Aidan has been warned about the dangers of being with a human. His people live on the edges of society, in the shadows and alleys. And one day, if he's willing to submit to the birthright ceremony, he'll lead the next generation to continued wealth...
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Since Trident won't come to me, I'll have to go to him. As soon as I leave my parents' estate, I'm racing through the wilderness to get to Kaden and Emmerson.
It takes me a minute to track them, since Emmerson is out circling the park like a good employee. At this time of year, her job is more of a formality than a reality. High season is long gone, and it'll be a few more months before the weather is suitable for camping again.
Three weeks until the ceremony, and I don't know if whoever has been fucking with Kaden's head is doing it to try to screw me or him or has a much larger plan. Why would someone need to hide? Why would a witch need to hide?
Trident is in hiding because my parents are unpredictable, and my pack has still has a strong enough collective fire that he can't smother us. Yet another threat I never considered when I was denying the ceremony.
Letting the pack get too weak creates problems on multiple fronts, but I didn't want to see if after Clara betrayed me. My rage clouded my judgement, and then my feeling for Emmerson just made that cloud thicker with other emotions. Too dense for me to see all the hard truths circling me and my pack.
I flexed my ability to choose, to steer the course of my own life, and I could have easily driven us all off a cliff. Quite literally.
My birth order never gave me a true choice, but I liked the idea for a while. Being able to walk among the humans, having Emmerson see me for Aidan instead of as the first son.
"Kaden," I call when I get close enough to him in the woods. He doesn't crave the connection with Emmerson like I do. I'd be sitting beside her in the cart, but he lopes around on the edge of the woods, close enough to intervene but otherwise a silent presence in the dark. I've been that guy in her life too, and I've found I much prefer taking a seat. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me you've had a witch in your head?"
"A witch in my head?" His brows draw down, and he looks both annoyed and confused. "What the fuck are you talking about? You confusing me for you? You've got a witch in your head. If I peer closely enough, I can probably still read the giant Fuck You on the scrolling tape."
"I asked Trident to do that, so I am aware."
"Mom and Dad are so pissed about that."
"Whatever. You're missing the point. Dad tells me a witch has been screwing with your memories. Concealing their identity."
"No," he says with an emphatic head shake. "Dad's fucking with you."
I release a breath of frustration, and I stare him down, trying to get into his head. It used to be easy for me, as natural as breathing, but the longer we've gone without the ceremony, the harder I have to work to access the simplest things.
"Get the fuck out," Kaden says, swatting me away.
"Let me see." I shove him back. "Both our asses are on the line if someone's planning to stop the ceremony or come after the clan."
