Logan (Shadow Warriors #7)

CHAPTER ONE

Logan Anders stared up at the giant of a man in front of him. He was truly a fairy tale giant. His hair was a soft golden color with streaks of silver that only served to highlight his blue eyes. His face was expressionless but not in a way that frightened the boy.

Beside the giant was a woman who could very well have been a giant as well. She was beautiful with short, curly brown hair and big brown eyes that seemed to laugh even when her mouth wasn’t laughing. Her hugs were legendary and she told the best stories about the bayou.

“Logan, do you want to stay with Nanny and Papa tonight?” asked his father. He nodded his head ever-so-slightly and the giant lifted him in his arms. It felt to Logan as if he’d been taken flying over the earth as he swung up into the embrace of his grandfather.

“Logan, are you scared of me? Are you scared of Papa?” asked Noah of his grandson.

“M-maybe a little. You’re a giant and the kids at school say giants eat children.”

Noah laughed, a deep laugh that was buried in his chest and seemed to roll out like thunder. His beautiful wife smiled at their sweet grandson, kissing his cheek.

“Logan, giants are not real,” she whispered softly. “We won’t tell the other boys, it will be just between us. Besides, your papa is the best of men. He’s honest and brave, handsome and kind. He saved me.”

“Really?” he asked raising his little eyebrows. He knew that his nanny wouldn’t lie to him. She always told the truth. In fact, her name was Tru. Logan thought that was a very cool name.

“Really, baby. Now, how about we let mama and daddy go enjoy adult time and we’ll go make some cookies?”

“Yes!” he yelled raising a fist in the air.

“But first,” smirked Noah, “we are going fishing.”

“Really, Papa?” he squealed.

“Really. It’s your favorite thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright, then let’s go. And in the future, Logan, should other boys tell you fables just come and talk to us. We’ll always tell you the truth. I am very tall and very big, I know that. So is your father.”

Logan stared at his father, Rush, and he smirked at his only son. He hadn’t really thought about how big his father was. In fact, he didn’t think about any of the other men when they mentioned giants.

Tailor, Alec, Rory, Max, and lots of other men would be giants too. But none of them acted like giants. They just acted like nice men.

His papa picked him up higher, placing him on his shoulders, and carried him toward the docks where they boarded one of the fishing boats. His hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen was already waiting for him. There was a cooler that he just knew had all his favorites inside.

To Logan, there was nothing better than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. His papa liked them too.

“Papa? Will I be a giant, I mean, big like you and daddy?” he asked. Noah chuckled as he gently guided them through the bayou.

“Oh, I’m not sure. Do you eat all of your vegetables?”

“Wellllll, mostly,” he frowned. “I just can’t do aspragrass.” Noah nearly burst out laughing. Instead, he cleared his throat and nodded his head.

“Yes. Aspragrass can be distasteful at times. But I would bet that if you eat all your vegetables, except aspragrass, and finish your meals, drink your milk, you’ll grow to be a fine, big, strong man.”

“Were you like me when you were seven?” he asked inquisitively.

“I think I was,” he nodded with a smile. “I don’t remember when I was seven very well. It was a very long time ago. I know that later on, I was much bigger than the other boys.”

“I want to be bigger than the other boys, too. I want to be strong like you and daddy.”

“Give it time, Logan. You will get there,” he said softly. Then he had a horrible thought. “Logan? Is someone bothering you at school?”

“No,” he said innocently shaking his head. “I just want to be big like you so I can save people and maybe one day I’ll meet a pretty lady like Nanny.”

“I see,” smirked Noah. “Well, I feel certain that you will find a wonderful lady one day but you have plenty of time for that. For now, just worry about being Logan Anders. A sweet little boy with a big heart and a desire to be a giant.”

Their afternoon together was wonderful and one that Logan would remember for years to come. In fact, he and his grandfather would often go fishing together and have their ‘man’ time together. It was the best part of his childhood. That, and learning ‘man’ things with his father.

“Dad? What man things will we learn today?” he asked when he was nine.

“I thought today we’d talk about the difference between doing the right thing, and doing what is right?”

“Aren’t they the same?” he asked wrinkling up his nose.

In spite of his concerns just a few short years ago, Logan had grown a head taller than all the boys in his class. He was the spitting image of his father and grandfather.

“They sound the same, don’t they?” asked Rush. His son nodded at him still with a confused expression.

“Doing the right thing will sometimes be different for everyone. It’s what we call subjective. What is right for one man, may not be right for another. Does that make sense?”

“Kind of,” he said hesitantly. “Is it like Uncle Trak is a runner but Uncle Tailor is more strong?”

“Sort of,” he smiled. “Sometimes, when men are faced with difficult decisions you might have four or five that agree on what should be done. But there could be one, or even two, that think differently. They all think they are doing the right thing.”

“But they’re not?” he asked.

“Maybe not. What is right, is different. It’s like you know that stealing from someone is not right.” Logan nodded his head enthusiastically. “And you know that protecting the younger children, the ones smaller than you, is right.”

“I do! I do, Dad and I do it all the time,” he said.

“I know you do and I’m very proud of you for doing that.

But what if you had children and they were starving?

You steal a loaf of bread from the store.

It’s not right, but it’s doing the right thing for your family.

” The little boy seemed to be contemplating all the options and then nodded slightly.

“There will be times, Logan, when you will be asked, or if you join the military, ordered to do something. They might tell you that it’s the right thing to do. But I want you to listen to your gut.”

“My gut?” he asked with a confused expression. “I don’t think it’s ever talked to me before.”

“I promise,” he chuckled. “It has and you listened. Your gut will feel bad, like you’re sick.

It’s telling you that although someone says that something is the right thing to do, it’s not right.

Listen to your gut or the voice inside your head.

Trust it. Always trust it. I know you have great instincts and that you will always do the right thing. ”

Logan was quiet for a while just enjoying the peace and quiet of the time with his father. He finally nodded.

“I think I know what you mean, Dad. You can count on me. I’ll always do what is right.”

“I have no doubt at all, Logan. Not even a little.”