Chapter 210 Chapter 210
Evanna stared at the kettle, wishing it to boil faster. Spotting the basket on the counter, she went over and grabbed a biscuit from last night. She really missed that jerky that Papa Low always had. Since his passing, she’d searched in every book, notebook, and piece of paper trying to figure out how he made it. As far as regrets go, she wished she’d paid more attention to things when he was still alive.
Choking down the dry mouthful, she grabbed the kettle and decided partially boiled water would have to do. Her head was killing her, every muscle was aching and now she had to explain to Jesse what had happened. She had no idea why she felt it was important to tell him everything, but she always followed her instincts when it came to people so she was going to listen again. There was something about him—something she couldn’t even put into words, she’d never felt this way with another, that she did know. Of course, that presented more problems. She and Leah hadn’t vowed it to each other, or anything while they were running for their lives to find their way back home, how could they, but it had always been a feeling that there would always just be them—it was the only safe way…
The door opened, and she turned to see Jesse standing there looking at her with a careful expression.
“I’m okay now.” She blew out a breath and lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Just a bad headache, but it will fade.”
He reached into his back pocket and held something out. “Eat this, it will help with the shakes.”
Going over she took it and looked at it. “A protein bar?” She didn’t know what that was exactly.
Jesse nodded, “most shifters keep them on hand to replenish after shifting.” He looked at it and then to the biscuit in her other hand, “if you don’t eat regularly, it’s harder on you when you shift and harder to control it.”
Lifting both eyebrows at him, she stepped back and went over to the percolator again. “Aunt Tillie used to chase me around saying that too.” She motioned to the pantry, “stores are running a bit low right now unless fresh vegetables work.”
“Anything helps, but protein seems to be the key.”
Adding more water, she put the kettle down and opened the packaging on the protein bar. She took a small bite. She’d never tasted anything like this before. It had a lot more flavor than a dry biscuit too. “Not bad.”
He chortled, “you’ll grow to hate them once you’ve tasted other things.”
“Yeah? Like what?” She motioned to the coffee asking if he wanted some.
He nodded and sat down. “Things like chocolate, potato chips, and my personal favorite licorice.”
Pouring the coffee, she grabbed the sugar container and set it on the table with a spoon. “I’ve had chocolate, a long a time ago.” She studied him for a second, “I’ve never had potato chips though and I have no idea what licorice is.” Putting the cups on the table, she sat down.
Jesse grinned, “I’m going to peg you as a black licorice fan.” He took the cup and added a touch of sugar to it. Stirring it slowly, he watched her, his pale eyes looking right through her. “We need to talk about some things,” he frowned, “do you think you can stay at the front for a while?”
She loved his eyes, they were so intriguing. Blowing out a breath, she looked away and down at her cup, trying to sense where Leah was. “If at the front means is Leah coming back soon, then the answer is no. I don’t even sense her right now.”
“I’m sorry about earlier.” His tone was soft and sincere.
Evanna took a drink to avoid looking at him for a moment. “I knew it was bound to happen with you staying.”
“I was trying to be careful.”
She shrugged and sat back, “I should have stayed closer to monitor what was happening.”
“You can do that.”
“Sometimes.” She picked up the bar and took another bite.
“I thought I was sharing good news…”
Swallowing, she held his look, “about what?”
“The addresses on the back of—the letter in your aunt’s journal, I know what city they’re in.”
Washing the bite down with the bitter liquid helped her pause to assess how she felt about that. Anxious, angry, and spiteful were words to describe it. Carefully locking down her reaction, she looked at the dark liquid in her cup instead of him. “That would set Leah off.”
“But not you?”
“I don’t feel good when I think about there if that’s what you mean.” She looked back at him and was surprised by the compassion in his eyes.
Jesse shook his head and leaned on the table, “I don’t tell you to make you feel bad, what I was trying to tell Leah was if any of your clan are still there, we’ll find them.”
“You think they’re still there?” She ate the last of the bar before she lost her appetite. It had made her feel less shaky to put something in her stomach.
“There’s always a chance they are.”
Evanna blew out a breath and then looked at the table, checking again to see if Leah was close. She didn’t sense her. She could feel Minn inside her, but so far, she was behaving and just lurking to listen.
“If you’re up to it, can I ask some questions?”
She liked how he asked and didn’t bombard her with questions that made her feel sick inside. “Now might be the best time with Leah in the background and Minn behaving.”
“Do you always have to control Minn?”
Aunt Tillie had told her that many would not understand about Minn, Leah, and her connection, but so far Jesse seemed to be grasping things well enough, and better yet was being very respectful about it. “Not as much as I used to.” Pulling a small piece of cord from her pocket, she pulled her hair back and tied it in place. There was something about her hair dragging across her neck that bothered her a lot. She knew why but couldn’t dwell on the reason. He wanted answers, so she was going to try her best to give them to him. “It was just Leah and me for years.”
“How long have you been there?”
Blowing out a breath, she tried to remember the first time. It wasn’t a pleasant memory, but it still might be information he needed. “Leah was five, maybe closer to six.” Evanna closed her eyes for a second and tried not to see the state Leah’s mother was in when she’d first looked upon her.
“If this is too much,” Jesse reached across the table and put his hand on hers, “we don’t have to talk about it now.”
Her first instinct was to pull her hand away, but she didn’t. The feel of him touching her was comforting and she couldn’t remember a time she’d felt that. “It’s not easy, but I want to try to explain.” She glanced at their hands and then he moved his. “I’ve been looking out for Leah since then.” She cupped the mug between her hands so she wouldn’t ask him to hold hers again. “Until when her mother sent us away, then Minn appeared and ran us most of the way back here—I don’t have a lot of details to share.”
“I’ve never heard of someone so young shifting.” His tone was soft like he was afraid to talk in his normal voice.
“Aunt Tillie and Nana Pearl told me that,” she shrugged, “Papa Low said it happened, so we’d get home.”
“That’s possible, but after reading the letter I think it was going to happen whether you were running or not.”
“Lyvia didn’t want it to happen there.” She cleared the lump from her throat, “she, ah, said that the people that took us wanted shifters.” He held her look as she spoke; it took focus to not get lost in his eyes. “Why-why would they want shifters?”
Jesse puffed out his cheeks and blew out a long breath, “I can’t even explain that, exactly, but it’s out of control.”
“How?” She slid closer to the table.
“They’ve taken many shifters from different clans,” he looked angry for a second, “some clans are completely gone.”
Evanna lifted her hand and motioned around the room, “wasn’t much left of this one when I got back.”
“I know. I honestly hope we’ll find some of your clan.”
“You’re going to go to those addresses?” Her heart beat a little harder in her chest for a second. Lifting her hand, she hoped he just stopped to let her regain her composure. Closing her eyes, she breathed it away, forcing her pulse to slow to a normal speed. Opening her eyes, she found him watching her, an anxious look in his eyes. “I’m okay.” She swallowed down the bile in the back of her throat. “It’s just, after forcing Minn back today, I’ll be a little shaky and have to watch to keep my heart steady or she could burst out again.”
His eyes widened. “Just tell me to stop if it gets to be too hard for you.”
She nodded.