Read Online Tempest’s Legacy by Nicole Peeler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nicole Peeler
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paint” and let it go at that.
Everything ended up being a ton of shit, and my old duffel was bulging. I couldn’t think of anything to unpack, so I just forced shut the zippers and prayed it would hold. Now I had to deal with my dad. I had fifteen minutes to explain to him that I was leaving and that I wasn’t sure where I was going or when I would be back. I also had to articulate to him how much I loved him and how much he meant to me, just in case I died while I was gone. All without making it seem like I was scared that I might, indeed, die. Fuck.
I took a deep breath and walked downstairs, clutching my backpack. My dad was in his old recliner, watching the Food Network. I laid my pack by the door and went in to talk to him.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, honey?”
I paused, stricken. What the hell was I going to tell him? I imagined myself blurting out the truth: that Mom was dead and that I was going to help find who killed her. Because I was magical, and stuff.
That’d go down well.
“Jane, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“Daddy…” I breathed, my voice in my throat.
Just then the doorbell rang. Watching me with concern, my dad stood to answer it. I was rooted to the spot, incapable of figuring out how to get out of that door without breaking my father’s heart.
“Mr. True,” Ryu’s smooth voice echoed from the doorway.
Shitpissbugger
, I swore. Why was he early? He was never early.
“Ryu. Well, that’s a surprise. How are you?”
The men shook hands and I felt my own palms begin to sweat.
“I’m fine, sir. Just here to pick up Jane.”
I groaned inwardly as my dad’s face crinkled in confusion.
“Pick up Jane? Where are you two going?”
I shot Ryu a dirty look as I went to talk to my dad.
“Dad, I have to go somewhere. With Ryu and some other friends. I’ll be gone… a few weeks,” I hazarded. My dad looked as suspicious as I sounded. “It’s last-minute, I know, but something has come up. It’s important and I… I have to go, Dad. I’m sorry. I love you. Remember Nurse Ratched?” During the Boston debacle, Nell the gnome had guarded my dad for me. Anyan had roped her in, again, for while I was away. She’d make sure my dad was safe from Jarl.
My father blinked at me. “The short one?”
“Yup, that one. She’ll be staying here again. And there’s tons of food in the freezer, plus I’ll call the guys and make sure they come by for poker. You’ll be fine and I’ll be home soon…”
“Honey, where are you going? Are you in trouble?”
If my father had been pissed, I would have been okay. If he’d been angry, I would have muscled through my emotions and just gone for bluster as a way to cover my emotion. But he just sounded worried, and that hurt.
“Dad, I’m fine. Really. I just have something I need to do. But I will come back, I swear. I’ll come back and we’ll talk.”
“Honey, what’s going on? I don’t understand. I’ve never seen you like this…”
To my horror, I felt hot tears run down my cheeks. I was furious with myself for reacting this way, but I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t strong enough to keep it together around my dad, not after everything that had happened. I wanted to cry with him about my mom, not lie to him and leave him like this.
“I’m fine, Dad, really. I’ll be in touch, and I have my phone. I have to go now, but I’ll see you soon, I swear.”
I hugged him to me fiercely.
“I love you, Dad,” I whispered in his ear before I released him. Then I went and picked up my bag. I had to get out of there before I broke entirely.
“I’ll call you when we get to where we’re going. Or tomorrow morning.”
Ryu took my stuff and headed out to his rented SUV. I waved to my dad and ran to the car, then I changed my mind and ran back to give him one more hug and a kiss on the cheek before rushing back to the passenger’s seat.
“Drive,” I said before I’d even buckled myself in.
Ryu did as I asked, and I watched my
Everything ended up being a ton of shit, and my old duffel was bulging. I couldn’t think of anything to unpack, so I just forced shut the zippers and prayed it would hold. Now I had to deal with my dad. I had fifteen minutes to explain to him that I was leaving and that I wasn’t sure where I was going or when I would be back. I also had to articulate to him how much I loved him and how much he meant to me, just in case I died while I was gone. All without making it seem like I was scared that I might, indeed, die. Fuck.
I took a deep breath and walked downstairs, clutching my backpack. My dad was in his old recliner, watching the Food Network. I laid my pack by the door and went in to talk to him.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, honey?”
I paused, stricken. What the hell was I going to tell him? I imagined myself blurting out the truth: that Mom was dead and that I was going to help find who killed her. Because I was magical, and stuff.
That’d go down well.
“Jane, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“Daddy…” I breathed, my voice in my throat.
Just then the doorbell rang. Watching me with concern, my dad stood to answer it. I was rooted to the spot, incapable of figuring out how to get out of that door without breaking my father’s heart.
“Mr. True,” Ryu’s smooth voice echoed from the doorway.
Shitpissbugger
, I swore. Why was he early? He was never early.
“Ryu. Well, that’s a surprise. How are you?”
The men shook hands and I felt my own palms begin to sweat.
“I’m fine, sir. Just here to pick up Jane.”
I groaned inwardly as my dad’s face crinkled in confusion.
“Pick up Jane? Where are you two going?”
I shot Ryu a dirty look as I went to talk to my dad.
“Dad, I have to go somewhere. With Ryu and some other friends. I’ll be gone… a few weeks,” I hazarded. My dad looked as suspicious as I sounded. “It’s last-minute, I know, but something has come up. It’s important and I… I have to go, Dad. I’m sorry. I love you. Remember Nurse Ratched?” During the Boston debacle, Nell the gnome had guarded my dad for me. Anyan had roped her in, again, for while I was away. She’d make sure my dad was safe from Jarl.
My father blinked at me. “The short one?”
“Yup, that one. She’ll be staying here again. And there’s tons of food in the freezer, plus I’ll call the guys and make sure they come by for poker. You’ll be fine and I’ll be home soon…”
“Honey, where are you going? Are you in trouble?”
If my father had been pissed, I would have been okay. If he’d been angry, I would have muscled through my emotions and just gone for bluster as a way to cover my emotion. But he just sounded worried, and that hurt.
“Dad, I’m fine. Really. I just have something I need to do. But I will come back, I swear. I’ll come back and we’ll talk.”
“Honey, what’s going on? I don’t understand. I’ve never seen you like this…”
To my horror, I felt hot tears run down my cheeks. I was furious with myself for reacting this way, but I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t strong enough to keep it together around my dad, not after everything that had happened. I wanted to cry with him about my mom, not lie to him and leave him like this.
“I’m fine, Dad, really. I’ll be in touch, and I have my phone. I have to go now, but I’ll see you soon, I swear.”
I hugged him to me fiercely.
“I love you, Dad,” I whispered in his ear before I released him. Then I went and picked up my bag. I had to get out of there before I broke entirely.
“I’ll call you when we get to where we’re going. Or tomorrow morning.”
Ryu took my stuff and headed out to his rented SUV. I waved to my dad and ran to the car, then I changed my mind and ran back to give him one more hug and a kiss on the cheek before rushing back to the passenger’s seat.
“Drive,” I said before I’d even buckled myself in.
Ryu did as I asked, and I watched my
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