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Chapter 40
Lacey
“Doyouwanttogo home for anything first, Lacey?” Ryan asked.
Ryan was always considerate, always thinking of me first. He had explained he only wanted to be honest about his ex when we had a long talk after the accident. I accepted it for what it was. Ryan wasn’t a liar, though sometimes he was possibly a little too nice for his own good.
I glanced out of the window as I thought of his question. We were on our way to Clay’s and I hardly remembered the hour’s drive back to the town I used to call home and I tried to stop the morose feelings. Lots of things were on my mind, from thinking of my mum and dad, to my home... their home.
“Mmm,” I muttered. Then I shook my head. Words wouldn’t come out and right then I didn’t know if the plan was a good one or not. I hadn’t lived in the home since my parents’ death. But Clay could hardly make me stay with him any longer. I was an adult now and his guardianship of me was no longer in force. “I’ll go after I’ve seen Clay.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Carter said, flicking his gaze at my face. I saw the concern. Him more than the others, knew what it meant. “My parents will be fine if you want to stay with them instead of your home or Clay’s house.”
“I’m going home. I need to face it, eventually. One day I’ll live in it again and I’d prefer the first time I go, to do it with company.”
Seb rubbed his hand over my thigh. I glanced at him and smiled.
“Okay, Lacey. We’ll be with you in case it gets too difficult,” Ryan said.
I looked back up and smiled, but my attention was caught by the way Carter glared at Seb’s hand, his eyes slowly raised from my thigh and our eyes locked for a beat. I glanced away and out of the window, seeing the paddocks of sheep and the deep forest beyond. A place me, Carter and our siblings used to play when we were young.
My brother, Lucas, was Carter’s best friend and was now long gone. Also, Carter’s two brothers and me. I was the only girl, so they often tried to scare the hell out of me—it worked, it was chilling in the there.
Hearing the howls of animals and the roar of the wind. We’d go in for the fun, but vowed each time to never enter it again—not that we heeded our own words.
The strange thing about the forest was one day when I was younger, I was sure I’d seen the man with wings, the one in my dreams. The one who took me off my bike and rested me against a tree. Not that anyone believed me and I needed to think that one through.
Closing in on the town, driving down the road that was flanked by grand oak trees, which were apparently hundreds of years old. More of these imposing trees encircled the entire town. Large noble beasts, with expansive trunks, their branches swept so low and brushed across the roof of the car, the leaves whispering to me as we passed by.
“The trees are actually here. I wonder if it’s true,” Ryan said. Smiling and nodding his head, impressed, and I returned his smile. “The legend is that these trees are alive and the guardians of the kingdom. Keeping everyone within their ring safe from the sinister unknown darkness.” Ryan continued with his tale.
“And the souls of the dark are lingering on the outskirts of the oak wall, trying to enter,” Carter said
I laughed. “That’s what I was always told, but I’m not sure if the souls bit is true or some wild fantasy,” I said.
“It is,” Carter said. “The magic of the Dark King can’t work within the circle of the trees. It’s the safest place in the world for us to live.”
“Live?” I asked.
“Yes, when we are qualified and living and working in our normal lives,” Carter said.
“But someone tried to kill me, as much as I like the freedom I have, two attempts on my life in a short space of time and I think I should move home,” I said, staring at Carter through the rear-view mirror.
“No, you’re fine. I think the road rage accident was just that, an accident,” Carter said.
“Someone helped me off the floor and put me against the tree,” I said, although they’d heard me say it before and they didn’t believe me then either. “I’m not imagining it, I think it was the Dark King.”
“He’d kill you, not save you and we vanished the soul of the demon so he couldn’t go back and report on you, so if it happened then it was a good Samaritan who probably ran off to get you some help," Ryan said.
I nodded. That certainly made the most sense and Ryan knew too much. But I knew it wasn't the truth.
“Vanished?” I said, changing the subject from the Dark King. “Which one of you can do that?”
“Carter did it, it’s one of his magic abilities,” Ryan replied.
“Does that make you a reaper? Oh, my god. Please tell me that none of you are vampires,” I said. “You know I really hate vampires.” My body trembled as a shiver ran down my spine.
A roar of laughter filled the car.
