Stay

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  “She didn’t tell me, but she never tells me anything.”

  “I could say the same thing about you.”

  She took my face in her hands. “I’ve spent the last eighteen years doing everything I could for you. I left my family—my mate. Everything. But I don’t regret it. A mother would do anything for her children, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I never planned to bring you back here, but you need to understand where you came from, and I can see you need help.”

  “It was magic.”

  She nodded. “I can tell.”

  “How?”

  “You seem different, and it’s not just the confidence you’re exuding. Your whole aura is different.”

  “You see auras?”

  “Not in detail, but I can see some outlines. Yours is off.”

  “What if they don’t help me? What if they hurt me instead?”

  “You are of ursus blood—and of this clan. They won’t hurt you. Now me, after the way I left, that’s another story.”

  “Then don’t come.” I tried to push her back. “Why put yourself in danger?”

  “Because running away isn’t going to help anyone.” She took one of my hands. “And I’d do anything to protect you, to help you. I wasn’t there for you through everything you’ve been through these past few months, and I wish I could have been. But I’m here now.”

  “Why weren’t you?” I was too tired to soften my words. I hoped she understood.

  “There’s more going on than you know. You’re only at the tip of the iceberg.”

  “There’s more? More than a psycho with magic trying to take over The Society?”

  She leaned in. “Can you handle more? With everything else, can I really add more to your plate?”

  “Does this involve you?”

  “Not directly.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “There’s talk of more than a takeover of the crown.”

  “More than the crown?”

  “Yes.”

  “Taliana? Casey? You ready?” Daria called.

  “We’ll finish this later,” Mom whispered. “We’re coming.”

  I wanted to hear more, but I was sure my mother was shutting her mouth for a reason. Whatever she’d been about to confide in me, she didn’t want the twins knowing about.

  “Are you ready?” Mom squeezed my hand slightly the way she used to do whenever I tried something new. The gesture reminded me that no matter what she kept from me, she was still my mother. If I couldn’t trust her, who could I trust?

  A voice in the back of head that didn’t feel like my own voice answered. No one. “I think so.” I squeezed her hand back. “Are you?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  I smiled. She used that phrase a lot.

  “Ready when you ladies are.” Maddock motioned for us to board the ferry boat.

  I took a deep breath. I could do this. I could fly without fear, yet I was about to fall over with panic over getting into a boat? I stepped carefully onto the boat. I glanced back at Toby again. He waved and gave me an encouraging smile.

  “Does Gareth know you’re coming?” Daria asked.

  “No.” Mom shook her head. “I haven’t told anyone but you two yet.”

  “Oh.” Daria and Maddock exchanged worried looks.

  “It will be fine. As long as they can help Casey, it will all be worth it.”

  “What exactly does Casey need help with?” Maddock looked me up and down. “She looks fine to me.”

  “Don’t forget she’s related to you,” Mom wagged a finger at him.

  “Not all that directly. I mean we’re talking third cousins.”

  “Maddock.”

  He untied us from the side and the boat lurched out into the lake. I glanced back to where Toby still waited. Leaving him was so hard. I’d gotten used to having his comfort. Maybe separating was a good thing. Maybe I needed to regain my confidence of being on my own. I needed to distract myself, so I glanced at the twins. “How old are you?”

  “How old do you think we are?” Maddock grinned. Once we were on the boat his formal personality seemed to melt away. Was that all a show for Toby?

  “You look like you’re my age, but you know my mom so well. She hasn’t been back since I was a baby…”

  “We’re the same age as your mom.”

  “Oh.” I looked between the twins. “You just age really well?”

  Daria laughed. “It’s the nymph part that helps.”

  “Nymph?” Toby seemed to know what that was, but I certainly didn’t unless it meant exactly what it sounded like.

  “Yes, nymph. We shift into bears, but we’ve got some added extra appetites.”

  Mom laughed. It was a light laugh I hadn’t heard come out of her in years. “Yes, some added appetites indeed. But you know what tree nymphs are, don’t you?”

  Ugh. I didn’t need to listen to my mom discuss sexual appetites. “Yeah, vaguely.” I blocked them all out, but that just made it easier to concentrate on the fact that we were on water, and that wasn’t a good thing either.

  I looked back at the shore. Toby looked tiny in the distance, but he was still there. Despite everything I’d really gotten lucky in that department.

  Mom cleared her throat. “Casey, when we get across you need to follow instructions very closely.”

  “Instructions?”

  “We will likely be separated, but just do what they tell you to do. No one is going to hurt you. They’ll be able to tell you’re one of the family.”

  “What if they can’t?” Panicking about that seemed easier than thinking about the boat. “What if they don’t believe us?”

  “They will. Gareth will not hurt you.”

  “Who’s Gareth?”I had a feeling I knew, but I asked anyway.

  “My mate. Vera’s father.” Vera’s father. It was still so strange to think about us not having the same father. Accepting Robert in theory was one thing, but accepting all the other parts that came with it was even harder.

  “Are you sure he won’t hurt me?” I was the evidence of why she left, although I still didn’t understand what happened.

  “No. He won’t.”

  “Will he hurt you?” I hated to ask in front of the twins, but it needed to be said. She was scared of something, and I was almost positive it was him.

  “No!” The twins glared at me. “How could he hurt his mate?”

  “Because she left after having someone else’s…” I stopped what did they know?

  “You can finish. They know about that. They helped me leave.”

  “Oh. Then wouldn’t he be angry?”

  “More like heartbroken.” Daria pulled her knees up to her chin. “He’s never taken another mate.”

  “It’s not as though I have either.” Mom looked off into the distance.

  “You mean you and Dad…”

  “Never. He’s a good friend.”

  “A good friend who shared the same bed with you for eighteen years?” How was that even possible? Wasn’t it awkward? Did they have any feelings for each other?

  “Exactly. I don’t expect you to understand.”

  I didn’t. I didn’t understand anything about my life, but that didn’t mean I had to make a big deal about it. “I guess I’ll understand eventually.”

  Mom smiled. “There’s that positive attitude again.”

  I looked back at the shore. I couldn’t even see Toby anymore. That meant that we were getting close to the other shore. I glanced over my shoulder and regretted it. We were almost there, and there were people waiting for us—or not people. Bear shifters.

  “Casey?” Mom put a hand on my arm. “Are you okay, hun?”

  I breathed in and out heavily a few times. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “From the boat? From nerves?”

  “Maybe a little of both.”

  “Daria, can you do something?” Mom asked worriedly. She wasn’t looking so good herself, but she didn’t n
early as sick as I felt.

  “Of course.” Daria put a hand on my forehead, and I was immediately overcome by a cooling sensation. My nausea faded away.

  “Wow.” I smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Anytime.” Daria grinned.

  “Can you both do that?” I looked at the twins.

  “Nope. But I could warm you up.” Maddock arched an eyebrow.

  “You have the power to create warmth?” Was it the nymph side giving them these special abilities?

  Daria elbowed her brother. “No, he’s being gross.”

  “Oh.” Understanding dawned on me. “No thanks.”

  Maddock laughed. “I wasn’t actually offering. We are distantly related.”

  “Yeah.” I really had a much bigger and weirder family than I could have imagined. Georgina and Robert were intense, but these people were just plain old quirky. I wondered what else would be waiting for me when the boat reached the shore.

  Chapter Eleven

  Toby

  Watching the boat disappear across the lake was painful. I’d promised Casey I’d always be there for her, and yet somehow here I was sending her away to face who knew what all alone. It took every ounce of strength I had to let her go. Casey needed help, and unfortunately I wasn’t the one who could give it to her.

  “Depressing, huh?”

  I spun around coming face to face with Hailey. “Very, but what are you doing here?”

  “Georgina suggested I head this way.” She stuffed her hands in the back pockets of her jean shorts. “How is she?”

  “She’s freaked out, overwhelmed, but unbelievably brave.”

  “Sounds about right.”

  “How did Georgina know where we were?”

  “What doesn’t Georgina know? She’s already pacing the floors waiting for you guys.”

  “I bet. We probably should have told her everything—”

  “She already knows.”

  “Really?” I’d assumed she did, but if she was openly telling Hailey… well, then she really knew.

  “Uh huh. She figured it out.”

  “Is she pissed?”

  “That you guys didn’t tell her?” She sat down on a rock.

  I sat down beside her. I wasn’t tired, but standing was getting old. “Yeah.”

  “No. She thinks it’s a sign of your protective instinct.”

  “That I know I have.”

  “So what now? What are your plans while you wait?”

  “Plans? You mean other than staring at the water?”

  “Yes.” She tossed a small stone into the lake. “I mean you can’t stay here for days.”

  “You think this is going to take days?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

  “You want me to do something.” I turned to look at her. “Just spit it out.”

  “I’m worried.”

  “About?”

  “Allie.”

  “Why? I’m sure she’s having a good time with Levi.” I really was happy for them. I had Casey. I was completely over Allie.

  “A good time?” Hailey raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you’d think, but I have a bad feeling.”

  “A bad feeling how?” My stomach turned. Hailey didn’t strike me as the type to make something out of nothing. She also wouldn’t have come to me unless she really felt she needed help. We barely knew each other, and I represented a rival family to the one she’d spend her whole life loyal to.

  “I don’t know. She’s my best friend, and something feels off.”

  “But you don’t know how to find them, do you?” From what I understood only Jared knew.

  “No. But I wish I did.” She buried her face in her hands. “Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m usually right about these things.”

  “Do you think Levi told anyone else? Wouldn’t he have told Owen?” Her brother was Levi’s chief advisor. One would think he’d have been in the know.

  “Owen’s claiming he didn’t.”

  “Did you tell your brother your concerns?” Maybe Owen was just keeping quiet out of loyalty to Levi. I’m sure if he did know he’d been sworn to secrecy. Just as Jared was.

  “Yes, and he told me Jared would be back soon. Why he has so much faith in Jared I don’t know.”

  “If Jared’s not back soon, it might also mean Vera won’t be. That’s going to be a problem too.”

  “Casey’s real close to her, huh?”

  “Yes, and the two have a lot to talk about.”

  “What’s really going on with Casey? Georgina only said ‘something was off’ and she’s looking for her mom’s family.”

  “That’s pretty much it.” Hmm. I wondered how much Georgina had told her.

  “But what does off mean?”

  “Weird dreams, sleeping a lot.”

  “Do you know what they did to her?” Hailey never beat around the bush. “Georgina said something about a weird kind of magic that works on Pterons. Do you know anything else?”

  “We have no clue, but something happened. I certainly wouldn’t have sent her over there if I wasn’t sure of that.” I gestured toward the water. The boat had completely disappeared, and with my eyesight, that meant it was really far off.

  “Where exactly is the cave where they held her?”

  “Oh no.” I shook my head. “You’re not going there.”

  “Why not? We need to find Jared and Vera. I get that you have to stay here for Casey, but I don’t.”

  “I can’t let you do that alone.”

  “Why? Because I’m a girl?” She stood up, looking down on me.

  “We all know how strong you are. That’s not it.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Jared’s strong too. Arguably one of the strongest.” It took a lot to admit that, but it was true. “If he’s in trouble, do you really think you can handle it?”

  “How great would it be if I saved him?” She grinned. “It would be legendary.”

  I had to smile at her excitement. I understood what it was like when people didn’t take you seriously. When they doubted your abilities. But that didn’t mean you could be stupid about proving yourself. “And ridiculously hard. You realize that.”

  “Yes. I do.”

  I looked back out at the water. “I can’t let you go alone.”

  “Why don’t you leave someone here then? Someone you trust.”

  I’d promised Casey I’d stay close. I couldn’t leave. She’d understand that I wanted to help find Vera, but what if she needed me? What If she got in trouble? “Let me make a call.”

  “To who?” Hailey started pacing. She was so excitable.

  “Just give me a sec.”

  I dialed the new number Eric had given me. The one that was supposedly not tapped.

  “Toby?” Eric answered on the first ring. “Is she okay?”

  “I think so.”

  “What do you mean by that?” He yelled loud enough that I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “She isn’t with you?”

  “They wouldn’t let me go with her.”

  “So? You’re a Pteron. Since when do you listen to what anyone tells you to do?”

  “Casey needed this. I couldn’t mess up her chance.” I appreciated Eric’s concern, but he needed to calm down. I was already plenty worried about Casey without him making it worse.

  “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  “Where are you?” I might as well cut right to the chase. “Did you find them?”

  “I got detained, but it’s all okay.”

  “Detained?”

  “Ran into some old friends.”

  Old friends that weren’t really friends was never a good thing. “Okay… are things cool now?”

  “Yes. It just slowed me down. Why? You’re not leaving her to come.”

  “No. Of course not.”

  “Then what do you want?” His voice relaxed slightly. Had he really worried about me ditching her?

  I stamped down my growing annoyance. I needed to get to th
e point and get off the phone. “Do you want some help?”

  “What kind of help?” he asked suspiciously.

  “A kick ass Pteron.”

  Hailey grinned. Everyone needed their ego stroked once in a while.

  “Depends. Who is it?” The suspicion was still there.

  “She’s the head advisor to the queen.”

  “Hailey? I haven’t met her, but I’ve heard she’s hot.”

  Hailey could hear every word and grinned even bigger. I grinned back. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t tell her that’s her reputation. She’s pretty tough.”

  “Sure. But that’s fine. Give her this number and we’ll meet up.”

  “Nice.” I hung up and turned to Hailey. “Ok working with a bear?”

  “One that’s heard of me? Sure.” She pulled my phone from me and typed his number into her phone. “Call me as soon as you hear from Casey.”

  “Same to you on Vera and Jared.”

  “This is all insane, isn’t it?”

  “Says the one who grew up in The Society world.”

  She laughed. “It isn’t as much of an advantage as you’d think.”

  “I never said it was an advantage, just that none of this should be as surprising to you.”

  She shrugged. “Try to relax a little. She’ll be okay. Casey is insanely strong.”

  “I know.” Casey never ceased to impress me with her strength.

  Hailey shook her head. “I don’t want any details.”

  “I wasn’t talking in that way, but you need to go anyway.”

  She turned to leave.

  “Hailey?”

  She turned back. “Yeah?”

  “Be careful.”

  “Getting sentimental?”

  “Just learning that nothing is as easy as it sounds.” And you never knew when you’d seen someone again.

  “And this sounds easy?”

  “Not at all, which just makes it that much worse.”

  She laughed. “You be careful too.”

  “I will. I mean sitting on a rock is difficult work.” I laughed. “I just hope she gets back soon.”

  “She will.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  “No, but that seemed like the more socially acceptable answer.”

  I laughed again even though the reality of her words were anything but funny. “See you around.”

  “Around? Sure.” Hailey took off; disappearing into the sky like Casey’s boat had disappeared across the water.