Page 58 of Broken Lands

Riley

FeelingmorerelaxedthanI had any right to, and grinning like a goddamn idiot after finding the perfect dress for tomorrow’s dance, I left Bee and Amy to enjoy the rest of their coffee while I went to meet Garner.

The two of them had become fast friends, and I wondered if there might be a little something more flourishing there. Bee had been more flirtatious than I’d ever seen her. She wasn’t going to escape my interrogation on that one tonight.

Following the directions Amy had scribbled down for me, I left the plaza and started down a side street. At the end, I’d turn left, and James’ house should only be a few up.

The same light sandy brick covered in vines that I’d seen earlier made up the houses in this street too, the garden beds bright and inviting. It was quieter here, not another soul in sight. The only sound was the constant lapping of water on the shore. The beach couldn’t be more than a street or two over. I let the relaxing sound wash over me as I walked, trying to calm my racing heart. A sense of unease plagued me, and I couldn’t seem to shake it.

Would I find anything today? Would there be something the fae had missed when they searched through my brother’s things? The idea that James had left, had joined the resistance without so much as a word of goodbye, didn’t sit well with me. He’d never expressed any desire to join them and had openly berated some of their antics. Even if he had changed his mind, surely, I meant enough to him for some form of goodbye. Right?

A shadow flashed in my peripheral vision, and I spun on my heel, pushing my palms out in front of me, a shield of air bursting to life reflexively. Scanning the area, I tried to determine what had caused the change in light. There was nothing there. The streets were still empty; I was the only person here.

Putting it down to fried nerves, I dropped my shield and continued down the street. The hair on the back of my neck still stood on end and I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being watched.

Maybe it wasn’t anything sinister. It wasn’t unreasonable that the Fae might watch a newcomer to their city. Wouldn’t that be something Colin would have to order? He wouldn’t do that, would he? Not after how our relationship had been blossoming.

Trying to ignore the ache in my chest at the thought of him doubting me, I turned the corner, immediately spotting Garner waiting for me a few houses down.

Blowing out a breath, relief washed through me, though my skin still tingled with an awareness of being watched. I still couldn’t see anyone else, but I was still grateful not to be alone any longer.

“Hey,” Garner said, from where he was leaning against the garden fence of a small house. “Are you ready for this?”

“I’m not sure,” I answered truthfully, wringing my hands together. “I’m ready to find my brother, but going through his things feels…” Reaching Garner, I look past him, taking in the house that James had called a home.

It was one of the smaller houses on the street. All of them were small, really. I’d learned that not a lot of families had come across on the first crossing. Many had left their loved ones behind, preparing to cross when a permanent, safer way had been established.

That had never happened, so the need for large homes had been minimal. Many of the homes on this street looked as though they’d have two bedrooms at most. James likely had only one.

“Raw.” Garner had moved to my side while I’d been staring at the house, and I jumped slightly at the sudden closeness of him. “Sorry,” he said. “Let’s go inside. The longer you wait out here, the harder it’ll be.”

“What if there’s nothing in there, Garner? What if there’s nothing to help me find him? I can’t go in there and find nothing. He has to be okay. He has to be.” A violent sob burst from my throat as I voiced my worst fears. I needed my brother back. I couldn’t face a world where he didn’t exist.

No one else had ever known me the way he did, had laughed at my silly quirks, or protected me from the worst of what the world had to offer. Though I was older now—a grown-ass woman and a powerful one at that, if the fae were right—I’d never not need him. James was my home.

“If you don’t go in there, he’s still gone,” Garner said, his voice soft as he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into his chest and holding me while I sobbed. “If you do, maybe he’s not. You won’t know until you face it, and maybe the not knowing is worse.”

He continued rubbing my back in slow, soothing circles as I fought to pull myself together. Pulling back, I took a deep breath and swiped the tears from my cheeks.

“You’re right. Let’s do it.”

He nodded and stepped forward, opening the small gate for me before leading the way up the small cobblestone path to the front door. He tried the brass handle, only to find it locked.

I’d come to learn that was a pretty unusual habit for the Fae. They seemed to have a low rate of criminality and trusted each other almost inexplicably.

Garner stopped over and lifted a small flowerpot by the front door, its contents still very much alive and blooming. It seemed the earth elementals still maintained the gardens, even though no one lived here anymore.

He pulled out a key, holding it up for me with a grin. A small laugh burst out of me at his celebration, despite the nerves racing through me at the thought of what we might find—or not find—inside those walls.

Lingering on the doorstep as Garner stepped inside, I took one last long look up and down the street. I still couldn’t see anyone else, though the feeling of being watched had not eased. Shaking my head, I pushed the feeling to the back of my mind. There were too many other things for me to worry about today.

“Get your ass in here, Riley.” Garner called.

“Coming.” Blowing out a breath, I tried to brace myself for what was to come as I turned and crossed the threshold, pulling the door closed behind me.

Garner hadn’t gone far. I found him lounging on a simple navy colored couch with cream colored throw cushions, his arm thrown over the side. There was a cream throw hung over the back on the couch, and a small wooden coffee table in place of it.

The other side of the room housed a small kitchen. There was no table, just a couple of stools pushed up against the counter. There was an empty wicker bowl in the middle of the counter, which might have held fresh fruit while James lived here. Next to it was a picture frame. The only item I could see in the room that might be personal. Everything else was simple, clean, but held no clue as to who resided here.

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