A Cold Wind Blows (Forgotten series, #3)

Chapter 20

A few days later

Lander and Graham were walking beside me as I walked them home. Graham was rambling about everything he had learned in school and I tried my best to pay attention to his words. Everything he said to me was important, regardless of what it was. He reached out and grabbed my hand and I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face at the action. His hand was almost tiny in mine and I allowed my hand to tighten on his slightly.

I lived for the school days now. I walked Lander and Graham home and I got to spend time with them, bonding with them. It had been tense and a tiny bit awkward at first before Graham had warmed up. Ever since the first training day I had with Lander he had been more accepting of my presence. There was no better feeling in the world than that of having your futures rely on you in some form.

The house came into view and my heart rate picked up as the door opened. Eli ran out as fast as his little legs could carry him before he latched onto my leg with a toothy grin.

"Puppy!" He looked so happy and I chuckled as I lifted my leg and him, walking him towards the house as he clung to me. He screeched with happiness and I couldn't help the small chuckles that escaped as Graham took advantage and pulled on my arm, lifting himself up using my body as a ladder. I shifted so he wouldn't take a tumble. Lander ruffled Eli's hair before he entered the house before me. Lace leaned in close to him, her hand running through his hair. For a brief moment her face softened around the edges, the emotionless mask retreating for a fraction of a second to show her slight affection for the boy.

Her gaze returned to me and her eyes narrowed slightly, the action barely perceivable. She didn't particularly like me. I knew she didn't but she turned away, ignoring me as I set Graham on the floor and disentangled Eli from my leg and picked him up with a smile that matched his own toothy grin. Lace's entire form was tense, as it was every single time I came over. An hour and a half every school day. That is what she had given me, what I had agreed too.

I sat on the couch, staring into the dark. I knew Lace had told me I wasn't to shift but I had too. My mind was whirling with the grief I felt for Luka and Shey. They had chosen to keep Amelia with them. They had chosen to bond with her, knowing she would die and I knew, deep down, that I would have done the same thing. Your children were everything despite what would happen to them in the end.

The snow was a heavy fall. The thickness of it created a hush in the air that was almost peaceful. The house was still and I could hear the boys sleeping. An hour ago Graham had woke up crying and he was soon followed by Eli. Lace had moved into their room and retrieved Eli and Caden as he woke up with a start. She managed to soothe Graham enough where he could fall back asleep before she carried a nearly sleeping Eli and lead a tired looking Caden to her room. Her door had shut and I heard nothing more.

"I told you not to shift." Her voice was harsh and I nearly jumped, she walked so silently for a shifter. Usually there was a faint sound of skin brushing floor but she hadn't even given me that.

"How did you know? How did you know Amelia was touched by Mene?" It was one question that had rolled over and over in my head for the past three days. I had needed to know how she had known. She had told us and none of us had thought for a moment about the implications of what she had said. It made it that much worse because she had warned us all about it.

"I could feel it. It was a sharper power." Her voice was bland and emotionless as she said it and it didn't answer my question but she didn't seem inclined to share. Or perhaps she truly didn't know how she did it and she was only aware that she felt it. "One doesn't mistake the goddess's touch for anything else."