My eyes fly open, and daylight streams into my room. I stretch my arms and legs, taking a few minutes to shake the scene I just witnessed. Once my heart slows to a normal rate and I stop sweating, I try to enjoy the fact I’m waking up in my own bedroom.
There’s nothing like sleeping in your own bed at home. Compared to the old, twin mattress I sleep on at school, this bed feels like a cloud of comfort and warmth. Everything about my room makes me want to stay here: the Polaroid photos I have hung on one wall, the desk that’s covered with books on business and marketing, the window seat my dad built me the first summer I got into reading when I was thirteen. The giant bookshelves are the best thing about the room, though. They hold so many books that I’ll probably never read them all. I glance longingly at the keyboard set up across the room. If I could somehow make it fit in my room at school, I’d have it there. I’ve been playing piano since I was little. Playing always makes me feel in control and at ease. It helps make life less chaotic.
With all of my belongings unchanged, my bedroom is one of the things I miss the most when I’m at school.
I head down to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and find Mom sitting at the breakfast bar. “Morning,” I keep quiet in case Dad and Adam are still asleep.
“Morning, honey. How’d you sleep?” She ties the belt on her soft blue robe and yawns.
I shudder. “I slept okay.” I don’t want to think about the vividness of that dream. My stomach is still in knots.
She takes a sip of her coffee. “Adam is happy you’re home.”
My chest tightens at the mention of his name. I’d give anything to have yesterday be a nightmare, to wake up and find out Adam isn’t sick again. I pour some coffee into my mug and smile. “Yeah, I’m happy, too.” I take a drink. “I’m guessing they aren’t awake yet?”
Mom’s soft laugh lightens her eyes. “You know Adam is a monster to get out of bed before noon, and your father went out to run some errands.”
I glance at the clock on the stove; it’s just after eleven. “Gotcha,” I say. “So, in class the other day, we were talking about things running in families . . .” Nice segue, Aurora. “Businesses and traditions and such,” I add. “Do you know if our family had anything like that, maybe a long time ago?” What a time to be completely not subtle. I don’t know how else to search for what I’m looking for. Hell, I don’t really know what I’m looking for. Maybe bringing this up was a bad idea. Maybe it’s best I don’t know.
She glances at me. “That sounds interesting. I can’t think of any on my side,” she pauses, biting her bottom lip. “Your dad’s family was always more . . . eclectic than mine. Maybe you could ask him?”
My lips part as if I’m going to respond, but no words come out. “Yeah,” I finally say. The back of my neck tingles, the hairs standing straight, and my arms break out in goosebumps. Was Tristan right? The thought invites too many questions, so I push it away and say, “What’s your plan for the day?”
She sighs. “Grading, grading, and more grading.”
“Oh.” I frown. “I was hoping we could all go out and do something fun if Adam is feeling up to it.”
“I would love to, but I’m on a pretty strict deadline. Maybe the two of you can spend some time together. You can have the car when Dad gets home. He shouldn’t be too long now. He’s been gone for over an hour.” Does he know about the fae? I doubt it, considering Tristan said the fae in my family were hundreds of years old. My stomach drops. How could I not have thought about it until now? If my ancestors were fae, does that mean they’re still alive?
I blink a few times. “Yeah, sure,” I answer.
Mom was right. It’s almost one in the afternoon when Adam shows his face in the living room. At least he’s brushed his hair and gotten dressed. It’s hard to imagine him being sick again. He looks like the Adam I knew before he got sick the first time.
“Good afternoon, sleeping beauty,” I tease.
He sticks his tongue out at me. “You’re hilarious, Roar.”
“Looks like it’s you and me today, kiddo. Do you want to do something?”
He shrugs, yawning. “We can walk around the mall or go see a movie.”
“Sure. Whatever you want.”
When Dad gets back an hour later, he gives us the keys, and we head to the mall. It’s nothing special—not an ideal hangout place, even when I was in high school, but it’s something to do. Mapleville is tiny compared to Rockdale, but I have fond memories of hanging out with friends at the Purple Cat café down the street from my high school.
My phone chimes with a text from Oliver, pulling me out of a memory as Adam and I walk out of his favorite clothing store.
I’m in your room waiting for Allison and some dude was here looking for you.
I frown. I’d told Grant I was going home this weekend when he asked to get together to work on our research papers. I hit reply and type, Grant was there?
This guy said his name was Max.
My throat goes dry, and I glance over at Adam. He’s looking at me with raised brows. Did he say why he was there? I send back.
No, just that he was looking for you. Is everything okay?
Everything is fine. I’ll see you and Allison when I get back.
Talk to you later.
I pocket my phone. “Sorry about that.”
Adam shrugs. “Want to get some fro-yo while we’re here?”
“You bet I do. Lead the way.”
While standing in line at the fro-yo place, I send Allison a message to tell her Max was creeping around. I don’t know why he was there, but I figure it’s best to let her know about it. As far as I know, she still isn’t on great terms with Tristan, so I want to make sure she’s safe.
“Hello, Adam,” a pleasant female voice says.
He turns toward the voice and smiles. “Oh, hi, Dr. Collins. Aurora, this is my new doctor.”
I glance at the woman standing in line behind us. She looks to be in her mid-forties and wears a slightly wrinkled casual sweater and mom jeans.
Her eyes flick to me, and she smiles. “You must be Adam’s sister. I’m Richelle Collins.”
We shake hands, moving up a bit as the line moves. “Nice to meet you,” I say. The timing is an odd coincidence. Yesterday, I found out about Adam being sick again, and today we run into his doctor at the mall of all places. A shiver shoots up my spine. No. I’m overthinking this. Had I not been recently kidnapped by the fae, I wouldn’t automatically be so suspicious of everything that seems a tiny bit off. I force the feeling down and smile.
“You too,” she says.
“What are you doing here?” Adam asks.
“My daughter wanted to come look for some new video game she’s been saving up for.” She laughs. “I left her scouring the electronic store. She could spend all day there, so I thought I’d walk around a bit.”
“Cool,” Adam says with a grin. The kid beams at the mention of video games. We step up to the counter and order our fro-yo, Adam picking his favorite cookie dough flavor, and I go for a tart green apple.
Adam waves goodbye to Dr. Collins, and she says, “See you next week.”