The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1)

by Sarah Lynn Gardner

  Daniel’s brows rose.

  “He’s the police officer I told you about,” I said.

  “Ahh.” Daniel rubbed his chin. “Yeah, I came up with nothing when I asked the alvs around town.”

  “Alvs?” Asher repeated.

  “If you don’t know, don’t ask,” Daniel said. “Though, I would like to talk to your brother.”

  Asher opened his mouth, then clamped it shut.

  “You have until Tara’s mother gets home.” Daniel looked at me, then added gently, “She’s going to want to talk to you, Tara.”

  An uneasy feeling marred my happy one. “Everything all right with Gran?”

  “She’s getting old,” Daniel said, softly.

  I nodded. That meant she was probably going to die soon. How did I feel about losing her? I wasn’t sure. She was the first maternal figure I remembered.

  “Asher, did you drive over?” Daniel asked.

  “No, we walked.”

  “When it’s time for you to go, mind if I drive you?”

  Asher hesitated. “That’s fine.” He sounded pained agreeing to that.

  Grabbing my hand, Asher pulled me toward the kitchen.

  “Are you pairing off?” Daniel shouted after us.

  I backtracked to look at him. “We’re waiting until we’re seniors to define that,” I said.

  Daniel chuckled. “Do us a favor and don’t wait.” His attention moved to the screen.

  Asher again led me toward the kitchen, where he pulled me up against him. Massaging my hand, he said, “Well? You heard him.”

  I smiled, slowly changing the shake of my head to a nod.

  He stooped to kiss me, and I gave in, allowing Asher to push me against the wall. It was slow, tender, and tugging at the end. I rested my forehead against his, taking a deep breath in. “This is supposed to be project time, right?”

  He touched his fingers to his bottom lip.“It’s a good thing one of us is sensible.”

  “Mmhmm.” I grinned and pulled at the strap of my backpack on his shoulder.

  At the table, I sat on his lap, rather than my own chair. He wrapped his arms around my waist, handing his phone over to me with a blank document open on it to type on. We spent the next few minutes hashing out the outline of my one page bio on him, which I stubbornly insisted on, to his amusement.

  His phone rang, brightening with Mom across the screen. At the same time the garage door echoed as it opened.

  “My mom,” he said, looking at the screen.

  “Mine, too.”

  He answered the call. I rose off his lap, then headed out to the garage.

  “Hey, Mom,” Asher said behind me.

  Grinning, Oops bounded from the SUV with a unicorn. “Your cousin, Nadia, gave me this and a whole box of toys.”

  “That was sweet of her.” It had been a couple of years since I’d seen Nadia. She’d been a bossy terror any time I’d played with her.

  “We’re donating most of it,” Mom called, as she got out of the car.

  Nathaniel remained in the SUV, his attention glued to an old handheld video game.

  “I see Aless passed on his things to Nathaniel as well.”

  Mom shook her head. “You know how your aunt is. Won’t take no for an answer.” Mom sighed. “Including moving your grandmother home with her.”

  “What?” Alarm shot through me.

  “And swindling my money in the process.”

  As I protested, Mom held up her hands. “We worked it out for Gran to stay with your aunt. I’ve hired a nurse to help take care of her. Gran doesn’t have much time left. You might think about going to see her this weekend.”

  “Why have you taken such good care of her?” I asked.

  Mom hesitated then shrugged briefly with a smile. “She was kinder to me than my own mother. And I know how much she means to you. So.”

  Gratitude burned inside my heart. “Thank you.”

  Without Mom’s support, Gran would have been in a derelict nursing home the last three years, instead of a well-to-do one.

  Mom smiled. “We can plan to see her this weekend, if you want.”

  “I wish she could come here,” I said.

  “Your aunt may not want to take care of her long term, but she won’t let anyone else have her during her last days.”

  “Sounds like Martina. Could Asher come?” If his mom let’s him.

  “Go where?” Asher came up behind me.

  “To Chicago?” I looked up at him. “To see my grandma, and the home I lived in with her.”

  “Do I get to drive?” he teased.

  “Maybe your father could.”

  He poked my side. “No.”

  Mom smiled. “It would be nice to have you along if your parents are fine with it.”

  “I’ll ask.” Asher put his smartphone in his pocket. “Mom wants me home,” he added to me.

  Daniel showed up putting his arms through his jacket. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Going to take Asher home.”

  Asher gave my cheek a quick peck before following.

  “Are you okay if I go out with your daughter?” he asked Mom.

  Mom nodded, hiding a smile behind a hand.

  Asher got into the passenger seat, pulled on his seatbelt, and sat stiffly.

  Catching his gaze, I mouthed, “You’re fine.”

  He shook his head. My heart went out to him. He really didn’t like being a passenger.

  No one said anything about Nathaniel still being in the SUV. Daniel got in and started the car.

  “Um. Does Daniel know Nathaniel is still in there?” I asked.

  “Mmm. Probably not,” Mom waved. “He’ll figure it out soon enough.”

  Daniel backed out of the drive, leaving Mom, Oops, and me to an hour of girls’ time.

  As Oops ran upstairs to prepare for bed, Mom received a text from Daniel. The two of us sat on the couch in the music room.

  With a frown, she texted him back.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “Asher is bringing Nathaniel home. Your stepfather is going to the bar with your boyfriend’s brother.” She looked puzzled.

  Mom hated it when Daniel went to the bar.

  “Oh, William’s a changeling,” I said. That was why Daniel was taking so long. He must have gotten distracted talking about alv stuff.

  “Really?” Mom visibly relaxed. “Asher’s not, though?”

  I shook my head. “No one else in his family is. But I was wondering. Aunt Isla lives in Portage? Right?”

  Mom nodded.

  “Her husband, what’s his name?”

  “Alexander.” Mom looked troubled.

  “He’s the one who helped William understand he was a changeling.”

  “Asher must have known your cousin, Osmund,” Mom surmised.

  I nodded. “Why did you and Dad fight with them?” I wanted to know more about my cousin, Ozzy.

  Mom hesitated. “When she was a teenager, Isla let a companion fiend inside her because she wanted to be stronger, like your father and Uncle Halvard. The two of them got it to come out, but weren’t able to kill it.” Mom bit her lip. “Years later, after she’d married, she let it return and won’t let anyone take it out of her. She’s the sweetest woman in the world when it’s not in her, but nasty with it in. Your father tried to maintain a relationship with her, but people like that, who are toxic, you finally decide to love at a distance.”

  “Like your mom?”

  She nodded. “I hope you and I don’t or aren’t ever...” Her voice trailed.

  “Of course not,” I said. “Although you could be more involved.”

  Mom pressed her lips together and nodded. “I thought I’d ruined things so much that you didn’t want me to be.”

  “I didn’t.” I gave her an impromptu hug. “But now I do,” I whispered.

  She gripped me hard, and I could feel her tears against my cheek. “I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you too, Tara.”

&nb
sp; The doorbell rang. Asher must have arrived with Nathaniel.

  I glanced at the grandfather clock. It was still only nine. Jumping up, I raced Mom to the door. Unlocking it, I pulled in. Outside, Asher stood with Nathaniel next to him, attention still glued to a handheld video game. Asher held a cardboard box with extra games inside.

  “Allo,” Nathaniel entered the house, then proceeded up the stairs.

  “You couldn’t stay away,” I said to Asher.

  He laughed. “Mom wants me straight home, but give me a second.” He raced up the stairs after Nathaniel.

  Leaning against the open door frame, I glanced across the street and noticed Sam on her porch, arms folded, glaring.

  Chills swept up me. I felt like I was trapped in a spooky movie scene.

  Asher returned and kissed my cheek before reaching an arm around my waist. I gave him my full attention. He seemed too happy to have noticed Sam. I should have closed the door.

  Now, we created a scene and had an audience.

  “Can I pick you up in the morning?” he asked.

  “Only if it’s raining or too cold. If it’s nice enough, meet me on the bike trail by your house,” I said.

  “I like it.”

  I grinned. Am I really ready to move beyond being lit partners?

  Asher closed the door abruptly, pushed me up against it, then let his lips tease me. “It felt like eternity waiting for this,” he whispered.

  I gently prodded his head until we connected. As he gave me the sweetest, good night kiss, I immediately knew the answer was yes.

  Time to face the firing squad.

  24. Drama

  In the middle of the night, I woke after dreaming about fishing in the Spalding’s pond with Dad and Jack. It had been a while since I’d dreamed myself in that time and place. It left me with a sharp pain, but not for Dad.

  Trapped in my own grief, I’d never stopped to wonder how it had affected Jack. He had his father, still alive and vibrant. It must have, but had it been enough for him to act out somehow?

  The next morning was cloudy and cold. Asher drove up as I left the house to walk to school. David, Layla, and Delilah had arrived to pick up Sam.

  Not waiting for Asher to get the door for me, I opened it and slipped inside

  I really wanted to kiss him, but Daniel had said no kissing in the car.

  Asher reached for my hand, and I laced my fingers with his. A light feeling filled me. This would do for now.

  For the first time in my life, I had an official boyfriend. For a full ten seconds, I was giddy, but then my worries from the previous night returned.

  The absence of music in his car was such a contrast to the songs Jack always had playing in his. I breathed out, feeling anxious about the question I wanted to ask him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Other than Samantha’s looming revenge?”

  “Oh, I’m sure she’s blown it off by now.”

  “I doubt it. Didn’t you notice the death glares she gave us?”

  “No, I was paying too much attention to the beautiful girl getting into my car.”

  My leg shook in agitation. The possibility of Sam’s revenge had also been on my mind all morning, but stronger than my fears about her, my dream about Dad and Jack had occupied my thoughts. “Actually, Jack’s been on my mind.”

  Asher nodded.

  “I kind of feel like I need to check on him. Do you mind dropping me off in front of the school while you park?”

  Asher smiled. “I usually study with David on Monday mornings, for our weekly science quiz. Why don’t you take your time? I'll meet up with you in math class.”

  I smiled appreciatively. “Are you going to be my partner?”

  “If you let me.” He grinned, then kissed the back of my hand. “This will be good. Learning to balance our lives together.”

  “Yeah.” A warm feeling relieved my anxiety.

  I found Jack sitting in front of our lockers, struggling with math. He looked at me with a frustrated smile. “Are you slipping off to find Asher?”

  “No.” I plopped my backpack on the ground before sitting by him. “I’m here to help you.”

  His smile of relief was warming.

  “Although, we did decide to go out,” I said softly to him.

  “Yeah. I saw that one coming.”

  After watching him work his way through a problem, I was able to figure out his error and help him see it.

  “I can’t believe it was that simple.” He slapped his pencil down between the pages of the book and closed it. “I’ll finish during my aide period.” He sniffed and pulled out a tissue to wipe his nose. “Sorry, I think I might be coming down with something.”

  I leaned away, faking disgust, and he chuckled.

  “How are you doing, Jack? Like, really?”

  “Most mornings, it’s still hard to get out of bed.” Jack looked at me with a strangely calm smile. He pointed upward. “He keeps me going.”

  I smiled.

  A tear slipped down his cheek, and he brushed it off.

  I took a deep breath. “I...did have a question of my own.”

  “Hmm?”

  “You mentioned yesterday that it was hard for you after my dad died. I was wondering, I guess, I’m asking six years too late, how that was for you.”

  His eyes widened, then he looked away quickly as tears pooled in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. He wiped them away quickly. “It was weird. One minute he was there. Next, he wasn’t. But that wasn’t the hard part.”

  “What was?”

  He shook his head. “It’s okay now.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes.” He looked at me and smiled.

  “Jack, you can tell me.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. “One day you were there. The next you weren’t. It was like you had died, too.”

  Chills raced through me, and an icy feeling clamped my chest. Mom had swept me away and out of his life, when before, we’d been constant playmates.

  I’d been so bitter and grief stricken from everything. Jack and I had talked a couple times over the phone, but for a strange reason, Mom never let us play together again. Maybe it had just been too hard for her to maintain friendships with Dad’s friends.

  Jack continued. “But I...with everyone else grieving, I never felt like I could. My grief was silent.”

  Lydia burst out of the stairwell and came scrambling over to us. “Tara, I can’t thank you enough for prompting me to message Benny.” Almost, she squealed. “If you were standing, I’d hug you.”

  With Jack right there, an uneasy feeling stirred in my gut.

  “I almost didn’t get to sleep last night,” Lydia continued. “We were messaging back and forth until almost one in the morning.”

  “As yourself, I hope.”

  “Of course. I’ll tell you about it later.” She cast a wary look at Jack. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning. Did you get my email about our project?” Jack asked.

  “No, I must have missed it.” She cringed. “Sorry. We can talk in class.” She glanced at me. “Thanks again. I have to run.” She turned and did a skip-walk down the hall. More of our classmates were arriving.

  “What’s this about Benny?” Jack asked.

  “Yesterday, when I went over, Lydia showed me his videos online.”

  Jack nodded slowly.

  “I suggested we message him together, then they started chatting.”

  “Ah, I see.” Jack clenched his jaw, looking stricken. He rested his head against his locker, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath in.

  “You two aren’t dating anymore, right?” I worried about my interference.

  “Right.” Jack swallowed as tears filled his eyes.

  My heart broke for him. It was obvious he was still wrapped up in Lydia.

  I picked up his hand, holding it between both of mine, and slowly let positive source enter him. This time, I wasn’t going to let Jack’s friend
ship fade away. After admitting to Asher about being a changeling, it made me more ready to tell other people close to me. Including Jack.

  “What are you doing?” he asked. “You...you’ve done something like that before.”

  So he had noticed. “I’ll tell you about it another time.”

  “Okay.” After a few seconds, he said, “Thank you.” He looked at me and finally really smiled.

  The morning went by without any retribution from Samantha. By lunchtime, I was beginning to believe she’d do the decent thing and let us be. As I headed toward the cafeteria, I met Jack coming out of the orchestra wing. Looking pale, he coughed into his arm.

  “You don’t look well,” I said.

  “Yeah, I’m headed to the nurse.” He sniffed and turned his head away from me, hack-coughing into his shoulder.

  “That sounds awful. Wow, you came down with something fast.”

  “Sorry, it started getting bad in band, but I had a test in music theory. I probably failed it any—” He groaned. “My head hurts.”

  “You want me to walk you to the nurse?”

  “Nah. Go meet Asher for lunch. You two have cute time together.” He rubbed two fingers in his temple.

  Cute time together? Did he really say that? “Are you sure?” I asked.

  With a wave, he nodded and walked past me, coughing once again into his shoulder. “I’m going home to sleep this off.”

  I hesitated. Crazy how quickly that came on.

  Entering the cafeteria, I slipped into my usual spot. Asher guaranteed me he would sit with me. Not like I was going to give him a choice.

  I didn’t see him in the lunch line. As I looked for him, Delilah, Layla, and several other girls headed my way.

  Here comes the joke squad.

  I steeled myself for their accusations, but instead, they swarmed my table and surrounded me. Delilah sat on my left with Layla to my right. Did Sam send them to do her dirty work?

  None of them acknowledged my existence, immediately falling into chatter about their weekend.

  With dark source making its spindly way through my gut like spiders, I tried to rise, but Delilah and Layla each grabbed a leg and prevented me. “Don’t be so quick to leave, you worthless slut,” Delilah hissed.

  The derogatory comment sent a wave of dark source straight through me. She gave me the most authentic false smile in the world. Something cruel flashed in her eyes.