The woman frowned, broken from her blushing, and fished in her purse for her ticket stub. Seconds later her eyes bulged.
“Oh my gosh!” She fumbled for her things, throwing them into the seat beside her. “I’m so so sorry. But I felt so bad holding up the line and everyone was waiting for me to move…”
“Hey, it’s okay.” I gave a sympathetic smile.
She moved over and I took my place. Callon raised an eyebrow, taking his seat behind me.
“I’m Colt, by the way,” I said, shoving my bag under the seat in front of me.
“Hi, I’m Shelly.” She shook my hand.
Wow, we’ve not even taken off and you’ve got her name, Callon chimed in. Can you get her number before we hit the Atlantic?
Shut up back there, I shot back.
“This is my first time to Dublin,” Shelly said, wringing her hands. “What about you?”
“Just visiting,” I replied, pulling my phone out and switching it on again. Ha, Callon couldn’t see me here. Still, there were no new messages in the last half hour, either. I sighed. Maybe it hadn’t shown up. I scrolled through the texts, biting my lip.
“Is this your first time?”
I caught Callon snort back a laugh behind me.
Depends on which context she’s asking for, Colt.
Quiet! I snapped. He was unusually perky today. Must’ve been his way of dealing with the stress of going home.
Turning my attention back to Shelly, I shook my head.
“No, I’ve been before.”
“Oh!” Shelly flicked her ponytail over her shoulder. “Then you must know your way around.”
Suddenly my phone chimed. With a polite smile to the woman, I scrolled through the messages. Finally! I knew Cheyenne would…
Text ‘LOVE’ to 84500 to find a hot date tonight in your area!
Angrily I deleted the junk text. Great, like I needed something else to send my nerves over the edge. Rather than put the phone away, though, my fingers lingered on the keypad. Maybe I should text her before I leave, to make sure all was well. I began typing a message, but then the stewardess’s voice broke through the cabin.
“Welcome aboard everyone, and I’d like to thank you for choosing…”
Colt, drop it. Callon’s voice thundered in my head. Damn, he had been watching me after all. She’s fine. I didn’t just pick anyone to watch over her while we’re gone. Anyway, you need to give her some space. Gene and Alexis are going to leave her with a lot of questions and you’ll have plenty of time to explain yourself then.
“At this time,” the stewardess continued, “we’d like to ask you to turn off all electronic devices…”
My jaw tightened. Seemed I was too late anyway. I turned the phone off, watching the screen fade to black. Why was this so hard for me? I’d had so many relationships in the past and never once felt like I needed to stay close. How was Cheyenne so different? She was pretty enough, but not drop-dead gorgeous. She wasn’t particularly outgoing, either. Then again, her smile was genuine, and I always felt more at ease with her than anyone else.
Was it because we got along so well? She and I talked about anything and everything, and laughed more than we argued. As a matter of fact, I’d never once heard her raise her voice or show any real anger, to me or anyone else. It was like we could tell what the other was feeling without words. Something I’d never experienced before…
The in-flight movie screen beside me flickered, and I blinked. Shelly sat back in her seat, glancing at me sheepishly.
“Sorry, just seeing what was available.” She gave an embarrassed smile.
I nodded and dropped my phone into the side-pocket on my bag. No use holding onto it now. I’d have to wait till we landed before I’d be able to check for any messages again. If Cheyenne even sent any.
“I get a bit nervous watching planes take off,” Shelly added, still jabbing her in-flight screen. She was trying hard to keep the conversation going. “I hope you don’t mind?”
I shrugged.
“It’s fine. It’ll be dark soon anyway, you probably won’t see much.” I adjusted my seat, trying to make my long legs fit. Even in first class, I wasn’t a fan of night flights, or any flights at all actually. Except when Quinn was the pilot, though he’d not taken us anywhere recently.
Hey, why didn’t you ask Quinn to fly us, Callon?
Callon sighed.
It’s just the two of us, Colt. Besides, he’s on vacation. And this isn’t exactly an emergency.
I sank back in my seat. Ha, I figured he’d say that.
Anyway, aren’t you going to hold Shelly’s hand? She said she was scared of take-offs.
I didn’t answer him. He must’ve been really spooked about returning to the manor; I’d never seen him in such a teasing mood before.
I closed my eyes and hoped the time would pass quickly.
“Bye, Colt!” Shelly waved as she walked out into the arrivals lounge. I managed a reluctant smile, then turned back to Callon who was pushing our luggage cart. I’d spent most of the flight pretending to be asleep, much to her dismay, though we’d gotten stuck together in immigration. She’d been sweet and everything, but I just wasn’t interested. Not this time.
Hey, who’s the hottie with the blonde hair?
I spun around. Daniel was waiting for us, wearing his trademark fedora. Callon stopped beside him, and folded his arms.
Shelly, wasn’t it? Callon’s lips twitched with amusement. Though it seemed you didn’t capitalize on your good fortune.
I snorted.
What’s that supposed to mean? Just because she didn’t give me her number…
Daniel’s eyes widened.
Whoa, seriously? You’re losing your touch, Colt!
I grabbed the cart and pushed it towards the exit.
Oh, knock it off, both of you. She wasn’t my type.
Daniel snorted.
Pfft, since when? Every girl is your type…
Though I grinned in reply, I knew Daniel wasn’t far wrong. Had I met that woman back when I was traveling, I’d have happily flirted with her, maybe even treated her to a dinner or something. But things had become different since I’d met Cheyenne. It was as if no one else would ever meet my expectations anymore. I didn’t want a meaningless fling, or a bit of harmless fun. For the first time in my life I’d forged a strong friendship with a girl, and it had changed everything. Cheyenne had become a part of me, something I could never erase. And that day I’d left her, I’d caught a glimpse of what the future could hold for us. I wanted that vision here in the present.
And once this week was over, I was going to make it happen.
It was a long, quiet drive to the O’Shea estate. Callon had been silent, his eyes closed as he sat in the front. Both Daniel and I hadn’t attempted to make conversation since leaving the airport, unsure of what was going through his head. He had been gone a very long time, but even then I knew how powerful memories could be.
Especially Callon’s.
By the time we entered the gates, a small patch of sunshine had slipped through the clouds. I tensed, waiting for the short-lived jolt of the enchantment to hit me, but oddly it never did.
I can’t feel the enchantment anymore. Has it weakened that much?
Daniel kept quiet, concentrating on driving. I frowned. He’d sounded so desperate over the phone, begging us to come over as soon as we could. I had to wonder what he’d been up to in our absence.
The manor loomed, its aged exterior drab and lifeless. Even with the vines trimmed back, the trees pruned and the marble fountain spotless, the place had no vibrancy. It was an old forgotten building, filled with a chilling emptiness, and not at all the warm, welcoming house I’d grown up in. How Daniel had been able to stay here all these years was a mystery to me.
That would have to change, though, and I knew Cheyenne would help with that. Her loving spirit would lift the dark grief that had plagued our house, and we could start everything afresh. Sure, w
e’d have to protect her and limit her freedoms, but she wouldn’t be lonely. And maybe at last we could leave the past where it belonged and move on.
Callon remained quiet as Daniel parked the car in the front turnabout. Without a second glance he opened the door and stepped out onto the gravel. I followed, joining him next to the massive fountain. The trickle of flowing water was soothing, and I caught a small chip at the bottom of the stone. It brought on a grin. That had happened a while ago, when Callon and I had had a wrestling match to prove who was strongest. Somehow he’d still beaten me, though I’d had the last laugh when I’d pushed him into the water. Dad had been less than pleased…
“I’ve been getting the place completely renovated,” Daniel said, nodding to the front door. “Should still feel like home, though.”
Callon nodded slowly. His silence unnerved me. Back during those horrible years after Dad’s death, he’d been exactly like this. And he was always so unreadable. You could never tell what was going through his mind. That had proven almost fatal that night when Daniel and I had found him in his room, unconscious. I definitely didn’t want to go through any of that again.
As Callon stood there, staring, I clasped his shoulder.
You okay?
Callon didn’t answer right away. Eventually he sighed.
I’ll be alright. Give me a minute.
I nodded and let my arm drop. I could only imagine what was going on inside his head. He’d vowed to never set foot here again, to lock away the guilt and sorrow that had almost drowned him. Now he’d returned, the head of the O’Shea household and leader of the Consilador, and had to face those darkest moments once more. I didn’t envy the amount of responsibility he had to bear. I just hoped it wouldn’t be too much.
Suddenly Callon strode towards the door, his back straight and shoulders squared.
“Let’s do this,” he said.
Daniel and I nodded at each other, then followed in his step.
Callon pushed the black door open, and the comforting scent of wood and citrus brushed past. The place seemed in good condition. I dropped my bag near the staircase and looked around. There were new carpets and furniture, but some of the original paintings and mirrors were still around. The chandelier hadn’t changed, either, although it had electric lights instead of candles.
“You’ve done a good job, Daniel,” I said.
“Well, Ryan did most of it,” Daniel admitted. “I mostly set things up for Cheyenne’s arrival.”
“Oh?” Callon asked, inspecting the fireplace. A new grate had been fitted and the charred bricks replaced.
“Of course!” Daniel pointed towards the sitting room. “I got stuff for her room, and even pulled down the instruments from storage and had the piano tuned. She’ll love that.”
Callon muttered something to himself, but I didn’t quite catch it. He continued to wander around, as if to re-orientate himself. Daniel and I followed, unsure of what to expect. He seemed alright so far. At any rate he’d dropped the teasing routine, which was a relief. It really didn’t suit him.
Daniel walked ahead, leading us to the kitchen.
“The builders are almost done with the remodeling here, too,” he said, gesturing to the black granite worktops and mahogany cabinets.
“Wow, looks sleek,” I said; I remembered when we had the veneer look from the nineteen thirties.
“It was pretty bad,” Daniel said, leaning on a worktop. “We still had the workbench and coal pit. Kinda out of place next to the microwave and fridge. So they’ve installed a new oven, an eight-knob gas cooker, and replaced the cast iron stuff with stainless steel.”
“You’ve lived here in the last twenty years, and you never thought to get this sorted out before?” Callon asked.
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well, I lived on take-outs most of the time,” he said. “Didn’t really think to get the place modernized. Aside from the microwave, of course.”
Callon sighed.
“At least it’s done,” he said. He stepped towards the terrace doors. “Now then, care to tell me how you destroyed the enchantment?”
I blinked. Where had that come from?
Daniel paled.
“I-I didn’t…”
“Daniel, don’t lie.”
“But I didn’t mean to!” Daniel protested. “It was an accident, I just…”
Callon held up his hand, and Daniel fell quiet.
“I don’t really care about your excuses,” he said. His voice was level. “The enchantment can only be broken by one of our family’s blood, and last I checked, you were the only O’Shea here.”
Daniel gulped.
“I’m sorry Callon, I was only trying to take some of the burden off you. You’ve been under so much stress and I know you never wanted to come back, so…”
Callon stepped forward and held Daniel’s shoulders, in an almost fatherly manner.
“Sometimes good intentions lead to the gravest mistakes,” he said. “I’m guessing you found the book?”
Daniel nodded.
“Whoa, what book?” I asked. I felt ashamed. Years and years I’d spent away from here, and now it was coming to haunt me. I knew nothing about our family’s powers. Should anything happen to Callon, it would be me who’d have to lead the Consilador. And I didn’t have the first clue about anything. I’d been so naïve.
“The enchantment isn’t an eternal spell,” Callon explained. “So every generation of our family has had to leave their imprint so it’ll prosper for another generation.” He paused, resting against the stove. “It takes the form of a trigger phrase, which we record on a parchment hidden in the secret library. Dad showed me once. All you need to do is recite the old words and then add a new one at the end. We’ve used that method to protect these grounds since the manor was first built.” His eyes narrowed. “However, now Daniel’s tried to repair it another way, the barrier’s failed completely.”
“What?!” Daniel cried. “It’s not! I could still feel it, it’s just weaker…”
“No Daniel, it’s been destroyed,” Callon said. Daniel kept shaking his head. He looked positively ill. “But don’t worry too much. We can create a new one.”
“A new enchantment?” I repeated. “Is that possible?”
Callon nodded.
“I’ll need to look up the exact details, but it needs all of a current generation of O’Shea’s to offer some of their power. Lucky for us we’re the last ones left.” He swallowed. I knew he must have been thinking about his late sisters. “It won’t be as powerful as the old one, but over time it will regain its former strength. Either way, it’ll be more than enough to shield Cheyenne.”
Daniel hung his head. Callon sighed, and wrapped his arm around him.
“Look, drowning yourself with blame won’t solve anything. I’m simply glad you had the sense to call us,” he said. Daniel nodded, not making eye contact. “This won’t be a quick fix, though. I’ll need to do a lot of reading, and you two shouldn’t wander far. Once I’ve clarified the details, we’ll regroup and go through with it. But don’t expect to be leaving here within the week.”
I nodded, though inside I was raging, half-tempted to punch Daniel in the face. This was the reason he’d called us back, the reason I had to leave Cheyenne! If he’d left it to Callon, it would’ve taken two days to repair the enchantment, and I wouldn’t have to sit around here going mad with my feelings.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I strode out. I needed to cool off. Daniel remained in the kitchen, staring at the floor as Callon headed for the secret library. A pang of guilt gripped me, but I didn’t turn back. Too many other emotions were distracting me.
Soon I found myself upstairs, staring across the landing. Everything was so different, so unfamiliar. I wandered the corridor, recognizing the odd painting and my old room, but it left me so uncomfortable. This wasn’t home, I didn’t want to be here. My home was back over the ocean, with Cheyenne.
I gripp
ed my head. What the hell was wrong with me? Why was I so desperate to be back in Idaho? I’d hardly spent a couple of years there, yet it felt more like home than our own family estate. Maybe the long flight and worrying over Callon had worn me out. I needed to burn off this nervous energy before it consumed me from the inside.
Heading back down the stairs, I called out to Daniel.
Hey Daniel, where’d you put the keys for the gym?
Daniel didn’t answer right away. Then suddenly he appeared next to me, though he didn’t look up.
They’re in the box in the other library off the main entrance.
I walked up to him and touched his shoulder.
We’ll fix the enchantment, don’t worry.
Daniel sighed, jumping away before I could thank him. He probably needed some time to himself.
After a quick trip to my room to change, I stopped by the main library to get the key. I headed straight to the gym, looking forward to some grueling exercise. Thankfully, the Campbell’s had done a good job upgrading the equipment. I skipped over the treadmill and rowing machine, my eyes intent on the punching bag. I had some frustrations to beat out.
I soon lost myself in the rhythm of jabs and hits. The clock ticked quietly, counting the hours I spent punching and kicking the sandbag. It wasn’t long before sweat poured over me, soaking my clothes, but it felt good. It gave me something to focus on, and time to sort out my thoughts.
I was missing Cheyenne; that much was obvious. She’d changed me, reached deeper than anyone had before, and now she wouldn’t budge from my heart. The freedom I’d always craved suddenly didn’t seem so appealing anymore. I should’ve been happy to be home with my brothers, our family reunited after one-hundred and fifty years apart. Yet all I felt was a tight emptiness, and it wasn’t because of Dad’s absence.
Her smiling face came before me, and I snarled, punching the bag that much harder. Why wouldn’t she leave me alone? I could almost hear her laughing, teasing me about thinking too hard. The memory of her scent that day we embraced lingered, and I hit the bag so hard the chain snapped.
The sandbag bounced to the floor, and I bent double over my knees, panting. Whoops, maybe I’d overdone it. Wiping my sweat-soaked brow, I picked up the bag and rested it against the wall. I’d fix it later. My knuckles were raw and bruised, but I knew they’d heal up quick. Suddenly tired, I trudged to the nearest bench and slumped down, catching my breath.
Fated, A Timeless Series Novella (A Timeless Series Companion Novel) Page 14
