See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(23)
“Why didn’t my mother stop me from going to the dreaming sooner?”
“Everyone tried. We tried to block you from the dreaming, but it was to no avail. You continued to seek it out, to find your friend. We had no idea that you were trying to find me, until I severed the memories. Then you stopped coming.” Aberto’s face clouded with loss. I sat up on the couch trying to take it all in. Sitting so close to him that nothing could separate us, the man that had been such a huge part of my life, the man that had been my sanctuary as a child.
“Aberto, why…” I couldn’t find the words I wanted to speak. I didn’t know how to ask him everything I longed to know. As I struggled to find the words, he reached out to entwine his fingers with my own.
“Izzy, I did what your family asked of me, to protect you. Had I known that I was the reason you kept returning to the dreaming, I would have blocked you much sooner. As for your mother and aunt, how could they know what would become of everyone yet do nothing to stop it? They knew that the darkness that coming was far bigger than any one life. Your life was a precious gift, one they did not want to release, but the gods spoke. Sacrifice is not meant to be an easy thing, and the heavens ask much. They knew, that if you were indeed the one that could stop the darkness, then they must protect you.”
I leaned my head against Aberto’s shoulder, trying to take in everything he’d just told me. Mister tight-lips had been downright chatty and I wasn’t sure how to process everything he’d just said. “So you took the memories of you. My mom and aunt stayed in contact. I have an aunt that is an identical twin to my mom. Oh, and I could walk in the dreaming from pretty much toddlerhood. Is that everything?”
“The important stuff.” Which was Aberto for “I’m not telling you everything.”
“Fine, so that’s been handled. Now we should probably address the whole you getting mad and throwing hissy fits thing. I’m the one that is barely keeping my head above water here. I’m the only one that is allowed to throw crazy emo fits. You’re supposed to be the stoic, grounded one of this duo. No more abandoning me, got it?”
“I shall try to endure your endless questioning without losing my head.”
“I guess that is good enough. I really need to see Eleanor this morning. Do you think she is awake yet? Oh, and I think Kennan and Conall, heck, why not, the whole gang should be here. I feel a plan coming on, and I think I know just the crazy woman to help us.”
“Your plans are not always well thought out, Izzy. Are you sure that you wish to move forward?”
“That’s why I am bringing in the committee. I do learn from my mistakes, you know?” I pulled my hand from his, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I shall go and gather everyone. You stay here and rest.” Aberto looked completely unfazed by my mini-tantrum.
“You know I still have questions.”
“Has there ever, or will there ever, be a time when you don’t?”
“Fair enough, now scoot. Oh, and bring me some coffee back when you come, Abe.”
Aberto cringed at the name as he got up from the couch.
“Your wish, my command.” Aberto raised his brow in my direction as he left the room. Well played, Aberto. Well played.
Chapter Twelve
A small eternity passed as I waited for Aberto to return with the others. The silence crept in, causing my mind to drift to thoughts of Aberto. His motives were still unclear where I was concerned. His reasoning was unfathomable, his desire to protect me unclear. The only thing I was certain of was his sincerity. Deep within my soul, I knew that I could trust him to keep me safe. Every doubt that had wriggled its way through my mind disappeared. Regardless of how confused I was about everything else, at least that was clear.
The door slowly opened, pulling me from my thoughts of Aberto. The people I loved most in the world walked into the office, one after another. They were my posse, my family. It wasn’t two years ago that I’d felt so alone with no one but Kennan to call my own. Now, as I looked out at the people filling the room, an overwhelming feeling of comfort swept through me. I was blessed to have people that I could depend on through the worst possible moments in my life. I was blessed beyond compare. No matter what the heavens had in store for me, at least I’d been given some amazing people to help me through it all.
“Why do you look like you’re about to cry?” Molly asked lowering herself down next to me on the couch.
“I’m just so thankful for all of you.” Tears started to leak from the corners of my eyes.
“Oh, geez. This isn’t going to be one of your sap fests, is it?” Ian groused.
“No, it’s not.” I shook my head trying to pull my attention back to everything else that was going on. “I have a plan.”
“May the gods have mercy on us all," Conall muttered.
“Why doesn’t anyone have faith in me? A girl screws up once and she is never trusted to come up with a good plan again. Fat lot of good y’all are doing.” I crossed my arms, glaring at the people in the room causing them to chuckle. “Fine, you guys figure out this darkness business on your own.”
“Izzy, please tell us what you’ve found," Eleanor said in a slightly scolding tone. She reminded me so much of Isadora. She was so important, and I was beyond thankful that she’d stuck around after the events of the past months. I would’ve been lost without her guidance.