And yet, Rayven backed down. He broke eye contact with Beckett, quietly apologized for waking them, and turned away.
He paused just long enough to peer at a mid-sized rock along the dirt walkway, one that was weathered with time and had grass and moss growing around and on it.But if one looked close enough, two small handprints—one slightly larger than the other—could be seen next to each other on the top of the flat rock.
A craft twobrothers made many, many years ago.
One that still remained.
Just like their bond, I realized. For just as we got down the dirt path and out of sight of the shack, but before I could return to my normal form, I couldhear the sound ofsomebody running after us.
Peering back, it was none other than Beckett.
Realizing the same thing I had, Rayven turned back just in time to catch his brother as Beckett ran straight into his arms.
The two males held on in a tight embrace, and I thoughtI’dcaught Rayven’s chest heave in a held-back sob—though Icouldn’ttell for sure.
“I’ve missed you,” Beckett expressed, his voice low—likely to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. Including their father’s.
How he’d slipped out so soon after, I wasn’t sure, but I was grateful to the Stars, anyway.
Rayven needed that moment. He’d needed to hold his little brother again.
I understood, though I almost wished I hadn’t.
“Me too, Becks.There’snot been a single daythat’sgone by that Ihaven’tthought of you,” Rayven replied, his husky voice raw with unchecked emotions.
Pulling back, Rayven cupped his brother’s face in his hands. “Stars, how you’ve grown,” he said, smiling, though his eyes were brimming with unshed tears.
“Beckett!” Blaine’s voice could be heard from down the pathway.
Beckett looked up at Rayven, who was slightly taller,panicin his soft brown eyes.
“Take this,” Rayven said, slipping a small, folded note to him, forcing Beckett’s hand to curl around it tightly. “When you need me,you’llfind me here. Follow the note, ask whoever you need to, for whatever you need to. Use the authority of the name written there to get you to me, no matter what,alright? You do what youhave to, Beckett.”
“Rayven,” Beckett croaked, his voice giving out ashis own eyes filled with tears. He lookedsotorn.
“I know.” Rayven pulled him into another tight, but quick,embrace. “There will be a chance to leave soon with the navy—but only one shot. Do what youmust andfind me. Thisisn’tgoodbye.”
Beckett’s fingers dug into Rayven’s back with how tightly he heldon, beforeRayven pulled back first. I could see the physical effort it took to leave his brother there. I knew, if he could force more than onefaeinto a shadow form at a time, that we would not be walkingaway from Beckett then. But Rayven knew as well as any of us that we needed to be on the ship back to the continent soon.
We’d already risked enough with this visit.
“Until the Stars align our paths once again.” Rayven rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder, squeezing once before letting go and taking a step back.
“Until then,” Beckett said after clearing his throat. He held tightly to the note that had been tucked into his hand, as though it were a lifeline of sorts.
And in a way, it was.
When Blaine’s voice could once again be heard calling for Beckett—thistime slightly closer—Rayven took another step backwards, then another. Then, after one last look at his little brother, he turned and ran.
He ran and ran without looking back, wiping a sleeve over his eyes before any tears could fall.Once he was out of sight of his family, he shifted into the darkness of hisshadowform. As the skylighteneda shade, he tethered himself to me, and then we were once again hastening across theIsle.
For the second time in just a couplemonths, Rayven and I shadow wielded ourselves away from the only remaining family we had left.
And as the night began to fade away to makeroom fordaybreak, Iwished tothe Stars thatwe’dsee Beckett again—beforewe joined them in the sky.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sleep had eluded me for hours. It had gotten to a point where I was so antsy, I decided to visit the far western section of Gatlyn Castle, where Hugo’s small chambers were. Though, when I hadn’t found him there, I headed for the western tower—the place where the laboratory and infirmary were housed.
