I almost smile.
So does Noah, but he looks worn out, his brow hair a mess, and dark circles shadow under his eyes. “Remember how he used to come to your guys’ family dinners?” he says. “Aiden, I mean. Didn’t your mom know who he was at that point?”
River shoves up the sleeves of his shirt. “I think she may have and was already working with him.”
“They’ve been working together, too?” I ask, my mind spinning. “I thought Ellie and Aiden were working together?”
“They’re all working together,” River explains, resting an arm behind me as he leans back. “I guess Aiden has been protecting you for a while, but my father sent him to look for the island just shortly before he caused that car accident, so he wasn’t even in the country when that happened. That’s why my father was able to get a hold of you. If Aiden had been here, I wonder if none of this would’ve happened.”
“He kind of seems obsessed with you,” Finn remarks, the corners of his lips tugging downward.
I pull my legs up onto the bed and crisscross them. “I don’t know about that. I think he just wants to protect me.”
The three of them trade a look with their brows raised.
I roll my eyes. “Whatever you guys are thinking, just say it aloud.”
“He’s obsessed with you,” Finn repeats, then winks at me. “But who can blame him? You’re pretty obsession-worthy.”
River gives him a funny look, and the humor fizzles from Finn’s eyes.
I’m unsure what to make of the exchange, but Noah notes the awkwardness of it, his gaze shifting between River and Finn.
“I met Aiden once. Or well, I could’ve met him more times, but just can’t remember.” I change the subject.
“What?” River says while Finn sputters, “When?”
“And why can’t you remember?” Noah adds, unzipping his hoodie and slipping it off.
“A while ago, I started having these dreams, only they felt like memories I’d somehow forgotten,” I explain. “Ellie pretty much confirmed that I suffered through some trauma and my brain erased some memories to protect me. I’m not sure why I’ve been remembering lately, other than maybe the stress of everything is breaking my brain.” I rest back against River’s arm. “But I’ve met Aiden when I was like eleven, and I was at Ellie’s house. I’m pretty sure they had killed some of James’ bodyguards, but I’m not positive because they never flat-out told me.”
Noah stares down at the floor with his brows furrowed. “Does anyone else think they’re keeping some stuff from us? Ellie, Jocelyn, and Aiden, I mean?”
“I’m sure they are.” Finn stretches his legs out in front of him. “I don’t necessarily think it’s bad, but I also don’t like that they are. It’s their secretiveness that made it so Maddy and I were completely caught off guard when Dad took us.”
“Agreed.” River rubs his hand across his jawline. “They should’ve told us. Maybe if they had, we wouldn’t have looked into that necklace, and none of this would’ve happened.”
“I doubt that,” I tell him with a sigh. “Your dad is the one who gave me the scholarship to the Royal Academy because he was suspicious of me being an Everford at that point.”
Finn nods his head. “You guys should’ve heard the stuff he said to me and Maddy. He really has gone off the deep end, even for him. He was talking about curses, crowns, and sacrifices. And the stuff he made us do…” He bites down on his tongue as his tone begins to tremble.
So do my entire insides.
I don’t want to think about that yet. Can’t.
Finn and I look at each other, and I can tell he feels the same way.
Silence wraps around us like the stillness of the night outside.
“We need to only trust each other for a while.” River finally breaks the silence, brushing my hair off my shoulder. “Until we can get more answers.”
“Agreed,” Finn murmurs with his arms crossed, his gaze lifting to mine.
I nod in agreement, “River’s right. Whatever happens in the future, I think the four of us need to lean on each other.”
“You really trust me now?” Noah questions, arching his brow at River and Finn.
River surprisingly nods. “After everything that happened, how could I not?”
