Page 236 of Keldori By Daybreak

And all the rest.

A lifetime of being ignored by my father, and all along all I had to do was change reality, save the worlds, and become something akin to a god. If only I’d known that was the trick sooner.

“I’m sorry you got mixed up in all of it,” I said. “And I know you weren’t really who pulled the trigger.”

The stricken look on his face betrayed his inner guilt. “I don’t know if that really matters. But for what it’s worth, I’m not going to blacklist you from every geophysics program anymore.”

It was a small comfort in the light of everything, but by Maxwell Brenton standards, “I’m not going to ruin your career before it even starts” was the closest thing I’d ever received to a fatherly “I love you”.

“I appreciate it,” I said through a tight frown.

He tapped out a nervous rhythm on the van door, took a deep breath, and then said, “And if you like, I can talk to Von Leer about your admission.”

College had been the last thing on my mind, but my stomach dropped. I scrambled for a response, but my brain was only numb buzzing.

“I know now’s not the best time, and classes start next week, but I have a lot of sway. Crazier things have happened.” He looked back at the shop and cleared his throat.

I played with the dry skin around my thumbnails, thinking.

“I think…” I started, then trailed off to better gather my wits. “I think I want to get into Von Leer without help. I’ll take core course requirements at the community college nearby. I’ll apply again this winter and enter as a sophomore in the fall.”

Maxwell replied with a tight nod, and he opened the van door. “If you change your mind—”

“Actually if you could clear things up with the admissions office about my in-person interview, that would be nice.”

“The one where you attacked the admissions officer?” He raised an eyebrow. Dammit, he really did look so much like me.

“In my defense, he was trying to kill me and then later used you to shoot my grandma.”

Maxwell paled, connecting the dots, and nodded again. “Right. I’ll make it go away.”

“And then I’ll get in on my own merit.”

He moved as if to put a hand on my shoulder, but then froze and dropped his arm, apparently thinking better of it.

“Eliza did a good job,” he finally said.

“She did.”

He gave me a final, stilted nod, climbed into the van, and drove up the hill towards the highway.

I watched him go, unsure how to feel, but before I had the chance to dissect my thoughts and my father’s departure, a set of glowing orange eyes caught my attention where they lurked in the opposite alleyway.

I should’ve known Ciarán would make himself near if he knew I was alone with my father.

He stepped from the shadows to cross the street and meet me on the sidewalk. His eyes, heavy with fatigue, roved over me, checking my hands, my neck, my chin, my nose, and, finally, my eyes. He brushed hair back from my face to tuck it behind my ear, then rested his hand where my neck met my shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Those were the first three words I’d heard him speak in six days, and his voice was raspy with disuse.

“I’m good,” I said, happy just to hear him speak again. “You?”

“I need to talk.”

My stomach tightened with sudden nerves, and Ciarán must’ve felt it too, because he gave a low, reassuring laugh.

“With Orla,” he clarified, his smile already slipping. His eyes dropped to my chin. “Is she awake? I’d prefer to do it now, before I lose my nerve.”

“Right.” I hesitated as I took his hand, afraid the gesture might make him retreat again, but he intertwined his fingers with mine and let me lead him into Gams’s shop.