Page 124 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

Kieran’s head snaps up as he looks around. “I have to go. You be good and stay out of trouble.”

He kisses my forehead, and before I can say anything, he’s gone, leaving me alone in the forest.

“What are you doing out here at five in the morning?” Skylar asks, making me scream.

CHAPTER 37

Istare at her wide-eyed as she comes closer to me. “Wh-what?”

“What are you doing out in the forest at five in the morning?” she asks again. “You aren’t out this early in the morning normally.”

I let out a shaky breath and rub the back of my neck. “I had a bad nightmare and needed the cold air to cool me off. I needed the quiet to relax and get everything out of my mind.”

It’s not a lie. That’s what I did the first time, but this is a little different. Kieran pulled on the bond, and I knew that was his way of saying he wanted to see me.

Skylar eyes me suspiciously and takes several more steps closer to me. “What was your nightmare about?”

“My mother killing herself.” I look away from her as tears pool in my eyes.

I can still so vividly see her killing herself in my mind. My mother is sleeping soundly in her room right now, just as she does every other night. She told me I didn’t have anything to worry about, and I believe her. But what if the witch gets to her and does something so she does kill herself?

But the witch doesn’t know who I am and I don’t know who they are. Why would she go after me when she doesn’t know anything? She isn’t, I reassure myself.

“Again?” Skylar asks. “I think you need to talk to Joan.”

I shake my head. “I am not going to talk to Joan. I don’t need that kind of help. I just need to be less stressed, which I am working on. Everything is a lot at the moment, but I’m okay.”

“I don’t know. This is the second time I’ve found you walking in the forest in the early morning. I’m worried about you.” Skylar gently places her hand on my shoulder. “I just want to make sure you’re okay and aren’t going to do anything you shouldn’t.”

“I’m not, I promise. I just needed to clear my head, and I’ve done that. You know there has been a lot going on recently. I’m just trying to cope with it all,” I tell her, being completely honest. “Everyone processes everything differently, and this is my way of doing that.”

I clasp my hands together in front of me as I take a step back, her hand falling from my shoulder. This is the second time she’s almost caught me meeting up with Kieran. How does she know I’m doing this?

“Why are you up so early?” I ask, cocking my head to the right side. “I thought your shift didn’t start for another couple of hours.”

She shrugs. “I’ve decided to take the earlier morning shift to have the afternoon off. It started this week. That’s why I’ve been able to meet with you in the afternoon.”

“I thought you had those days off,” I honestly reply.

“I’ve surprised everyone.” She chuckles. “But it’s so much nicer to get work done and have some of the afternoon left to do things instead of splitting it in the morning and afternoon.”

I nod in agreement. “That’s how I take my afternoon walks.”

“I’m surprised you can still have your walks with how much you need to get done since your father passed away.” Her nose scrunches up.

“I’ve been making it a priority. I wake up earlier so that I can take the walk. It helps regulate everything in my life when I am able to walk around and be in nature,” I explain. “You do things that help you get through the day or the week. Don’t look at me weird like walking in the forest is something that is wrong. I’ve done it my whole life and you know that. You’ve gone on several walks with me when we were younger.”

Something is definitely up with Skylar, and I don’t like it.

“You’ve changed,” I point out.

“Adeline, everyone changes.” She looks offended.

I shake my head and then shrug my shoulders. I’m so confused. “I know everyone changes, but with you it’s just different.”

“How?” Her voice rises a little. “How is it different for me? Why are you pointing out only me? You’ve changed as well!”

I take a step back, shocked by her words. Have I changed? I thought I was the same as I always have been.