Enemy of Talionis by C.J. Milacci

Author:C.J. Milacci [Milacci, C.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C.J. Milacci

Chapter

Twenty-Six

We are up and ready before dawn the next morning. I stand outside the DeForts’ home and stare up at the structure that has become a haven for me. Even with the uncertainty we’ve faced in Eryndale, the DeForts have been a compassionate, loving family.

Although I’ve known them for less than a week, I feel like part of their family.

Jordyn and Moses are with us, and Mrs. DeFort bustles out and passes sacks of food to each of us. She takes time to fuss over every person she stands in front of.

“Now don’t forget to eat and stay well hydrated.” She licks her thumb and wipes at a smudge on Matthias’s cheek.

His eyes widen, but otherwise he doesn’t move, and a small smile etches itself on his face.

She comes in front of me. “Do you have everything you need, then? All the supplies, everything?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I say.

“Oh, now come. No formalities. We’re family now.” She pats my cheek like I’m a little kid, which leaves me wanting to grin, just like Matthias did.

Malachi strolls forward. “All right, everyone ready to head out?”

We nod and give a course of agreements.

Mrs. DeFort, without any further ado, pulls me into a hug.

At first, I don’t know how to respond. Then my arms circle around her, and I let her hold me for a moment.

It feels like hugging my mom.

Soft and warm and caring.

Mrs. DeFort and my mother are very different from one another, yet they possess the same maternal care that I didn’t know I longed for until I didn’t have it.

She moves on and gives a hug to each of my friends. Shane is the stiffest, but she holds on until he relaxes into the embrace and hugs her back. Somehow, I think being with the DeFort family has been a balm to his soul and given him something he never had before. A home.

“Wait. Before we go,” Retro says, “I have a little gift for all of you. It’s totally rad, and I don’t want everyone else to be jelly.”

I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to his strange way of talking.

He hoists a small bag into the air. “You’re all the lucky winners of . . .” He digs his hand into the bag and pulls out a yo-yo. “Your very own yo-yo!”

He passes yo-yos out to each of my friends, skipping his sister because she “already has one, but doesn’t appreciate how great it is.”

I’m the last person he comes to, and he half-bows as he presents it to me.

I stare at it, not really wanting something so ridiculous adding weight to my pack. “Um, shouldn’t we get going?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He waves his hand as though batting my words away. “We will. But first, here you go.” He pushes his hand with the yo-yo closer to me.

“Just take it,” Jordyn says. “He won’t give up until you do.”

Retro wiggles his eyebrows. “Because I’m tenacious.”

“No,” Malachi says. “It’s because you’re annoying.”

Moses puts a hand over his heart. “Ouch. Mom, can you believe he said that? To your favorite child?”

Mrs.

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