Page 102 of The Otherworld

“Don’t presume to tell me how to raise my daughter—”

“She’s not a child anymore! She’s an adult, and she deserves to be a part of the world, even if it’s too awful and scary for you to handle.”

A flash of rage sparks in Papa’s eyes.

I jump in, lifting a hand to silence them both. “Papa, I think what Jack is trying to say—”

“I know exactly what Jack is trying to say. And my final answer is no.”

“But, Papa—”

“No!” he roars, turning to face me fully. “Now, I told you the subject is not open for debate. You belong here. And you never thought any different until his brother came along and filled your head with all this nonsense!”

“That’s not true. I’ve always wanted to go to the Otherworld, and you’ve always made me feel like I couldn’t handle it, like I wasn’t strong enough. All Adam did was tell me that I am strong—something you never bothered to do!”

“Don’t you go there—”

“She’s right,” Jack interrupts, narrowing his eyes indignantly at Papa. “You’re the one who’s filling her head with bullshit, telling her she can’t handle the world. Maybe you can’t handle the world, sir—but that doesn’t mean your daughter should be a prisoner here.”

“She is not a prisoner.”

“She is!” Jack yells, his eyes wild. “And you’re her prison guard.”

It’s the last straw. Papa’s expression hardens with an anger like I’ve never seen before. His voice is no louder than a whisper when he speaks.

“Get out.”

When Jack doesn’t move, Papa’s knuckles whiten around the back of the chair he’s gripping—fury blazing in his eyes.

“I said get out, boy.”

“Fine.” Jack gives a stiff nod. “I will. But I’m taking Orca with me.”

“You leave my daughter alone!” Papa bellows, startling me back a step. “Get off my property and don’t come back, you hear me?”

“Papa—”

“Orca isn’t a child! It’s her choice whether she decides to stay here with you…” Jack’s gaze slides to me, a thread of hope still holding on. “Or come with me.”

My heart pounds in my throat as I look at Papa. I feel like my soul is splitting in two all over again.

“So why don’t you ask her what she wants?” Jack challenges. “For once in your life.”

Papa’s jaw twitches in irritation, but his gaze remains fixed on mine, something weak and desperate behind the storm clouds of anger raging in his eyes. “Orca,” he says softly, “tell him that this is what you want. That you don’t want to go with him.”

I am speechless. I am frozen. I am standing on the precipice of everything I’ve ever longed for. Some part of me doubted this moment would ever come—I certainly never expected it to come like this.

But now, here I stand, facing an impossible choice.

The Otherworld and Adam… or my father.

Perhaps two weeks ago, I would have chosen my father.

But that was before I fell in love and learned what it is to have my heart broken. Now, part of me is lost in the Otherworld with Adam—and I will never be the same again. I will never be complete without his love.

I can’t go back to the way things were before.

The hurricane cannot return to the butterfly’s wings.

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