Chapter 19
Kori
I stare out the window as we drive back toward Wavecrest, watching the Irish countryside roll by in a blur of green. Kane is quiet beside me, one hand on the steering wheel, the other tapping an irregular rhythm against his thigh. The air between us feels charged somehow, heavy with unspoken words.
My phone buzzes again—another text from Mark—but I ignore it, shoving the device deep into my pocket. I’ve said all I need to speak to him for now. The next conversation we have will be through lawyers.
“You okay?” Kane asks, glancing over at me.
“Better than I expected,” I admit. “Talking to Mark was... clarifying.”
“How so?”
I consider this for a moment, trying to put my feelings into words.
“He sounded like the man I first dated. Reasonable, apologetic, saying all the right things.” I shake my head.
“But now I can hear what I couldn’t before—how he turns everything around until somehow I’m the one who should feel guilty for not understanding why he did what he did. ”
“Sounds like he’s good at manipulation,” Kane observes.
“The best,” I agree. “But it doesn’t work anymore. That’s what’s different now. I can see the pattern.”
We lapse into silence again as Kane navigates a particularly narrow stretch of road.
I find myself studying his profile—the strong line of his jaw, the way his hair falls across his forehead when he leans forward.
Something is compelling about him, beyond the obvious physical appeal—a vulnerability beneath the bravado that resonates with me.
“What?” he asks, catching me staring.
“Just wondering what you’re thinking,” I deflect. “About this whole treasure hunt situation.”
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Honestly? I’m torn. Part of me wants answers—about my sister, about Tomas, about why he kept all this secret. But another part...”
“Is afraid of what you’ll find?” I finish when he trails off.
“Yeah,” he admits. “What if our sister wants nothing to do with us? What if Tomas is just using us for some scheme? What if this whole thing puts everyone in danger?”
“Those are all valid concerns,” I say carefully. “But wouldn’t not knowing be worse?”
He considers this as we turn onto the coastal road that leads to Wavecrest. “Maybe. I’ve spent my whole life not knowing who I really am. What’s a little longer?”
“But now you have a chance to find out,” I point out. “Not everyone gets that opportunity.”
The cottage comes into view, looking peaceful and isolated against the backdrop of the churning sea. Kane pulls up next to Declan’s car, which has arrived just before us. The others are already getting out, stretching after the drive.
“One hour,” Declan reminds me as I climb out of the car. “Get what you need and let’s move.”
I resist the urge to salute sarcastically and head inside, Kane following close behind. The cottage feels different with him here in the daylight—less of a hiding place and more like just another stop on whatever strange journey we’ve embarked on.
“I’ll just grab my inhaler and a few things,” I tell him, heading for the stairs.
“Take your time,” he calls after me. “Declan can wait.”
In my bedroom, I quickly locate my inhaler and toss it into my purse.
Then I stand there, uncertain. What do I pack for a trip to an abandoned castle that may or may not involve Russians and long-lost siblings?
I settle for practical items—a change of clothes, my toothbrush, a warm sweater, and a flashlight from the bedside table.
I hesitate, then add the metal detector to my pile.
Who knows? It might come in handy again.
As I stuff everything into a small duffel bag I found in the closet, I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror.
I pull my hair from the clip and notice it’s not so frizzy and looks almost intentionally so, and there’s color in my cheeks that wasn’t there when I arrived in Ireland.
I look... different. Not healed, not yet, but perhaps on my way there.
The decision took shape in my mind. I’m going with them to the castle.
Not just for Kane, though his need for an ally in this family maelstrom is clear.
But for myself too. Because staying here alone with my thoughts and Mark’s incessant texts sounds far worse than facing whatever mystery awaits at Dragon Castle.
I zip up the bag and head back downstairs to find Kane pacing in the living room, phone pressed to his ear. His expression is tense, his free hand clenched at his side.
“When?” he demands of whoever is on the other end. “Are you sure?” A pause. “No, don’t do anything. We’re on our way.” He ends the call and looks up, noticing me on the stairs.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, alarm rising at his expression.
“That was Rory,” he says, his voice tight. “He’s been monitoring some channels—don’t ask, I don’t fully understand it either—but apparently there’s been activity near the castle. People are asking questions in the nearby village.”
“Russians?” I guess the word feels surreal as it leaves my lips.
“Maybe. Or someone else who knows about Tomas and what he took.” He runs a hand through his hair again, a gesture I’m beginning to recognize as a sign of his agitation. “We need to move faster than we thought.”
I take a deep breath, testing my lungs. They feel clear and strong. “Then let’s go.”
Kane looks surprised. “You’re coming? I thought you were undecided.”
“I was,” I admit. “But I’ve made up my mind. I’m in.”
A smile breaks across his face, transforming his features. “Really?”
“Really,” I confirm. “Someone needs to keep you out of trouble.”
“That’s a full-time job, Airplane Girl.”
“I’m between careers at the moment,” I say lightly. “I can fit it into my schedule.”
He laughs, the sound warming something in my chest. “Then let’s not keep the family waiting. They get cranky when the schedule’s disrupted.”
I follow him outside where the others are gathered by the cars, looking impatient.
“About time,” Declan mutters. “We need to—”
“I know,” Kane interrupts. “Rory called me. Russians, activity, danger, blah blah blah.”
Declan’s jaw tightens. “This isn’t a joke, Kane.”
“Never said it was,” Kane replies, all traces of humor gone from his voice. “But panicking won’t help either.”
“We need to split up,” Rory suggests. “Take different routes to the castle. Less conspicuous that way.”
Declan nods. “Good idea. Wren and I will go with Kat. Rory, you take Kane and...” He glances at me. “She’s coming?”
“She has a name,” Kane says sharply. “And yes, Kori’s coming with us.”
I can’t read the look that passes between them, but Declan eventually nods. “Fine. But you’re responsible for her safety.”
“I can take care of myself,” I interject, irritated at being discussed as if I’m not present.
“Of course you can,” Wren says soothingly. “But where we’re going... It’s difficult.”
“The border regions have their own rules,” Kat adds cryptically.
“We’ll explain on the way,” Rory promises, heading toward his car. “But we should get moving.”
I toss my bag into the backseat of Rory’s rental and climb in after it. Kane takes the passenger seat, twisting to look at me as Rory starts the engine.
“Last chance to back out, Airplane Girl,” he says, his expression serious despite the lightness in his tone.
I buckle my seatbelt and meet his gaze steadily. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Something shifts in his eyes—relief, maybe, or gratitude. He nods once, then turns to face forward as Rory pulls away from the cottage.
As we drive away from Wavecrest, following a different route than Declan’s car, I can’t help but feel like I’m leaving something behind—not just the physical sanctuary of the cottage, but something more intangible.
The woman who fled here, broken and betrayed, isn’t quite the same one who’s now willingly heading toward an abandoned castle and potential danger.
I’m not sure who this new version of me is yet, but I’m curious to find out. And somehow, sitting in this car with Kane and Rory, I feel more like myself than I have in years.