Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater

Author:Maggie Stiefvater [Stiefvater, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2022-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

At first, Declan had hated Matthew.

After Ronan had dreamt Matthew into being as an infant, Aurora Lynch tried her absolute hardest to convince him to love his new little brother. She appealed first to his curiosity, then to his compassion, and then to his duty. Don’t you want to see how he’ll turn out? Don’t you see how he’s smiling at you and waiting for you to smile back? Don’t you think he deserves a smart older brother like you?

No, Declan didn’t.

Matthew was a mistake: a dream that managed to slip out of Ronan’s head, despite Declan’s best efforts to prevent it.

Matthew was also a usurper, a brother dreamt to be a better companion to Ronan than Declan.

No, Declan was not going to love him.

Even more frustrating was the knowledge that everyone else would.

Matthew, dreamt to be lovable and huggable, was always getting love and hugs from everyone. He was unflappably happy. Even when Declan refused to play with him or smile back at him or hug him, he just pluckily went on his way.

Nothing Aurora could say would persuade Declan to do more than tolerate him. Aurora was already a lie Declan was being asked to play along with. He would not play along with another.

Some years after Matthew had been with them, the Lynch family took a trip up to New York (state, not city). This was a trip they often made, usually to see people the boys had been instructed to call Aunt and Uncle (Declan knew now they were neither). These trips usually coincided with other business Niall had, although in this case, the trip’s purpose was to go to the yearly Fleadh, an Irish music competition and festival. All three of the boys had learned a musical instrument, with varying levels of devotion, and this was a chance for them all to get out of the house and show it off. It was also one of the only places they ever took long trips to as a family; Ronan had gotten sick on so many other trips away from home, forcing their early return. (Declan wondered now if this was the nightwash.)

At the Fleadh, the buildings were full of people and noise. Concertinas skipping along here. Fiddles shuffling there. Pipes barking here. Mandolins simpering there. Dancers with curls piled upon curls minced past; mothers holding extra wigs made of curls upon curls trailed after. Niall and Ronan had plowed right on ahead, Ronan bullying people out of his way with his pipe case, Niall making up for his son’s violent path with cheery smiles and words. Declan and Aurora walked behind, Matthew between them. As the crowds grew thicker, Matthew reached up for Declan’s hand.

It was just like that. There was Aurora on one side, Declan on the other, and Matthew could have chosen either, but he held up his hand for Declan instead. He did not question that Declan would want to keep him secure; he just assumed that he would.

Declan looked down at Matthew.

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