deal with.”
“ We’ll deal
with it,” Griffin corrected her. “And let’s wait until we know if anything actually
happened tonight or if it was just a dream before we borrow trouble.”
Selene’s grimaced.
“I don’t have to borrow trouble, Griffin. It finds me just fine on its own.”
“I know,” he
chuckled.
And in the quiet
moments that followed, both of them suddenly realized that they were lying in
bed together, Griffin’s arms still wrapped around Selene. The tension was
palpable, and so was the awkwardness.
Clearing his
throat, Griffin released her and inched off the bed. Once he was safely seated
in the chair, he smiled again.
“Get some rest.
Tomorrow we’ll figure out what our next steps are.”
Like I’ll be
able to sleep now, she thought. But a hundred and sixty years of forcing herself to sleep when she
was emotionally drained, surrounded by danger and terrified of her future,
kicked in. With a nod, she turned her back on Griffin. She closed her eyes,
emptied her mind, and hoped for the thousandth time that she wouldn’t see any new
horrors that night.
Chapter
19
Selene woke to
the low tones of a muted conversation. She rolled over and saw Griffin standing
in the doorway talking with Ellie. The urgency of their gestures broke through
Selene’s sleep-clouded mind.
“What is it?”
she asked in a groggy voice, propping herself up on her elbows.
The grim
expression on Griffin’s face as he glanced at her told Selene all she needed to
know. Her nightmare was real. The girl she’d seen – all that blood – she really
was dead.
Ten minutes
later, wrapped up in her comfy robe, Selene sat on the living room couch as
Griffin and Ellie and their entire family debated the situation. She barely
heard them as she sat there numb… silent. Her initial suggestion that she
return to the Vyusher was one point of the deliberation. A point that Griffin
had not vetoed but had not agreed to either.
“What about
leaving the area?” Lucy suggested.
Hugh shook his
head. “I don’t think that would make any difference, honey.”
“What is it that
we know? You’re sure Selene didn’t kill the girl?” Alex asked Griffin.
Griffin nodded,
his mouth set in a firm line. “Positive. She got pulled into the dream; she
didn’t manifest it.”
“Then the only
logical conclusion is that someone else is doing these killings and trying to
make Selene – and maybe us - think she did it,” Alex said.
“Why do you say
that?” Lila asked. “It could all just be a horrible coincidence. Or maybe
Selene’s power is growing into some kind of precognition thing.”
“You’re right,”
Griffin agreed. “Except for the feeling of how she got pulled into that
nightmare. If I had to put money on it, I’d say someone else is manipulating
this situation.”
“So what do we
do about it?” Lila asked.
Ellie snapped
her fingers and stared at Griffin. “I’ve got it!”
Everyone grew
silent, and Selene could see a very subtle glow coming from the twins, although
it was brighter in Griffin. She realized that they were talking to each other
using Griffin’s telepathic power.
After a few
minutes of hushed nods, Alex nudged Ellie with his elbow. “Out loud, baby. The
rest of us would like in on your brilliant idea.”
Ellie gave a
satisfied grin. “We do what we did when we defeated the Vyusher.” She glanced
at Selene. “Sorry, but you know what I mean.”
Selene waved
away both the comment and the apology.
“So you turn
into a great, hulking dragon?” Nate asked, confused.
“No, silly.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “We combine our powers. At least… the ones that would be
relevant.”
Selene frowned.
She’d seen their wagon-wheel formation in battle, of course. And she’d seen
their coordinated use of their powers and Ellie’s ability to control powers of
any being physically connected to her. But she didn’t quite see how that could
work in this situation.
“I think
“ We’ll deal
with it,” Griffin corrected her. “And let’s wait until we know if anything actually
happened tonight or if it was just a dream before we borrow trouble.”
Selene’s grimaced.
“I don’t have to borrow trouble, Griffin. It finds me just fine on its own.”
“I know,” he
chuckled.
And in the quiet
moments that followed, both of them suddenly realized that they were lying in
bed together, Griffin’s arms still wrapped around Selene. The tension was
palpable, and so was the awkwardness.
Clearing his
throat, Griffin released her and inched off the bed. Once he was safely seated
in the chair, he smiled again.
“Get some rest.
Tomorrow we’ll figure out what our next steps are.”
Like I’ll be
able to sleep now, she thought. But a hundred and sixty years of forcing herself to sleep when she
was emotionally drained, surrounded by danger and terrified of her future,
kicked in. With a nod, she turned her back on Griffin. She closed her eyes,
emptied her mind, and hoped for the thousandth time that she wouldn’t see any new
horrors that night.
Chapter
19
Selene woke to
the low tones of a muted conversation. She rolled over and saw Griffin standing
in the doorway talking with Ellie. The urgency of their gestures broke through
Selene’s sleep-clouded mind.
“What is it?”
she asked in a groggy voice, propping herself up on her elbows.
The grim
expression on Griffin’s face as he glanced at her told Selene all she needed to
know. Her nightmare was real. The girl she’d seen – all that blood – she really
was dead.
Ten minutes
later, wrapped up in her comfy robe, Selene sat on the living room couch as
Griffin and Ellie and their entire family debated the situation. She barely
heard them as she sat there numb… silent. Her initial suggestion that she
return to the Vyusher was one point of the deliberation. A point that Griffin
had not vetoed but had not agreed to either.
“What about
leaving the area?” Lucy suggested.
Hugh shook his
head. “I don’t think that would make any difference, honey.”
“What is it that
we know? You’re sure Selene didn’t kill the girl?” Alex asked Griffin.
Griffin nodded,
his mouth set in a firm line. “Positive. She got pulled into the dream; she
didn’t manifest it.”
“Then the only
logical conclusion is that someone else is doing these killings and trying to
make Selene – and maybe us - think she did it,” Alex said.
“Why do you say
that?” Lila asked. “It could all just be a horrible coincidence. Or maybe
Selene’s power is growing into some kind of precognition thing.”
“You’re right,”
Griffin agreed. “Except for the feeling of how she got pulled into that
nightmare. If I had to put money on it, I’d say someone else is manipulating
this situation.”
“So what do we
do about it?” Lila asked.
Ellie snapped
her fingers and stared at Griffin. “I’ve got it!”
Everyone grew
silent, and Selene could see a very subtle glow coming from the twins, although
it was brighter in Griffin. She realized that they were talking to each other
using Griffin’s telepathic power.
After a few
minutes of hushed nods, Alex nudged Ellie with his elbow. “Out loud, baby. The
rest of us would like in on your brilliant idea.”
Ellie gave a
satisfied grin. “We do what we did when we defeated the Vyusher.” She glanced
at Selene. “Sorry, but you know what I mean.”
Selene waved
away both the comment and the apology.
“So you turn
into a great, hulking dragon?” Nate asked, confused.
“No, silly.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “We combine our powers. At least… the ones that would be
relevant.”
Selene frowned.
She’d seen their wagon-wheel formation in battle, of course. And she’d seen
their coordinated use of their powers and Ellie’s ability to control powers of
any being physically connected to her. But she didn’t quite see how that could
work in this situation.
“I think
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