Chapter 52 An Agreement
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"I'm sleeping," I mumbled into my pillow.
"It's me," Ember called out.
It was the fastest I sprung up, my legs tangled with the blankets, and I tripped. "Be there in a sec!" Cursing under my breath, I untangled my legs and neglected the blankets on the floor.
I straightened my wrinkled shirt and roughly combed my hair with my fingers before I unlocked the caravan door to find Ember smiling timidly up at me.
"Hey, sorry I woke you," she said. "I wanted to talk to you before we're back at school tomorrow. It's not the kind of conversation we can have out in the open, you know?"
I moved back to give her space to step inside. "Sure." The truth was, I've been secretly dying to talk to them about this whole merfolk thing.
I had so many questions.
She glanced over her shoulder before climbing in. "Kayn told me you reacted well, considering the circumstances."
I closed the door, locking it in case Mom decided to drop in. Again. Even though the hospital cleared me to be in a perfect, healthy state, she was still paranoid there was something wrong with me.
"I'm not sure about well, but I'm okay," I said, and added as a joke, "I was too tired to freak out."
Ember smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Good. Could use some more sleep, though." I rubbed my arms. "I do feel like I'm high on something. Exhaustion trip of the year."
"That's probably because of Kayn. He's been sleeping like a dead lump of skin since yesterday," she expressed. "He used a great deal of magic. It's exhausting to the body."
"So, this is normal to get bound to whoever heals you?" I questioned. "I mean, if a mermaid, well, in his case, a merman, heals you."
Ember shifted, avoiding my gaze. "Well…"
"What?" I asked. "That's what Kayn said. Did he leave something out that I should know?"
"I don't think I should be the one telling you this."
"Tell me what?" I prompted. I had the feeling she was about to drop a mother of a bomb on me. "Ember?"
"Uh, yeah, it's normal," she forced a smile.
"I can tell you're lying."
She sighed. "Please don't put me on the spot. This is Kayn's business. I can't do this. It's pretty personal, even if I want to share it with you."
"Is he planning to tell me this big deal of personal business that involves me?"
"Whether or not he wants to, it'll come out. He's not made of steel. He'll give in."
"Oookay?"
"Yeah, it sounds crazy, I know," she breathed. "Look, I'm sorry I had to hide this from you. You need to understand that we're in danger. If anyone finds out—"
"No one will find out because I will not tell anyone. I promise." I meant it. "You're my best friend, and well, I may not like Kayn so much, but he saved my life. Twice. There's no way I'd ever betray any of you like that."
"We trust you, Carly." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "I have a hunch you won't split on us."
"And I won't."
Ember smiled. "I'm so glad Kayn followed you guys out. If he didn't, I don't even want to think about what would have happened. It was also a good thing my grandpa waited at the coast if Kayn needed some backup. My brother would not have pulled all of it off if it wasn't for the old man."
My eyes bulged. "Hector helped? I know he was there with my mom, but not this."
"Yeah, he understands what my brother is going through with—" Ember cleared her throat. "He's not that bad. Only moody as heck."
My eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I'm surprised."
"So," she breathed. "Now, you know."
"Now I know," I nodded. "Wish it was everything. I feel like there's still a lot you guys are keeping from me."
She sighed. "I'm not keeping anything from you. I'll tell you anything you want to know, but not the things that involve my brother. He has to talk to you about that himself."
And how I wondered what that was about.
