Winter Fire

Ch. 58 [The Sixth Betrayal]

Winter Fire
Ch. 58
The Sixth Betrayal

I couldn't move, frozen, staring in horror at Aaron. Behind me Avery cursed.

"What was that?" He cried. "Winter, what the--" He turned away and shook his head.

All at once, it crashed over me. Everything that just happened, and I stumbled backwards, my hands rising to my lips. Tears rose up behind my eyes, but they wouldn't fall.

What did I do? What did I just do?

Avery grabbed onto the bedpost and dragged himself to his feet. I struggled to breathe.

"Winter--Winter!" Avery hissed.

My eyes snapped to his, wide with disbelief. He stumbled towards me and grabbed onto my wrists. My heart jumped into my throat and I tried to pull away, but he held tight.

"Stop." He turned me back to him when I twisted out of his hold. "Winter, look at me."

My eyes found his, river blue, and my gut spun. I felt nauseous, dizzy. Fear whirled inside me. But it was my fear, not Essie's. Where was Essie?

'Essie? Essie, what's going on?'

Nothing.

The tears started falling. I felt hysteria rising up inside me. My breathing picked up, too fast, too much.

Avery's face was tense with pain. He could barely stand. He was holding on to me to keep himself upright just as much as to keep me grounded.

"Winter, listen, I need you to tell me exactly what--" He stopped short, his eyes drawn to my hand. He paled. "No--"

I followed his eyes to the ring Essie gave me. Avery released me suddenly and stumbled back. He fell to his knees, but never took his eyes off me.

"Where'd you get that?" He breathed.

I shook my head. "I didn't--Essie gave it to me--why does it--"

"Take it off."

I looked up at him quickly, and there was a fear in his eyes I'd never have thought he was capable of.

"Take it off. Winter, take it off, now!" He demanded, his voice rising with panic.

I flinched and tugged at the ring, but it wouldn't move. I pulled harder, twisted, turned it, but it seemed to be glued to my skin.

"I--" I looked back up, but Avery's head was lowered.

He cursed again.

"Avery--" I started, but my eyes drifted back to Aaron, just lying there, his head turned at such a wrong angle. My breath hitched and my stomach spun. I felt faint.

"Don't look." Avery said quietly. "Don't look at it."

I turned away, clamping both my palms over my lips. My hands were covered in my tears.

"Winter, I need you to listen to me very carefully, okay?" His voice had a layer of calmness to it that only made me feel more uneasy. He was too composed, too steady. He inhaled a deep breath. "This is not your fault." He said carefully. "You did not do this, Winter. This wasn't you. You cannot blame yourself."

"How can you say that?" My voice trembled. "You saw--you saw what I--"

"Stop." The word was cold. "Don't, Winter, please don't."

I shook my head. "I can't--I can't--I--"

His hands gently peeled my arms away from my lips. I started. I didn't realize he'd gotten up. He stepped in front of me, forcing me to face him.