Read Silence: Part Two of Echoes & Silence for Free Online Page B

him, was like a father to him, who then turned around and molested his wife.”
    My cheeks flushed with heat. “He didn’t molest me.”
    “That’s not how David sees it.” He leaned his elbows on the railing. “You were so innocent back then, Ara—so young and such a sweet, untainted little thing. David feels like Arthur should’ve protected you from wiser men like himself.”
    “He just doesn’t understand what led us to that point.”
    “And he doesn’t care. And nothing you ever say will make him care.”
    “How do you know? He might—”
    “Because, as we stood there watching the Lamia Fire Brigade douse the flames, he told me that.”
    “What else did he say?”
    “A lot, but not much that made sense to me until I actually saw what Arthur did to you.”
    “Does he… is he really not mad with me?”
    He shook his head slowly, his eyes warm and full of sympathy. “No. He’s heartbroken for you.”
    I pressed tightly on my chest to keep my heart inside.
    “And he blames himself—for not being there to protect you from his uncle.”
    “He did warn me, before I left my house, that Arthur might be after… something more.”
    “Yes, but, if he knew you at all back then, he’d have known that a warning wouldn’t protect you. That was his job.”
    “It’s not his fault.” I looked out at the smoke, going white now against the dark sky. “How come he didn’t freak out like this when I told him about Jason?”
    “Very different set of circumstances.”
    “How so?”
    “He and Jason spent their lives teasing and taunting each other—doing things to hurt each other. It was no surprise what Jason did with you. But his uncle…” He shook his head, his teeth tight behind his lips. “Like I said, Arthur was a father, an elder, a man David always respected. One of the only men David respected. For him, especially being so old, to convince a very young, very innocent girl to undress and let him touch her that way… it was a sick thing to do. And David’s in shock, that’s all. He just never thought his uncle was capable of such a sin.”
    “It’s not like I’m a child, Falcon. I—”
    “You were. And you always have been to Arthur. There’s no denying it, Ara—” He turned his head to the side and looked at me. “He manipulated you. And you were defenceless. Far as any of us are concerned, he is a sick old man just for getting you naked. He’s hurt David pretty bad and I know he’s also just angry and feeling very betrayed right now.”
    I rubbed my face firmly. I just wanted to go find him and hug him and tell him I was so so sorry. “You best call Arthur—tell him to stay away from here tonight,” I said.
    Falcon’s big bulky shoulders moved down as he exhaled. “I’ll go call him now. Although, after what you just showed me, I’d rather see the dirty old bastard get his head kicked in.”
    As he walked away, I leaned my back against the balcony ledge, watching him, trying again to feel the tingle of David’s energy under the thin autumn air. But I couldn’t feel it where it was before, as if he’d—
    “Ara!” Falcon darted back into my room.
    “What?”
    “There’s a car coming up the drive.” He jerked his head to the windows behind him in the corridor outside my room. “Might be Arthur. Get down there and warn him while I try’n find David.”
    With the speed of a vampire, I charged back in through my room, leaped over the bed in one jump and flew out into the corridor, running to the stairs faster than I’d run before. I slowed at the corner and bounced over two steps at a time, throwing the double front doors open when I reached them.
    “Arthur!” I passed the water fountain quickly and met his headlights with a jolt and a spray of tiny cream pebbles. The handbrake jerked into place loudly, bringing the car to rest, the lights blinding me as a man opened the door and stepped out.
    “Amara. What is it? What happened?”
    I leaned on the hood to get my