Free Scorched Skies by Samantha Young

being. She was prey. And it was only now she was realizing it. All of the truths had changed her. She could see clearly now.
    Everything felt different.
    Her life as she knew it was over.
    It was time to outwit her hunter and not play into his hands like he expected.
    Ari chanced a glance up at Charlie who stood pale and handsome in black, his features taut with anxiety, his dark eyes trying to communicate with her through the hush. She was shocked by what she saw now, by what she felt — as though she were staring at a stranger.
    Everything was different now.
    With her newfound clarity, Ari believed that for the first time she could see Charlie; could see what he had done and what he had become.
    He wasn ’ t the boy she ’ d loved.
    More grief rippled over her as she looked away, her eyes blurring over the dark figures around her until they snagged upon a familiar blue pair of eyes. Rachel stared back at her, her eyes pleading with Ari. Her voice whispered through Ari ’ s thoughts.
    “You ’ re in love with Charlie Creagh, sixteen year old cutie and all-around good guy. He ’ s not there anymore. I ’ m sorry but he ’ s gone.”
    Ari gulped. Rachel had been right. Why had it taken this for her to realize that Rachel had been right? Feeling ashamed of herself and for the way she ’ d treated the girl, Ari let her gaze drift away from her until it locked onto a figure in the distance. He was waiting for her next to a black SUV he ’ d conjured from his home in L.A.
    Jai.
    He ’ d lied to her too. She thought of the past few days. Everything that happened. All the things he ’ d withheld. What he ’ d omitted when he followed The Red King ’ s orders to make her break the barrier between herself and her powers. The consequences. And then she thought about what he ’ d done for her. Like Charlie, Jai hadn ’ t left her side. He ’ d given her quiet understanding, comfort, support. What did that mean? Could she trust him?
    Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe she couldn ’ t trust her uncle either.
    Who could she trust then?
    Yourself , an inner voice replied gently and Ari felt her spine straightening, a blaze of heat cutting through the bitter pain.  This couldn ’ t happen to her again. Not ever again. It was time to grow up. It was time to start relying on herself. It was time to stop fearing loneliness and embrace it as a friend, as a guard and protector.
    After all… it looked like a long fight ahead.

    That was it . The funeral was over. Derek was buried in the ground and only a handful of people had turned up. What a testament to his life. There was some work colleagues, some neighbors. Charlie ’ s mom. Rachel, Staci and A.J., and all their parents. In a way, Ari was glad. If she had to murmur ‘ thank you for coming ’ one more time she was going to scream. And she was tired of the odd looks she was getting. Had they been expecting her to fall wailing on her father ’ s coffin?
    No. But maybe a few tears.
    Well Ari couldn ’ t give them tears. She ’ d already given them all to her dad days before and she wasn ’ t all that into becoming a huge sobbing ball of mess for the sole purpose of assuring some people, that didn ’ t really matter, that she was indeed affected by his death. Brittle and unapproachable was working just fine for her instead.
    After telling another mourner that there wasn ’ t going to be a wake, Ari turned away, blindly following Charlie towards Jai.
    “Ari?” a soft voice asked, black patent shoes appearing before her in her downcast eye line.
    An ugly knot formed in Ari ’ s gut as she raised her eyes to find Rachel and Staci standing in front of her, tears glistening in Staci ’ s eyes, A.J. standing a few feet behind them. Oh no. She didn ’ t want to have to do this now. Ever, in fact.
    She cleared her throat and for once was glad Charlie was standing so close. “Thanks for coming,” her voice was flat and unemotional. With some effort Ari refrained from glancing