Forever(15)

“What?” Aletheia pulled away from Lars. “Why?”

“It’s my brother,”

“Akin?”

Thayde shook his head. “No, it’s Gavran. He needs me. I have to bring him back here.” He paused, noting everyone’s astonished faces. “He knows who tipped off Herra about our honeymoon whereabouts.”

I didn’t want to leave my sister. “Can’t you just get him and come back?”

Thayde’s look was exasperated. “Morgan, I need you to put a shield around me.”

Not uttering another word, I placed my hand in his outstretched palm and walked out the door with him.



My beautiful silver Cobra Venom car was waiting for me in the garage. It had been so long since I had driven it, I melted over it as we passed by. Thayde rolled his eyes and climbed into Mom’s BMW SUV.

“Let’s go, he’s waiting for us outside the main gates.”

“Why do you get to drive?” I grumbled, sliding into the passenger seat.

“Because I’m a better driver.” He dodged a playful slap as he started the engine.

The Dartmoth mansion was a mere ten miles away and we arrived within minutes. The saying in Florida is ‘five you’re fine, ten you’re mine’, meaning if you sped five miles an hour over the speed limit, no one really cared, but God help you if you were caught at ten! We sped the whole way.

It was strange, pulling up to the place I hadn’t visited since witnessing The Judgment on Thayde. I remembered it like it was yesterday and it sent a deep shiver down my back. Gavran had been part of that judgment, although he had been an unwilling participant. It made me hate him, but he had helped my mother in the battle that ensued. Could we trust him? I’d have to do a mind sweep.

Leaning against the gates stood a very slim young man with platinum hair. Dressed from head to toe in black, he stood straight when we pulled up and plunged his hands into his pockets. Gavran sat hunched in the corner where the gates and the wall met. Thayde turned to me.

“Just keep me covered while I’m with these two, okay?” He asked and I nodded. Placing a shield around Thayde was one of the easiest things I could do.

Thayde slowly opened the door and moved around the front of it. The blonde boy didn’t move when he greeted him. When Thayde reached him, Gavran fell into his embrace, his shoulders shaking as he cried. His friend politely averted his eyes and focused on me. Something about him was very different.

Thayde released Gavran, leaving his hands on either side of his shoulders and spoke quietly to him. I kept away from their thoughts and resisted the urge to listen in on their conversation. The death-like stare from Gavran’s friend was beginning to irritate me. He looked like a ghost and I wondered what part of the world he was from.

As Thayde helped Gavran to his feet, the friend made his way to them. When he offered his hand to Thayde, Thayde gave him a welcoming hug. The boy was clearly astonished, offering a weak pat on Thayde’s back. Gavran looked elated. He wiped his red face with both hands and waved to me. I offered the best smile I could. What was going on?

All three of them made their way to the SUV and climbed in.

“Hi Morgan,” Gavran said as he closed the door.

“Gavran, hi,” I offered. “How are you?”

“Okay, I guess,” he sniffed. “This is my friend, Flynn.”

Flynn’s eyes pierced through me. “How do you do?” He murmured in a stiff Irish accent.

“I’m well, thank you.”

“Morgan, we’re going to have a little talk with Gavran and Flynn, okay?” Thayde pushed the SUV into reverse, easing the car back. “They have a few things they need to tell us.”

I barely thought about reading their minds and whispers of their past conversations swirled in my head. I don’t want to get in trouble. It was not his fault. She deserves to know. I don’t want to be a bad guy. Father always hated me. Their thoughts were so jumbled I knew they had to be about more than just one subject. Smiling, I turned in my seat and reached for Thayde’s hand. He squeezed it reassuringly.

“It’s okay,” he sighed, hinting that I could release the shield. “Lots going on, babe.”

“So I hear,” I hinted and Thayde shook his head.

“Wait until they tell you everything, okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed and rested my head against the seat. Things were about to take a huge turn.



When we reached our house, it was clear Flynn and Gavran couldn’t be any more nervous. Flynn’s hands drummed a rhythm on his knees the likes of which I was sure any rock band would be happy to recruit. Gavran bit at his nails, staring out the window.