House of Leights (Secret Keepers, #3)(21)

Chase released me from his magnetic pull by turning away. I sank back against the car for a moment, and Brad, who had just crossed around from the other side, winked and grinned at me. He was silently saying “Told you so.” I bared my teeth at him in return, silently telling him “Shut your face or I will break it.”

I might be small, but I’d never let that get in my way before.

My parents fell in on either side of me as we made our way toward the stairs that led up to the log style cabin. It looked small and cozy. Front porch, with three rustic, wooden railings, and the walls were layered logs.

As we stopped in front of the large inviting door to remove our shoes, my mom squeezed my hand. “How are you handling it all?” she asked, her face serious.

I shrugged. “Too soon to tell. I’m going to schedule some time for a breakdown soon, though.”

My dad chuckled, his loud infectious laughter reminding me of home, of days before worry, of days before aliens. Sure, apparently the aliens had always been there, but I’d been in the dark about it … and the saying “ignorance is bliss” had come from somewhere.

“That’s my girl.” My dad ruffled my hair gently. “I’m so very proud of how you’re handling yourself. I promise that we will figure this out soon. You won’t be a prisoner forever.”

Fingers crossed. I was not ready to be caged, that was for sure.

Once our shoes were removed – a tradition my mother instilled in us – we stepped inside. The wood theme continued in here, the floor dark polished. From the entrance it seemed the long planks of wood ran all the way across the entire room.

My father shut the door behind us and I took in the enchanting scene. My favorite interior design style would never change – modern, minimalistic, with white and cream base, and colorful accessories – but there was something completely captivating about this little cottage in the woods.

It was light and open, high windows spanning across the entire living, dining, and kitchen area. The furniture and accessories were cream-colored, and they’d gone for those squishy, comfy styles. I especially liked the way there were no walls at all to separate rooms, just furniture used to create individual and unique spaces.

The couches surrounded a massive fireplace. The hearth was at least six feet wide, the stone of the flue running right up to the ceiling. Its accent, which was dark gray mixed with light creams, was a beautiful contrast to all the wood on the walls.

“Come in. Please, make yourself at home.”

I startled, turning to find a Daelighter close to us – a woman. I studied her closely. It was easy to tell she wasn’t human. She had the same otherworldly, supermodel look about her. Her skin glowed and eyes shimmered.

“My name is Star,” she said, holding her hand out to me, shaking back her long dark hair. “From House of Darken.”

I recalled Chase’s very fast lesson on their world – Darken was the house with the power to control weather and beasts.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” I returned, gingerly taking her hand. I wasn’t sure what I expected to happen, but thankfully there was nothing out of the ordinary when we touched.

“Emma and Callie will be down soon,” she said, releasing her hold on me. “They’re just freshening up after their training.”

My eyes flicked to my father’s and I wondered if I was supposed to know who these two women were.

“Secret keeper number one and two, in that order,” he informed me. “They arrived at the safe house a few days ago. Oh, and just so you know, we won’t be staying here long. We’ll keep moving between safe zones until Laous is dealt with.”

Because he could apparently track me no matter where I went. I guess they were just hoping it would take him a little time to find me again.

Star nodded, her smile fading away as a look of sadness entered her eyes. “Yes, we need to make sure he’s brought to justice.”

Her voice broke and she cleared her throat. I’d seen that look before. She’d lost someone recently.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I murmured.

She blinked a few times. “How did you know…?”

I shook my head, staring at my socks for a minute. “I guess I just recognized your expression … my friend died last year.” She had committed suicide. Katie had suffered from depression, but at that time, I’d thought she was doing okay. When I got the phone call from her parents, I’d refused to believe it. It took me days to come to terms with what happened.

I still thought about her all the time – the sassy girl with long blond hair and gorgeous blue eyes. Technically, she had everything going for her. But depression did not discriminate; it took whomever it wanted and held on for dear life. She had fought hard, but in the end, the battle was too large for her.

It hurt still.

“It was my brother,” Star whispered, her almost navy eyes shiny. “He was killed fighting the resistance – members of the four houses that joined Laous’ team. We’re ferreting them out now, trying to determine how deep it goes in our houses.”

Her brother. A lump formed in my throat because her face held untold levels of devastation. “I’m really sorry,” I said, wishing there was something better I could say. The thought of losing Brad had tears springing to my eyes.

She nodded at me, swallowing hard. “Thank you, it’s … it’s not getting easier. If anything, it’s harder than ever, but we’re moving forward for Marsil. He would have wanted us to keep fighting.”