Jade unlocked her door. “I’m coming too.”
“No, you’re not,” Kaylee said. She unbuckled her seatbelt. “I need to do this. Alone.”
When Jade hesitated Kaylee patted her arm reassuringly. “I’ll survive. Promise.”
“I’ll kill you if he kills you.”
Kaylee smiled. “Noted.”
She slid out, but one of her hands stayed behind. She looked back to find Edwin gripping it. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “Be careful.”
She squeezed it back. “I will.”
Kaylee waited until they’d driven off before making her way to the front porch. Her mind seesawed back and forth. This was dumb. But necessary. But dumb. She should have never brought up the girl. But she’d been angry, and Randy had been wrong. She wasn’t a child.
But maybe don’t bring her up. Because who was she, really? Until she knew that it was best to keep her mouth shut about it because she didn’t know. She didn’t know anything about Randy.
And there lay the crux of the problem. Short of everything Alastair had told her about him (which wasn’t much), and her mom had told her about him (which also wasn’t much), Kaylee hardly knew anything about the man. And she’d kept it that way. Maybe not intentionally, but in her actions. She’d snuck around him instead of simply asking him directly. She’d never tried to get to know the man who was training her, the man who had been absent from her life for so long. Not really tried.
The door creaked when she opened it. Kaylee paused. There was a heaviness in the house, but no one was rushing at her, demanding that she get out.
She dropped her backpack by the stairs and checked the kitchen. The refrigerator door hung open. She closed it.
“Randy?” She kept her voice barely above a whisper. Her first thought was to check his study, but after today that was the last place she wanted to run into him.
Instead she went to the living room. “Ran—?”
He was sitting on the couch in the dark. His arms were thrown over the back. His legs were kicked up on the table in front of him, scattering brown glass bottles. More than five of them.
“Um…need some light?” Kaylee tried the switches. They didn’t work.
“Fuses are blown,” Randy said. “Bulbs are burned out, too.”
He took a drink from the bottle in his hand. His words were a bit slow, not slurred, but his eyes were fixed straight ahead. “S’what happens when I get a little…upset.”
“Oh.”
Kaylee eased herself into the chair next to him. Still Randy didn’t move. He had acknowledged her presence without kicking her out. That was a start. Kaylee tried to come up with a way to continue the conversation, but Randy did it for her.
“You dealt with the cops, I assume.”
“Er…not exactly. We ran. Before they got there.”
Randy snorted. “Classic. Running.” He raised the bottle. “You’re more like me than I thought.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Randy tossed the bottle onto the table and produced another one from between the cushions of the couch. Kaylee wondered how many of them he had stashed away there. She tucked her arms between her legs, suddenly feeling much more out of her depth than when she’d first resolved to speak with him. She’d imagined storming in and, after a brief apology, brazenly demanding answers. But now Randy was so…vulnerable, that all of her earlier bravado fell to the floor like the bottles at his feet.
“What I mean,” Randy said, “is you like running away from your problems. I’m not saying that to be mean, I just say it as fact. I physically do it. You do it mentally.”
“No I don’t.”
“You sure about that?”
“I…”
“The boy you sometimes see. The one you killed. You can’t face what you did so you fight and run instead of facing your actions. You still can’t fully control your storm powers all the time because of what happens when they get out of control, so you settle for med-medio-ah, heck.” Randy tapped his forehead with the lip of the bottle. “Mediocrity. There we go. You train and train in order to protect others from a pain you can’t bear to watch them take, even though you have no control over it. That’s still running, it just looks a little different.”
“And I suppose you don’t do that.”
“’Course I do. Worse than you. I don’t just turn away from problems, I leave. Poof, gone.”
“Is that…what you did at the bowling alley?”
Randy snorted. “No. No, I won’t take credit for that. That was purely your stupidity.”
“But you left us.”
“Yeah, I did.”
The clouds parted outside. Moonlight crept along the floorboards and reflected off Randy’s watery eyes. Before he blinked, Kaylee swore a tear had trickled down his cheek. She didn’t like asking when he was like this, but she couldn’t back out now.
“Who was…? You know…”
“The girl in the picture. The girl you snooped to find.”
Kaylee sunk lower in her chair, face burning. Randy held up two fingers. The girl’s picture was caught between them.
“She’s the biggest thing I’ve ever run from. And for once it wasn’t by choice. Her name is Claire, and she’s probably about your age right about now.”
“Is she—”
“My daughter. Yeah.”
Kaylee blinked. She thought that might have been true, yet her mind still rebelled against the truth when she heard it. Randy was so completely opposite the kind of person she thought would ever have a kid. But then again, maybe once, not so long ago, he had been in love, and dreamed of having a family.
And based on the anguish on his face as he peered down at the picture, Kaylee realized that was the truth.
“I see a lot of her in you,” Randy said. “At least, you’re how I assume she’d act.”
“I’m sorry.”
Randy gave her a lopsided look. “For what?”
“For what happened to her.”
His confused expression deepened. “Nothing’s happened to her. Not yet.”
“You mean she’s not…she isn’t…?”
Randy laughed. He laughed until he coughed and then smothered the cough with another drink. “She’s alive, girl. And the best part about that? She’s alive ‘cause I’m not there. See, I tried the ‘normal’ thing. I tried facing my problems head on at first. It only attracted trouble. Threats on my life and hers. I couldn’t do that to my girl so I ran. I’ve been running ever since.
“I’ve told you before we all have our own curses to break, and it’s true. This is mine. A daughter I love, but I can’t see her, can’t even get near her without hurting her so I stay away. Always close enough to see, but never close enough to be. That’s my curse.”
“If you faced it and couldn’t beat it, then how am I supposed to beat mine?”
“By being better than me. I expect it of you. You have what I never did. Friends. Family. The Convocation. There’s no excuse to fail.”
“And if I still do?” Kaylee said in a small voice.
Randy turned his watery eyes on her, and for a moment they were as clear and sober as could be. “You won’t. We all have our curses. That boy, your powers, this Slayer thing. Break yours. Break it like I know you can.”
He took one final sip, then leaned over, kicking up a plume of dust as he thumped onto the cushions.
Kaylee stood in alarm. “Uncle Randy?”
A large snore answered.
Sighing, Kaylee pulled a ratty blanket from the hall closet. She draped it over Randy, being careful not to smother him. The idiot was out so cold he could die and sleep right through it.
Satisfied he was comfortable, Kaylee grabbed her backpack and went upstairs.
Kaylee awoke to the heavenly smell of bacon. Her stomach screamed with desire as she rolled to sitting, rubbing her eyes. She’d collapsed atop one of the spare beds upstairs, still dressed in yesterday’s clothes. Her skin felt caked with a layer
of sweat and debris from the fight yesterday. She considered taking a shower, but her stomach practically tugged her out of bed towards the kitchen.
Randy was at the stove, a frying pan in each hand. He flicked his wrists and bacon soared in a glorious arc onto a plate. Another flick and pancakes landed on another. Randy half turned and shot Kaylee a grin.
“Claire loved it when I did that.”
Kaylee gave a small clap and sat down while Randy brought the plates over. “I’m impressed,” she said. “Fighting and cooking skills. Hard to find that in a man.”
“Don’t you forget it,” Randy said. He sat and tossed Kaylee her cell phone.
“You left it down here. Been going off all morning. I told your parents where you were so it’s probably your friends seeing if you’re dead.”
Sure enough:
Edwin: Kaylee, ARE YOU DEAD?
Jade: He better not have killed you <3
Maddox: Um no idea whts goin on but jade said to check on ur wellbeing???
Kaylee assured them all that she was very much alive then dug into the food. It was probably the most delicious breakfast she’d ever tasted, and she made a mental note that, whatever Randy’s faults, the man could cook.
Randy leaned back in his chair. He sipped his coffee. Every so often she would catch him glancing at her, though it could have been because of how much food she was stuffing in her face.
“You gonna eat?” Kaylee said through a mouthful of pancakes. Randy chuckled and raised his coffee.
“I ate earlier. Now I drink the elixir of life to take the edge off…well, you know.”
Kaylee gulped more water. “Last night. About that. I’m—”
“Forget it.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Kaylee, I was drunk, I talked too much, and I have a pretty good idea of what I told you which you will not repeat to anyone else.”
Kaylee nodded quickly.
“Good.” Randy leaned back in his chair again. Kaylee put her fork down. “And…about not training me? Did you mean that?”
Randy raised an eyebrow. “Maybe. Depends very much on whether you want to be trained.”
“Of course I do!”
“And whether you’re willing to do what I definitely did not say last night and own this dragon-kin thing. Own your curse.”
Kaylee pushed her fork away. She still wasn’t sure what Randy meant about the curses, or whether she actually had one. But her situation was now the same as Dani’s; she couldn’t do this alone. And if dealing with a curse would make Randy help her out then she’d do it.
“I want to,” Kaylee said.
“Then I’ll think about training you again.”
Randy snagged a couple pieces of bacon from Kaylee’s plate. “Sometimes I think no matter how much training a dragon-kin has they have limits on their elemental magic until they get older. I didn’t fully control my electricity until I was twenty. Sometimes it just takes a little more life experience. You reach a point where your powers that aren’t swayed by the ups and downs of the teenage mind.”
“Excuse me?” Kaylee growled.
“Oh, cool your jets.” Randy bit into the bacon. “I was stupid when I was your age, too.”
“Some would argue you still are.”
“Not as dumb as you, jumping into the Slayers’ den. Seriously, what did you think you were going to accomplish?”
“I thought I’d find out where you were going.”
“Well you did. Congrats. Scouting mission for the Convocation. Just wanted to keep tabs on where the Slayers are. Or were, I guess.”
“You sure it wasn’t to find out where the Book of Kells is?”
Randy inhaled a chunk of bacon and immediately coughed. He grabbed his coffee and downed the next hack with a giant gulp.
“Where,” he gasped, wiping off his mouth, “did you learn about that?”
Kaylee smugly sat back in her chair. “You know, Alastair made the same mistake you did, thinking we were just clueless kids.”
“I never said you were…”
“You implied it.”
Randy slowly nodded. “You’re more like me than I thought. Which isn’t exactly a good thing. Yeah, I was looking for some intel on the Book of Kells and no, neither the Convocation nor Alastair knows about it. Yet. I’m assuming you know what the book does?”
“It’s a spell book and can…summon…stuff.”
“Very precise,” Randy said dryly. “I see Damian’s information is as vague as ever. And don’t gape at me like that, of course I’ve met Damian. Been by the Slag Heap a few times, too, to see if what he knew was any good. Don’t know what you kids see in a place like that.”
Kaylee closed her mouth, then said, “So if you’re looking for it too then you must have a better idea of where it is. Or what it does.”
“Wrong, but I’m getting there.” Randy pushed himself up and started clearing the table. Kaylee grabbed her own dishes and brought them to the sink.
“I’m sure you think I should just forget about it,” Kaylee said glumly.
“Don’t be an idiot, of course I don’t,” Randy said. “The Slayers are trying to kill you. Again. You should be worried about it. Just don’t go throwing yourself into fights without a plan. Know your enemies first. Have that nerdy boyfriend of yours do more digging through the archives. He’ll come up with something.”
“Edwin’s not—”
She was interrupted by a loud knock on the front door. Randy let the dishes fall into the sink with a loud clink.
“Too early for visitors.” He shifted a couple fingers to claws behind his back as he approached the front door and opened it.
“Reese!”
Her older brother was glaring at Randy, but his gaze softened when he saw her. “Hey, Katy bug.”
Kaylee hugged him. Reese tensed, then relaxed, wrapping one arm around her. “What’s this for? You act like you haven’t seen me in forever.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Mom and Dad told me you stayed the night. I came to pick you up. We need to leave soon.”
“Leave for what?”
Reese gently prodded her forehead a couple times. “You must have had some serious mid-terms. The beach? Spring Break?”
Kaylee had completely forgotten. Though this time mid-terms weren’t to blame, a slew of training, sneaking around, and trying not to die had made the last few weeks blur together.
“Go grab your stuff,” Reese said.
Kaylee hurried upstairs. When she came back down Randy and Reese were standing so close to one another they looked like they were about to go to blows any second. Randy, for his part, seemed unperturbed. Reese looked like he’d barely managed to contain his anger at some unknown slight.
“I’ll meet you in the car,” Reese said. “I have to talk to Randy for a bit.”
Randy picked something out of his teeth. “That’s cute, playing at being grownup.”
Reese’s fists clenched.
Kaylee placed a gentle hand on Reese’s shoulder. “Reese, if this is about me doing chores for Randy then it’s really no big deal.”
He shrugged her hand off. “It’s not.”
“Then what’s it about?”
“Nothing you need to worry about right now.”
“Whatever your problem is with him, just drop it.”
She tried to put a hand on his arm again but he flinched back, like he couldn’t bear to be touched by her. It was only for a second, but Kaylee felt like she’d been kicked in the gut.
“Just go to the car. Please.”
“Fine. Whatever.”
Kaylee stomped outside to the car and slammed the door shut. Through the glass and distance she was unable to hear what they were saying, but a minute later Reese slid into the driver’s seat.
“You’re acting like an idiot,” Kaylee said. “I’ve gotten over what he did. Why can’t you?”
“And you sound like you don’t know what you’re talking
about,” Reese retorted, throwing the car in reverse.
They didn’t speak the entire way home.
Chapter Eighteen
Whoever’s idea it had been to go to the beach over Spring Break had been an idiot.
Kaylee had even worn a new swimsuit Jade had helped her pick out, but it didn’t make a difference since she covered it with her hoodie to protect herself from the lingering bursts of chilly air. The others, too, weren’t keen on taking off more clothes than necessary, all except Maddox, who was apparently part polar bear. But despite all his boasting that he didn’t feel the cold, the goose pimples covering his arms were a dead giveaway. Fifteen minutes after they hit the beach he looked almost as miserable as Reese, who had been grouching alone on his own towel, placed away from the group.
“Did he get food poisoning or something?” Jade said. She was studying Reese, shielding her eyes from the weak sunlight. “The gas station food wasn’t that bad.”
“I don’t think that’s it,” Kaylee said. “He and my uncle got into an argument.”
“About what?”
Kaylee held up her hands. “Search me.”
Jade’s gaze swept across the rest of the beach, lingering for a moment longer than usual on Maddox as he attempted to goad Edwin into the chilly water. Further down the beach, Damian and Dani were walking close together, eyes down in the sand. Every now and then Dani would pick something up to show Damian. To say Kaylee was surprised Damian had decided to tag along with them would have been an understatement. The guy looked pitifully—happily—uneasy. Every time Dani handed him something he would pick up his own find and show her right back. When she smiled he smiled too, a hesitant, awkward thing.
“I’m going back to the house.”
Kaylee hadn’t heard Reese walk up. He’d tucked his towel beneath his arm.
“You can sit with us.” Kaylee gestured to the spot next to her.
“Thanks, but no.”
“Are you…okay?” Kaylee lowered her voice. “I’m sorry about getting mad at you. Let’s forget it and enjoy ourselves.”
“I’m just tired. See you guys later.”
Kaylee watched him thread his way through the mass of kids and families, duck beneath a Frisbee, and disappear into the parking lot.
Dragon's Curse (Heir of Dragons: Book 2) Page 16