In a quick motion, the hatch lifts open, light bursting into our little hole, exposing Myles and me cowering and covered in dust. Multicoloured spots spread in front of my eyes, trying to adjust to the unexpected change in light. Myles throws the bags up onto the floor, using the sides of the hatch to pull himself up, giving me enough room to shuffle back.
Before I can grab hold of the framing, I am yanked out of the hole by Wyatt and Myles. “Gently, please,” I grunt. Apologetic looks grow on their faces. “You should be more careful.” I glare at Wyatt, knowing he is still very much wounded.
Folding into myself, I whisper, “Do you think they’ll be back?”
Mum shrugs. “Possibly? I’m not sure the townsfolk will keep quiet about your whereabouts for long. I think that you two should leave now. Hopefully, you can slip away while it’s still dark.” Mum looks me dead in the eye. “Get as far away from here as you can.” Turning, she whispers something into Elana’s ear. My sister jogs to Mum’s room.
“I’ll saddle up Misty,” Wyatt says as he rests his hand on my shoulder, then opens the door a crack before stumbling out into the night.
Myles reaches into his bag, pulling out a fresh top and slips past me to get changed, giving me a half smile and nodding his head towards Mum. With the room painfully quiet, unspoken words hang in the air, closing in on me. Words that are too hard to say, and words that I maybe don’t mean, not yet at least.
But needs to be said all the same, because you never know what life is going to bring.
“I never thought I would ever leave Vendyl,” I mumble, my gaze drifting around the room. Taking in every scratch on the floor, on the walls and on the bookshelves. Every memory soars through my mind from all the years, never once considering maybe I didn’t belong. Because Mum and Dad always made it so that I never felt out of place.
They loved me.
Knowing full well I wasn’t their blood and knowing that I could cause them harm. They still brought me up in a loving, happy family. I’ll never forget that.
I was really leaving this time, possibly for good. “Thank you, Mum, for everything you and Dad did for me. I had the best childhood. Growing up here was like a dream. You loved and cared for me. If you hadn’t taken me when Edrina asked you to, I would probably be dead.”
Mum sobs, “You are my daughter, Andrina. Regardless of blood.” She walks towards me, placing her hands on my shoulders. “I love you. I have loved you from the second I held you in my arms. Don’t forget about us.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I weep into her chest, “Never. I love you, too.”
Elana creeps behind us holding Dad’s box and a coin purse, her eyes blotchy and red, the corners of her mouth dip. I smile at her, brushing the hair out of her face and take the box, but refuse the coin purse.
“Dad and I started putting a little away with each sale, just in case. We always hoped you would never need it, but here we are. It’s not much, but it will allow you some warm nights in an inn at least.” She takes the purse from Elana and pushes it into my hands. I nod; tears sting my eyes.
Myles pauses as he walks around the corner. Mum lets go of me and pulls him into a bear hug. He leans into it, wrapping his arms around her, too.
I turn to face Elana, taking her by the shoulders and saying, “That baker’s boy is nowhere near good enough for you.”
She chuckles. “Oh, he knows.”
I laugh under my breath, pulling her in for a hug. I’m going to miss her so much it physically hurts. Mum still grips Myles, whispering something in his ear. I narrow my eyes as I watch them. Myles pulls away and nods at Mum, she pats his cheek and lets him go.
I pick up my bag, placing the box and coin purse inside before opening the door a smidge, checking to see if it’s clear. Outside, there’s a murmur of voices on the path. Guards on patrol.
I wait for the voices to fade before Myles and I sneak around the side of the cottage to where Wyatt waits with Misty.
He holds his hand out, taking my bag and tethering it to one side while Myles does the other. My heart is heavy, taking in the comforting landscape I’m leaving behind.
I have no choice but to leave.
I need to learn to use my magic, preferably before Death or the witch appears. Once we find a safe place to stop, I’ll hunt the box for the name of the priest who said they could help. Hopefully, he is still alive.
“All that talk of adventure when we were kids, and you get to live it.” Wyatt smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. I remember the conversations we had as kids, forever planning torun off to join a pirate ship or infiltrate a group of bandits.
“One day. But until then, stay out of trouble or Mum will have a heart attack.” I smile at him, pulling him in for a hug. “Take care of them for me, and yourself. I love you.”
“Come on, they’re my family too, since you forced them on me.” He chuckles. “I wish I was going with you. Please watch yourself out there. I know you trust Myles, but something doesn’t feel right.”
“That’s just that brotherly protectiveness,” I joke.
“I’m serious, be careful. I love you,” he says, pulling me into one last hug. I nod to him, my mouth gone too dry to form words.
Goodbyes are too damn hard.