161
" The intruder shifted his weight and pulled the knife back, aiming at Gabriel’s chest. The moonlight glinted off the sharp blade and Gabriel found himself backed up against a wall.
There was no escape. Gabriel was going to have to bear the pain of a knife through his chest. He could do it. He would wait until the knife entered his flesh and then he’d snap the Ashman’s neck in half.
Yeah. That was a good plan.
Just as the knife came toward Gabriel, the Ashman grunted and pulled back, taking a few wobbly steps before falling to the floor.
Nate stood to the side, his hands on a large sword jutting from the Ashman’s back. He yanked out the sword, leaving the stranger’s body limp.
Nate stepped toward the Ashman’s body, looking him over timidly.
Without warning, the intruder rolled over and pulled himself up off the floor. Nate jumped back, lifted the sword in defense, and made a loud noise that sounded something like, “Arrrhh!”
Still clutching the bloody knife, the Ashman looked back and forth between Nate and Gabriel. Seeing he was outnumbered, he turned and ran back through the destruction of the living room.Jumping out of the gaping hole from the missing living room window, the Ashman disappeared into the storm
A moment passed as Gabriel and Nate stared after their attacker, both of them out of breath.
Still badly bleeding, Gabriel turned to Nate and looked at the weapon he held. The sword was oversized, extra shiny and had a very ornate handle. “I don’t remember ever seeing that sword in our arsenal before.”
Hunched over and trying to catch his breath, Nate said, “That’s because it’s from my arsenal.”
“So, you just had that,” Gabriel nodded at the weapon, “laying around?”
Nate righted himself and shrugged. “I’m a Zelda fan.”
“Ah.” Gabriel nodded. “And the noise you just made?”
“That was my battle cry.”
“Really?” Gabriel winced as he took a step forward. “It sounded more like the cry of a wounded animal. A cat, maybe. Or a small monkey.”
“Shut up.” Nate looked at Gabriel’s bleeding torso. “Are you okay? "
― Chelsea Fine , Awry (The Archers of Avalon, #2)
162
" Heather was convinced Scarlet needed to see Nate.
Scarlet was not.
After leaving a tall, thick trail of dust, Heather parked her car at a haphazard angle in front of the cabin. Bursting through the front door with Scarlet beside her, Heather dramatically announced, “Scarlet is broken!”
Scarlet shook her head. “I’m not broken.”
“What?” Gabriel met them in entryway, looking at Scarlet in concern.“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.” Scarlet slowly walked into the living room, her body aching with every movement as she laid down on one of the large couches.
“You are notfine, Scarlet. You are broken.” Heather turned to Gabriel with big eyes. “She was wheezing and coughing and moaning during sixth period. Moaning! Do you know how hard it is to explain to your economics teacher why your best friend is moaning during his supply-and-demand lecture?” She shrugged. “Someone needs to fix her.” Heather looked around. “Where’s the nerdy, little immortal?”
Nate entered the living room from the back hallway and shot Heather a dirty look. “I’m not little. I’m average-sized. And five hundred years ago I was actually considered a large man. But then humans started eating well and evolving and, suddenly, I’m no longer the tallest guy in the room—”
“I don’t care about the evolution of Nate!” Heather snapped. “I care about Scarlet "
― Chelsea Fine , Awry (The Archers of Avalon, #2)
166
" Gabriel groaned. “Is this what my eternity will be? Empty of love and companionship, and filled with greedy damsels?”
“It could be worse,” Tristan said. “It could be filled with those who enter your house without knocking and eat your food.”
Nathaniel shoved a very deliberate piece of bread into his mouth and looked at Gabriel. “You have me as a companion. What more could you want from eternity?” He chewed with his mouth open.
“Something prettier,” Gabriel said, “and less disgusting.”
Nathaniel swallowed. “If it helps, I’ve never been in love either. I’m beginning to think true love might not exist.”
Tristan turned his eyes back to his dagger with an amused expression.
Gabriel sighed. “I am doomed.”
“No,” Nathaniel said. “You are cursed.”
“Are they not the same thing?”
“Not at all. Doomed means there is no hope. Cursed means you will have to struggle to find hope, then struggle to keep it, then struggle to undo said curse with the hope that you have kept.”
Gabriel blinked. “Being doomed sounds less taxing.”
“Indeed.” Nathaniel smiled. "
― Chelsea Fine , Avow (The Archers of Avalon, #3)
170
" With a loud screeching noise, Aaron dragged his lab stool over to Scarlet’s table and sat down beside her. He leaned into her, his shoulder brushing hers.
“I had a great Christmas. Want to know why?” he asked.
Not really.
He answered himself. “Because I got a new car.”
Scarlet managed not to roll her eyes as she turned from her chemistry book and gave Aaron a forced smile. “From Santa?”
“What kind of car?” Kristy scooted her stool closer to Scarlet and leaned in as well. “A sexy one?”
Kristy was on the left side of Scarlet, clogging her nose with the scent of flowery perfume. And Aaron was on Scarlet’s right, brushing her shoulder with his over-sized bicep.
She was in a Kristy and Aaron sandwich.
Kill me now.
Aaron flashed Kristy a smile that was probably supposed to look charming. It came across as smug. “A Challenger.” His breath drifted across Scarlet’s cheek, smelling like chocolate.
In an attempt to be closer to Aaron, Kristy scooted even closer to Scarlet. “Ooh, that is sexy.” Kristy gave Aaron a flirty smile and leaned even further, her chest pressing up against Scarlet’s arm.
The sandwich was becoming a Panini.
A flower-and-chocolate Panini "
― Chelsea Fine , Awry (The Archers of Avalon, #2)
172
" Making brief eye contact with Tristan, Gabriel casually marched around the gazebo and yanked the Ashman back further into the shadowy cover of the dark trees. The Ashman struggled, but Tristan came up beside Gabriel and caught the Ashman’s hands behind his back.
Another Ashman appeared in the darkness beyond Tristan.
“Watch your back,” Gabriel said, and Tristan whipped around.
In one fluid movement, Tristan pulled a dagger from his coat—because, apparently, Tristan carted bloody weapons around in his coat—and cut through the Ashman’s skull with forceful movement.
Without missing a beat, Tristan turned back around and helped Gabriel pin the Ashman that was struggling beneath Gabriel’s grasp.Gabriel punched the Ashman in the face, giving Tristan an opportunity to restrain the Ashman’s hands behind his back.
Gabriel pulled Scarlet’s butcher knife from his coat—okay, so maybe they both carted weapons around in their jackets—and with silent movement, he thrust the blade directly into the Ashman’s heart and twisted.
Stiffness, cracking, crumbling…then ash.
Murder accomplished.
Gabriel tucked the blade back into his coat and dusted off his hands as he looked at the two piles of ash on the forest floor. “See how simple that was?” He looked at Tristan. “You hold him down, I stab him, end of threat. With Nate it’s all weird battle cries and plastic hammers.” Gabriel shook his head. “Fighting with you is much less dramatic.”
“Yeah, well.” Tristan stretched his neck. “We make a good killing team.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes as they headed out of the trees and back to the fair. “What is with everyone wanting to be on teams? "
― Chelsea Fine , Awry (The Archers of Avalon, #2)
177
" Tristan sighed and uncrossed his arms.
Looking over his shoulder at Tristan, Gabriel said, “Do you want to try and explain this to her?”
Tristan slanted his eyes at Gabriel. “Now, why would I want to do that when you’re doing such a fantastic job all on your own?”
“Shut up.” Gabriel turned back to Scarlet. “Anyway…we were engaged—”
“And then you died,” Tristan interjected, in a matter-of-fact way.
Scarlet’s eyes shot to Tristan.
Gabriel looked at his twin. “I thought you didn’t want to tell her.”
“I changed my mind.” Tristan shrugged, then looked at Scarlet. “You and Gabriel were on your way to happily-ever-after and then his crazy ex-girlfriend shot you with an arrow—”
“Your ex-girlfriend killed me?” Scarlet looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel turned back around. “It’s a long story—“
“No, it isn’t. I’ll sum up.” Tristan took a step forward and crossed his arms in front of his chest again. “Gabriel was courting a girl from a nearby village named Raven—”
“I was not courting her,” Gabriel snapped.
“Whatever.” Tristan rolled his eyes. “So, Raven assumed Gabriel would marry her. But then he met you.” He shrugged again. “Suddenly, Gabriel no longer cared about Raven. So, what did Raven do?”
Scarlet’s mouth parted. “She…killed me?”
Tristan nodded. “And she also cursed the arrow that killed you.”
Scarlet whipped her attention back to Gabriel. “What?”
There were curses involved now?
Immortality…the fountain of youth…curses….
What next, dragons?
“I’m cursed?” Scarlet looked at Gabriel.
“Not exactly.” Gabriel made a face. The curse wasn’t directed at you, but you still suffer a ... side effect of the curse. Because of the arrow.”
“You see,” Tristan took a step forward, “Raven, being the little witch she was—“
“She wasn’t a witch.” Gabriel sighed.
Tristan raised his eyebrows. “She cast a curse, Gabe. That’s something witches do. They ride on brooms, play with cats, and curse people. "
― Chelsea Fine , Anew (The Archers of Avalon, #1)
179
" Next to the office was a closed door. “This room,” Gabriel stood at the door hesitantly, “is where we keep our collection of weapons so,” Gabriel turned the knob, “don’t freak out or anything.”
Gabriel pushed the door open and Scarlet’s eyes took in a giant wall covered in deadly-looking arsenal. Knives, axes, swords, arrows, and many other tools lined the great wall.
And some of them looked rather used.
She started to freak out. “Uh…why do you have so many?”
Were they gearing up for battle?
Gabriel shrugged. “It’s a hobby. It’s more Tristan’s thing than mine, though.”
Figures.
“What, no guns?” Scarlet asked, looking around.
“Guns are for losers,” Gabriel said.
“And,” Scarlet looked at the nearest weapon with a crooked smile, “bloodstained battle axes are for winners?”
Gabriel cocked his head and smiled at her. “Exactly "
― Chelsea Fine , Anew (The Archers of Avalon, #1)
