Part 46 (1/2)

The memories rushed back-every forgotten laugh and smile, disapproval, tears, and fears. My chest hurt and I realized I had stopped breathing. I gulped in air, tears filling my eyes. Familiar arms wrapped around me from behind and I leaned against the familiar broad, hard chest.

”You remembered,” Bran said.

I nodded, laughing through my tears. ”Everything.”

”I knew you would.” He pressed a kiss against my temple. Take care of him. Your other people are getting antsy.

I knelt by my grandfather's side, took his hand in my left hand, and grasped the Kris Dagger with my right. His energy was so low that I had to replenish mine as I fed him.

”You mean her memories were gone all this time?” Izzy asked, but I didn't listen to the response Bran gave her.

Closing my eyes, I linked our energies, tears still racing down my face. I could feel him grow stronger, as though I was infusing him with the will to live. His fingers twitched and my eyes flew open. After another ten minutes, he squeezed my hand, and then his eyelids fluttered and finally opened.

I smiled. ”Hey, Grampa.”

”Sweetheart,” he whispered. He sat up, reached up, and wiped my cheeks. ”Are you crying over this old geezer?”

”No, I have soap in my eyes.”

He laughed. ”Come here.”

I put my arms around him and pressed my cheek on the top of his head. His hair had grown longer and he was a little frailer, or maybe I just wanted to believe he'd missed me and not eaten well. I leaned back and studied his face. Tears s.h.i.+mmered in his eyes.

”Come on.” I helped him up, kissed his cheek, and hugged him properly. ”I missed you, Grampa.”

”And now you're squeezing the life out of me.” He leaned back and grinned. ”Look at you. You've gone and grown up on me.”

”I still need my grandfather to tell me everything will be okay.”

”I think our roles are reversed now. I”-he glanced at the others-”we are going to depend on you, and not just to tell us everything will be okay.” He cupped my cheek. ”You'll make sure everything is okay.”

I laughed. ”Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I glanced over at the Hermonites. ”I have to go now. I'll visit. We have a lot to talk about and make it all right.” I glanced at the others.

We hugged again, and then he pressed a kiss to my temple. I love you, kiddo.

Love you too, Grampa. It wasn't hard to walk away this time. This was one journey I was making willingly.

When I reached my father and the Hermonites, I waved to the Guardians and knelt by my father's side. Bran sat on a chair behind me, his warmth comforting.

I took my father's hand. He looked so peaceful. I brushed the hair from his forehead and smiled. His energy was reddish with dark spots. I knew what that meant now. He'd done terrible things in the past. Over a century of bad things. But he was making amends. Maybe his energy would be purified. Maybe not. It didn't matter. He was my father and I loved him.

I linked my energy with his and slowly revived him.

He opened his eyes, saw me, and smiled. I grinned back. ”You gave me quite a scare, Daddy.”

”I didn't mean to.” I helped him up. He pressed a kiss to my temple. Not the side Grampa had kissed, or that would have been weird. Then we hugged. ”Somehow, I knew you'd find me,” he whispered.

”Not without help.”

Keeping an arm around my shoulders, he turned and thanked the sisters, Locke, and Lottius before studying Bran. I couldn't tell whether he was pleased or disappointed by his presence. Then he surprised me by shaking Bran's hand. ”Thank you.”

”We couldn't have done it without her, sire,” Bran said.

Finally, Father turned his attention to the Guardians, who hadn't left. though they kept their distance. He gave a stiff bow and Grampa responded. I didn't know what that bow meant, but it filled me with optimism. I waved to the Guardians and watched them teleport. Father's eyes were narrowed on me when I glanced at him.

”Your memories...”

”...are back,” I finished.

A flicker of something flashed in his eyes. Wariness or fear, I couldn't tell. To rea.s.sure him, I reached up and kissed his cheek. ”We'll talk later, Dad. Right now, we need to go home. I promised our people we'd be back tonight.”

A spasm crossed his face, but then he pressed another kiss on my forehead. ”Yes, daughter. Let's go home.” His eyes went to Bran. ”I take it he's coming, too.”

I hid a smile. ”I don't know. Are you?”

Bran shot me a look that said try and stop me. ”If it's okay with you, sire.”

”Somehow, I have a feeling the decision is not up to me,” Father said. ”Come on, children. Let's go home.”

Bran reached for my hand and the two of us led the way back to the island.

EPILOGUE.

”How bad was the attack on the Guardian enclave?” I asked.

Bran stopped rubbing my feet. We were in the family room on the couch, my back to the armchair and my feet over his lap. Hanging out with him without worrying about being caught was great. Word had spread fast as soon as we arrived and people had come out to see Father. His rousing speech still made me smile. He was now talking to the guards.

”They destroyed the enclave, but we managed to get everyone to safety.”

I frowned. ”Cardinal Seth said the staff was killed.”

Bran made a face. ”There were a few people hurt, but no one died. They're already searching for a new site. No one in the valley will remember them.”

Cardinal Seth. Sometimes, I thought he hated me because he needed someone to hate. ”So, I'll never see Kylie again?” Kylie was my human best friend. It was strange remembering everything so suddenly.

”You can, but she won't recognize you. Your grandfather erased her memories.”

”Do you still hunt with both junior and senior Cardinals?”

”Oh, yeah. Every time I've been away from here, I was out with either the junior or the senior Cardinals. I was pretty careful, which makes me wonder how the dark lords learned about the enclave. I'm sure they're the ones who attacked it.”

”Maybe they talked to the Neutrals or... Oh, no.”