Bridge of Mist and Fog by nikki broadwell

in the throes of what he’d felt when she pressed herself against him. “Your grandmother seemed okay with it.”
    Airy looked worried. “But if she tells Grandpa he’ll tell my parents. I don’t want them to know about this, Fehin. You’re Brandubh’s son. They’ll never approve.”
    “Didn’t you tell me that the goddess of prophecy mentioned me and the island? How can they disapprove if this is our destiny?”
    Airy shook her head looking down. “She didn’t mention you by name and my parents have so much animosity toward your father. We’re like Romeo and Juliet.”
    “Who are they?”
    Airy smiled. “You need to take a literature class. They’re characters from a play of the same name by Shakespeare--two lovers from warring families. It’s a tragic story.”
    “I don’t think I’d like it.” Fehin’s gaze went to the window where a swirl of white blinded him for a moment. The snow reminded him of Wolf and the freezing cold weather his brother had brought down on Far Isle before Fehin moved everyone to the island. It had been a bleak time with many deaths. And in
    that moment he saw himself lying ill in a hospital bed. A feeling of helplessness washed over him. This was not a premonition he cared to share.
    In the meantime Airy was also staring out the window. When she turned she said, “I’m scared. Things have changed since I was here last. What if my tree is dead like the ones we passed?”
    “Is that what you were trying to say in the car?”
    “The farms are gone, Fehin. I remember the families that lived in those houses that are all falling down. You heard what Grandpa said about water and pesticides and what’s happened to the animals. I know this is connected to our destiny.”
    Fehin pulled her close. “I’m sorry, Airy. I know how hard it is to see things change for the worse. I went through the same thing in Fell after Wolf destroyed it all.”
    “And what did you do?”
    Fehin grimaced. “I created an island and moved everybody.”
    Airy stared at him. “Can you move everyone from here?”
    “I don’t think it’s possible.”
    “What are we going to do?”
    Fehin kissed the top of her head, breathing in the clean smell of her hair. “Right now we’re going to go downstairs and have a pleasant conversation with your grandparents and try to enjoy the rest of Thanksgiving weekend.”

18
    ‘Now listen to me, Airy! You can’t involve yourself with this boy!”
    Airy’s heart sank. Her grandmother had told her grandfather and now her parents knew about Fehin. She pressed the phone to her ear trying not to cry. “But Mum, he’s…”
    “Not another word. Now promise me.”
    “I don’t think I can.” She heard her mother say something about talking sense into her and then her father’s voice came on the line.
    “Airy, the entire reason you’re there is to learn about the world outside the Otherworld and to discover your destiny. This does not include hanging around with someone who can’t be trusted. Please take this to heart and think about it. Your mother and I are worried.”
    “If you’re so worried why haven’t you called or come to see me?” Airy cried, wiping away tears. She glanced toward Fehin sitting at the dining room table.
    There was silence for a moment and then her father said, “We’ve had some things going on here…”
    “Obviously more important than me. Goodbye, Dad.” Airy handed the phone to her grandmother who looked concerned as she took it.
    “Harold? What did you say to the girl?”
    But Airy didn’t hear the rest of the conversation as she fled from the room. She opened the front door and ran outside, slamming it hard behind her. It was Thanksgiving morning and all her excitement about seeing her relatives had disappeared with a single phone call.
    She ran through the snow in her sneakers, hardly feeling the wet cold that seeped through the light canvas as she crossed the meadow. Once she reached the ancient oak tree she climbed up