Read Online Mixed Feelings (Empathy in the PPNW Book 1) by Olivia R. Burton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Olivia R. Burton
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any tarot cards I recognized but they were quite pretty. Merrin started
mumbling again before reaching out to take my wrist; when I didn’t get shocked
again, I let her close her fingers around me.
“ You don ’t have to worry; Izzy likes you,” she murmured. Her
eyes were unfocused, her gaze sitting somewhere in the middle distance between
her and my chin. I had no idea what she was talking about. I nodded, made a
vague sound of interest , and switched my grip to hold
her fingers. The action made her blink, her eyes clearing as she straightened
her body minutely. “Gwen, hi. How are you?”
“ I ’ m
good. ” Letting
go of her hand, I watched as she held it hovering, as if I was still supporting
it. “What about you? Can we get out of this closet? This isn’t the most
comfortable position.” I stood and took her hand again, but she remained still
a second before standing.
“ Oh. Okay. ” She stood up carefully, hopping out of the closet in
a way that guaranteed she didn't disturb her cards. She
shut the door silently and then tip-toed away like she’d left a baby sleeping.
Chloe and I followed her into the living area, where she sat on the edge of the
coffee table.
“Merrin? Can we ask you some
questions?”
She nodded once, her eyes fixed on some point
mid-ceiling, and said, “ A bout the fairies.”
“ Fairies? ” I asked, worried we were having two entirely
different conversations. Merrin remained robotic in her detachment.
“Spider fingers, tusks like
an elephant.” Merrin moved her hands to her face to mime a mixture of the two,
pressing her knuckles to her lips as she wiggled her fingers.
I exchanged a glance with
Chloe, who nodded encouragingly. “Yeah, I guess.” The existence of fairies had
never really been something I’d considered, but I had a werewolf hitting on me
several times a week, so I couldn’t really argue with the idea. Though under
any other circumstances, I probably would have been happy to pick a fight. Who
thinks of something like my monster employers when the word “fairy ” is uttered? I was willing to bet no one. “ Two … fairies… came to my office
last night and asked for help. Do you know anything about that?”
“They don’t want your help,
they want her help. She refuses.” Merrin ’s gaze slid from the ceiling to the door of her tiny
pantry and her brows furrowed. “The future has drifted. Dark times. You will
make the wrong choices.”
I had no idea what she was
talking about, but the latter half of the premonition came as no surprise. My
choice was usually to eat copious amounts of junk food and watch reality TV; of
course I was going to make the wrong one.
“Whose help do they want?” I
asked, stepping into her view. This put her gaze at roughly my belly button,
but I figured it was better than nothing. “ Who do t hey think I am?”
“Another child will soon go
missing. You can stop it. But you cannot stop her descent.”
“Whose descent? The child’ s? ”
“The child is a boy. You must
reach his home.” Her eyes rolled upward slowly, like balloons being filled with
helium. “ Tonigh t. Eight o’ clock. ”
“Where does he live? What’s
his name?” Was she serious? Did I have the power to keep this kid safe? You
could never quite tell with Merrin. Instead of answering me, she snapped her
gaze to my face, her body going slightly stiff.
“ Gwen, h ello. ” Blinking, she turned to Chloe.
“I didn’t know you two were here. How are you?” Her expression went soft as she
reached a hand toward Chloe. I could feel distress in Chloe, but she hid it
perfectly, keeping her smile warm as she moved to take
Merrin’ s hand.
“How are you feeling?”
“ I ’m well. Evadne keeps me.” Still holding Chloe ’s hand, she turned to peer into the bedroom where the
other woman lounged. Was she a fairy, too? I could tell by the pattern of her
emotions that she certainly wasn’t a werewolf, but past that I wasn’t sure. I
was
any tarot cards I recognized but they were quite pretty. Merrin started
mumbling again before reaching out to take my wrist; when I didn’t get shocked
again, I let her close her fingers around me.
“ You don ’t have to worry; Izzy likes you,” she murmured. Her
eyes were unfocused, her gaze sitting somewhere in the middle distance between
her and my chin. I had no idea what she was talking about. I nodded, made a
vague sound of interest , and switched my grip to hold
her fingers. The action made her blink, her eyes clearing as she straightened
her body minutely. “Gwen, hi. How are you?”
“ I ’ m
good. ” Letting
go of her hand, I watched as she held it hovering, as if I was still supporting
it. “What about you? Can we get out of this closet? This isn’t the most
comfortable position.” I stood and took her hand again, but she remained still
a second before standing.
“ Oh. Okay. ” She stood up carefully, hopping out of the closet in
a way that guaranteed she didn't disturb her cards. She
shut the door silently and then tip-toed away like she’d left a baby sleeping.
Chloe and I followed her into the living area, where she sat on the edge of the
coffee table.
“Merrin? Can we ask you some
questions?”
She nodded once, her eyes fixed on some point
mid-ceiling, and said, “ A bout the fairies.”
“ Fairies? ” I asked, worried we were having two entirely
different conversations. Merrin remained robotic in her detachment.
“Spider fingers, tusks like
an elephant.” Merrin moved her hands to her face to mime a mixture of the two,
pressing her knuckles to her lips as she wiggled her fingers.
I exchanged a glance with
Chloe, who nodded encouragingly. “Yeah, I guess.” The existence of fairies had
never really been something I’d considered, but I had a werewolf hitting on me
several times a week, so I couldn’t really argue with the idea. Though under
any other circumstances, I probably would have been happy to pick a fight. Who
thinks of something like my monster employers when the word “fairy ” is uttered? I was willing to bet no one. “ Two … fairies… came to my office
last night and asked for help. Do you know anything about that?”
“They don’t want your help,
they want her help. She refuses.” Merrin ’s gaze slid from the ceiling to the door of her tiny
pantry and her brows furrowed. “The future has drifted. Dark times. You will
make the wrong choices.”
I had no idea what she was
talking about, but the latter half of the premonition came as no surprise. My
choice was usually to eat copious amounts of junk food and watch reality TV; of
course I was going to make the wrong one.
“Whose help do they want?” I
asked, stepping into her view. This put her gaze at roughly my belly button,
but I figured it was better than nothing. “ Who do t hey think I am?”
“Another child will soon go
missing. You can stop it. But you cannot stop her descent.”
“Whose descent? The child’ s? ”
“The child is a boy. You must
reach his home.” Her eyes rolled upward slowly, like balloons being filled with
helium. “ Tonigh t. Eight o’ clock. ”
“Where does he live? What’s
his name?” Was she serious? Did I have the power to keep this kid safe? You
could never quite tell with Merrin. Instead of answering me, she snapped her
gaze to my face, her body going slightly stiff.
“ Gwen, h ello. ” Blinking, she turned to Chloe.
“I didn’t know you two were here. How are you?” Her expression went soft as she
reached a hand toward Chloe. I could feel distress in Chloe, but she hid it
perfectly, keeping her smile warm as she moved to take
Merrin’ s hand.
“How are you feeling?”
“ I ’m well. Evadne keeps me.” Still holding Chloe ’s hand, she turned to peer into the bedroom where the
other woman lounged. Was she a fairy, too? I could tell by the pattern of her
emotions that she certainly wasn’t a werewolf, but past that I wasn’t sure. I
was
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