a ball and began to cry.
“O-M-G.” Heather began to panic. “Don’t worry. I’ll go wake up Gabriel and Nate. They’ll know what to do.”
Heather’s hands were shaking as she tried to rub Scarlet’s shoulder encouragingly.
“No,” Scarlet said between her teeth. “Don’t wake them. They’ll never…let me…leave.” Scarlet whimpered again, another sharp pain shooting through her.
Tristan was in more pain than he could handle.
Tristan…was…dying.
No!
“Leave?” Heather asked.
“I have…to go.” Scarlet tried to roll herself up into a sitting position, but the room began to spin.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Heather wrapped an arm around Scarlet’s shoulder to steady her. “Let me go get Gabriel and we’ll figure out what to do, okay?”
“No,” Scarlet protested, but it was too late. Heather was already out of the room.
Scarlet kept her eyes closed and tried to find Tristan. He wasn’t far away. He was close enough to run to. If she could just…get…up….
Why was he dying?
Scarlet’s heart raced in fear.