Enduring Light Read Free Page B

“Thanks for these.”
     
    “It is nothing. It just seemed silly that they were making you wear dresses. No one is going to be fooled.”
     
    “I appreciate it.”
     
    She smiled. “Any advice for me? I am about to enter unchartered territory myself.”
     
    I was tempted to give her a warning about my brother but kept to the question she really asked. “Just be prepared for people acting differently. Men aren’t exactly as respectful there. If you want to blend in, take some clothes from my closet.”
     
    “Oh, great. I did not even think of that. I would stand out in this?” She gestured at her black pants and white top.
     
    “Yeah… although boots are in this time of year.”
     
    She laughed lightly. “I wish we were going together. It would be nice to have another girl around.”
     
    “I completely agree. We’ll have to hang out when this is all over.” It still felt strange yet awesome to like a girl my brother was dating—if one could call it dating. I wasn’t sure what was going on with them.
     
    “Definitely. Be safe.”
     
    “Same to you.” I reached out awkwardly to hug her.
     
    She returned the hug just as awkwardly. “Bye.” She smiled before walking away.
     
    Kevin walked over as soon as she disappeared from sight. I wondered if that was intentional.
     
    “I guess this is it.” He gave me a huge bear hug, lifting me slightly off the floor. “Take care of yourself. Be strong.”
     
    “Same to you.”   I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. I hoped it wouldn’t be the last time we would see each other, and I forced myself to be strong.
     
    We stood there silently as we waited for Mom and Monty to join us. I was really getting tired of all the goodbyes.
     
    Monty swung me around as he always did. At least some things never changed. “Don’t do anything crazy.”
     
    Mom gave me the biggest hug yet. “You can do this, Charlotte.”
     
    I didn’t want to let go of her. Our time apart had made me need her more, both as my mom, and as the former Essence.  
     
    Calvin took my hand, giving me a sympathetic smile. “You ready?”
     
    He’d been away from his family for months; I wondered if it was hard on him, too.   At least I wasn’t saying goodbye to Calvin. I didn’t think I could handle that again.
     
    “Yes.”   I waved goodbye to everyone and let Calvin lead me to the horses. There were only three. “I’m guessing that means we’re riding together?”
     
    “I would prefer to have you close.”
     
    “Sounds good.” I definitely didn’t mind. I never felt safer or happier than when I was with him.
     
    Liam and Henry were already waiting for us.
     
    “Ready for another adventure, Char?” Liam asked.
     
    “Another? We’ve had one before?”
     
    Henry laughed. “This is going to be interesting.”
     
    Calvin helped me into the saddle, and we were off.
     

     

 
    Chapter Three
     
    Kevin
     

     
    Saying goodbye to Charlotte was becoming second nature. I knew that adult siblings weren’t supposed to see each other all the time, but it was getting a little ridiculous. I understood why we had to do our own parts, but I just wished that for once we could have been in the same world together. While Charlotte was looking for the scroll, I had to find some sort of stone called the Onyx. No one knew much about it, but supposedly some ancestor of mine hid it in the lost world around the same time the scroll was written.
     
    I guessed that world had been lost a long time. I had no clue what the thing looked like. A stone could be a lot of different shapes and sizes, but Monty seemed confident we’d know it if we saw it. Plus, my dad was supposed to be an expert on it. In theory, the stone was supposed to hold some incredible power, and if used correctly, it could destroy Blake. Without the knowledge, it was useless, which was why Charlotte was looking for the scroll. Just as Charlotte was the only one who could get the scroll, a