Chapter 14
Chapter fourteen
Raegan
Portia keeps the mood light with endless stories that have me gasping for air from laughing so hard. Even Alice caves, smiling and chuckling as much as she tries to hide it, while finally eating and then finishing her food.
“I have one memory...” Alice chimes in tentatively.
Portia and I both perk up. She chews her lip and tucks a black strand of hair behind her ear.
“It’s nothing funny, but... I remember playing hide and seek with Harvey and some of my brothers and sisters on the island.
I must’ve been only seven or eight. Harvey was home for a bit and got all of us to play it together to practice with our gifts.
” She smiles to herself. “We would have to be invisible, and he would try to find us.
It was to make sure we could be quiet and not bump into things to give ourselves away.
“I went to the cliffs and to a small hole. Even though we weren’t supposed to hide like that, I really wanted to win.
The rocks were slippery because it had rained earlier, and I fell in too deep.
The sound of the ocean echoed in the hole, so no one could hear me cry for help.
But Harvey didn’t stop looking for me.” She sniffs.
“He was covered in dirt and scratches like he’d been checking every bush and tree for me.
When he found me that night, he didn’t yell or get upset with me.
He smiled and helped me out of the hole, then told me I was too good at hiding. ”
A tear slips down her face. “He loved us more than our parents ever will.”
I reach for her hand and squeeze. “The first thing Harvey asked us to do when we found out he was working for Charles was to save his brothers and sisters. And I swear to you we will keep that promise.”
She nods, swiping the fallen tears from her cheeks and clearing her throat. “Just don’t get us killed for it.” Her voice is raspy yet hard, like she’s trying to put strength back into it after being so vulnerable.
“I won’t let that happen again, and I’m so sorry that it did. We all cared about Harvey.”
“I know,” she chokes out. “I could see how much he meant to you guys at the funeral. He would have loved it.” More tears fall, but she doesn’t bother to catch them as she twists her hands in her lap.
“I never knew... I just thought...” She closes her eyes and takes a breath.
“I’m so happy he had this place.” Alice grabs a pillow and buries her face in it.
“So, what’s next?” Her muffled voice asks through the pillow. “Is this girls’ night over?”
Portia cocks her head, her finger to her lips. “Do you want it to be?”
Alice withdraws from the pillow, scrubbing her face dry with her shirt. “No, I don’t think so. But I don’t want to sit around and talk anymore.”
“Want to meet some of the Guild?” I suggest.
“Ooh! I do!” Portia exclaims and claps.
“It’s not too late?”
I bark out a short laugh. “There’s almost always someone up. But no, it’s not too late. I’m sure most of the members are hanging out in the Hall still. I can show you around a bit, and you can consider my offer of joining after you see it and meet some people.”
She doesn’t say anything to that, which I take as a positive sign.
If she still hated the idea of joining or helping us, she would have said something.
Alice doesn’t seem like the kind of person to keep her negative opinions to herself.
It’s when she’s not angry that she seems less sure of herself and more timid.
As if being shown simple kindness is foreign to her, and she doesn’t know what to say or do anymore.
Jackson and Dane are already standing expectantly in the living room. Alice stops short in the doorway when she sees the guys. “Don’t tell me they’re coming too.”
Dane rolls his eyes. “Why? Because we’re men? Don’t tell me you’re young enough to still believe in cooties.”
“What the hell are cooties?”
He shakes his head. “Not knowing is even worse.”
“You’re not making any sense!”
Sighing, I head to the exit while they bicker.
The only reason I don’t put a stop to it is because Dane’s getting her to talk to him, even if it is by poking at her temper.
It takes her attention away from Jack, who looms in the corner of the elevator like a specter of death.
Portia is wiggling beside me in her excitement to see more of the Guild.
As soon as we step out of the elevator, Jackson leaves.
“The hallway to the left is offices and storage rooms. Up ahead is what we call the Guild Hall, which has a bar and access to the kitchen behind it.” I point as we approach the Hall, and the echo of conversation grows louder.
Dane casually slows, shifting himself to walk behind us as I give Portia and Alice the two-second tour of this floor.
We’re officially in the Hall when the ceiling opens three stories above us to wide wooden beams. Tables and members fill the space with rowdy games and conversation.
“Son of a sea biscuit,” Portia breathes with wonder. “Are we in the same building?”
“REGGIE!”
I huff a laugh at Gabriel. He waves both arms over his head to get my attention as if the out-of-place top hat on his head didn’t already grab my focus.
Alice and Portia ignore it, assuming he’s shouting for someone else. “Come on.” I urge them to follow me when I go to him.
Alice looks at me. “Wait, you’re Reggie? Why—”
Dane chuckles behind us. “It’s easier not to ask that question when it comes to Gabe.”
Gabriel hangs over the back of his chair. “Are you here to play with me?” A glance at the table shows one of the card games we play—one that I still don’t have much luck with.
“Sorry, not tonight.”
He pushes himself up in a rush when he sees the two new faces. “Oh! Who are these lovely ladies?” Gabe hops to his feet and bows. “Gabriel, at your service. Are these new Guild members?”
“This is Portia and Alice... my half-sister. She’s one of Harvey’s invisible siblings.”
The discussion at the table stops abruptly.
“What is she doing here?” Reid demands, standing from a table over. Tinsley’s up and by his side in a blink, tugging on his arm as he stalks over.
“Reid,” she whispers loudly.
“What’s it matter to you?” Alice snaps defensively.
“It matters to me that you snuck in here to kill your own brother and then attacked Raegan.”
Damn it, Reid.
Dane mutters something under his breath.
“You know she was forced to do it,” I reason. “I brought her here as my guest.”
“She had a choice. She just chose herself over the brother who died trying to save her and the rest of her siblings.”
“How dare you?!” Alice screams. “You don’t know anything about me or what I’ve been through! You have no idea what it’s like—”
Reid’s voice is hard when he interrupts.
“I know more than you think. I heard you refused to help us even after ‘all you’ve been through’.
That you blamed Raegan for your brother’s choice and for what you did.
” His eyes narrow. “I’ll never trust someone who shoves blame onto everyone else and then uses that as an excuse to attack them. ”
Alice freezes.
“Wow!” Gabriel interjects, cutting through the thick tension. “She looks just like a mini-Reid, doesn’t she? You know… without the sharp jawline, chiseled body, and that perfected state of broodiness.”
“Reid, leave her be,” Tinsley urges softly. “If Raegan says she’s fine to be here, then you can trust her, right?”
His gaze pins Alice for another beat and then snaps to mine.
I drop my chin in a small nod of agreement.
I’m grateful Tinsley’s here since it seems she’s the only one he really listens to when he’s heated about something.
She and Aiden. Sometimes me… unless he gets into big-brother mode, where he thinks he knows best.
Thankfully, he gives me an acknowledging nod. He takes Tinsley’s hand and walks away.
“Asshole,” Alice scathes, her body still trembling and hands clenched.
“I’m sorry about Reid,” I offer softly. “He has trust issues. Especially for anyone tied to Charles.”
“As if I had any choice in being born by him,” Alice argues hotly, then storms off.
I move to follow her, but Portia puts a hand on my arm. “I’ll go after her. We’ll go sit by that garden-looking area, okay?” She smiles and hurries after her. “Alice, wait up!”
Silas is the first to break the silence at the table. “Sooo, she seems like a real peach.”
Evie elbows him. “Don’t be a dick.”
Gabe hums. “I see her more as a lemon.” We all look at him for further explanation. “A bit sour at first but with the right amount of sugar sprinkled on top”—he motions sprinkling something over his other hand in a fist—“voilá! Citrusy sweetness.”
“No one eats lemons with sugar,” Silas counters. “Anyone who does must be a serial killer.”
Gabriel tuts. “So negative. I’ll bet you enjoy a fresh glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.”
“You didn’t say lemonade.”
Dane sighs, rubbing his hands over his face. “Don’t you all have something better to be doing?”
“Like kicking everyone’s asses at this game?” Silas jokes.
“Fabian’s the only one claiming that right now,” Evie muses as she picks up her cards.
Fabian shrugs and chews on his Twizzler.
“Where’s Cassandra?” I ask.
I found Zedd sleeping on the table behind Gabriel, so aside from Cibrina, who is most likely with Aiden, Cassandra is the only one missing.
“Fabian was able to convince her to go to bed early,” Evie explains. “She’s been doing a lot this week, even with Holly from the Pits here to help.”
My brows shoot up in surprise that Fabian can convince anyone to do anything. He’s so chill.
“So, are you joining the game, Reg?” Gabriel asks me, plopping back in his seat.
I look over to where Portia said they’d be and find them talking on one of the couches. “Maybe next time. I should check on Alice.”
“I’ll give you guys some space and keep an eye on you from here. Just let me know when we're heading back,” Dane says, leaning to kiss my cheek.
Smiling, I nod and wave goodbye to the others.
Alice is staring at her clasped hands in her lap when I get there. Portia sits sideways on the couch next to her, an arm up on the back cushion and her legs folded under her.
“I’m not helping you fight or putting myself in danger like Harvey did,” Alice suddenly says without looking at me. “But I can at least tell you what I know about the board members.” She raises her head, her blue eyes catching mine. “And how to find my siblings.”