Hereafter (Shadowlands 2)

“What?” I asked, turning my palms out. “If this is about Tristan—”

“Tristan?” she barked indignantly. “Are you kidding me? This is not about Tristan. It’s about the fact that I don’t trust you.”

My jaw dropped. “What did I ever do to you?”

Bea and Lauren exchanged an alarmed glance, as if they knew what was coming and didn’t like it.

“Like you don’t know,” Nadia said, jutting her chin.

My fingers curled in frustration. “Enlighten me.”

“Okay, fine,” Nadi

a said. “Ever since you got here, something’s off. All this strange stuff has been happening.”

My eyes narrowed. “What strange stuff?”

“That’s not her fault,” Lauren said to Nadia, not defensively, but as if my innocence were obvious.

“How do you know?” Nadia demanded. “No one knows for sure.”

“What strange stuff?” I repeated, looking around at the others.

“Stop acting like you don’t know!” Nadia shouted, getting right in my face.

“Nadia, that’s enough!” Bea shouted, grabbing her arm.

“Lay off, Beatrice.” Nadia whirled on her. “You don’t tell me what I can and can’t say.”

“If Tristan were here, he would say the same thing,” Bea said, stepping toward her menacingly. She was a good foot taller than Nadia, with a lot more muscle. “So, shut. The hell. Up.”

Nadia’s pale face grew red. “Fine. But I know I’m right,” she said, glaring at me. “And I’m going to prove it.”

Then she turned around and took off, storming across the dirt and rocks toward Pete’s car. No one spoke. Nadia got behind the wheel and peeled out.

“What was she talking about?” I asked when the growl of the engine faded to a dull hum. “What weird stuff has been happening since I got here?”

Krista opened her mouth to speak, but Bea shook her head, silencing her.

“Lauren?” I said.

“I can’t. It’s not my place,” she told me, pulling her hands up under the cuffs of her sweatshirt.

Frustration burbled inside my chest, threatening to boil over. “Then whose place is it?”

No one said a word.

“Whose place is it?” I shouted. “Is it Tristan’s?”

Still no answer. Lauren looked over her shoulder as if there were someone there who could help them out of this awkward mess.

“Fine. I’m outta here,” I spat, striding away. “So glad I can trust my new family.”

“Rory! Come on! It’s at least two miles back to town!” Krista cried after me.

“Good thing I’m a runner!” I called back.

I kept walking, charging straight into the dark, my feet twisting and slipping over the uneven terrain. Trees rose up on both sides of the road, and a stiff wind sent a shower of curled brown leaves over my head and shoulders. I pulled my sweatshirt tighter and clenched my teeth.