Cassidy Jones and the Eternal Flame (Cassidy Jones Adventures Book 5) by Elise Stokes

Author:Elise Stokes [Stokes, Elise]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: young adults
Publisher: JACE Publishing LLC
Published: 2017-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Three

Betrayal

The sky was clear. A full moon loomed. Silver-white beams glanced across inky water, soaking the stretch of oatmeal-colored sand and tall grass in pale light. Ahead, a solitary figure trudged on, arms swinging at his sides, steps springy, gaze endlessly searching the moonlit lake. His excitement bled into the balmy air.

Where are you going, Jared? What are you doing?

I skulked along velvety shadows like a soul-sucking fiend. That’s what I’d be to Jared: the girl who captured his father and destroyed his life.

But he’ll be safe. I stepped lightly, soundlessly. Owen won’t be able to hurt him or anyone else again.

Jared veered toward the beach. I slunk toward a patch of alder trees. Squatting in the shadowy cluster, I watched him hop on one foot while pulling the shoe off the other, leaving the shoe where it fell. He removed the second shoe, dumped it, wrestled his T-shirt off, and dropped it, too. Moonlight playing in his hair and dancing across his golden skin, he sprinted for the lake with the abandon of a child.

He ran into the water and dove, vanishing into the glistening flux.

Seconds passed, a minute. I paced the tree line. Jared burst through the surface, and I faded into the shadows. Wading toward the shore, he rubbed his palms over his smiling face and shook out his wet hair.

He stooped down, scooped up water, brought his cupped hands to his mouth, and inhaled the liquid.

I collapsed to my knees.

He took another breath of water.

I rocked on my knees, hugging myself, shoulders shaking with silent tears.

“It’s about time!” Jared spoke. He doused his face.

Someone sloshed alongside a partially submerged, fallen tree.

“Keep your pants on!”

I drew in her scent with a convulsing breath. A pained growl vibrated my throat.

“No problem there.” Jared put his arms out and fell into a back float.

“Harty-har-har.” Ashlyn appeared from behind the exposed tree roots. Ropes of drenched hair hung along her slender arms. A teal romper clung to her subtle curves. She smiled at Jared.

My vision shrank, closing in around her. She did this. They did this!

“You’re hilarious, Jared.”

I tore from the trees, screaming.

Shock slapped across Ashlyn’s face. Her arm shot out toward the lake.

As I sprang at her, a crushing force punched into me and sent me reeling through the air. It took a second to realize that I was being pulverized with water, and another second to realize who had initiated the attack.

I plowed into water-logged sand, a broken person.

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