Page 13 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

We hung out for another twenty minutes before I returned the baby to Aunt Kassie and excused myself to go home. I made it to the stairs and paused as I took in the activity on the ground floor. I didn’t realize it was so close to supper time, and the foyer was bustling with people running around.

I wasn’t sure if I could do this, but I forced my legs to keep moving down. I got to the base of the stairs but couldn’t force myself to take the last step. I pulled my phone out, with every intention of calling Aunt Kassie to come help me, when I felt movement to my side. Christopher was standing in front of a set of chairs under the stairs.

“Ready?” he grunted.

“You’ve been waiting for me this whole time?” I asked incredulously. I was up there almost an hour and a half.

“Been hanging out,” he shrugged, motioning over with his head toward the other seats, where a few other warriors were sitting.

I didn’t know how to respond without falling before his feet to cry out my gratefulness. When I simply stood there staring at him, speechless, he waved at the other men and came to my side. He didn’t touch me, but was a steady beacon of safety ready to protect me.

“Shoulders back, chin up. Looking tough is half the battle. Whenever you’re ready,” he whispered.

I shook my head to clear the turbulent thoughts and squared my shoulders. I didn’t feel tough, but I sure as heck felt safe right now, so I put one step forward, then the other. I concentrated on looking at each goal. The doors, the bridge, the pack house, and the dining room. When I got there, Christopher looked around and when he saw my family was in there, he nodded sharply at my thanks and left.

Cory smiled proudly at me when I walked in, and I almost crumbled at having it directed at me. I didn’t know if I deserved it yet, but it did make me feel the motivation to keep pushing myself and make my big brother proud. I sat next to Evie and James today, talking to little Molly on his lap. She just started first grade this month and told me all about her teacher and friends while I held Lucas in my arms so Evie could eat comfortably.

Dad came and got me from the pack house after dinner, and we talked about the ending of the second Kingkiller Chronicles book, and my indignation at knowing there was no date for the third, even after all these years. Mom and Dad were both readers, and while I didn’t read the romance novels Mom loved, I shared a love of epic fantasy with Dad. As we got near the house, Dad pulled out his phone and sent me names of a few series he’d read that I hadn’t heard of.

“You know, it’s your fault I became a reader,” he mentioned as we climbed the porch steps.

“How is that my fault?” I wanted to know.

“You’ve always been a bookworm, and when you were little, you liked to read stories before bed. Mom took over most days, but sometimes you wanted me to read to you, and I couldn’t say no.”

“So, you got hooked on reading because I made you read me fairy tales?” I asked, smiling.

“No. The fairy tales was Mom. I read you stories about dragons, trolls and fairies,” he insisted.

“Aren’t those fairy tales?”

“Let an old man keep his dignity, Vi,” he chuckled. We got to the bottom of the stairs, and his chuckle trailed off. “I’m proud of you Violet.”

“It was just dinner, Dad,” I chuckled, but accepted his hug nonetheless.

“It’s never just dinner, Violet. It’s something to be proud of. Your mom left a piece of cheesecake in the fridge for you if you need a snack.”

“Thanks, but I just want a hot shower and to pass out. I’m exhausted.”

“Alright, but I don’t guarantee it’ll be there in the morning. I think we have mice,” he warned, making me chuckle.

“Mice that can open fridge doors?” I teased.

“They’re evolving, Violet. Soon, they’ll take over the world,” he said ominously as he backed away and walked down toward their room.

By the time I made it to my room, my entire battery was drained. I took a scorching shower to relax the muscles that had practically seized while forcing my body to do something my brain was screaming it not to do. I laid down in bed after, wondering about what I was going to do next. By the time I fell asleep, I had something to discuss with my therapist tomorrow.

“Iwant to go to Redmon,” I told Mom and Dad the next day at dinner.

“I’m sorry, what?” Dad asked, his fork slipping out of his hand, and I watching him fumble to catch it on the way down.

“Cory and Evie are traveling to Redmon Moon to help Bells with the harvest. I want to go with them,” I clarified.

“Sweetie, I don’t think you’re ready for that,” Mom answered, looking concerned.

“For which part?”

“All of it. Leaving the pack, traveling on a plane full of people, living in the pack house with strangers, doing manual labor in the middle of a hundred other people. You’re making good progress. I don’t want you to backtrack because you pushed too fast.”

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