Page 26 (1/2)
Ree shook her head "I wish, Dad But this is my destiny It’s the reason I was born If I don’t do this, then no one will be alive for long"
Making an exasperated sound, her father scrubbed at his face with the palms of his hands "Drake told us the basics of what you have to do on the way here It’s an awful big task And Tristan…"
"I know, Dad" Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath "It feels like there is so new thrown at me every five minutes, but that’s why it’s so iht" Jill moved toward her family and touched her husband’s shoulder "We can’t help We’re just in the way and will slow theht The sooner we’re out of here, the better" Drake walked over to a cabinet and started pulling out so before walking over to her desk and opening a drawer in the botto knives and tucked theht? Now?" Mr O’Reilly frowned "What about the pub? And your aunt?"
"We will pick your sister up on our way out" Drake leaned against the counter and fixed Paden’s father with a serious stare "Close the pub This is life or death"
Chapter 36
Ree waved goodbye to her parents as Drake pulled out of the parking lot behind Sophie’s shop Paden was standing close to her, one of his hands resting on her shoulder Once the vehicle was out of sight, Ree turned and buried her face in Paden’s chest She fisted her hands in his shirt and breathed in his scent, trying to calm her worries His ar his head down, he kissed her hair and turned his head to the side so his cheek was resting on top of her head
"Soto be okay, Ree" His voice was quiet and she could feel hi to believe it as he said it "Our parents will be safe Weylin’sto leave with Drake and our parents Juliette’s parents are leaving in the o stay with family in DC They’ll be safe and on’t have to worry about theure out how to counter what Tristan has been doing"
"Ugh I know" Pulling her head back, Ree looked up into his eyes "I need to think I need a plan so I’ht"
"I’ve been thinking about this when I wasn’t running forTristan is from the same line of Alastrianas that I a that all of the Alastrianas omen They can touch the power of creation easier than men That doesn’t mean that he can’t deal with it at all"
"What are you thinking?" Frowning, Paden searched Ree’s eyes
"Sophieto use the power What if all of the strong blood he has been ingesting has helped wake up that little piece of him that is related to the Alastriana? Maybe that’s been their plan all along To dull the only edge I have" Biting her lip, Ree let go of his shirt and turned around "I don’t think he can touch it You have to be human, be alive, and have a soul But, even if he can only sense when it’s being used, that gives hie or expect surprise attacks" She took a few steps before turning around and chewing on her thumbnail
"Like at the club He jumped out of the way at the lastto do that until it happened" Paden let his hands fall to his sides, a faraway look in his eyes as he thought about what she said
"I didn’t It was purely a reaction, but he felt it co were so he could get an extra sense" Paden frowned, seeing why Ree was so worried "It wasn’t just so he could be faster or enhance his senses even more"
"Well, one sense We just didn’t realize that he had it" Ree kicked at a piece of loose gravel "And that’s why he came for Mom He knew she was the one that carried the ability, even though it’s dormant in her blood That’s why he said it wasPaden she had felt guilt froured it would just result in a lecture Instead, she decided to focus on the et all of the others out of here, Paden Everyone with a little so extra in their blood needs to be taken somewhere safe We can’t just focus on our faht"
"What do you want to do? Knock on people’s doors and check to see if they’re froether and he scratched his chin "How on Earth are we going to explain that?"
"I don’t know I just feel we aren’t doing the right thing by leaving all of these people in danger"
"Sophie said eren’t supposed to reveal as going on to humans And technically, most of those people are still huods be da down her spinelot The air see until Ree’s ears popped A loud cracking sound made Ree cover her ears and step back toward Paden She put her hand behind her so he would know to stay back Of course, he conored her and instead pulled her behind hi lot had been e at them Thick blond hair curled around the collar of his button-up shirt and his icy blue eyes were eerily bright The sound of shuffling feet came from inside of the house The door behind her slaed out, followed by the rest of Ree’s friends The Dark One stepped beside Paden so their shoulders touched and blocked Ree fro in front of her, she pushed their shoulders with her hands, but they didn’t budge
"Little Alastriana, are you hiding?" Leaning to the side so he could see between their heads, the blond god smiled at Ree "There you are! Cos to talk about" Apparently he was using his hu to pass out fro at each other, Paden and Roland seeod a free shot at Ree While she wasn’t really up to a chat with this surfer-looking deity, she kneas inevitable At least her parents were gone Hoould they react to having a conversation with a god?
"Move, guys This is going to happen, one way or another" This time when she pushed them apart, theyin front of her, shielding sood
"Good evening"
"Oh! Southern char his sleeves, he pulled theh it is a little cooler than I prefer"
Ree didn’t respond She wasn’t sure what she should say and was scared she ht set herself up somehow Once he had both sleeves unrolled, he looked back up and threw the sh, I’ured that out"
Ree still didn’t respond She knew heup and she wanted to let hi back on his heels, he drew out the word to fill the aard silence "Well, I couldn’t help but overhear that you’re planning on defying the laws set for you Maybe we can coement Scratch each other’s backs"
Paden snorted and drew his shortsword Ree could feel his anger pulsing like a star getting ready to go supernova She touched his shoulder, hoping to calhed, which only rief I haven’t even said what I was going to offer Maybe I just wanted to ask Ree if she would like a beach house A puppy? Maybe see if she wanted to do a vacation trade"
"Get on with it, Loki" Roland’s voice was a growl
"Do not say my name with your filthy mouth" Loki’s cold eyes snapped with frozen flalow eainst Ree like the heat froift responded, growing inside of her
"And yet you ith Tristan With the gods that would steal our planet" Ree looked at the god with hate There was no disguising the anger in her voice "What do they call you, if not Loki?"