Eternal Promise (Between Worlds Book 3) (12 page)

“Good. Now what do you need to run by us?”

“I think we should have a party.”

“A party? Why?” Dad asked.

“Just something small.”

“Okay. For what?”

I sighed, worried how he’d respond to what I was about to say. “I want you to get to know Azura better. You’re always upset with her and I love you all. I need you to get along. Can you do that for me?”

After a pause, he said, “I can try.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Dad forced a smile. I knew he wasn’t happy about it, but if he’d try, that was better than nothing. Maybe they’d start liking each other.

“Who else would you like to invite?” Mom asked.

“Drake and Sierra, Kallan, maybe Azura would like her mother or sister to come.”

“Sounds lovely,” Mom said with a smile. “I’d love to meet the rest of your family.”

Dad glared at her and then he moved seats to be across from me. “You and your mother mean the world to me, Rylie. It scares me to think I’ll lose you.”

“You won’t, Dad. I promise. And you know what that means?”

“You have to keep your promises.”

“That’s right.” I threw my arms around his neck. “I’ll always be your little girl.”

He sighed and held me tighter. “If it’ll make you happy, we’ll have a party.”

“When do you want to do this?” Mom asked.

“The sooner, the better.” I sat back down. “We don’t need to do anything extravagant.”

“The weather is still nice, we can do a barbecue,” Mom suggested.

“Perfect.” I reached over and squeezed Dad’s hand. “Thank you.”

“Do you think they’d come tomorrow?” Mom pulled out her cell phone and started making a list.

“I’ll check.” I texted Sierra first. To say she was more than excited would be an understatement.

Kallan? Can you hear me?

Loud and clear.

Cool! Can you and Drake come by tomorrow for a barbecue?

Sure.

Can you also ask Azura? Tell her to bring who she wants with her.

Okay. What’s going on?

Just trying to get my loved ones to get along.

I’ll get back to you later.

Okay.

After an ice cream snack, I tidied up the kitchen and living room. “I’ve only been gone two days and look at this place!”

Mom shook her head. “It’s not messy.”

“It’s unorganized.” I straightened the magazines and lined up the remotes by size. “I’m going to have to come back just to clean.”

Mom laughed. “If that’s what it takes to get you here.”

I smiled. “I’d come anyway, but please, try to keep things neat.” I kissed her cheek and took the stairs to my room.

As I was getting ready for bed, a voice in my head made me jump.
All set,
Kallan said.
Azura, Lorella, Drake, and I will be there.

That’s going to take some getting used to.

Did I interrupt?

Not at all.

What time tomorrow?

Mid-afternoon…human time.

Okay. See you then.

The next day, Mom busied herself with getting food together while Dad worked on fixing some loose boards on the deck. Sierra came over and helped set up.

“I haven’t seen Drake in forever,” Sierra said dramatically.

“What? Two days?”

“He makes me happy.” Her grin was contagious.

“I’m glad.”

“Is that a ring?” she exclaimed, grabbing my hand and examining the blue lace agate ring.

“Yes, but it’s not like an engagement ring.”

“It’s pretty. What’s it for?”

I glanced around and said, “It’s magick. A faery made one for me and one for Kallan and when we wear them, we can talk to each other in our heads.”

“No way! I can’t believe you have a ring that lets you do that! That is so cool. We need one of them so we can talk while you’re in wonderland and I’m stuck in hell.”

I nodded, not sure how to respond to that.

“How was the party?” she asked.

“Awesome! The place was amazing. I can’t wait to show it to you.”

“I wish I could always be there.”

“How’s home life?”

She cast her eyes down. “Crappy. My parents are fighting non-stop, my sister won’t talk to me, which isn’t too bad, but it’s like walking on eggshells and I hate it!”

I put down the napkins and wrapped my arms around her. “I’m sorry. Anything I can do?” I realized too late I shouldn’t have asked that.

“Stay here so you’re around when I need you? Let Drake stay here? Bring me with you?”

“I’ll be here all week.”

“Unless they need you there.” Her eyes filled with tears.

True. “I’ll always be here for you.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.” I wrapped my arms around her.

“Hey, they’re coming,” Sierra said with a smile.

Out of the forest came Azura, Kallan, Drake, and Lorella. The hammering stopped for a minute while my dad looked up and then started back up again.

Once they reached the back porch, Azura said, “Thank you for inviting us.”

“You’re always welcome here,” Mom told her.

Azura handed my mother a pastel pink oleander. “For your home.”

“Thank you. It’s beautiful.” Mom took the flower.

“This is my sister, Lorella.”

Shaking my aunt’s hand, Mom said, “Nice to meet you, Lorella.”

“You have a lovely home,” Lorella responded.

“Thank you.”

My father brushed off his hands on his clothes and walked over to us. He cleared his throat and said, “Welcome. We’re glad you’re here.” Dad moved aside so the faeries could come onto the porch.

My lips curled up in a smile. Kallan wrapped his arms around me and twirled me.
Missed you.

It’s only been a day.
I kissed him.

I miss you every moment you’re not with me.

I’m glad you’re here. Everything okay back home?

You think of it as home now?

I shrugged.
Both places are home.

Things are the same there.

Did you find out more about Aurorians?

Confirmed what Azura said.

Okay. Let’s make today about my family and not what’s going on there.

You got it.

Kallan put me down and took my hand. Together we walked to the table and popped some munchies in our mouths.

“I hope this goes well,” I said.

“It will,” Kallan said before he chugged a bottle of water.

I peered over at Sierra and Drake. They sat on the deck swing, holding hands and talking. Lorella was chatting with my mom. I had to get a conversation going with my dad and Azura.

After thinking about it, I decided the best course of action was to be direct. I asked Azura to sit at the picnic table as I went over to my dad, took his hand, and led him to her. “Dad, I would really like it if you could sit down so we can all talk.”

He held my eyes for a minute and then took a seat across from Azura. I sat next to him.

“It hurts to have so much tension between two very important people in my life. Please, can we talk through this?” I pleaded.

“I know you worry about her, Max. I will take care of her while she’s in our realm,” Azura started.

“She’s my daughter,” my father stated.

“I know she is and I know how much you love her. You would do anything to protect her. You’d sacrifice yourself for her. Am I right?” Azura asked.

“Yes.”

“That’s the way I feel as well. That’s why I gave her to you. I sacrificed my life with her to keep her safe. I knew you could protect her. I chose you to be her parents.” Azura wiped the tears from her eyes.

Dad’s expression softened and he slowly reached across the table and placed his hand on hers. “Thank you for giving her to us to love. That must have been the hardest thing you’ve ever done.”

Azura nodded and glanced at me. “It’s an amazing love what a parent has for their child.”

“It is.” He smiled. A real smile. “I will always worry about her, but knowing you’re there to protect her will help.” He took my hand as well. “I’m sorry I’ve been so rude. I have no excuse except my own selfishness. Keeping my daughter for myself. I realize now there’s enough love to go around.”

Azura smiled. “I understand. There’s no reason to apologize.”

Finally! A truce. I could relax now that the situation had been taken care of.

We ate burgers and played a game of bocce on the back lawn. I had to drag Sierra and Drake off the swing to play and as soon as we were done, they went straight back.

At dusk, Azura stood and said, “Thank you for a lovely afternoon. I’m so glad we were able to do this. We all love Rylie and to come together in unity for her happiness is wonderful.”

Lorella stood and also thanked my parents. I turned to Kallan. “Do you have to leave too?”

“Not yet.”

“Good.”

After saying goodbye to Azura and Lorella, I checked on Sierra. She was still sitting on the swing with Drake. My parents had gone inside. I gathered Kallan’s hand in mine and led him to the big tree in the yard. We sat down and I laid my head in his lap and stared at the stars twinkling in the sky above.

“Tell me what you found out.”

“I talked to Sebille. She’s pretty old, so I figured if anyone knew something, she would. She confirmed what Azura said. Aurorians are more in tune with nature than the rest of us. She also said something about one coming along just when they would be needed. I’m not sure what that means.” His fingers trailed down my cheek, across my lips, and up my other cheek.

“Hmmm.” I didn’t either.

We talked until my dad blinked the lights at ten and I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

Kallan laughed. “Soon you won’t have to deal with any of this.”

“I wish it was today.”

“Do you?”

“Oh Kallan…life for me has completely changed the past few months. I used to know what I wanted. I wanted that stupid piece of paper that says I made it through high school. I wanted a life at college making dumb choices, but eventually getting another piece of paper to say I was qualified for a job. But…now…none of that is important anymore. It’s for the fey to look up to me. To make my parents—all three of them—proud. Most of all, it’s to be with you.”

“So why are we back here?”

“My parents,” I admitted. “I don’t want them to hate me.”

“Why would they hate you?”

Tears formed in my eyes. “I don’t know. They lost their baby. And now they’re losing me. I don’t want to break their hearts.”

“Rylie, your parents love you. They know you have to take your place. They’ll understand.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

I wanted to ask him to promise me that, but that wasn’t a promise he could make.

Chapter Fourteen

S
choolwork intensified the next week and I found myself wanting to ditch it and my shoes and disappear into the faery realm.

Kallan was sitting on my deck when I got home from school later that week. He was deep in thought as I approached. I sat down beside him and after a minute of silence, asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Kyro is missing.”

“Kyro? Your advisor?”

“Yes.”

“What do you mean by missing?” I asked.

“Just gone. Like the others.”

“So what now?”

“Now it’s time to buckle down and find the missing faeries.”

I curled my lip. “Do we have to? I mean…admit it, Kyro is creepy.”

Kallan laughed. “True. Maybe if it was just him, I’d overlook it, but with the others that are missing I can’t.”

“How will you find them?”

“Olwydd is a tracker. Drake and I are going with him, so we’ll be gone a few days.”

I looked up into his blue-green eyes. “I’m going with you.”

“No, Rylie. It might be dangerous.”

“Kallan.” I sighed. “I’m going.”

“You are so stubborn.”

“I know.” I kissed him. “I’ll be right back.” I dashed in the house and up the stairs.

My phone rang while I was searching through my closet for clothes to pack. I shimmied it out of my pocket and put it to my ear. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Sierra said back. “Was that Kallan I saw when I dropped you off?”

“Yes. Another faery is missing—”

“It’s not Drake, is it?” she interrupted in a panic.

“No, but we need to figure out what’s happening, so I’m going with Kallan and Drake.”

“I want to go.”

“You can’t, Sierra.”

“Can’t you find a way?” She sounded frazzled.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be gone and faery sight doesn’t last that long and you know nothing about the faery realm.”

She sighed. “I hate being left out.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll be back as soon as possible and fill you in on all the details.”

“Still not the same.”

“I know.”

Hurry up,
Kallan said in my head.

“I gotta go.”

“Rylie! Tell him I love him.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t let anything happen to him.”

“Okay.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

“Thanks.”