Free Under an Onyx Sky (Elemental Enchanters Series Book 4) by Carrigan Richards Page B

training? She shut her eyes, knowing she wasn’t doing a good job of keeping her emotions at bay.
    She felt a cold hand around her arm and she snapped her eyes open. Xavier stood in front of her with a cocked eyebrow. They were the only ones in the training room. “You okay?”
    “I’m fine.”
    “Are you sure? Because you kinda hesitated back there.” His grip on her arm tightened. Did he think she hesitated because she was whipping Gabriel? Did he think her mind hadn’t been erased?
    “I just…I just thought I saw something.”
    He loosened his grip, and moved to her hands. “Like what?” he asked, his voice full of concern.
    She wanted to punch him. Break his neck. Drown him. But she held back. “It’s nothing.”
    Xavier nodded. “I understand you may not want to tell me everything, but I hope one day that will change.”
    Highly unlikely. “Yeah, maybe. It was nothing. I spaced.”
    Given the doubtful look in his dark eyes, she knew he didn’t believe her. But she was not about to tell Xavier she might have had a vision. Or a hallucination. Havok had done it before, but why would he keep forcing her to hallucinate? And why about her mother? It was just a flash, Ava wasn’t sure if Havok had made her see it or if she just imagined it.
    “Why don’t you come out tonight when we get back? You can help us celebrate.”
    “Getting ahead of yourself?”
    He chuckled. “You don’t think we can annihilate Tokyo?”
    She shrugged. “I don’t know. You don’t have the Elementals.”
    “Is that a challenge?”
    She straightened her shoulders. “Maybe. What are the terms?”
    He moved closer, and she tensed. “If we completely demolish Tokyo tonight, you have to go on a date with me.”
    “And if you don’t?”
    “Then I’ll give you anything you want.”
    “Anything?”
    “Anything.”
    “I don’t know what I want.”
    “That’s fine. Think about it. Although, pretty sure I’m gonna win this one.”
    How about you stop flirting with me? Or release all of the prisoners and give yourself up? “Maybe. We’ll see.”
    He smirked as they walked out of the training room. “Will I see you tonight?”
    She didn’t want to see Xavier tonight. There was only one man she wanted to see. “Maybe. I might be resting. Captain’s orders.”
    “Touché. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow for sure. Have a good one.”
    “Good luck tonight,” she said.
    He flashed a wide grin that was sure to have other girls falling to their knees with yearning. She pretended it did something to her by smiling back.
    The group had dinner as usual in the castle, but no one went to the tavern afterward. Havok had gathered his army for the massacre, and while they readied, Ava and the others retreated to Klaus’s room where she couldn’t hold the emotions. Tonight was the night they would visit the prisoners.
    Melissa drew her into a hug and Ava couldn’t keep it together. The tears brimmed to the forefront of her eyes.
    “I don’t even know what to tell him,” she whispered. “But he has to know. How will he ever forgive me?”
    “He will, Ava,” Melissa said. “You have to believe that. Just tell him the truth. He’ll understand.”
    “Go at midnight,” Klaus said. “Persuade the guard to drink this.” He handed Gillian a vial.
    “I thought you said they couldn’t be manipulated.”
    “They can’t, but there are other ways of persuading people to do things. And everyone is more lax when Havok is gone. You will have exactly one hour. Then you must be back in your rooms.” His eyes landed on each of them. “All of you. One hour. Let Gillian go first so you don’t draw a lot of attention to yourselves. Peter and Katarina have to be with you as well. I imagine a lot of emotions will come forth.”
    Ava’s heart pounded. “What time is it?”
    “9:26.”
    Her shoulders fell. She chewed on her lip, thinking of something to do to bide her time. It wasn’t easy, but she stayed in Klaus’s room with her