Chapter 29

“S imon— stop him!”

Elizabeth’s terrified cry rang in Simon’s ears.

He started to leap at Frank, hoping to pull him down from behind.

But Simon stopped halfway across the kitchen.

And stared in amazement as the ax fell from Frank’s hand, ringing against the stone hearth.

Frank’s eyes rolled back in his head. He uttered a startled cry and crumpled to the floor.

Elizabeth’s eyes flew open. Her entire body was trembling.

Simon bent over Frank’s body and examined him.

Dead. Frank was dead. The poison had worked.

Simon ran to comfort his sister. He wrapped his arms around her and held her until she stopped shaking. “We are safe now,” he whispered. “We are both safe.”

Elizabeth nodded, crying softly, and buried her head in his chest.

Simon gazed over her shoulder at the gruesome scene in the kitchen. His mother and father lay in congealing pools of blood.

They had always been kind, good people, Simon knew. They were kind and took in a starving drifter—and he murdered them in return.

Kate had never harmed anyone in her life. And she had been brutally, coldly murdered, too.

Goodness is weakness, Simon told himself. That is clear to me now.

Goodness is weakness.

Only evil can fight evil.

Elizabeth and I will leave this house, he decided, holding his sister, letting her cry. This house holds only memories of horror for me.

Elizabeth’s tears slowed. “Simon,” she said, “you saved my life.” She touched the silver amulet again. “We are orphans now. You and I are the only ones left alive. I—I cannot help feeling that this amulet had something to do with saving us.”

The silver disk flashed in the firelight. The deep blue stones glowed like human eyes.

Elizabeth pulled the pendant over her head. She gazed at it, then held it out to Simon.

“I want you to have it,” she said. “Please—take it. Its power saved me. From now on, that power must be yours.”

Simon bent forward, and Elizabeth slid the silver chain over his head.

Immediately he felt warm. He closed his eyes, but instead of darkness he saw flames, hoc red fire.

The flames faded quickly, and then Simon saw only Elizabeth’s tear-stained face, watching him.

He led his sister away from the scene of horror, out of the kitchen, into the cool night air. He thought of the flames, and Old Aggie’s words echoed in his mind.

“The letters in your name spell fire—and that is how your family will come to its end. By fire.”

I will not let it happen, Simon thought grimly as he and Elizabeth stared at the full moon rising. Old Aggie’s prediction will not come true.

I have the power to stop it. I can change the future.

The last Goode is dead, he thought with satisfaction. The feud is over now. The curse has been erased. All except for the fire, the fire in my name …

The amulet burned against his chest as he thought about the fire, the letters in his name. And then, suddenly, he knew—he knew exactly what he had to do.

It is simple, he thought. I will change my name.

I will change the letters, so that they will no longer spell fire. That will end the curse once and for all.

Elizabeth gripped his hand tightly. She is still afraid, he thought sadly. She does not understand that there is no need to be afraid anymore.

There are no more Goodes. No more feud. No more curse. We are safe. This time, it really is over.

I am the one who can beat the ancient curse. I am powerful. I will change the future, beginning with my name.

I am no longer Simon Fier.

Now and forever I will be known as Simon FEAR.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20