Page 121 of Blood & Betrayals

“I am so grateful for you, Summer,” she whispers into my ear as she squeezes me affectionately. I let her aura seep into my bones, warming them. She kisses my cheek and then lifts a wicker basket from the table, handing it to Connor. “Will you give this to Rafe? It’s all of his favorite home-cooked meals and snacks. I’ve runed them to keep the twins out.”

“Hey!” Zach and Zane protest in harmony.

“Of course, Mom.” Connor smiles.

“And will you..” She pauses, trying to center herself. “Will you tell him I love him? So very dearly.” Her voice cracks on the last word and the sound nearly splits my heart.

“Of course, Mom. And you know he loves you too, right?” Connor says, his voice gentle. Farrah steps back, looking at all of us. Her lips are tilted in a smile, but her eyes shine with the sadness of saying goodbye to her boys, her pride, her heart.

“Goodbye, my darlings.”

Connor kisses her head, and Luke hugs her tightly again before we all step into the waiting elevator. Farrah watches us, and Luke’s anxiety practically radiates off him. Farrah raises her hand in a final goodbye, and the doors slowly close.

“I hate leaving when Dad isn’t here. She looks so lonely,” Luke says, his eyes boring into the metal like he can still see her. From the feeling in the elevator, I can tell that I’m not the only one who didn’t buy the mask of happiness she pulled on to convince us all that she was okay.

Connor nods. “I hate seeing her look so sad.”

Luke turns to face his brothers. “Why didn’t dad come back with you?” His voice is harsh and cutting. The sharpness is so foreign in his usually gentle inflection. “He knows how sad she gets when we all leave.” His shoulders are tense as he stares at them.

Zach shrugs, but he seems a little surprised by Luke’s outburst. “He was training with some of his Legion.”

Zane puts his hand on Luke’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Hey, he knows her. I’m sure he appeared the second we left.”

Luke shrugs out of Zane’s touch and starts pacing angrily, though I can also feel the underlying sadness and maybe a shred of guilt. Luke is the youngest, and I don’t imagine it was easy for him to leave this year, knowing how important family is to Farrah and Uriel.

Zach rolls his eyes. “Baby Luke–”

“Stop it, Zach.” Luke is nearly yelling, and he doesn’t stop pacing. “She was sad! And we just left her alone.”

I watch as Luke gets angrier, and I wish I knew how to help him. I wish I knew what to say to take his pain away, but truthfully, none of these feelings are ones I understand. Sure, I understand anger, upset, and guilt at their core, but not for thereasons Luke feels them. There is something about his empathy that claws at me. It is another blatant difference that casts me aside from the Morningstars.

“She’s not some helpless woman, and you reacting like this discredits her strength,” Zach growls.

“She misses us!” Luke raises his voice more, his whole body tensing. “In the last five years, we have all left. One after the other. And Dad wasn’t there when she needed him. I’m going back.”

I glance at Connor, who is watching his brothers spar. I can tell that he’s gotten very good at playing the middleman and peacekeeper over the years. Out of all of his brothers, he’s the one with the best temperament to do it. I understand that to take on that role, he has to be able to hear both sides and then consider the best course of action, but this fight needs mediating now. I gently nudge him. Connor glances at me and nods once before reaching out and catching Luke’s arms, stilling him.

“Luke.” Connor waits until Luke meets his gaze. “You know how much mom loves us. We all do. But do you know why Mom and Dad live in Eden and not Avalon?”

Luke considers for a moment, his shoulders relaxing a little beneath Connor’s steady calm. “Because of the Legion?”

Connor shakes his head. “Because they decided years ago that when we started at Avalon, we would go and find who we are, find our independence. Just like she and Dad did after they got married.”

All the anger melts from Luke’s face, and all that’s left is a gut-wrenching sadness. “But?—”

Connor nods. “I know it’s hard. But we have to let her find her independence again, too.”

Luke drops his gaze to the floor, his voice soft. “I hate that Rafe didn’t come.”

Ah, potentially the crux of the anguish. I try not to intrude or invade this space that I’m imposing on, but what used to feel like a spacious elevator now feels tight and uncomfortable, the emotion taking up all the air.

Connor nods. “Me too. But he… Rafe has trouble with being happy. He has his demons, Luke.”

Luke just nods sadly, and Connor pulls him into a tight hug. “Thank you for loving Mom enough for all of us.”

Luke wraps his arms around Connor and leans into his big brother, releasing a shaky exhale.

Connor drops his voice, but his words are still loud in the enclosed space. “I know you have big, wonderful feelings, Luke, but just because they’re expressed differently by the rest of us doesn’t mean they’re not there. Okay?”

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