Talon was the only truly good man I ever knew, and he was one of a kind. He always stayed true to himself and didn’t compromise. Shawn seems to change personalities depending on who he’s talking to!
The questions he keeps asking disturb me greatly. Why does he care so much about what happened to my grandfather?
Probably just trying to discredit Talon. Putting together evidence against him to justify killing him.
Grief surges in me again as I think of Jess and Talon being cut down by the Eccles warriors. I haven’t seen much of Eccles’ fighting force, but I can tell they are skilled killers. Even though Talon was tough, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against them.
As my sobs begin to die down, Shawn’s questions continue to dance around in my head.
It’s so odd…not just the questions themselves, but the way he bounces from one topic to another.
When my tears finally settle, I tiptoe to the doorway and stick my head out, listening. The sky is fully dark now, and I know it must be getting late. I can’t hear anything, so I assumeShawn is asleep and it’s safe to move around without running into him.
I’ve had enough of him today. I can’t take another round of his insane behavior.
As I go into the bathroom for a shower, I wonder for the first time if he actually is unhinged in some fundamental way.
It would explain a lot, but he also seems so stable. Maybe all crazy people do?
As the hot water relaxes my muscles and my thoughts flow, the tension draining out of me lets me see things a little clearer, and I feel a tight knot of anxiety growing in my guts as I notice inconsistencies for the first time.
Father said Talon wanted to keep us isolated, but Talon used to show me books and magazines and talk about how wonderful it would be to have connections to the human world. Meanwhile, I’ve heard Father preaching to his friends in town that he will keep us safe within the borders, and no one should ever leave.
The realization is shocking to me, and the more I think about it, the more evidence I find. By the time Talon died, I hadn’t spoken directly to him in a long while, so I just assumed Father was telling the truth.
What if Talon wanted to free us?
I’m almost trembling as I get out of the shower and dry off. It would suit Father just fine to rule the pack in complete isolation, with no outside influence to interfere with his power. I know for a fact he keeps resources to himself and only rarely hands things out as gifts to his chosen.
He can keep his little black-market side business going, so he and his friends are comfortable and keep the others poor and struggling.
As I head back to the bedroom, sorrow grows in me again. This idea makes far too much sense, and it would be the perfect reason for Father to plot Talon’s death.
Especially if Talon really did want to free us. But how did Father get him to attack Eccles?
I curl up in bed, my brain bubbling with so many thoughts, it feels like my skull is on fire. Sleep is a long time coming, and I toss and turn, wrestling with the sheets as I struggle through bad dreams.
***
When I hear Shawn in the kitchen, it’s a relief to get up. The night has left me tired from fighting against my nightmares, but waking is easier than chasing the illusion of restful sleep.
Maybe I’ll never really rest again. Always on guard, on edge, ready for attack.
Miserably, I get dressed and shuffle down the hall. Shawn is whistling to himself as he makes breakfast, smiling at me when I come through the door. He puts a huge plate of pancakes with berries and cream in front of me and pours me a cup of coffee before sitting down himself.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.
“Good morning,” he says. “You don’t look like you slept well. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I mutter, even though I’m not.
“We’re going into town today, aren’t we? To help repair some buildings and hand out supplies to our less fortunate?”
“Yes,” I answer. “They’re looking forward to meeting you in person. I think some people were invited to the picnic yesterday, but they might not have stayed to meet you.”
“Will your father be around?”
“I expect so.”
