Obviously not, but how much of
their world remained the same and how much had changed? She could use
telepathy, but didn’t expect them to use it, too. So, did that mean not
everyone in the ES had heightened skills and gifts?
She got through the Veil, but how did she do it and why?
Would more follow her? Alarm flooded him. Even if the changes in the ES had
been as significant as they’d been in the WS, they obviously hadn’t developed
wings. That would make his people an oddity and something to possibly be
studied or maligned. Man had always been obsessed with the idea of flying.
But for the first time in a long time, Marcus embraced a
flicker of cautious hope. Was Lori’s crossing a sign of better things to come?
Or just the beginning of more strife and struggle in their lives? Goddess, he
didn’t think he could handle any more pain.
“Marcus, what’s wrong?”
Malcolm asked mentally.
“You’re
tense.”
And this exhibited the downside to one of their abilities.
They’d learned over the years how to guard themselves from allowing others to
come into their thoughts without welcome, but that didn’t eliminate their
ability to sense each other’s moods. As brothers, Malcolm and he had a stronger
bond than most, which made it impossible for him to shut his brother out
entirely.
“Everything’s fine. I’m just concerned about what all
this means.
”
“Were you able to get any more information out of Lori?”
“No, she’s tired and hurting, so after eating she headed
right to bed.”
“Okay, I’ll come by in the morning to check her sutures
and bring you some more of the pain powder.”
“Thanks, Malcolm.”
There hadn’t been any more discussion about Lori staying
somewhere else after she had eaten. At that point, she seemed ready to drop and
he didn’t offer again, mainly because he didn’t want her to go. He wanted her
here where he could protect her, something she obviously hadn’t had for a
while. That bruise on her cheek bothered him more than he’d like to admit. What
had happened to her? How did she end up here, wounded and terrified? Didn’t she
have anyone in the ES to take care of her? To miss her?
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease the
tension spread across there. It had been a long day and tomorrow promised to be
just as eventful. He probably should get some sleep, too.
He headed toward the steps to his bedroom. The bedroom he’d
shared with Audra. It felt odd to have someone else in the house. No one else
had stayed here since Audra died and Shane left. His life now completely
revolved around being a Warrior, destined to live and die alone. He served and
protected Bethany from the Predators and anything else that might threaten her.
He did it well and took satisfaction from that. If the loneliness ate at him,
well that was just life, wasn’t it?
He’d given up that he’d ever have someone else here again
and now someone else slept in his home. Someone he felt inexplicably drawn to.
He never planned to get involved with anyone else again. That route just held
pain and he wasn’t willing to go through anything like that again.
Someone else didn’t fit into his world anymore.
He pulled off his jeans and settled under the covers of his
bed, trying to relax his tense muscles, ignoring the jumble of memories of
Audra and visions of Lori that plagued him. He’d just dozed off when Lori
screamed.
Marcus’s feet never even touched the floor in his rush to
get to her room to fight off her attacker. He barged through the closed door,
yelling, “Lori!” He held his sword aloft, ready to protect her.
He quickly searched the corners of the room ready to take
down whoever had attacked, but could only see her from the light filtering into
the room from the surrounding treehouses . She sat up
in bed, clutching the covers to her body as she looked at him in shock and
distress. She still had the rumpled appearance of sleep about her. She’d
their world remained the same and how much had changed? She could use
telepathy, but didn’t expect them to use it, too. So, did that mean not
everyone in the ES had heightened skills and gifts?
She got through the Veil, but how did she do it and why?
Would more follow her? Alarm flooded him. Even if the changes in the ES had
been as significant as they’d been in the WS, they obviously hadn’t developed
wings. That would make his people an oddity and something to possibly be
studied or maligned. Man had always been obsessed with the idea of flying.
But for the first time in a long time, Marcus embraced a
flicker of cautious hope. Was Lori’s crossing a sign of better things to come?
Or just the beginning of more strife and struggle in their lives? Goddess, he
didn’t think he could handle any more pain.
“Marcus, what’s wrong?”
Malcolm asked mentally.
“You’re
tense.”
And this exhibited the downside to one of their abilities.
They’d learned over the years how to guard themselves from allowing others to
come into their thoughts without welcome, but that didn’t eliminate their
ability to sense each other’s moods. As brothers, Malcolm and he had a stronger
bond than most, which made it impossible for him to shut his brother out
entirely.
“Everything’s fine. I’m just concerned about what all
this means.
”
“Were you able to get any more information out of Lori?”
“No, she’s tired and hurting, so after eating she headed
right to bed.”
“Okay, I’ll come by in the morning to check her sutures
and bring you some more of the pain powder.”
“Thanks, Malcolm.”
There hadn’t been any more discussion about Lori staying
somewhere else after she had eaten. At that point, she seemed ready to drop and
he didn’t offer again, mainly because he didn’t want her to go. He wanted her
here where he could protect her, something she obviously hadn’t had for a
while. That bruise on her cheek bothered him more than he’d like to admit. What
had happened to her? How did she end up here, wounded and terrified? Didn’t she
have anyone in the ES to take care of her? To miss her?
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease the
tension spread across there. It had been a long day and tomorrow promised to be
just as eventful. He probably should get some sleep, too.
He headed toward the steps to his bedroom. The bedroom he’d
shared with Audra. It felt odd to have someone else in the house. No one else
had stayed here since Audra died and Shane left. His life now completely
revolved around being a Warrior, destined to live and die alone. He served and
protected Bethany from the Predators and anything else that might threaten her.
He did it well and took satisfaction from that. If the loneliness ate at him,
well that was just life, wasn’t it?
He’d given up that he’d ever have someone else here again
and now someone else slept in his home. Someone he felt inexplicably drawn to.
He never planned to get involved with anyone else again. That route just held
pain and he wasn’t willing to go through anything like that again.
Someone else didn’t fit into his world anymore.
He pulled off his jeans and settled under the covers of his
bed, trying to relax his tense muscles, ignoring the jumble of memories of
Audra and visions of Lori that plagued him. He’d just dozed off when Lori
screamed.
Marcus’s feet never even touched the floor in his rush to
get to her room to fight off her attacker. He barged through the closed door,
yelling, “Lori!” He held his sword aloft, ready to protect her.
He quickly searched the corners of the room ready to take
down whoever had attacked, but could only see her from the light filtering into
the room from the surrounding treehouses . She sat up
in bed, clutching the covers to her body as she looked at him in shock and
distress. She still had the rumpled appearance of sleep about her. She’d
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