pulled my mug back from him, nearly burning us both in the process.
“Okay, I forgot. I shouldn’t try to come between you and coffee.”
I laughed. “You of all people should know that.”
Mom just smiled again. Maybe watching us let her imagine what I was like when the weight of all the worlds wasn’t on my back.
Henry reappeared with a heavy pack slung across his back. “I think we’ve got everything.”
I was glad he’d be around to help keep things light. Without James, I needed that. Henry and I had become good friends in the year he’d spent in Charleston. I’d missed his humor on my last journey.
I glanced around for my Gerard. “Where’s Calvin?” I could feel his presence, so I knew he couldn’t be far.
Henry dropped his pack on the ground. “He’s getting the horses ready.”
My chest clenched at the word horses. It brought back memories of my first time on a horse—with James. Even though I’d learned to keep the truth to myself, James’s comatose state was one of the biggest motivations to find the scroll. All I knew was that I was the only one who’d be able to understand the writing, and that without it, we had no clue how to vanquish Blake. I tried to stay positive, but part of me was terrified I wouldn’t be able to read it. I wanted to defeat Blake, but I also needed to save James. As unbelievably annoying as he could be, he was one of my best friends, and he was only unconscious because he had protected me.
“You okay?” Liam asked gently. He was always able to figure out what I was feeling, no matter how hard I tried to hide my emotions. I wished he couldn’t. Sharing my feelings wasn’t high on my to-do list.
I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m okay. If we’re that close to leaving, I need to find Kevin and Monty.”
“I’ll come with you. I think they’re getting ready to leave soon, too.” Mom gestured for me to head inside ahead of her. She didn’t actually say it aloud, but I knew she was nervous about Kevin seeing Dad. She wanted to go with him, just as she wanted to go with me, but she needed to stay with the Resistance. Someone from our family needed to be there. It wasn’t an edict or anything, but the presence of a Winthrop gave some more authority to the group—helped the morale a little. Monty had offered to stay, but Mom figured he’d have a better shot at helping Kevin. I wondered if she was afraid to face Dad. Her getting kidnapped obviously wasn’t her fault, but she had left him with a heavy burden to bear.
“There you are.” Kevin’s tall form nearly took up the entire mouth of the cave.
I crossed my arms. “You make it sound like you’ve been looking for me.”
He stretched his arms above his head. “I have. I feel like I’ve barely seen you, and now we’re leaving again.”
I shrugged, trying to play off just how much I agreed with him. “You know what they say, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’”
“I think I’d prefer to hate you than to have to leave you here.” He led the way back inside. Liam and Henry stayed outside. They probably assumed we needed some family time.
“Aww, how sweet.” I still had to give my brother a hard time sometimes. Old habits die hard.
“So, Mom. How do you feel about Charlotte going off with three guys?”
Mom shook her head. “Considering one’s her Gerard, I’m not too worried. I should probably be more worried about you.”
“Afraid Samantha’s going to take advantage of me?” He laughed.
“No, it’s the other way around.”
Kevin let out a small grunt. “Geez, what a vote of confidence.”
“You know what I mean. Samantha’s from Energo; she’s not experienced. The lost world is going to be a shock for her even without you pushing her.”
Kevin looked incredibly uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading. “Monty’s going with us. I wouldn’t
“Okay, I forgot. I shouldn’t try to come between you and coffee.”
I laughed. “You of all people should know that.”
Mom just smiled again. Maybe watching us let her imagine what I was like when the weight of all the worlds wasn’t on my back.
Henry reappeared with a heavy pack slung across his back. “I think we’ve got everything.”
I was glad he’d be around to help keep things light. Without James, I needed that. Henry and I had become good friends in the year he’d spent in Charleston. I’d missed his humor on my last journey.
I glanced around for my Gerard. “Where’s Calvin?” I could feel his presence, so I knew he couldn’t be far.
Henry dropped his pack on the ground. “He’s getting the horses ready.”
My chest clenched at the word horses. It brought back memories of my first time on a horse—with James. Even though I’d learned to keep the truth to myself, James’s comatose state was one of the biggest motivations to find the scroll. All I knew was that I was the only one who’d be able to understand the writing, and that without it, we had no clue how to vanquish Blake. I tried to stay positive, but part of me was terrified I wouldn’t be able to read it. I wanted to defeat Blake, but I also needed to save James. As unbelievably annoying as he could be, he was one of my best friends, and he was only unconscious because he had protected me.
“You okay?” Liam asked gently. He was always able to figure out what I was feeling, no matter how hard I tried to hide my emotions. I wished he couldn’t. Sharing my feelings wasn’t high on my to-do list.
I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m okay. If we’re that close to leaving, I need to find Kevin and Monty.”
“I’ll come with you. I think they’re getting ready to leave soon, too.” Mom gestured for me to head inside ahead of her. She didn’t actually say it aloud, but I knew she was nervous about Kevin seeing Dad. She wanted to go with him, just as she wanted to go with me, but she needed to stay with the Resistance. Someone from our family needed to be there. It wasn’t an edict or anything, but the presence of a Winthrop gave some more authority to the group—helped the morale a little. Monty had offered to stay, but Mom figured he’d have a better shot at helping Kevin. I wondered if she was afraid to face Dad. Her getting kidnapped obviously wasn’t her fault, but she had left him with a heavy burden to bear.
“There you are.” Kevin’s tall form nearly took up the entire mouth of the cave.
I crossed my arms. “You make it sound like you’ve been looking for me.”
He stretched his arms above his head. “I have. I feel like I’ve barely seen you, and now we’re leaving again.”
I shrugged, trying to play off just how much I agreed with him. “You know what they say, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’”
“I think I’d prefer to hate you than to have to leave you here.” He led the way back inside. Liam and Henry stayed outside. They probably assumed we needed some family time.
“Aww, how sweet.” I still had to give my brother a hard time sometimes. Old habits die hard.
“So, Mom. How do you feel about Charlotte going off with three guys?”
Mom shook her head. “Considering one’s her Gerard, I’m not too worried. I should probably be more worried about you.”
“Afraid Samantha’s going to take advantage of me?” He laughed.
“No, it’s the other way around.”
Kevin let out a small grunt. “Geez, what a vote of confidence.”
“You know what I mean. Samantha’s from Energo; she’s not experienced. The lost world is going to be a shock for her even without you pushing her.”
Kevin looked incredibly uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading. “Monty’s going with us. I wouldn’t
Similar Books
Light Errant
Chaz Brenchley
Off Kilter
Glen Robins
Lost Causes
Ken McClure
Shifting Dreams
Elizabeth Hunter
Sister Girls 2
Angel M. Hunter
The Villa
Rosanna Ley
Matecumbe
James A. Michener
Once Upon A Wedding Night
Sophie Jordan
Playland
John Gregory Dunne