The Conduit (The Gryphon Series Book 1)

by Stacey Rourke

  Halfway through my second bowl of Fruity Pebbles, my belly began to flutter. Worried the milk may’ve been past its prime, I took some deep breaths and gave my stomach a chance to settle.

  Instead of the problem correcting itself, it got worse. My heart began to pound like a jackhammer. My pulse thudded in my veins. I felt…agitated. I was frustrated and angry for no reason whatsoever. I couldn’t sit still. I wrung my hands as I paced from the kitchen to the living room and back again. My jaw tensed to the point of pain.

  The front door squeaked open. Hoping it was someone breaking in that I could unleash this fury on, I stalked toward the foyer.

  Gabe intercepted me when he rounded the corner into the living room. “Hey.”

  It hit me like a punch to the gut, the emotions I felt were coming from him. I could feel what he was feeling, and he was radiating anger.

  “Are you okay?” I snapped. At my abrupt tone, Gabe’s chestnut eyes widened and his eyebrows rose.

  “Yeah … why?” he asked slowly.

  “You seem upset!”

  Gabe laughed while giving me a ‘my sister’s done lost her damned mind’ look. “No. I just walked in the door. You, on the other hand, are wound pretty tight.”

  “I’m fine!” I barked. “Did something happen at practice?”

  “Nope. What’s with you?”

  “Nothing’s wrong with me. What are you so ticked about?”

  “I’m not ticked about anything.” His voice started to echo the emotion coming off of him. I briefly considered that I may be causing this.

  “You’re obviously angry. Now what’s going on?” I blurted out, my hands balled into fists.

  His wide jaw clenched. “Did that bump on the head damage your hearing? I said I’m fine.”

  “You’re not upset?”

  “No more than usual,” he muttered. “We done here?”

  “Yeah.” My voice was barely a whisper, but my heart pounded away at top speed. I had no idea what was happening to me. I needed some distance to figure it out. “I think I’m going to go lay down for a bit.”

  “Good.” he grumbled and turned his back on me as he stomped to the kitchen.

  I fled the intrusive emotion and retreated to the safe confines of my room. As the door slammed behind me, I collapsed against it. Distance muffled Gabe’s emotion. I was back to feeling just annoyed instead of fuming.

  I breathed a sigh of relief and pushed off the door. Two strides across the room and a flash of red caught my eye. There was something on my pillow that had most definitely not been there before. A scroll, its leathery paper yellow with age, sat where my head had been a short time before. The red, silk ribbon that decorated it made it look like a gift. An offering.

  My eyes darted around nervously. Someone had been in our room. Were they still here? I looked around for something to use as a bludgeoning device, just in case. A purple polka-dotted lamp isn’t high on the list of intimidating weapons, but it was all I had. I snuck up to the closet, flung open the door, and stabbed my lamp inside. Nothing but clothes. I crouched down and swung my lamp wildly under my bed, then Kendall’s. When I came up empty-handed again, I walked over to the window. Unlocked. Whoever left my little present could’ve snuck in and out easily. Especially if said person had wings…

  I stared at the paper like it was going to jump up and bite me. Which it might. Weirder things had happened lately. My hesitant feet scuffed against the floor as I forced myself toward the mysterious parchment. With a trembling hand, I grasped the scroll. I freed it from the silky ribbon, then unrolled the thick paper. At the top of the page, etched in a dramatic cursive, were the words:

  Power of the Empathe

  Beneath that were answers to questions I hadn’t known to ask.

  The empathe feels the emotions of others. This power is meant to guide by “listening” to those in need of aid. Once the ability is activated, its power can be difficult to endure. For the weak-minded, every emotion will feel crushing. Ultimately, the fragile mind will collapse. Only through strong-will and control will you survive it.

  I glanced up at the gryphon statue on my nightstand. “Is this your idea of a love note?”

  I had an inkling of an idea where the scroll came from. But no way was I ready to let my mind go there. Instead, I focused on the message. An uplifting note it was not. I like my mind. As a rule, I didn’t want it to collapse.

  I flopped back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. At this distance, Gabe’s anger wasn’t too bad. It kind of felt like when I went on one of my caffeine binges and my insides got all jittery. But if I was going to get a handle on this, I’d have to do it at a closer proximity. It seemed like a good idea, though, to wait until Gabe got over his male PMS. While I had nothing to base this theory on, I assumed less hostility would make it easier. Maybe.

  As soon as I had that thought my heart seemed to swell in my chest. Light and warmth filled me. It was wonderful. It wasn’t mine. I could still feel Gabe’s anger, but now it was mixed with this wonderful, new feeling. What could possibly be making my big, macho brother feel all warm and mushy? Nosiness got the best of me. I had to know. Sure, curiosity killed the cat. But really, what was the worst that could happen?

  CHAPTER 7

  A smarter person would’ve cautiously treaded into these potentially dangerous waters, but I never claimed to be smart. I thundered down the stairs completely unaware of the mind-blowing, gut-wrenching, indescribable pain in store for me. Oh, how quickly I learned.

  I expected Gabe’s emotions. They were unpleasant, but I knew they were coming. Naive girl that I am, I hadn’t considered the possibility of another person being there. Kendall’s presence blindsided me. The flutter I first felt was just the beginning. My heart swam in what I can only describe as love in its purest and most genuine form. It would’ve been a beautiful feeling to bask in, if Gabe’s anger hadn’t tainted it. Together they created a perfect storm of emotions.

  I barely made it off the stairs before the torturous mix seized me. Gasping, I grasped at my chest. It felt as though someone was carving out my heart with a dull blade and flushing the wound with hot molten lava. I wanted to run, but the pain paralyzed me. Tears streamed down my face. I was incapacitated by emotions that weren’t even mine.

  “Celeste!” Keni ran to me and felt my face for a fever. I jerked at her touch. It amplified her emotion. “Gabe, there’s something wrong with her!”

  Gabe’s head whipped in our direction. He sprinted to my side and grabbed my arm to steady me. “She was acting weird earlier. Is she having a seizure or something?”

  Their combined touch caused a monsoon of emotion to ravage me. My body convulsed under the weight of it.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  Couldn’t speak.

  Couldn’t think of anything but the agony.

  Their emotions were killing me.

  “Go get her a cold cloth and a glass of water!” Gabe barked.

  Keni dashed to the kitchen. Her distance gave me just enough of a break. I inhaled a deep, jagged breath. As the oxygen rushed back to my brain, it screamed at me: She’ll be right back! Run!

  I shoved my brother out of the way with a force that knocked him to the ground and bolted straight for the back door without stopping. If they called to me, I didn’t hear it. My mind screamed to be free. My hands grappled to turn the knob. Finally winning, I hurled the door open. It rattled on its hinges. I darted out into the cool night air and didn’t stop until I reached the wooden fence at the back of Grams’ small yard. I fell against it and slid to the ground. I gasped for breath and willed my pounding heart to steady its beat.

  I could still feel Gabe and Kendall’s emotions, but they were muted. With my head leaned back against the fence, I took deep breaths until the synchronized pounding of my head and chest slowed.

  “Celeste? Are you okay?” Keni called from the doorway, then stepped out into the yard. Her concern caused fresh bubbles to churn my stomach and a dull ache t
o begin in my heart.

  “Stop!” She froze. I tried to steady my quaking voice when I added, “I just needed some air.”

  “Are you coming in?”

  The mere thought of that was almost vomit-worthy. Inside meant another emotional lashing. Outside was peace. “I think I’m going to sleep in the tree house tonight.”

  Her giddy excitement bounced into me. “Like we did when we were little! We haven’t done that in, like, forever! I’ll go get us some sleeping bags and pillows.”

  “No!” I snapped way too sharply. Softening my tone as best I could, I explained. “I kind of just want some alone time.”

  Her cloud of disappointment shaded my heart.

  “Whatever … didn’t want to anyway.” She sulked, then turned to march inside and pout.

  “Wait, Keni.” I felt her hopes rise as she turned, which made what I had to ask that much worse. “Could you still bring me out a sleeping bag and my pillow?”

  I got to experience firsthand the sting of my words. I was a horrible human being. Any other person would’ve told me where I could stick that sleeping bag. But Keni wasn’t capable of that kind of hostility.

  “Fine. I’ll be right back,” she grumbled. True to her word, a few minutes later she deposited a sleeping bag and my pillow right outside the door.

  For the next two days, I holed up in the child-sized tree house. Initially, I stayed there out of fear of a repeat emotional overexposure. Then it became my goal to learn to control this empathe thing, or suffer a complete mental breakdown trying. How’s that for positive thinking? Gabe and Keni came out to check on me a few times. Each time I offered up some lame excuse about camping and barked at them to go away. That wouldn’t have worked on Grams. Good thing she was out of town. Only when they were gone or sleeping would I sneak inside for food and to heed nature’s call. Through trial and error, I figured out how to block out their intrusive emotions. After that, the feelings only came to me when I wanted them to. I could channel one of my siblings and draw their essence to me. Which was pretty friggin’ cool. However, all these experiments happened from my tree house sanctuary. There was no telling how I would handle another face to face interaction, or venturing out in public. Dread over what might happen made me stay in my tree.

  My solitude ended as soon as Grams came home. The back door was flung open, and Grams stomped across the yard. Panic knotted my stomach. I couldn’t lose control in front of her. I just couldn’t.

  She stopped at the bottom of the ladder and glared up at me. Through clenched teeth she hissed, “Celeste Garrett, what is the matter with you? Your sister told me you haven’t left this tree house for two days? And the neighbors called and complained that you were out here talking to yourself all hours of the day and night.” I was? Hmm, I had no idea. “Have ya lost your mind?”

  Grams was clearly ticked, but I couldn’t feel it. An unintentional giggle escaped me. Just to see if I could, I concentrated and sought out her feelings. There they were! She was perturbed … and more than a little concerned. Odd, her anger was growing. Yikes! She was turning into a red hot ball of cranky! It occurred to me that the cause was probably her idiot granddaughter wordlessly staring at her with a big, dopey grin on her face. I quickly blinked and disconnected our emotional tie.

  “I was just enjoying the beautiful Tennessee scenery, Grams.” I smoothed my hair behind my ears and tried to look less like a raving lunatic.

  “And the talkin’ to yourself?”

  “Didn’t realize I was,” I giggled nervously. “But we all do that from time to time, don’t we?”

  “I guess so. We don’t normally carry on entire conversations though.” Her eyes stayed narrowed. She was nowhere near convinced.

  “How about if I come inside for dinner?” A risky but mandatory move.

  “That would be nice.”

  “Great. I’ll fold up my sleeping bag and be inside in just a minute.”

  “Good.” As she walked back to the house, she muttered to herself. “Kids acting like they’re on drugs. Back in my day, you didn’t act like that. You’d wind up in some loony bin. Doesn’t think I’ll send her butt there? Darn right I will! Talking to herself! Who in their right mind talks to themself?!”

  As I picked up my stuff, I braced myself for whatever would befall me inside. I stepped into the house expecting the very worst. What I found instead was Grams pulling containers out of a KFC bag, Keni setting the table, Gabe pouring four glasses of milk, and all outside emotions staying perfectly at bay.

  Gabe glanced up and grinned. “Hey, she returns! Enjoy your time roughing it?”

  “Yeah, it was … enlightening.” I washed my hands in the sink, then took my seat at the table.

  Kendall cringed and waved her hand in front of her face. “You know, when you get in touch with nature, it’s still okay to shower.”

  “Noted.” I laughed. “I’ll take care of that right after dinner.”

  We dove into the delicious spread before us, and no one pried any further into my backyard shenanigans. As relieved as I was to have a handle on this, I wasn’t convinced my good luck would hold out. These were controlled circumstances. I still had no idea how I would fare around strangers. It could send me over the edge, never to return. Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out.

  CHAPTER 8

  I had a plan. I was fairly certain it was an asinine plan, but it was all I could come up with, so I was gonna own it. Since my head versus rock incident, Alec had called, texted, and stopped by repeatedly to check on me. In his latest text, he asked me out for dinner. I couldn’t deny that I wanted to see him again, plus I needed to try out my empathe ability in the big, wide world. (Well, not the big world—more the Podunk, isolated world—but still.) The worst that could happen was me being unable to hold back the emotions that invaded me, then having myself a fun little freak out in front of the cute boy. Heck, I might even lose control of a few bodily functions in front of him. That’d be swell. If things went that route, my plan was to claim food poisoning and run like that rumored panther was chasing me. See? I had a plan.

  I inhaled a shaky breath to calm my nerves and exhaled through pursed, freshly glossed lips. I had scoured my closet for the right ensemble for tonight. I wanted an outfit that said, “I like you, but I don’t know how much yet. So, I want to entice you without leading you on.” Nothing in my closet fit that description. There was no choice but to call in Kendall’s keen fashion sense. She dressed me in a pair of blue jean capris and a loosely fitted canary yellow tank top with lace trim at the neckline. Then she came at me baring her tackle box full of hair pins, combs, and other frilly paraphernalia. I repelled her by holding up her only known weakness—a scrunchie I fully intended to use to pull my hair back. She hissed and retreated to her perfectly quaffed shadows. I checked out my reflection in the mirror. Nice and casual. No way could Alec get the wrong idea.

  “Celeste! Your boyfriend’s here!” Gabe bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.

  Gabe Garrett, you are a monumental pain in my…

  I did my best to ignore his flare up of foot-in-mouth disease and focused instead on bracing myself for whatever the night would hold. I flung the bedroom door open with as much courage as I could muster and headed downstairs. An unforeseen problem developed as soon as my feet touched the polished wooden stairs. I began envisioning all sorts of terrible scenarios. What if I read Alec’s emotions and found out he didn’t like me? Or that he’s only after “one thing”? What if half way through the night he decides I’m a total goober and I just so happen to be plugged into his emotions at the moment he makes that discovery? Worse yet, what if he’s only using me to get closer to Kendall? It wouldn’t be the first time that happened. I hadn’t even thought about the consequences of knowing exactly what he was feeling! Why did I think I could pull this off?!

  By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, I had worked myself up into a state of sweaty, frazzled panic. Worse yet, I couldn’t will myself
to round the corner into the foyer. I was stuck at the bottom of the stairwell with my legs sending a message loud and clear: this is going to be unpleasant. Therefore we have decided against going. Thank you very much for the offer, but no.

  Idle conversation from the other side of the wall. “What are you … lifting twenty-four/seven? You’re really bulking up. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

  “No, I haven’t been hitting the weights any more than usual. Must just be from working out with the team.”

  Listen to them, chattering away while I’m stuck mid-panic attack. I knew I was being ridiculous. If my stubborn, lead feet wouldn’t budge, I was just going to move them manually. I grabbed the corner of the wall in a white-knuckled grip and hoisted myself around into the foyer in one big swoop. Alec and Gabe stopped and stared.

  “Everything okay?” Alec asked, his eyes wide and alarmed.

  I didn’t know yet … was it? It might take a second before it hits. I wasn’t feeling anything. Nothing rushed over me. The rule must apply to other people too! The emotions would only come to me if I reached out for them. Relief flooded me—immediately followed by embarrassment.

  I still had a grip on the wall like I was bracing myself for some sort of natural disaster. With the hold I had, it was impressive I didn’t crack the plaster. I quickly let go, adjusted my posture, and crammed my hands into my pockets.

  “Sorry. I … thought I left my flat iron on upstairs,” I stammered. I’m an awful liar.

  “And it caused the second story to explode? What is with you lately?” Gabe’s dark brows pulled together as he frowned.

  I tittered a weak laugh to make light of it. “Yeah, funny, huh? Hi, Alec.”

  The unanswered questions that played across his face made me glad I didn’t have to feel his emotions right then. The expression he settled on was equal parts amusement and confusion. “Hi. Nice entrance.”