Ego
My mind came back online slowly. Moaning,I rolled over, ignoring Sky’s yapping. He’d been like this our whole lives. Once he was awake and ready to go, he spewed words. They felt like bullets pelting my tired body.
It must’ve been his voice that interrupted the wildest dream I’d ever had. Staying at the Willowhope Manor B&B was obviously affecting my brain. All the weird occurrences—strange, creaky noises, my things moved and not where I left them, shuffling in the hall in the middle of the night but no one there when I whipped my door open…yeah, all of it was escalating my already overactive imagination.
Unlike most, I wasn’t arrogant enough to believe people—like humans I could see—were the only ones walking this Earth. It didn’t make sense. When I played my guitar, I felt the vastness of the universe to my core. There had to be more than just us.
If I could back it up with physical proof, I’d even argue that there were other galaxies with their own forms of life out there. It was doubtful anyone would believe me based on what I felt in my gut—in my very soul—so I kept those types of ruminations to myself.
That still didn’t make my dream make sense, though. Creating a grandfather for Kingston that I’d never heard of. And making him Black.Wow. Overactive brain much? Although, now that I thought about it, it kind of made sense that my mind did that. He had characteristics that leaned toward a biracial combo. They made him a very beautiful man.
“Oliver George Everett Reign. You wake up right now. You’re scaring me.”
Sky’s voice cut into my thoughts.Ugh. Why’d he sound like a cat yowling? What was his problem? And what was with using the dreaded name?So rude!
Forcing my eyelids open, I stared at an orange and brown…blanket? Where was I? This wasn’t the bed I’d been sleeping on since I’d been here. And why was Sky in my room? Rolling toward his shrill voice, I mumbled, “What time is it?”
As I landed on my back, the old Black man from my dream floated above me with a big smile on his face. “There you are. Feeling better?”
Gulping, I whipped my head toward Sky’s voice and found him on his knees by the side of the…couch. Yes, I’d somehow ended up on a couch, but this wasn’t the manor, and Sky’s tortured expression told me I was missing something.
Behind him, Kingston leaned into my cousin’s back, but his gaze was focused above me. “Stop it. At least let us get him up and make sure he’s okay. Then we’ll explain like rational people.”
“There’s nothing rational about spirits, little prince,” an older woman’s voice said from farther away. Kingston’s grandma, maybe. “They’re magical, one might say.”
Ignoring everyone, Sky patted my cheek softly. “Are you back with us?”
“Where’d I go?” I asked groggily. My mouth felt thick and dry as the desert. I swallowed convulsively, trying to get some moisture back.
“Gran, can you get him?—”
An old wrinkled hand holding a glass of water appeared between me and Sky before King finished his question.
Sky glanced up. “Thank you.” Taking the drink, he focused intently on my face. “Can you scoot up a little and take a sip? It’ll help.”
I wanted to. I really did, but… “I’m hallucinating,” I managed to get out.
Sky scowled. “You’re not.”
“I am.” Keeping my gaze firmly locked on Sky’s face, I rose up on one elbow and sipped from the glass he held up to my lips. Once my mouth felt less like sandpaper, I licked my lips, then said, “I dreamed I met King’s grandfather, but you’ve never mentioned him, so he can’t be real. But then he was like…not there, but there again, and then I woke up here, and he was”—I shot a furtive look above me and didn’t see anyone—“floating above me. Talking to me. But obviously he’s not real.”
Rosie squeezed herself in, so I pushed my body back into the couch cushions behind me as she sat down. “You sweet boy. I’m sorry my Lee gave you such a fright. Apparently, Buck and Stevie thought you’d enjoy a show. They said you’ve handled your haunting splendidly.”
“It’s been fun,” I murmured without thinking.
Sky jerked back. “Fun?” Then he scowled at King’s grandmother. “Haunting? They said they were going to tease him a little, not poltergeist him.”
A growl rumbled in King’s chest. “Okay, everyone out. Let Sky have some time with his cousin.” Then he kissed his boyfriend on the temple, stood up, and held his hand out to Rosie.
She smiled gently. “You’ll be just fine. You’re a Reign, after all.” Then she gripped King’s hand and let him escort her out of the room.
I waited until they were gone, then focused on Sky. “What. The. Fuck?”
Chapter 13
Sky
What the fuck indeed?What did Rosie mean about him being a Reign after all? Holy shit. Did she mean what I thought she meant? She had to, right? Like, it wouldn’t make any sense for me to have some magical-type abilities and him not to. So he had dormant magic that needed to be awoken like I did? That was awesome.
