The Broken Rivalry

Published by Evernight Teen ® at Smashwords

www.evernightteen.com

Copyright© 2019 Christine Rees

ISBN: 978-0-3695-0111-0

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Audrey Bobak

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Praise for THE HIDDEN LEGACY

"YA indulgence deserving a YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT THIS DOWN warning label."

—Award-winning author Caroline George, The Vestige

Twilight meets X-Men in a very, very good way!

—Bestselling author Mallory McCartney, Heir of Lies (Black Dawn Series)

This book gives me Percy Jackson vibes, only witchier.

—Author Ryan Jones, More Than Us

An action-packed adventure that will leave you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns and many secrets.

—Author Bridie Blake, Until You

DEDICATION

This book is for all you dreamers.

For anyone who has ever been told that their passion would never turn into a reality.

You never know what you’re truly capable of until you fight for what you love.

THE BROKEN RIVALRY

Hidden Legacy, 2

Christine Rees

Copyright © 2019

Chapter One

Bang.

My eyes popped open. Something clanged and thumped downstairs. A muffled groan. I threw off the thin comforter and bolted out of bed. My feet took cautious steps down the stairs, tiptoeing until I reached the bottom landing. The smell of last night’s roast still clung to the air.

A whimper was followed by another thump near the front door.

Grams’s bedroom.

I rushed down the hall, hands barely checking what was in front of me. I stubbed my toe, reaching for the light switch in the darkness. The wooden table stood in the middle of the kitchen, the stubbing culprit, but I barely felt the throbbing in my big toe. A slumped figure in cotton pink pajamas was hoisted up by the shoe bench.

Grams! I ran the rest of the way and dropped to my knees beside her. The hardwood was cool and uneven beneath me with slivers threatening to get lost under my skin. Each rough floorboard creaked under my weight. Grams? Are you okay?

I checked her over but there was no sign of blood.

I’m fine, sweetheart. Her voice was gruff, like she had just woken up. Went to use the washroom and had a dizzy spell is all. Help me up, will you?

I grabbed her elbow and supported her as she got to her feet. She was lighter than I expected. Her frizzing blonde-white curls stuck out in strange directions. Footsteps pounded down the stairs behind us. I ignored them when Grams stood upright again. She pushed the curls from her face, exposing those gentle brown eyes.

What happened, Anne? Nora Lithyer’s hazel eyes narrowed on me as if I was somehow to blame. Dark bags sat beneath them. I glanced back at Grams.

Nothing, I’m all right. You two get back to bed.

You’re sure you’re okay? I persisted. Grams never took falls like this, not in the three months I’d been living in Astoria with her.

Everything seems to be working fine. Grams offered a bright smile, as if she hadn’t fallen moments ago. She moved her wrists in a circular motion but cradled one gently. Noticing my attention on her wrist, Grams lowered it to her side.

Did you stand up too fast? Let me help you back to bed.

Grams looked ready to argue, but after seeing my face, she nodded and let me walk her to her room. It was a den on the main floor that she had converted into a bedroom. Beige curtains covered three large windows along the wall. The curtains fluttered from the cracked window that carried in the summer breeze. We took slow steps toward her bed so she could sit down.

I knew Grams was capable of handling this part on her own, but I was worried.

Grams settled under the white comforter. I made no move to leave.

"I’ll be all right," her voice cooed in my mind. Telepathy. Grams’s specialty.

I love you, but we talked about you being in my head. I tried to give her a stern look but a small grin kept tugging at my lips. Our special connection was comforting, even if it meant invading my personal space.

Goodnight, dear, she said with a knowing smile, but my feet wouldn’t move. You don’t need to protect me from sleep. The worst that could find its way to me is a few nightmares.

I pursed my lips and nodded. She was right. I knew that, but the Seekers only threatened us a few months ago and now this? My concern seemed justified.

See you in the morning, I told her, hesitating by the doorway. Sleep well.

Nora was still in the hallway when I backed out of Grams’s bedroom.

"You two need to talk eventually, Faye."

I let out a breath and ignored Grams’s telepathic advice. Nora or Mom, as I refused to call her, had been nothing but an annoyance since moving in. I didn’t want to know her and she showed no interest in learning anything about me either. Not one damned thing. She only offered excuses for her not being around while Dad raised me.

Her coppery blonde hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, unusual for such a proper human being—necromancer. Whatever. She fidgeted with the stupid turquoise stone that hung from her neck. Its metal grating gleamed in the hallway light hanging above us. Shadows veiled half of her face like a palpable wicked force. Nora pursed her thin lips like she knew what I was thinking, which was impossible since she didn’t share Grams’s gift.

Mommy Dearest dealt with a worse problem. She could talk to and control the dead, apparently. Who knew if the latter was even true? I hadn’t seen it.

I stalked past her and up the stairs. She trailed after me.

You can’t ignore me forever, Faye. I’m still your mother.

As far as I’m concerned, my mother ran out on me when I was a toddler. The woman living here is an absolute stranger, I snapped, refusing to glance back.

This should have been some epic happily-ever-after ending, right? I’d found my missing mother—someone I never thought I’d see again. The woman who gave me life.

And the necromancer from hell.

Thanks for the curse of death, Mom.

We need to talk about your abilities and what they mean. You need to be careful—

I laughed, ready to shut down this ridiculous conversation. Is that supposed to be parental advice? I don’t think you’ve earned that right.

"That’s not fair. When I discovered that Kevin had another daughter, your sister—Nora forced the word out—I couldn’t stay. There’s so much you don’t know. So much I need to explain."

And I don’t want to hear any of it. Not from you.

That’s not fair.

The footsteps stopped following me. I swallowed hard and spun around, staring down at the woman with the same eyes as my own, the same thin lips and light hair, except mine was blonde with a faint blue stripe in my grown-out bangs.

"You know what isn’t fair? My mother ran away because of something my father did. You left me, your daughter, to deal with these powers … these problems … without fully understanding what they are to begin with. No. I put up a hand to stop the words sitting on her parted lips. If you really cared, you would’ve been there. You would have made the effort."

Her light eyebrows creased and she took a step downstairs, as if my words actually hurt her.

Oh, please.

Faye—

Don’t bother apologizing again. Saying sorry won’t change the past.

I turned and stomped the rest of the way to my new bedroom, which had actually been Dad’s old room when he was a teenager. I slammed the door shut and leaned against the wooden frame. When Nora moved in with the hopes of helping to train me with my abilities, she’d needed a place to sleep. I wouldn’t let her stay in Dad’s old room. She seemed relieved and quickly accepted my purple room, the master bedroom Grams originally decorated for me when I first moved in.

Dad’s old room looked like a teenaged boy still lived here. Grams refused to donate or get rid of anything Dad left behind, so a yellowing, outdated computer monitor sat on the wooden desk with my laptop beside it. Moonlight poured in through a crack in the blinds, illuminating the bed where the blue, brown, and white striped comforter lay in disarray from me sleeping in it.

I flopped down on the comforter, bare legs resting over the sheets. My skin was prickly and hot. Too hot. Sweat beaded and slid down my arms to gather on my tank top. This seemed to be a common nightly phenomenon as of late. Sleep was never peaceful. I woke from nightmares about Lucy and that fateful night at the park.

My hair was past chest-level and sticking to every damp part of me. Was I already drenched in sweat? I shuddered and closed my eyes briefly.

The door shut across the hall. Nora must have given up and gone to bed. I brushed sticky blonde strands from my face, letting my arm fall to my side. Only it didn’t land on soft linens. It touched skin. Another person’s arm. My stomach squeezed. I twisted my head and stifled a scream when a boy lounged on my previously empty bed, a lazy smile pasted on his face.

Isn’t it nice waking up to someone in the morning? he asked.

You couldn’t give me a warning? I whispered with a hand over my chest. My heart was beating so fast it felt like I had a caged hummingbird in there. You nearly gave me a heart attack.

Ethan raised his hands in mock-surrender and I shimmied my hips an inch away from his.

Not in control here, remember? His large hand gestured between us. At a loss for words, I stared at him.

He was here because I wanted him here. You summoned?

Not on purpose. Damn, I really was losing control of these powers. Ethan’s disheveled brown hair and close-set hazel eyes were handsome and suited his angular bone structure, which was similar to his brother, Colton. Painfully reminding me that I hadn’t seen Colton or the others in weeks. I hadn’t even tried.

Sorry, I mumbled and felt my muscles relax. Ethan’s long legs extended to the edge of my bed, which left his feet skimming the end of the mattress. But the sheets didn’t bunch beneath him like they should have.

I can go if you want to be alone, he offered, noticing my horrible mood.

Ethan was much better at disappearing but needed my help reappearing. Still, he was doing a spectacular job of it compared to the nonexistent control I had over my powers. The curse of death and mind.

It’s a gift, Grams would say. Maybe it was supposed to be a gift, but it hadn’t brought me anything but pain and trouble. My hand rested on top of Ethan’s, needing to confirm his existence. That he was here.

Please, don’t go. I didn’t want to be alone. I gave his fingers a squeeze and Ethan’s eyes filled with sympathy when he squeezed my hand back. We shared a deep connection, an understanding that went without saying. He leaned into a pillow that didn’t shift under his weight.

Then maybe you should invite someone over who has a beating heart, he suggested.

I looked away from his toned arms left exposed by his creased blue t-shirt. The same clothes he always wore.

Seriously, Faye. How long do you plan to shut them out?

Until I’m ready.

You always say that.

Can’t I just be happy talking to you?

Ethan tugged my hand so I would meet his gaze. "I’m always happy to talk to you, but what about your friends? Your boyfriend? Your sister?"

He’s not my boyfriend.

Is that all you took away from what I said?

I let out my breath. Alec was a whole other complicated topic I didn’t need to get into right now. And the reminder only added to my current frustration.

Look, Faye. There’s a lot going on and you’re not the only one being affected. If you have to confront your feelings about Alec in order to get past this…

"He’s not my boyfriend," I snapped, heat rising again. Alec was quick to let me handle this on my own the second Mommy Dearest entered the picture. And his jealousy over Ethan was absolutely ridiculous.

You want him to be, Ethan continued gently, as if that would make hearing it any easier. I flinched, cheeks on fire now. Come on. If you can’t be honest with a ghost, who can you be honest with?

Ethan was murdered by his cousin Lucy almost two years ago. She drained his life to gain his powers before I arrived in Oregon, but when she went after our friends, we stopped her. For good. Over a month ago, Lucy was tossed into the Columbia River by none other than Ethan himself … in his ghostly state. When she attacked her stepsister Jessica earlier that night, her dad reported her missing. Lucy’s body hadn’t been recovered from the Columbia River, and at this point, I didn’t think it would ever turn up.

Free arm underneath me, I dug my hand into the stiff mattress and sat up, resting my back against the wall. It was hard and cool against my heated skin. Dad didn’t have a headboard and I didn’t see a point of changing anything in this room except for the clothes hanging in his closet. Now it was filled with my summer outfits. I clutched Ethan’s fingers tighter. It wasn’t like he could lose circulation or feel pain anymore.

I’m scared, I confessed. We’ve been out of touch for months.

Because of you, Faye. Not them.

"What if the Seekers go after them because of me? I can’t control them and I don’t have just one ability like the others. I see death. I gestured to him. Even though he was dead, I could touch and see and hear Ethan as if he were alive, but only Nora and I had that ability. And I see horrifying things in my mind. People dying. People murdering. The Seekers came after us because of me, Ethan. I put all of them in danger, including your brother. I shook my head, tears burning. Everyone’s safer away from me."

Do they agree with that?

I shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of his stare. He knew I wouldn’t return any of their calls to the house or come to the door when they visited. Since I didn’t have a cell phone, I was practically unreachable. And I preferred it that way.

It might be easy to dodge them because it’s summer break, but what are you going to do in September?

Homeschool?

"And who is going to teach you? Your mom?"

I rolled my eyes. Harsh.

Snap out of it, Faye. Ethan’s serious tone turned angry. You need them as much as they need you. Stop letting your insecurities win.

They almost died, Ethan. That’s not an insecurity, it’s a fact. I almost killed Rachel—my half-sister—because your cousin commanded it, because she had powers that strong. If I stay away, the Seekers will come after me. Not them. And if Lucy miraculously survived that night, well, she’ll probably come after me too. Although I couldn’t imagine why she’d want my abilities.

I let go of Ethan and clasped my hands over my stomach, which was churning.

"Okay, first of all, Lucy is gone. Like gone gone. I have my powers back, remember? I wasn’t sure that meant Lucy was dead, but Ethan flipped his hand palm-up and the bed lifted off the ground, floating mid-air. I grabbed the blankets for balance before the bed spring landed with a soft thud back on the ground. And I haven’t seen Lucy on this side."

That’s because you don’t see anyone on that side, I reminded him in one breath, able to exhale now that we were firmly back on the ground. Ethan waved me away.

"And second, you are not responsible for the Seekers. They were ridding the world of what they believe is evil long before you were born. They might be the reason your father is dead, but that doesn’t mean you’re next. They know about the others."

Not all of them.

Ethan threw his hands up, amusement gone. The Seekers have been around since the Salem Witch Trials and you only just learned about them. We have no idea what they know or what they can do. You need to work together now more than ever.

I shrugged. It was logical, but the thought left me feeling sick. We sat in silence, which was normally comfortable. This time, the air was thick between us and I couldn’t meet his eyes. He let out a breath he didn’t actually have, like a sigh with no air.

They will hunt anyone who can do incredible things. He tapped my shoulder with his finger, all serious. That’s what you do, Faye. Incredible things. How else do you explain me being here? You’re giving me a second chance, even if you’re the only one who sees it.

I’m not the only one, I muttered in irritation. My mother had the ability to see death too, which seemed to include Ethan.

He ignored me. Please, consider reaching out. You don’t need to do this alone.

I’m not alone. You’re here.

For as long as you need me to be. His hand brushed mine, and the line between life and death blurred all over again. How could I feel someone who no longer had a physical body? But even I might not be enough.

Don’t talk like that. Our friendship means the world to me.

Ethan nodded. I know. It means everything to me too, but you gotta admit, it’s hard going out in public while talking to someone no one else can see.

I won’t go out in public.

You can’t stop living your life because of this gift. You need to do something good with it. Don’t let the Seekers win.

I groaned. Why isn’t there some kind of manual for these abilities?

"Like a Death and Mind Guidebook: A Beginner’s Journey to Understanding their Powers." Ethan snorted.

I laughed. My prickled skin was cooling off. Ethan always knew how to ease my mood. As if there’s a book.

A book … what if there was a book? I bolted straight and leaned forward, hands on my knees as an imaginary lightbulb lit above my head.

That’s it, I whispered, knowing exactly what we needed.

It’s not actually bookstore material… Ethan began uncertainly, clearly not understanding where I was going with this idea.

"No. A book that would explain what I’m going through. A book that knows what it means to be the pure bred." I hated the label. It made me sound like some sort of dog breed, but it was the only term that explained me having two abilities from The Families. The curse of death and the curse of mind.

I met Ethan’s hazel eyes. The green eclipsed most of the brown, illuminated by the silvery moonlight streaking through my open blinds. He waited, watching me with a patience only a dead person could have.

"We need to find the Book of The Ancestors."

Chapter Two

Cool air brushed past my shoulders, creeping down the back of my t-shirt. I shivered and stared at the box of hair dye. A woman with long hair was frozen on the cover. Her luxurious violet hair was caught in a swooping movement that shielded part of her face. Purple like my room … the room Nora had stolen from me.

Okay, so maybe she hadn’t stolen it. But I was giving myself permission to be bitter.

I twirled a blonde strand around my finger, watching it fall limply against my chest.

My attention flicked to another box of dye where a woman ran slender fingers through her short platinum locks. How desperately I wanted to alter something, anything, so I no longer resembled the imposter posing as my motherly figure at home.

I bit my bottom lip with a quickening pulse. Was this the change I needed?

I picked up both boxes—one in each hand—not knowing what I was going to do with them yet. I traced my fingers along the edges of their sharp corners. My stomach flipped with excitement and I speed-walked to the cashier before I could change my mind. The cashier smiled politely, asking if I needed a bag as he rang up the items.

No, that’s okay. I slipped off my small black backpack and dropped the boxes of hair dye inside with my wallet, paying for them before zipping it up with a smile. They fit in here. Thanks.

He nodded and popped a piece of pink gum. Its bubble-gum scent wafted to my side of the counter. I was practically bouncing on the balls of my feet when he handed over my receipt and I strolled out. The bell above the door chimed happily, in-tune with my mood.

The sun shone brilliantly, basking me in its warmth. I squinted up into its brightness, feeling the top of my head already cooking. No clouds in the sky. After choosing to be cooped up for most of the summer, Grams was thrilled about me going for a walk downtown. She even tried to give me money to buy something. I turned down the money, using money Carly sent over this summer.

Dad’s widower, Carly, didn’t know how to handle the vision-wielding stepdaughter she inherited, so she sent me to live with Grams a few months ago. Along with the money, she emailed to say that she would be visiting at some point. Who knew when that day would come. Carly hardly said goodbye when she abandoned me with Grams and took off. I didn’t email back since I wasn’t sure how to handle that one yet. I didn’t think Carly knew Nora was in town and I wasn’t sure how she would handle the news—I doubted the two had ever met.

Which way should I go? One way would lead me to a movie theatre. I could use the time to escape and catch a show, but would I really pay attention to the story? The Columbia River Maritime Museum was somewhat nearby and the Astoria Column wasn’t that far if I budgeted my time well. I hadn’t been to either one yet.

On the other hand, I wasn’t sure what was down the other way.

I licked my drying lips, wishing I’d thought to bring lip balm.

I spun around and nearly smacked into a girl with mousy brown hair and porcelain skin. Her hazel eyes widened from the frozen smile on her lips. It took a moment to realize that it was a MISSING PERSON flyer for Lucy taped to a streetlight pole. Ethan’s presumably dead cousin. Her father must still be looking for her.

Guilt wound its way up my stomach to my throat. I swallowed hard. Her father would never find her again. None of us would. Despite her powers, Lucy was lost somewhere in the Columbia River.

Uncertain where I was going next, but needing to get away from Lucy’s school photo, I started walking. It was the opposite way from home and that was enough. Squeezing past groups of people chatting and laughing outside of boutique shops, I was swallowed by the hustle and bustle of the small shopping strip. A tall, broad-shouldered boy caught my eye on the other side of the street. He weaved through the crowds with purpose. Familiar dirty blond hair, tanned skin, I recognized that confident strut … was that Dave Marrell?

I stopped dead. Boiling anger slid through my veins.

Seeing red, I clenched my jaw so tight that the joints ached. I curled my fingers into my palms. Dave was a Seeker who had tricked me into dating him. He had only dated me to get to me and my friends. Oh, and kill us. Because that was what Seekers did.

Dave turned the corner into an alleyway.

I stepped forward to follow him. A hand wrapped around my wrist and gave it a sharp tug. Ethan appeared beside me, staring after Dave’s receding figure like I was. Those hazel eyes turned on me. A little girl with an ice cream cone in one hand and her mother’s hand in the other walked straight through him. He didn’t even flinch.

I know what you’re thinking. Don’t do it, Faye. He’s dangerous.

I couldn’t say anything to Ethan in public, so I wasn’t able to explain myself. But I wouldn’t stand here either. Dave tried to kill me once already. I had to know what he was doing, especially now that I wasn’t on speaking terms with Alec, Dave’s cousin.

I wordlessly pulled free of Ethan’s grip and marched across the street, carefully peeking down the alley before trailing after Dave. He was at the end of the alley, turning left. I jogged as quietly as I dared and peered around the next corner. So many people were out because of the beautiful weather that it was hard to spot him right away. When I located him, he wasn’t alone.

A lanky man fell into step beside Dave but even he looked familiar. An image from the Black and White dance flashed heatedly through my brain: Hannah with a knife to her neck and that pitiful excuse for a man holding it steady. The memory sped up my pace. Had the Seekers’ attack at the dance really only been three months ago?

The two Seekers strode past a bike shop, couples holding hands, parents pushing kids in strollers, and a pair of elderly women sitting on a bench waving at Dave like they knew each other. With a nod to his lanky friend, Dave veered toward the elderly ladies. He flashed them a charming smile, like he wasn’t part of some creepy merciless cult, but his lanky friend kept on walking. I swallowed past the dryness growing in my throat and followed my gut, which was screaming at me to pursue this stranger instead of Dave who was going to be on my left in three, two, one…

I slid in beside a nearby family, matching their steps as we passed Dave and hoped beyond all hope that he wouldn’t notice me. After all, there were three bodies between us. If he didn’t look up, he wouldn’t know I was here. He couldn’t.

But my heart practically hammered out of my chest when I snuck a glance over my shoulder. There was some distance between us, but I could still make out his face, which meant he could identify me if he turned in this direction. He didn’t.

I let out a breath and faced forward again.

Dave’s lanky friend was older, somewhere in his twenties with a dark goatee. Sunlight gleamed off his greasy ponytail. Likely sensing someone watching, he turned around and I bent down to fake-tie my sneakers. With my bare knee on the cement ground, I forced my eyes to stay focused on my white laces. After a few seconds, I stood and tugged at the hem of my jean shorts. But Dave’s lanky friend was lost in the crowd.

Thinking I’d taken too long to fake-tie my shoes, I spun around slowly, even as my breathing came shallow and fast. Finally, I caught a glimpse of that greasy ponytail way down the sidewalk. He was fast.

I sucked as a spy.

So, I picked up the pace. Dave’s friend appeared to be taking a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, farther and farther from the large crowds where our quaint shopping area was until we were passing by what seemed to be a shipping port of some kind. Long planks of wood piled high as they unloaded it off a ship. Tourists loitered near the side of the Astoria Riverfront Trolley I had yet to ride since I’d moved here. Its pale-yellow doors were open and the blood-red trolley was loaded with tourists. I had to wait for it to pass, which put more distance between me and the Seeker. I had to be more resourceful when shadowing him.

I followed him farther from the tourists until I hardly saw anyone but the Seeker anymore. After darting behind a parked car, I leaned against the warm hood and peered around the side to see which direction he was crossing. When he turned toward the city again, I made a run for the closest building’s corner, leaning against the concrete before dashing for the next building. After waiting a respectable amount of time, I began walking again. But when he paused to look over his shoulder, I panicked and lunged behind the nearest shack so quickly that I scratched my elbow along the rough bricks. Silently swearing to myself, I assessed the damage. A tiny trickle of blood and some scraped skin wasn’t the end of the world. I risked another look beyond the wall’s edge. The Seeker was on the move.

For someone who thought they were being followed, he didn’t seem all that worried.

After ten minutes of tailing him and keeping distance between us, it became apparent that he was also following someone. I just couldn’t see who. The person was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, as if he didn’t want to be noticed. He turned down another corner, and so did the Seeker. So I did, too.

Another turn. We definitely weren’t downtown anymore. The street was empty. We were in a land of gray concrete and decaying bricks. Flat, stout buildings stood resilient and demanding around us. I couldn’t see the person with a baseball cap anymore, but the Seeker headed for a drawn-out building that looked ready to give up and crumble. From its ratchet and rusty exterior, unmaintained entrance, boarded-up windows, and general lack of people, it was safe to assume this building was abandoned. I tried not to eye the green moss sprouting between the dilapidated bricks as I waited until the Seeker was inside.

After counting to ten, I jogged to the broken entrance. It looked like a large piece of charred wood had been removed from the door and now lay in two broken pieces on either side of the doorway. The fact that the wood-burning scent still hung in the air wasn’t promising. I leaned down and touched the ruined board, quickly pulling my fingers back when it felt warm. Did they really torch the entryway to get inside? How badly did they want to get into this death trap?

This is stupid, I whispered.

Was this safe? No.

Was this a trap? Maybe.

Was I going to do it