Uncharted Destiny (The Uncharted Series Book 7)

by Keely Brooke Keith

  He stopped in the hallway and leaned against the wall. He could do this. It was only one night. No one knew that man’s death was the reason Revel hated being here—not even Connor.

  Still, Connor had been perceptive enough to warn Revel not to lose focus. They were on a mission to save Timothy Van Buskirk. Saving him was the only way Revel could partially redeem himself for shooting Micah on the shore that night.

  There was nothing he could do to redeem himself for the mistake he’d made as a boy—humiliating a man so badly he killed himself.

  If another innocent person died because of Revel, there was nowhere left for him to run. He’d stayed on the road, moving from village to village for a decade so he wouldn’t have to think about what he’d done as a boy. And after what he’d done to Micah and the rest of the outsiders, he would have left Good Springs, if it weren’t for Bailey. If he didn’t help her find Tim, he may as well die in the mountains too.

  But first he had to face the one man he’d never wanted to disappoint yet had every day for a decade.

  He turned into the reception room where Frederick Roberts sat sleeping in his favorite armchair. “Father,” Revel said as he approached.

  The older man shifted and opened one eye. He grunted a response.

  “Father, it’s time for bed.”

  Frederick’s eyelid closed then both of them shot open. “Revel? Revel, it is you. I knew you would come home.”

  “I’ve been here since five-thirty. Sat at your table at dinner this evening. Remember?”

  “Oh?” He scratched his chin through his long white beard. “Oh, yes.”

  “You must have been sleeping hard.” This probably wasn’t the best time for a conversation about not wanting to inherit the inn. “Come on, Father. Time for you to head upstairs. I’ll put out the lights.”

  “Nonsense.” Frederick rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “I was only taking a quick nap. Have a seat, son.”

  Revel obeyed and sat on the divan across from his father’s armchair. He glanced around the room. Nothing had changed since he left a decade ago. The same dusty volumes lined the bookcase on the wall. The same porcelain vase sat in the corner of the room filled with the same tall feathers.

  Frederick cleared his throat. “Are you here to stay this time? Had enough of working with the traders?”

  And it was the same conversation every time he came through Falls Creek. This time though, he had a plan. “No, I haven’t worked with the traders for a while now. Like I wrote you in my letters, I’m working with Connor on building a security force for the Land.”

  The crease between Frederick’s aged brow deepened. “Connor?”

  “Connor Bradshaw, the man from America. Lives in Good Springs. You know him. He was the one telling all the amusing stories after dinner tonight.”

  “Right, right. Connor Bradshaw. Yes, of course.”

  “I’ve been working with him and the security team in Good Springs. He wants me to go with him to train other villages as well. It’s the first job I’ve had that feels right.”

  “Feels right? What in blazes is that supposed to mean?”

  No matter how clearly he thought he was speaking, it was never plain enough for his father. “I don’t want to move back here and take over the inn. I want to keep working with Connor.”

  Frederick lowered his chin and looked at him blankly as if he needed to keep explaining himself.

  Maybe if he emphasized the Land’s needs instead of his own, his Father would be more accepting. “The outside world is embroiled in a devastating war, so we need to keep the Land safe. I’ve been training with Connor for months. He says I’m good at it. I think it’s a noble job.”

  “Noble?”

  “Yes.”

  “More noble than accepting your rightful place here as my heir?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know.” He stood and paced to the front door. His jaw tightened. “It’s what I want to do with my life.”

  Frederick didn’t respond.

  Revel walked back to the divan but didn’t sit. His father looked smaller than he did when Revel was a boy. Aging wasn’t fair. Time should go in reverse for good people. The longer a good person lived, the better their health should be.

  He knelt in front of his father. “Eva is doing an excellent job of running the inn. Solomon Cotter will be a fine stable manager, and the new man who is coming to help Leonard with the farming sounds like he will do a good job. Plus, when Connor and I start training in other villages, I’ll come through here more often and help with repairs and whatever is needed. But I don’t want to live here. I don’t want to inherit the inn. Please understand, Father.”

  Frederick drew in his lips. The shorter whiskers beneath his bottom lip stuck straight out. They vibrated slightly as if he were trying not to cry.

  Revel’s insides dropped. He knew this would disappoint his father, but making him cry was too much to bear. “Listen, Father, I’m sorry to upset you. It’s not that I don’t respect you and Grandfather and all that you did to build this place. I simply need to do something else with my life.”

  Frederick nodded rigidly. “Have you told your mother yet?”

  “I haven’t seen her since the last time I was in Southpoint.” He was sure his mother would understand since she didn’t want to live at the inn either. “We will be going through Southpoint on our way to help Bailey’s friend. I’ll stop by and talk to Mother then.”

  “Southpoint?” Frederick’s expression changed. The sadness left, and his eyes rounded again. “Your mother isn’t in Southpoint. She’s upstairs, asleep. She’s still an early bird—early to bed and early to rise.”

  Revel glanced at the staircase and back at his father. “Mother is upstairs?”

  Frederick nodded. “Of course, son. She never stays up late. Has to have a good night’s rest.”

  “When did she get here?”

  “Get here? She lives here. Has since I carried her over that threshold.” He pointed an arthritic finger at the front door. “Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”

  Had Eva been right about their father’s declining mental state? He’d seemed normal all evening. Why was he getting confused now? Maybe he was just tired. “Father, what day is it today?”

  “Oh, who can keep up?”

  Frederick had never been one to watch the calendar, so Revel let that one pass. “What’s my middle name?”

  Frederick lifted a palm. “Goodness, man. We’ve only just met. How should I know your middle name?”

  Revel swallowed air. “Because I’m your son.”

  Chapter Five

  Bailey crouched in the crackly grass on the northeast side of the stables and let the building block the cold wind. The water flowing through Falls Creek whispered in the distance. A faint orange glow on the horizon announced a new day, but the thick line of clouds hovering above it allowed only a dismal gray light to illuminate the other buildings on the inn’s picturesque property.

  Clouds or no clouds, it was daybreak and Bailey was ready to go. She drew a knit cap out of her coat pocket. Revel’s youngest sister, Sybil, had given it to her when she’d passed the kitchen on her way outside this morning. Sweet girl. The burgundy hat matched the wool coat from Lydia.

  Bailey pulled the warm cap over her head, then switched on her two-way radio. “Tim? Tim, are you there?”

  “Good morning, Bailey.”

  “Good morning. You sound like you have more energy today.”

  “Caught two big ones in the river last night.”

  “Trout?”

  “Carp. Had enough for dinner and breakfast too. Blackened them over the fire. Still had a little salt in my kit, so I decided to celebrate the big catch and use it on the fish.”

  The smile in his voice let her tight shoulders relax. “It sounds delicious.”

  “I think my blood sugar has stabilized a bit. Haven’t felt this good in a while.”

  “I’m glad you’re doing better.”<
br />
  “I might even do some exploring today. Need to find a gray leaf tree.”

  She scanned the tree silhouettes back-lit by the breaking dawn. “There are a few gray leaf trees here at Falls Creek. Plus, we’re bringing plenty of dried leaves with us, so don’t wear yourself out searching. Connor thinks we should reach you by late tomorrow or early Thursday at the latest, depending on the terrain between Southpoint and your location.”

  “If you come from the east, it looks like it’s mostly grassland and a few trees on the other side of this river. But I can’t see too well without my glasses.”

  “Don’t worry, I have them with me. I have your lucky hat too.” She imagined riding up to his campsite and presenting the items that had washed ashore in Good Springs weeks ago.

  Then, his words sank in. “Wait, Tim, did you say on the other side of the river? Are you on the side by the mountain?”

  “Yes, but the river is slow moving and has flat banks. Your horses can cross it.”

  For some reason she’d been picturing him on their side of the river. How was she supposed to get a horse across a river? “Can horses swim well?”

  “Sure. If you stay calm, your horse will too. From what you’ve told me about the men that are with you, I’m sure they will know what to do.”

  Since he didn’t sound too concerned, she decided not to be either. “I guess we will find out tomorrow or Thursday.”

  “What day is it today?”

  “Tuesday.”

  “Is it still April?”

  Had they been separated so long he’d lost track of the date, or had his illness and the ordeal taken a mental toll on him? Her shoulders tensed up again. “No, it’s May. Today is the eighth.”

  She released the talk button. Tim didn’t immediately respond. “Tim?”

  Clicks interrupted the static. He was pushing the talk button but not speaking.

  “Tim? You there?”

  “Shh. Hang on.”

  Bailey sucked in a breath and scanned the pasture around her even though whatever had startled him was miles and miles away. Everything in her wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he asked for silence. While she waited, she imagined him being attacked by savages or stalked by a wild animal or assaulted by the pirates Micah had feared.

  Finally, his voice came through the two-way. “Bailey?”

  “I’m here. What happened? Who was it?”

  “I’m not sure. Something snapped the brush behind my campsite.”

  “Maybe a deer?”

  “Maybe. I haven’t seen any deer on my side of the river though.”

  “Some other animal? A rabbit or squirrel?”

  “I’m not sure. Sounded bigger than that.”

  “A person?”

  “I don’t think so. Might have been a deer, I guess. There is a herd that goes to the other side of the river every night, but like I said, I haven’t seen any deer on this side. It’s brush and mossy rocks up the mountainside behind my camp. Lots of crevasses and caves along the way up from what I can see.” He paused again. “Have the locals told you what sort of predators live in the Land?”

  Bailey glanced around the peaceful property. Cattle dotted the pasture behind the barn. Between the inn and the greenhouse, chickens roamed the yard, plucking bugs from the ground. “None. No bears or big cats or wolves. Connor says that’s why there are so many deer once we get away from the villages. And their grazing keeps much of the Land cleared.”

  “Probably why there aren’t many mature trees on that side of the river. Plenty on this side. No gray leaf trees though, from what I can see.” He paused. “What date did you say it is?”

  “The eighth.”

  “Our anniversary was last week. Me and Helen. It would have been twenty-four years.”

  “I know you miss her.”

  “Didn’t mean to put a damper on your day.”

  “You didn’t. Helen was a cool lady.”

  “Yes, she was. I might be reunited with her soon.”

  She hated when he talked like that. “Try to stay positive. We will give you some gray leaf medicine, and you’ll feel as good as new.”

  “Thanks, Bailey. I know you have several people traveling with you, but be safe.”

  “I always am.”

  “I feel badly about your putting yourself in danger to come all the way out here for me.”

  The clatter of the stable doors rolling open came from the other side of the building. The guys were preparing to leave. Breakfast would be ready soon, then they would ride all day to Riverside where they hoped to get on a ship to Southpoint. She stood. “I’d do anything for you, Tim. You’re like a father to me.”

  Tim didn’t answer. Maybe he was sad about missing his anniversary or maybe the energy from his breakfast was already gone. “Tim? You okay?”

  “That means a lot to me, Bailey. You’ve always been like a daughter to me.”

  He’d said it before, but it was still nice to hear. “Thanks. The guys are getting our horses ready. I need to go. I’ll see you soon. Hopefully, tomorrow.”

  “Wait. Bailey?”

  “Yes.”

  “There is something I need to tell you.” He paused but she didn’t push the talk button to ask. After a moment, he spoke with a robust voice as if he had psyched himself up to say whatever he needed to say. “Remember when Justin Mercer sent me some files about you? When he was trying to get you to work for him?”

  “Yes.”

  “The information Justin sent was mostly about your ancestral link to the Colburn family who came to the Land. He got me involved because he thought I would talk you into working for him. But there was something else he noticed in the records… something about your mother.”

  “About my mom? What was it?”

  Another long pause. “This is hard for me, Bailey. You have to know that, all right?”

  His tone of voice gave her a sickly feeling inside her chest, but the sounds from the other side of the stables made her impatient. “Look, I know why my mother was in jail. I doubt you’re going to shock me here, so let’s get on with it.”

  “It isn’t so much about your mother, but about your father.”

  “My father? My mom didn’t even know who my father was. That box was left blank on my birth certificate. My mother lived to party and died for it too. I really need to go now.”

  “Slow down a minute, Bailey. Justin Mercer found a document in the Department of Corrections’ files from when your mother died. She knew who your father was… is. For some reason, she didn’t tell anyone until right before she died.”

  Knowing her biological father’s name didn’t mean she had to change hers. She’d been a Colburn her whole life and hadn’t cared about that name either until she met John Colburn. Still, she was curious. She picked at a jagged fingernail then started to bite it. “Do you remember his name?”

  Static hummed from the radio. A thin sliver of sunlight peeked over the horizon. She didn’t have time for this conversation right now. If Tim wanted her to rescue him, she had to get off the radio and help the guys get the horses ready. “Tim?”

  “During my first year of college—and remember, Bailey, I was young and stupid—I wanted to join a fraternity that was known for throwing wild parties. I went to one party and they had hired women to… um. Well, I’d been a geeky kid in high school and didn’t have any experience with girls. The woman I was with that night… I felt sorry for her afterward even though she assured me she didn’t take her job personally. I’d never done anything like that and never did again. Before I left the party, I asked her what her real name was. She told me it was Stacy Colburn.”

  Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Her stomach turned, and not from hunger. “You had sex with my mother?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Did you know I was Stacy’s daughter when I was in your class?”

  “No. There are a lot of Colburns in Virginia. You were probably the tenth student I’d taught with
that last name, so I never imagined you were related to a woman who was at a party when I was barely legal.” He blew out a stiff breath that buzzed the speaker. “Anyway, the last time your mom was at the county hospital before she died, she listed you as her next-of-kin… and me as your father.”

  “My father?” Her turning stomach dropped as if she were riding the downward slope of a rollercoaster. “Are you saying you’re my biological father?”

  “I had no idea, Bailey. If she had told me we had a baby, I never would’ve let you go into foster care. Ever.”

  “No one contacted you when she died? From the hospital or the prison or Social Services?”

  “No one. I had graduated college and married Helen by the time Stacy died. Helen and I moved to Norfolk while I worked on my master’s degree. Still, we would have taken you into our home in a heartbeat if we knew you existed.”

  His voice shook. “They never told me. Stacy never told me, never gave me the chance. You have to believe me.”

  Bailey leaned against the stable block’s splintery outside wall. “I do believe you. It’s her I don’t believe. Considering her profession, how would she know for certain you were my father? And if she did somehow know, why didn’t she contact you when she was sent to prison? Why did she let the State take me?”

  “I don’t know and that’s why I didn’t say anything sooner. I wanted to try to figure it out, but I can’t. Now, I might not have much time left, so I wanted you to at least know that—”

  Her words flooded out more forcefully than she intended. “That you might be my father?”

  “I’m sorry you grew up without a family, Bailey. Please forgive me for all that you went through.”

  She swallowed her anger; it wasn’t aimed at him. “I know you would have raised me if you’d known.”

  “You bet I would’ve. I didn’t have the chance to give you a good start in life, but when you told me about the Land, I knew I had to do everything I could to get you here so you could have a chance at a better life.”