Chapter 3

Adne was struggling to carry me that much I could tell, but she never once complained. All seemed well when Adne stepped through the portal.

"What's going on?" A voice called, as Adne shifted me slightly in her arms. I knew I recognized the voice, but I couldn't place a finger on as to who the voice belonged to. I was too tired to open my eyes. It just seemed like too much work. "What's wrong with Calla?" the voice asked. I could tell he was beside me now. "She's been shot?" he asked, noticing the blood and arrow. "What the? Adne, you better tell me where the hell you just were! And let me hold her." He demanded.

My body was passed between arms and the new person now cradled me close to his chest. "Calla," He whispered into me ear. "Calla, open your eyes." He ordered.

"I'm sorry, Shay. I wasn't thinking, and I didn't know that he would shoot her." Adne was on the verge of hysterics, I could tell.

"Where the hell were you? I've been worried sick! We didn't know where you two had gone."

"I'm sorry about that, but it wasn't Calla's fault. I…I made her go with me. I had to try and reason with him, had to try to bring him back."

"Adne, I swear that if you don't tell me, I will hurt you."

"Hurt her, and you'll wish you were never born, scion!" A new voice piped in.

"Connor!" Adne sobbed, as she rushed into his arms. "Tell Shay that I didn't mean for Calla to get shot."

"Shot? What are you talking about?" Connor asked, walking towards me.

"I took her back to Vail with me." She sobbed.

Shay let out a shaky breath and I realized that I was falling to the ground. "You took her to Vail?" Shay asked, as he knelt beside me, cradling me in his arms. "That was a very stupid thing to do, especially after the attack that just happened. What were you possibly thinking?" He demanded, rubbing my face with his hand, in such a sweet loving motion.

"I know, it was stupid of me. I'm sorry, but I had to talk to Ren. My father gave me a letter before he died, explaining everything."

"Letter, what letter?" Shay inquired.

"Adne, don't." Connor begged.

"It's okay Connor." Adne laughed weakly. "He needs to know."

"Needs to know what? What the hell is going on?" He shouted, standing up—forgetting about me for the time being; which was really starting to annoy me, seeing as I was the one with the arrow lodged into my side.

"Ren is my brother, Shay." Adne said, boldly.

"Your brother?" Shay asked, choking back a laugh.

"It's not funny, Shay! I'm serious. I went back to tell him and brought Calla with me for reinforcement, so that she could help reason. Things turned badly. Calla and I got in an argument and I stormed off, not realizing that Ren was still so set on killing her. And if I had known that you were going to act this way, I wouldn't have told you any of this!" shouted Adne.

"Awe, Adne. I'm sorry. I just couldn't help myself." Shay apologized.

"You might want to check her for concussions." Adne added.

"What's going on in here?" Another voice sounded—it was female. "Why is Calla lying on the floor, Shay? Is that, blood?" She shouted, rushing towards me.

"Bryn, just hang on a sec." Shay told her.

"She has an arrow lodged into her side and blood oozing onto the floor and you want me to hang on for a sec?" Bryn shrieked, shaking me so that I would open my eyes.

Connor stood over by the door way, with his hands covering his ears, shaking his head. "Loud, much?" He asked. "I think you burst an eardrum." He joked.

Bryn obviously didn't find that funny. She gave Connor her famous stink-eye. You knew when to back off whenever she gave it.

"Oh Connor, now you've done it." Shay told him.

"Done what?" he asked, looking back and forth between Bryn and Shay questioningly.

"You don't know about Bryn's stink-eye, do you?" he asked, hiding a laugh.

"No, what's a stink-eye?" Connor asked.

"You'll find out." Shay laughed.

"Enough!" Bryn growled. "Will you two stop talking about me like I'm not even here?" She exclaimed. "Calla, please don't be dead." She begged, turning her attention back to me—about time too. "She needs packblood, Shay. And we have to get that arrow out, now! She's not looking so good."

"You don't think I don't know that?" Shay snapped. "I was going to get to that in a second, but Adne was telling me what happened."

"Yeah, what did happen?" Bryn asked, turning her attention to Adne. "We've been looking for her everywhere."

Adne closed her eyes. "Ren is what happened. He tried to kill her. Why does everyone want to know where she was?" Her eyes snapped open. "She's not in trouble, is she?" She had a guilty look in her eyes.

"No, she is not, but you my dear are." A woman called, making everyone's head turn to see who it was. "That was a very foolish thing to do, sneaking off like that, especially in the state of things!"

"Lydia!" Adne said, slowly backing away, shrinking into Connor, who squeezed her shoulders comfortingly.

Bryn's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? Ren isn't even here?" She seethed, not even realizing that someone else just walked into the room.

Adne sighed. I knew that she wasn't keen on having to explain everything again. But how else was she going to explain my injuries? "I took her to Vail." She said again.

"Vail?" Lydia asked. "Why didn't you come to me, first?" She scolded.

Adne cowered into Connor. "Because, you would have said no. I had to do this. I had to try and bring him back." She sobbed as Connor spoke comforting words, trying to sooth her.

"But why dear?" Lydia asked, bringing her tone down so it wasn't as menacing.

"Because, Ren is my brother." She whispered, pulling out a crumpled letter from her pocket. "Here is the letter that explains it all." She said, handing it with shaky hands to Lydia, who eagerly took it.

"Adne, don't." Connor cut in. "That's private. That letter is between you and your father. He wouldn't want you showing it to the whole world."

She let out a gentle laugh. "It's okay, Connor, I promise." She said, patting him playfully on the cheek. "Go ahead, Lydia. Read it out loud so everyone can hear."

"Are you sure, dear?" Lydia asked.

"Yes," Adne nodded, with a sad look in her eyes.

"Alright, then." Lydia replied as she unfolded the letter. "My darling Bryn." She started. "If you are reading this letter, then you will know by now that something has gone terribly wrong. I'm sorry for that. I did not wish for you to grow up without a father or a mother. However, you are not alone, dear one. There is yet another family member. I'm sure by now that you have heard of the name Renier Laroche? He is a guardian, in case you didn't already know that. Before I met your mother, I had an illegitimate child with another woman. I know I know, shocking right? Please don't think bad of me, or Renier, it wasn't his fault. So, I'm pretty sure that you have guessed, by reading this that Renier Laroche is your brother. It is your responsibility now to convince Renier that he needs to come back here with you. Please do not fail me; I am counting on you to do this, sweet Adne. Oh, one more thing. Please don't be too hard on Connor now that I am no longer here. He is only trying to protect you, but I think that boy is in love with you. I think you should give him a chance. He's really a nice guy, once you get to know him. I hope that I have explained myself clearly and that you know what you are to do. I love you my darling, angel. Promise me that you will never forget me and I will be watching over you, up in heaven. Love always, Dad. Aka, Monroe, as you prefer to call me."

Lydia looked up from the letter and to Adne, whose cheeks were now painted red out of embarrassment. "So you see," Adne whispered. "That is why I have to bring him back." She cried. "I can't let my father down."