Page 26 of Guarding Fable

“Come on,” Leo says. “You’ve waited long enough.”

We slip out of the truck and start toward the house. The front door flies open, and a small dark-haired woman stands there. At that moment, I know it’s my twin, my other half. We both squee and run towards each other.

I can smell her and feel her, and all of a sudden, my soul settles. She’s safe. I don’t know what I would do if something would have happened to her.

She stills and looks behind me. Always the protector, she shoves me behind her. “Who are you?”

“Leo Nilson.”

“Down, killer,” Alessandro says. “He’s the sheriff who has been protecting her since they found her.”

She turns to face me. “You really didn’t remember who you were?”

I shake my head. “I was so confused, but one of Papa’sgoons came after me.”

“Ugh. Let me guess, Gregor?”

I nod.

“I hope he’s dead somewhere on the side of the road.”

I laugh. Destiny has our father’s need for revenge, but more about the injustice of the world.

“No. He’s in Leo’s jail.”

Destiny smiles at him. “You know you could let him out now.”

“No.”

She glances at me. “No what?”

“I know exactly what you’re thinking.”

“Let’s get some coffee or something,” Alessandro says.

“Sure thing, Aly.”

That pulls another smile from me. Destiny does like to give people nicknames.

She starts to drag me forward, but I stop her and motion for her to go on.

“Come on, Leo.”

He hesitates for a second confusing me again. I just told him I loved him. We make our way into the house, and it’s everything the pictures showed us. In fact, it’s even more beautiful. The view is impressive, and I plan on painting that at some point. The hills and valleys of the Shenandoah Mountains are frosted, but I can see for miles. My fingers actually itch to pick up a pencil or a brush…just something. I realize now that it’s been over a week since I’ve done anything more than the drawing I did for Leo.

“That’s gorgeous,” he says, slipping his arm around my waist.

“It is,” I say, then rise to my toes to whisper in his ear. “I prefer the woods surrounding the house instead of being right on top of the mountain.”

He looks at me, a smile curving his lips, and my heart doesthat little flip flop thing it always does when he looks at me like that. Like he knows what I look like naked because, well, he does.

“You know you’re gonna have to marry me, right?”

I grin. “Oh, you bet we’re getting married.”

“Hey, get over here and have some refreshments. There’s leftover pasta,” Destiny calls out.

I rush over. “You didn’t cook it, did you?”

---