***
They drove for more than an hour. Miss Scotford and Mr. Kment talked in hushed tones in the front seats of the Ford Explorer they’d acquired in the building’s parking garage. Morgan sat between Corbin and Wen in the second row of seats. The only time Miss Scotford directed a comment to anyone behind her was when she instructed Corbin and Morgan to call home to tell their parents they would be spending the night out. Morgan thought the vagueness of her assertion would make Dylan nervous, but he seemed okay with the idea when she told him. She wondered if his reaction had anything to do with Ellie, as she kept her hand on Morgan’s knee during the entire phone conversation.
When Mr. K finally stopped the car, Morgan could make out that they had parked in the driveway of a moderately sized single story house situated on at least a few acres of land. Neighboring houses were visible, but far enough away as to keep from prying eyes.
They spilled out of the car and Morgan stretched. Mr. K walked up to the front door as if he owned the place, and Morgan wondered if he did. He unlocked the door and motioned for everyone to follow him.
Once inside the house, Wen immediately disappeared down a hallway. Miss Scotford walked toward the kitchen.
“I’ll get us a little something to eat,” she said. “Corbin, could you help me?”
Corbin immediately glanced at Morgan, as if for permission. Morgan nodded slightly and he followed Miss Scotford into the kitchen.
As soon as they were gone, Mr. K sat down, motioning for Morgan to do the same.
“I’m sure you have a million questions,” Mr. K said, leaning back into the couch cushions. “And, in time, I hope to be able to answer them all. But we’ll start with the basics. You’ve heard of the Veneret, no doubt, and you know you’re the One they’ve been waiting for. They’ve been keeping an eye on you for years, waiting for you to start showing abilities. And I think you already know at least part of Orrick’s plans for the Veneret.
“Am I Veneret? In a way, I guess. But Ellie, Wen, and I don’t believe what they believe. We don’t use our abilities the way the Veneret use them. We’re Watchers—and we’ve been watching you for a long time, too. And, yes, that’s why I’ve been your teacher. It’s why you were put in JY when you didn’t request it. It’s why Ellie started at ABC this year—we knew your abilities were blooming. But we had no idea—no idea—that Orrick would make his move so quickly.”
Morgan nodded, taking in only a portion of the explanation Mr. K was giving her. At the moment, she only had one question on her mind. “Was he telling me the truth?” she asked. “Is Orrick my father?”
Mr. K looked away briefly before speaking. “I’m not sure. I won’t lie and say it hasn’t been rumored, but I honestly don’t know.”
“Does he have my mother?”
Mr. K closed his eyes and wiped his hands over his face, rubbing the stubble along his jaw line. “I don’t know. Wherever she is, she’s been well-hidden since her disappearance. Wen’s been working within the Veneret for years and he’s never found out for sure. If Orrick has her, he might be the only one who knows where she is.”
“And if he doesn’t have her?”
Mr. K shook his head.
Morgan stamped her foot. “What the hell do you actually know then?”
Mr. K made a face at her—the same face he made when a student was not doing what she was supposed to be doing in class. “We know we’re going to keep you safe. Wen is already contacting the network of Watchers so we can keep a better eye on you—and on Corbin. And Lucas and Lia.”
“Why?” Morgan demanded. “Why me? Why us?”
Mr. K just looked at her sadly. “Because a war is coming. And you—and your friends—you’re directly in the middle of it.”
“But why?”
“Don’t you get it, Morgan?” Mr. K reached over and put his hand on Morgan’s. “Because you’re the One.”
They passed the next few hours at the house with Mr. K, Miss Scotford, and eventually Wen explaining the safeguards the Watchers would be immediately putting in to place in order to keep everyone protected. Apparently the Watchers were relatively certain that Orrick would not actively come after Morgan—not at the moment. News had swept through the Veneret that Morgan had been able to withstand Orrick’s Pushing, and the Watchers felt confident that Orrick would not attempt to persuade Morgan again until he was stronger.
Morgan didn’t let herself think of what that would entail.
Night faded to early morning and Miss Scotford led Morgan and Corbin each to a guest room to sleep in. Morgan lay awake until sunrise.
After a quick breakfast of cereal, Wen was tasked with taking Morgan and Corbin home. Corbin sat in the passenger’s seat, talking to Wen as he drove. Morgan sat in the second row of seats and stared off at the horizon.
Slowly, their surroundings began looking familiar. Morgan’s house was the first they stopped at. Morgan murmured a thank you to Wen and exited the vehicle.
When she was about halfway up the driveway, she realized she hadn’t said goodbye to Corbin, so she turned around. But when she turned, she saw Corbin standing just a few feet behind her.
“Wow, Corbin—way to sneak up on someone,” she muttered.
Corbin just smiled, closing the distance between them. When he finally stopped, mere inches from her, his expression turned serious. “I was so worried about you. Even when we were separated, I could still feel how scared you were. And I could feel when he was Pushing you. And I was so afraid… I thought something bad was going to happen to you, and…” He stopped, closing his eyes as if the thought was too much for him. When he opened them again, he continued quietly, “I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to you.”
Morgan didn’t know how to respond to this, but Corbin didn’t seem to expect her to. Instead, he placed his hands on her cheeks and leaned forward. Before Morgan really knew what was going on, Corbin’s lips covered hers in a gentle, tentative kiss. And before her mind had time to react, she found that her body was already doing so. Placing her hands on the back of his neck, she kissed him back, working her lips against his.
When they separated, Morgan gazed searchingly into his eyes. She couldn’t read his expression, and she was too full of what she was feeling to feel his reaction. He leaned down and feathered one more quick kiss on her lips before removing his hands from her face and taking a step back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Morgan just nodded. She watched as he walked back to the SUV, as he got in. She waited for Wen to pull away, and when he didn’t, she realized he was waiting until she was safe. Turning on her heel, she continued up the driveway.
When she walked into the house, she found Dylan at the table, eating breakfast. When Morgan walked in, he greeted her enthusiastically. Morgan forced a smile and hugged her father. She made small talk with him for a few minutes, inventing creative fictions about the previous night.
When Dylan announced it was time for him to head to work, Morgan sighed a sigh of relief. She didn’t know how much more lying she could take.
As soon as he left, Morgan sank into the couch cushions and stared up at the ceiling. The idea that Dylan was not really her father nagged at her thoughts. In less than twenty-four hours, her entire life had been turned upside down. Her mother—who had maybe never even loved the man she’d married—was possibly a prisoner of the Veneret. Orrick Williams might be her biological father. Corbin Starling kissed her. And Morgan kissed Corbin back.
At that very moment, Morgan knew there were Watchers outside her house, keeping tabs on her. Orrick might be draining the power from countless common people in order to make himself stronger for his next encounter with Morgan. Her best friend Ris was probably fantasizing about her next date with the guy Morgan had just kissed. And Dylan Abbey was on his way to work.
Morgan didn’t know what tomorrow would hold, and she found she didn’t want to. For the moment, she was safe. Despite the questions racing in her mind, she almost felt p
eace. And, for now, that would have to be enough.
Continue the adventure.
Seeking
The Naturals: Book Two
Available Now!
Be sure to check out
The Saga of the Spheres
the new space fantasy by Mary E. Twomey.
The Silence of Lir
Secrets
The Sword
Sacrifice
Available now on Amazon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Madeline Freeman lives in the metro-Detroit area with her husband, her cats, her sister, and her sister’s cat. In her spare time, she reads, sews, rides her bike, and watches way too much TV on DVD. She also loves anything to do with astronomy, outer space, plate tectonics, and dinosaurs. This is her first published novel.
Connect with Madeline online:
https://www.madelinefreeman.net
https://twitter.com/writer_maddie
https://facebook.com/madelinefreemanbooks
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