Reality | Book Four

Chapter VI

"Your what?" I turn to Rowl quickly. He chews on his lip before standing up, wincing slightly.

"I'll explain in due time," he responds before reaching out and petting the huge cow. It groans in delight before Rowl opens the stall door and waits for me to pass through before closing it.

Rowl leads me out of the barn before walking across a long road. We cross it and come to stand in front of a cute farmhouse, only illuminated by the moon. He grabs my hand and quickly pulls me over to the side of the house where a bush hugs the wall. Ivy climbs up the house beside the window and I bite my lip as Rowl gently lifts the window up and climbs in. I don't know if this is breaking the law or something because he said it was his home. As confusing as it sounds. He turns around, extends his hand, and I grab it. He tugs me inside and then closes the window. I'm surprised when a dog barks from somewhere, but when it wanders in, it instead gets excited and starts to lick Rowl's face. Rowl smiles slightly before pushing the dog off of him and looking around.

"That's Jo-Lee. My sisters--kinda." I don't get to ask him anything because in seconds a voice comes from on top of the stairs. Both of our gazes snap up to see a cute teenage girl hanging over the railing. She looks around fifteen.

"Rowl?" She hisses down.

"Hey Mar," he says as he starts to walk up the stairs. I hesitate before walking up the rickety steps behind him, watching the dog wag beside us as he walks up the stairs as well.

"What's going on?" The teenager looks from Rowl to me, her gaze curious.

"I'll explain it in the morning," Rowl sighs. She must see the exhaustion on his face because she nods and turns to me.

"I'm Mary Rhodes," she grins, sticking her hand out. I grab it and force my lips up in a smile. I want nothing more than to sleep so my mind can stop wondering. Azrael came, but he dropped us off without an explanation as to why.

"Cassiopeia Edwards," I nod my head at her. Her eyes widen dramatically.

"The Cassiopeia Edwards?!" She shrieks. She turns to Rowl with a grin growing on her face, but he quickly slaps his hand over her mouth and sends me an innocent smile. My eyebrows raise.

"Let's get you to bed. Don't you have school tomorrow?"

"It's the weekend," she narrows her eyes.

"Same difference."

Her face scrunches up but she cannot speak because the door to her room is being closed by Rowl as he sighs. He places his forehead against the wood before turning to me.

"My rooms over here. Well, the guest room." He grabs my elbow gently and pulls me along with him. We enter a room where he flips on the light and sighs as he stretches out across the bed. "I hope you don't mind sharing a bed because I am not sleeping on the floor," he groans. "And I know you want answers, just know I'll give them tomorrow." I nod but decide to keep the topic lighthearted.

"How chivalrous," I tease before falling down next to him. It seems like seconds pass before my eyes fall shut and sleep washes over me.

___

I wake up to the scent of pancakes and the sound of a woman's voice. My eyes open slowly and I rub them quickly. I look up ahead of me at a bland ceiling before looking around. I'm in a blue room with cow paintings everywhere and some horses. I chew my lip before sliding off of the bed, surprised to see some yoga pants and a light blue v-neck slung across the chest at the bottom of the bed. I grab them, thankful to get out of my disheveled wear. Some blood is smeared across my pants and shirt. As I pull my shirt up, I spy a rather horrible looking bruise and wince. It's yellow and the veins are angry around it. I look away and catch sight of myself in the mirror.