Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
“It might not be perfectly safe, but the last time we were outside, the winds were much weaker. It’s still raining, but the storm might be passing. If that’s the case, we can safely fish again and replenish everything we’ve eaten.”
“You would feel comfortable leaving this shortly after the storm?”
I turn back to look at him. His face is serious. “No. But I don’t think we have a choice.”
Even though my head nods, I’m not sure how I feel. He’s right. Long term, this island isn’t the right move, but I’m still not sure when to leave.
“Let’s not think about this now. We can decide in a few days.”
“Yeah, probably a smart idea.”
It is. But a part of me still wants to know more about what he thinks my father did. I understand he thinks he killed his brother. My father said as much, but I can’t help but need to know more of that story.
But right now isn’t the time. There might never be a moment that will make sense.
That will just be something I have to deal with.
36
Alaric
Things have been tense ever since the showdown with Phoenix yesterday. We went outside. The storm is definitely passing.
I estimate it will be gone by tomorrow, which means today is my last full day with her in this cave before we start to prepare.
Tonight, I’ll leave the fire going all night. There’s no reason to snuff it when we can gather more wood tomorrow.
I sit down on the floor and get the twigs to ignite. Phoenix sits in front of me.
“Do you ever wish we had marshmallows?” she asks as she takes a seat next to me.
“I never pictured you as a roasting marshmallow type of girl.”
“What kind of girl did you picture me as?”
It’s a hard question, and now that I know she was raised alone in a boarding school, it’s even harder.
“Honestly?”
“Of course. At this point, after everything we have been through together, how can you even ask.”
“I picture you as a loner. Not much different from me. But while I was not by myself by choice, you were. In the end, we ended up being similar. You choose to be alone because, in your mind, everyone who you cared about left you. Including Michael.” I say his name even though it’s bitter on my tongue. “Even if he saved you, he left you. So you never tried.”
Her eyes are wide and glassy.
“I-I …” She seems flustered by my words. “I never thought of it like that. But I guess you’re right.”
“Trust me, I understand. I’ve never really had anyone. I was also left by choice. I trusted no one. My brother, a bit, but not for a long time.”
“Why? What happened there? You seem to really have loved your brother.”
“It’s a long, complicated story.”
“I have time.” She gives me a warm smile. “A lot of time.”
A part of me wants to tell her. Another part wants to push it down and pretend that part of my life never happened.
The thing is, as I look at her large blue eyes, the ones that say I can talk to her, that I can unburden myself to her, I really want to.
“Damian hated me when he died.” Saying the words out loud feels like a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’ve never admitted that to anyone. Never admitted I knew, or that I cared.
The truth is, I had no one to tell. Besides my brother, I had no one. Ever.
The pain of his death feels like a sucker punch to my heart. It feels like the walls of the cave are closing in.
“Why did he hate you?” she asks, her voice low and unsteady.
“There was this girl.”
“Isn’t there always?” she mumbles.
“We all grew up together. My brother was only one year older, but as I said before, he was the one who was supposed to take over. My father was grooming him. This girl was the daughter of my father’s closet business partner. They had this dream to combine businesses. An agreement was set. The families would join.”
“An arranged marriage.”
“I know it must sound crazy, but that’s the way most families in this line of work handle things. They need to know they can trust the person they bring into the mix. It was understood that Grace would marry my brother, Damian. It was fine when we were children, and the older we got, it was all my brother ever wanted. But for Grace, it wasn’t. She wanted to marry into my family, but—” I stop and take a deep breath. “Just not to him.”
“She loved you.”
“She did. She was relentless. Anytime I was home, she would come find me. She wanted to be with me, but my brother was so in love with her.”
“She only had eyes for you.” I nod at her statement.