Page 75 of Silent Secrets

“First, you know I love you both so much, don’t you? That I would do anything for you?”

Haven rolls her eyes, glancing at Caleb. “Duh.”

I snort, knowing that I’ll miss my sister’s sass even if it drives me crazy most of the time. “I’ve protected you both from the truth as long as I could, but I can’t any longer. Mother and Father aren’t who you think they are.”

“Do you mean how Mother doesn’t care about us? Doesn’t love us, or care what we do so long as we’re not bothering her?” Caleb laughs. “I promise, we’ve known that for a long time.”

“Or maybe he’s talking about what a wicked man Father is.” Haven blinks up at me and I can’t believe that I thought I was keeping this from them. I should have known better—especially since I haven’t been living on Lito with them. I sigh, running my hand through my hair as I glance between them.

“Yes, I guess that both of those things are true. But Father asked something of me that I didn’t do, so he said that he was going to punish the two of you because I failed. I don’t want that to happen. You should never have to pay for something that I wasn’t able to do, so you’re going to need to go away. It’s the only way that I can be sure that you’re safe.”

“Go away? To where?” Caleb reaches over me to take Haven’s hand in his.

“I don’t know exactly where you’ll be going—I can’t know. In order for you to be safe, none of us can know where you’re going.” I glance up and catch Caiden’s eye. He heads over with his aunt and cousins in tow. “I need to introduce you to some people.”

Haven and Caleb turn to watch the group approach, but they say nothing as Caiden’s aunt kneels before them. “You must be Haven and Caleb. I’m Caiden’s aunt. You can call me Olivia.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Olivia,” Haven says primly, pulling a smile from Olivia.

“Let me introduce you to my kids. This is Landry and Blythe, they’re seventeen and eighteen.” She points to the older boy and girl and I can’t believe how close they are in age. It’s so unheard of in Fae children. Fae tend to space their children out by decades, not months or years. She points to the two youngest. “And this is Neveah and Reed, who are eleven and ten.”

Haven and Caleb remain silent as they turn to me, a question in their eyes. “The two of you are going to go with Olivia and her children to another realm. They’re going to take care of you and keep you safe.”

“I don’t want to leave you, Hunter.” There are tears in Caleb’s eyes as he shakes his head.

“I don’t want you to leave either, but it’s the only way that I can keep you safe. One day, I’ll make sure that it’s safe for you to come back.”

Haven stands up, moving over to stand beside Olivia, though her eyes never leave me. They’re hazy and unfocused, almost unseeing. “You don’t need to worry about us, Hunter. We’ll be safe while you fix what Father has broken. One day we’ll return, but not for a long time and things will be different. We will be different and Sorlphi will be different. Life won’t be easy for any of us, but we will prevail and the Fae Realms will prosper.”

All I can do is blink at my baby sister, watching the glaze in her eyes as she speaks. The goddess is speaking through my sister, of that I have no doubt, but it sends shivers running through me. The realization that my sister is a prophetess is terrifying, and I’m glad that she’s leaving here. To serve the goddess is a blessing, but if my father had known? There’s no way that I could have protected her. He would have used her and her ability, abused her until she told him what he needed to do to be sure that he gets the outcome he desires—even though that isn’t how the sight works. He wouldn’t care.

Haven’s eyes clear slowly as she turns to Caleb. “Come, brother. We have a new adventure to go on.”

Caleb hesitates for a moment before moving over to take Haven’s hand in his. I drop before them onto my knees, pulling them into my arms as I fight my tears. I don’t want to say goodbye to them, but I know we must. Hoping that they understand how much I love them and how much I will miss them, I hold them close.

“I love you both more than you will ever know. Listen to Olivia and try to stay out of trouble.”

Haven and Caleb cling to me, and I can feel my shoulders wet with their tears. I don’t know how long we stay like this as I try to comfort them, but then Olivia’s hand is on my shoulder. Glancing up at her, I see the understanding and empathy in her eyes. I also see the promise that she will care for my siblings as if they were her own.

“We need to go.”

“Of course.” I squeeze the twins once more before letting my arms fall back to my side. They wipe at their faces, trying to clear away the tears that still fall. “I love you.”

“We love you, too, Hunter. Don’t worry about us. This is how it’s meant to be.” With those last words from my sister, she pulls Caleb behind her as she heads for the door. I collapse back against the couch as I watch Grace lead Olivia, her children, and my siblings out the door.

Pain and fear rush through me. This is to protect them, but I won’t be able to protect them once they leave Sorlphi. I won’t know where they are or what they’re going through when they arrive in the new realm—and I hate it.

Caiden slides to the ground beside me before the other two follow suit. The four of us sit there in silence as they comfort me with their presence. I just need some time to grieve the loss of my siblings before I can pull back up my walls. Knowing that something must happen doesn’t make it any easier. I just need a bit of time, and then I’ll be fine. I can do this.

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