My Soul to Take
Page 45
Uncle Brendons anger lingered on me, then more than a bit of it transferred when his focus shifted to Nash. Its late. Im sure Kaylee will see you at the memorial tomorrow.
Aunt Val only sipped her coffeeor maybe coffeeoffering me no help.
Nash looked to me for a decision, and my tight grip on his hand demonstrated my resolve. Uncle Brendon, this is Nash Hudson. I need to ask you some questions, and hes going to stay. Or else I go with him.
My uncles dark brows drew low and his gaze hardenedbut then his eyes went wide in surprise. Hudson? He studied Nash more carefully now, and sudden recognition lit his face. Youre Trevor and Harmonys boy?
What? My gaze bounced between them in confusion. On my left, Aunt Val coughed violently and pounded on her own chest. Shed choked on her coffee.
You know each other? I asked, but Nash looked as clueless as I felt.
I knew your parents years ago, Uncle Brendon said to Nash. But I had no idea your mother was back in the area. He shoved both hands into the pockets of his jeans, and the uncertain gesture made my uncle look even younger than usual. I was so sorry to hear about your father.
Thank you, sir. Nash nodded, his jaw tense, both his motion and words well practiced.
Uncle Brendon turned back to me. Your friends father was And thats when it hit him. His face flushed, and his expression seemed to darken. You told her.
Nash nodded again, holding his gaze boldly. She has a right to know.
And obviously neither of you were going to tell me.
Aunt Val sank into the nearest armchair and drained her mug, then almost dropped it onto a coaster.
Well, I cant say this is entirely unexpected. Your dads already on his way here to explain everything. My uncles hands hovered at his sides, as if he didnt quite know what to do with them. Then he sighed and nodded to himself, like hed come to some kind of decision. Sit down. Please. Im sure you both have questions.
Can I get anyone a drink? Aunt Val rose unsteadily, her empty mug in hand.
Yeah. I gave her a saccharine smile. Ill have whatever youre having.
She frownedfor once unconcerned with the wrinkles etched into her foreheadthen made her way slowly into the kitchen.
Id love some coffee, Uncle Brendon called after her as he sank into the floral-print armchair, but his wife disappeared around the corner with no reply.
I dropped onto the sofa and Nash sat next to me, and in the sudden silence I realized my cousin hadnt come out to interrogate me or flirt with him. And no music came from her room. Nosound at all, in fact. Wheres Sophie?
Uncle Brendon sighed heavily and seemed to sink deeper into the chair. She doesnt know about any of this. Shes asleep.
Still?
Again. Val woke her up for dinner, but she hardly ate anything. Then she took another of those damned pills and went back to bed. I ought to flush the rest of them. He mumbled the last part beneath his breath, but we both heard him.
And I agreed with him wholeheartedly on that one, if on little else at the moment.
Fueling bravado with my smoldering anger, I pinned my uncle with the boldest stare I could manage. So Im not human?
He sighed. You never were one to beat around the bush.
I only stared at him, unwilling to be distracted by pointless chatter. And when my uncle began to speak, I clutched Nashs hand harder than ever.
No, technically were not human, he said. But the distinction is very minor.
Right. I rolled my eyes. Except for all the death and screaming.
So youre a bean sidhe too, right? Nash interjected, oiling the wheels of discourse with more civility than I could have mustered in that moment. At least one of us was calm.
Yes. As is Kaylees father, my brother. Uncle Brendon met my eyes again then, and I knew what he was going to say from the cautious sympathy shining in his eyes. As was your mother.
This wasnt about my mom. So far as I knew, shed never lied to me. What about Aunt Val?
Human. She answered for herself, stepping into the living room with a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. She crossed the carpet cautiously and handed one mug to my uncle before sinking carefully into the armchair across from his. And so is Sophie.
Are you sure? Nash frowned. Maybe she just hasnt had an opportunity for any premonitions yet.
She was there with Meredith this afternoon, I reminded him.
Oh, yeah.
Weve known from the moment she was born, my aunt said, as if neither of us had spoken.
How? I asked, as she slowly, carefully crossed one leg over the other.
Aunt Val lifted the mug to her lips, then spoke over it. She cried. She sipped her coffee, her eyes not quite focused on the wall over my head. Female bean sidhes dont cry at birth.
Seriously? I glanced at Nash for confirmation, but he only shrugged, apparently as surprised as I was.
Uncle Brendon eyed his wife in mounting concern, then turned back to us. They may have tears, but a bean sidhe never truly screams until she sings for her first soul.
Aunt Val only sipped her coffeeor maybe coffeeoffering me no help.
Nash looked to me for a decision, and my tight grip on his hand demonstrated my resolve. Uncle Brendon, this is Nash Hudson. I need to ask you some questions, and hes going to stay. Or else I go with him.
My uncles dark brows drew low and his gaze hardenedbut then his eyes went wide in surprise. Hudson? He studied Nash more carefully now, and sudden recognition lit his face. Youre Trevor and Harmonys boy?
What? My gaze bounced between them in confusion. On my left, Aunt Val coughed violently and pounded on her own chest. Shed choked on her coffee.
You know each other? I asked, but Nash looked as clueless as I felt.
I knew your parents years ago, Uncle Brendon said to Nash. But I had no idea your mother was back in the area. He shoved both hands into the pockets of his jeans, and the uncertain gesture made my uncle look even younger than usual. I was so sorry to hear about your father.
Thank you, sir. Nash nodded, his jaw tense, both his motion and words well practiced.
Uncle Brendon turned back to me. Your friends father was And thats when it hit him. His face flushed, and his expression seemed to darken. You told her.
Nash nodded again, holding his gaze boldly. She has a right to know.
And obviously neither of you were going to tell me.
Aunt Val sank into the nearest armchair and drained her mug, then almost dropped it onto a coaster.
Well, I cant say this is entirely unexpected. Your dads already on his way here to explain everything. My uncles hands hovered at his sides, as if he didnt quite know what to do with them. Then he sighed and nodded to himself, like hed come to some kind of decision. Sit down. Please. Im sure you both have questions.
Can I get anyone a drink? Aunt Val rose unsteadily, her empty mug in hand.
Yeah. I gave her a saccharine smile. Ill have whatever youre having.
She frownedfor once unconcerned with the wrinkles etched into her foreheadthen made her way slowly into the kitchen.
Id love some coffee, Uncle Brendon called after her as he sank into the floral-print armchair, but his wife disappeared around the corner with no reply.
I dropped onto the sofa and Nash sat next to me, and in the sudden silence I realized my cousin hadnt come out to interrogate me or flirt with him. And no music came from her room. Nosound at all, in fact. Wheres Sophie?
Uncle Brendon sighed heavily and seemed to sink deeper into the chair. She doesnt know about any of this. Shes asleep.
Still?
Again. Val woke her up for dinner, but she hardly ate anything. Then she took another of those damned pills and went back to bed. I ought to flush the rest of them. He mumbled the last part beneath his breath, but we both heard him.
And I agreed with him wholeheartedly on that one, if on little else at the moment.
Fueling bravado with my smoldering anger, I pinned my uncle with the boldest stare I could manage. So Im not human?
He sighed. You never were one to beat around the bush.
I only stared at him, unwilling to be distracted by pointless chatter. And when my uncle began to speak, I clutched Nashs hand harder than ever.
No, technically were not human, he said. But the distinction is very minor.
Right. I rolled my eyes. Except for all the death and screaming.
So youre a bean sidhe too, right? Nash interjected, oiling the wheels of discourse with more civility than I could have mustered in that moment. At least one of us was calm.
Yes. As is Kaylees father, my brother. Uncle Brendon met my eyes again then, and I knew what he was going to say from the cautious sympathy shining in his eyes. As was your mother.
This wasnt about my mom. So far as I knew, shed never lied to me. What about Aunt Val?
Human. She answered for herself, stepping into the living room with a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. She crossed the carpet cautiously and handed one mug to my uncle before sinking carefully into the armchair across from his. And so is Sophie.
Are you sure? Nash frowned. Maybe she just hasnt had an opportunity for any premonitions yet.
She was there with Meredith this afternoon, I reminded him.
Oh, yeah.
Weve known from the moment she was born, my aunt said, as if neither of us had spoken.
How? I asked, as she slowly, carefully crossed one leg over the other.
Aunt Val lifted the mug to her lips, then spoke over it. She cried. She sipped her coffee, her eyes not quite focused on the wall over my head. Female bean sidhes dont cry at birth.
Seriously? I glanced at Nash for confirmation, but he only shrugged, apparently as surprised as I was.
Uncle Brendon eyed his wife in mounting concern, then turned back to us. They may have tears, but a bean sidhe never truly screams until she sings for her first soul.
