Autumn Storm (The Witchling #2)(9)

“Is that, like, a historic tree or something?” Jenna asked, pointing to the tree.

“No, that’s, uh…” Adam’s gaze turned sad.

“A memorial,” Autumn supplied.

“Oh, like on the side of highways where someone dies in an accident,” Jenna said.

“Yeah.” Adam turned away and quickened his pace away from the area. “We’re not allowed down that path. It leads to Miner’s Drop, this huge canyon.”

Autumn trailed them. The rest of the forest was welcoming to her, but something about that path made her uneasy. They walked to a small bridge over a bubbling creek. She’d lain in the sun, staring at the clouds on the flat rock nearby.

At least, she thought she did.

Confused again, Autumn leaned against the railing of the bridge. Adam’s attention went to her immediately.

“Are you ready to go back?” he asked.

“I think so,” she said.

“Here.” He offered his arm.

Autumn looked up into his blue eyes with a small smile. She took his arm and walked with him back towards the campus. Jenna and Tanya joined them. The three of them talked while Autumn’s gaze fell to the memorial.

Whatever happened, it was bad. The forest’s whispering stopped when they passed the memorial, as if it was afraid to talk about it. Only then did she realize the forest had been whispering into her mind. There were two voices: a distant, rumbling whisper. The other was a laughing tinkle.

Both were silent for a few steps, until she passed the memorial. Then they began again, so faint she barely heard them. The orientation said witchlings communicated with the elements. Did these voices belong to her two elements? If there were words to the whispers, she wasn’t able to distinguish them.

Jenna and Tanya took off suddenly, pulling her attention from the communicating elements. Tanya was squealing as they raced towards the Square. Adam laughed.

“Someday …” Autumn sighed.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Adam stopped laughing so fast, he choked.

“It’s okay. I’m still healing. I’ll be able to run in a month or so, if I keep up my rehab,” she said, smiling.

“What happened?”

“Car accident.”

“Wow.”

A memory tingled. She rubbed her forehead. The headache pushed its way into her mind.

“Do you, um, wanna hang out or something with Jenna and me?” Adam asked. “Like, we can all play a game or watch a movie or something.”

Autumn glanced up at him curiously. His face was flushed again, but she felt an odd sort of kinship with him. Whatever happened – or whatever might happen? – was good. He had a crush on Jenna already; that much was clear.

“If I’m not a third wheel,” she teased. “Do you believe in déjà vu?”

“You think we’ve met before?” he asked then stumbled on. “I mean, or, not us, but like, maybe you saw-“

Autumn giggled. “Yeah, I do.”

“Oh, good.” He sighed. “Sorry. I’m not good with girls. That’s cool.”

“Do you feel like you’ve met me before?” she asked.

“Yes and no,” he replied, pensive. “I know I’ve never seen you before but I feel like I know you. Like your mannerisms or something seem familiar.”

“Weird, isn’t it?”

“Really.”

Comforted by the thought she wasn’t alone with the strange phenomenon, Autumn turned her focus back to Tanya and Jenna. The heavier of the two, Jenna had given up on their race long before Tanya reached the closest dorm building. Adam’s eyes followed the brunette.

“They’ll fit in well here,” he said. “There are some great people here. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. Who are you rooming with?”

“Dawn.”

He grimaced. “Okay, so you’re not rooming with one of the people you want to talk to.”

“Why?”

“Dawn’s a bitch. She’s caused more-never mind. I shouldn’t say that.”

“It’s okay,” Autumn murmured.

Amber warned her about Dawn, too. She was beginning to dread meeting her roommate. Autumn fell asleep early the night before and awoke to see Dawn asleep in the other bed. She’d crept out without waking her this morning.

They reached the other two in the Square.

“I saw a store on the way here,” Jenna said, breathing hard. “I forgot my brush. It’s close enough to walk, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, about fifteen minutes,” Adam replied. He glanced at Autumn then added. “We can wait for the shuttle.”

“No, it’s okay,” Autumn said quickly. “I’m just gonna sit down for a bit anyway.”

“You sure?” Jenna asked.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Autumn walked with them to the picnic tables. These she remembered, too. She sat down, hiding her relief to be free from the pain of her bad leg.

“Kay, we’ll come find you when we get back to watch a movie or something,” Jenna told her with a smile at Adam. “You need anything?”

“No, I’m good,” Autumn replied. “Thanks.”

Adam waved as they walked away. Autumn smiled. She drew a deep breath, more tired from the walk than she wanted to be. She’d tested her leg this morning to see if it’d hold her weight without the awkward brace. It had, though it was weak. After the short walk, she realized she wasn’t yet ready to leave it off for so long.