Chapter 44 "What we don't Say"
Twenty minutes later, after Ember had forced herself to shower and put on actual clothes instead of pajamas, they were walking across the Ravencrest campus.
It was a perfect November afternoon cold enough to need jackets, but sunny and bright, with leaves scattered across the paths in shades of red and gold. Students hurried past with coffee cups and backpacks, normal conversations about classes and weekend plans floating in the air.
It felt surreal. Like Ember had been gone for year's instead of weeks. Like she'd visited another world and was now trying to remember how to exist in this one.
Adrian walked beside her, his hand warm in hers, matching her slower pace without complaint. The bandage on his head drew a few curious looks from passing students, but he ignored them.
"How are you feeling?" Ember asked. "Really? Your head"
"Hurts like hell," Adrian admitted. "But the doctors cleared me to leave the hospital as long as I take it easy. Which, according to Kelly, does not include time-traveling to 1906 via induced hypothermia, but what do doctors know?"
Ember couldn't help but smile. "You scared me. When your heart stopped"
"I know. I'm sorry." Adrian squeezed her hand. "But I'm okay now. We're both okay. Against all odds."
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, following the path that wound around the library and toward the quad. Ember breathed in the cold air, felt the sun on her face, tried to ground herself in the physical sensations of being alive and present.
"Can I ask you something?" Adrian said eventually.
"Always."
"What's it like? Having her Rosanna still inside you?" He said it carefully, like he was worried the question might upset her. "I mean, is she there all the time? Can you hear her thoughts? Or is it more like"
"Like a roommate I didn't ask for?" Ember finished. "Yeah, kind of. She's there. I can feel her. But it's different now. she was fighting me constantly. Trying to take control. But after" Ember paused, trying to find the right words. "After we witnessed what happened to her, what they did to her, to her life
something changed. She's quieter now. Sad more than angry."
"Do you think she's given up? On the revenge?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Or maybe she's just tired." Ember thought about the feeling she got from Rosanna now a deep, bone-weary exhaustion that mirrored her own. "Over a century of rage is probably exhausting."
They reached the quad and found an empty bench near the fountain. Adrian sat down and pulled Ember close, his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, resting her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"I keep thinking about what we saw," Adrian said quietly. "About my family. About what they did to her."
"It wasn't you"
"I know. But it was my blood. My ancestors. The Ashcrofts" He stopped, his jaw tight. "They destroyed an innocent woman. Murdered her baby. Created a curse that's been killing people for over a century. And for what? Pride? Reputation?"
"Adrian"
"I'm ashamed," he said. "Of my family. Of what they represent. I keep thinking if I'd been there in 1906, would I have been brave enough to stand up to them? Or would I have done exactly what I did here taken the coward's path and let an innocent person suffer?"
Ember pulled back to look at him. "You're not a coward. You made a mistake. A terrible mistake. But you've been trying to fix it ever since."
"Have I fixed anything? You're still possessed. Rosanna's still suffering. All we did was witness the truth we didn't actually change anything."
"We changed ourselves," Ember said firmly. "You're not the same person who brought me to that estate. I'm not the same person who trusted blindly. We've grown. Learned. That has to count for something."
Adrian was quiet for a long moment, his fingers absently playing with the ends of her hair.
"I love you," he said suddenly. "I know that's probably terrible timing, and you probably don't want to hear it right now, but I need you to know. I love you, Ember.
Ember's breath caught. She'd known of course she'd known but hearing him say it out loud made it real in a way that terrified and thrilled her at the same time.
"I love you too," she whispered. "Even though I probably shouldn't. Even though you betrayed me and handed me over to your psycho grandmother"
"Can we maybe not bring that up right now?"
"I love you anyway. Which either makes me incredibly forgiving or incredibly stupid."
"I vote forgiving," Adrian said, and kissed her again.
This kiss was different from the one in her dorm room. Deeper. More desperate. Like they were both trying to prove they were real, they were alive, they were here together despite everything trying to tear them apart.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Adrian rested his forehead against hers.
"Enjoy it while it lasts," he repeated his earlier words. "Because I'm going to find a way to break this curse. I promise you that. I'm going to fix what my family broke."
"We'll fix it," Ember corrected. "Together."
"Together," Adrian agreed.
MAYA
Maya watched from her window in Sterling Hall as Ember and Adrian sat together on the bench below.
She'd been worried about Ember they all had. days of sleeping, barely eating, barely speaking. Kelly had wanted to take her back but Ember had refused.
"I just need rest," she'd said. "Please. Just let me rest."
So they'd let her. Taken shifts watching over her, making sure she was still breathing, still herself. Kelly had taken the night shifts. Maya had taken the days. And Adrian had barely left campus, checking in every few hours, unable to stay away.
Now, watching them together, Maya felt a complicated mix of emotions.
Relief that Ember seemed okay. That she was out of the dorm, functioning, smiling even.
Fear that this was just the calm before the storm. That Rosanna would come back stronger, angrier, ready to finish what she'd started.
And guilt. So much guilt.
Because Maya knew something the others didn't. Something she'd remembered during the ice bath ritual, when they'd witnessed the truth about 1906.
Maya shook her head, trying to push the thought away. It didn't matter. it didn't change anything now.
Except it did.
"You're spiraling."
Maya jumped. Kelly stood in her doorway, his expression knowing.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to see you staring out the window like you're in a tragic movie." Kelly came in and sat on Maya's bed. "Want to talk about it?"
"About what?"
"About whatever's making you look like you're about to throw yourself out that window."
Maya managed a weak smile. "I'm fine."
"You're not. None of us are. But especially you." Kelly studied her face. "What's going on, Maya?"
For a moment, Maya considered telling him.
But what good would it do? It wouldn't change anything. Wouldn't help Ember. Would just add another layer of confusion to an already impossible situation.
"I'm just worried," Maya said instead. "About Ember. About all of us. This isn't over, Kelly. We saw the truth, but we didn't fix anything."
"I know."
"So what do we do now?"
Kelly was quiet for a long moment. "My dad is still researching. Looking for ways to break the curse without killing Ember. But so far" He shook his head. "Nothing."
They sat in heavy silence, both staring out the window at Ember and Adrian on the bench below.
"We're running out of time, aren't we?" Maya said quietly.
"Yeah," Kelly admitted. "We are."
EMBER
The sun was setting by the time Ember and Adrian finally headed back toward Sterling Hall.
Ember felt better than she had in days. The fresh air and sunlight had helped. The normalcy of walking around campus, holding Adrian's hand, pretending to be a regular couple it had reminded her why she was fighting so hard to stay herself.
"Thank you," she said as they reached the front entrance to her dorm. "For making me leave my cave."
"Anytime. Though maybe next time we can aim for before you become a total hermit?"
"Deal."
Adrian kissed her goodbye soft and sweet and full of promises they both hoped they'd be able to keep. Then he headed toward his car, and Ember climbed the stairs to her room.
Maya was waiting when she got there, sitting on her bed with a book she clearly wasn't reading.
"Hey," Ember said. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just thinking." Maya set the book aside. "How was your walk?"
"Good. Really good, actually. Adrian's" Ember stopped, not sure how to explain what Adrian was to her now. "He's good."
"I can see that." Maya's smile was genuine but sad. "I'm glad you have him, Em. Especially now."
"I have you too," Ember said, sitting beside her friend. "You and Kelly and Father David. I'm not alone in this."
"No. You're not." Maya's voice was thick with emotion. "Whatever happens whatever comes next we're all here. Okay?"
"Okay."
They sat together in the growing darkness, neither of them turning on the lights, both of them trying not to think about what came next.
But both of them knew the truth.
This peace wouldn't last forever.
And when it shattered when Rosanna woke up again, when the curse demanded its due they would need to be ready.
For whatever came next.