See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(15)
“Have you ever met them?”
“No, but that isn’t the point. I know of their kind. I’ve heard the stories.”
“So, you’re telling me that in all of your years you have never interacted with them at all, yet you can adamantly declare that they are up to no good? I find that hard to believe from someone like you. What happened to the Kennan that thought for himself and gave people the benefit of the doubt?”
“He realized that he was na?ve and foolish. You almost got killed by my brother thanks to my forgiving nature. Pardon me if I am leaning towards the side of caution these days.”
“I have to find them, Kennan. If they can help me, then I need to go. I already know that there are people here I can’t trust. Even if I have no clue who they are. Isadora really could’ve given me a heads up on that one.” I paused looking down into Kennan’s worried eyes. “We have to do whatever we can to make it stop. Even if that means going to find people that y’all seem to think are going against some sort of divine manifest. After talking to Aberto, I am starting to think that none of y’all really know what you are here for. So, I’m not going to pass any sort of judgment until I meet them for myself. Will you help me, or not?”
“Of course I’ll help you. Unfortunately, the Grand-Seer keeps them on the move. She is notoriously untrusting of anyone outside of their Order. The last time I heard, they were in South Dakota near the Badlands. They tend to hide themselves in places that are hard to find. Ian may know more. He was sort of raised inside the Order.”
“I thought you and Ian had known each other for like, ever. What do you mean, he was raised inside the Order?”
“I mean, his mom was a member. They don’t demand that you stay there, they give you a choice of where you feel you most belong. If nothing else will dissuade you from finding them, just remember how weird he turned out.” Kennan rubbed a hand down his face in exasperation.
“I’m going to go find Ian. You coming?” I got up and headed towards the door, not even waiting for a response. I was getting better at the whole Isadora question thing.
“I suppose I don’t have any other choice.” Kennan followed closely behind until we reached Ian and Molly’s room. Well, Molly’s room that Ian had been camping out in since her mom had been brought in. Ian didn’t trust Molly to go unsupervised while her mom was in the same house. I was convinced that Molly would have shanked her mom by now if it weren’t for him. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Izzy. Most of the stories I’ve heard came from Ian.”
“Yeah, yeah. Stop stalling. I finally have something that I can do, and here you are trying to keep me from it.”
“Woah there, scrappy. I’m not trying to keep you from doing what you need to. I’m just trying to be the voice of reason. Remember, I’m supposed to be keeping you sane?”
I glared at him a moment before turning my attention back to the door. Just as I raised my hand to knock, it opened with Molly staring at me.
“Are you going to stand out here yapping all night, or come in?” Molly huffed.
“We’re coming, settle down.” I walked past her into the room, bumping her arm so that she was thrown off balance. I snickered as Ian swept in to steady her.
“I wouldn’t have fallen.” Molly sounded exasperated. I was sure the close quarters with Ian weren’t doing anything to calm her already fragile nerves.
“No harm in being careful," Ian replied steadily. Sadly, Ian had begun dressing in more subdued clothes that matched. He’d forsaken his Hawaiian shirts in favor of button ups, and his kilts in favor or jeans. These were sad times, indeed.
“What can we do for you? I’m sure this isn’t a social visit, with everything else that is going on.” Molly walked across the room and lowered herself to the bed, patting the space next to her for me to come and sit. I felt a pang of guilt as I moved towards her. With everything that had happened over the course of the last year, she’d always been there for me. Yet, when she needed me the most, I had to keep the rest of the world grounded and didn’t have time to be there. It royally sucked. She never once made me feel guilty, she didn’t have to. I did a good enough job of that on my own.
“Actually, it is Ian that may be able to help.” I lowered myself to the bed, eyeing Ian steadily.
“Oh, really? Do tell," Ian crooned.
“I need to find the Order. They have some information that I need to know. A Seer named Sena just found me in the dreaming and told me to come find them. So, find them I will.” Ian’s face was a barely contained mask. Just below the surface, a million emotions passed, all conflicting. “Kennan told me that you might be able to help find them.”
“Kennan should have kept his mouth shut," Ian said, before turning toward the door.
“Ian, wait. I don’t know what happened to you, or why you chose to leave there. I have no idea what reservations you have, but if this can help me put a stop to what’s coming, I have to try.”
“I’m not going back there, Izzy. I can’t go back. Once you make the decision to leave, you are forgotten from the collective. That is their way. So, even if I wanted to help you, I can’t. I made my choice when I was young, and dumb, and there is no taking it back. Not even when I wanted to say goodbye to my mother as she died, not when I questioned my decision to leave, not when my whole world fell apart, and not now. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.” Ian never once turned back to face me as he said it, instead he just quietly left the room with us all gaping at his back.