Read Online Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jodi McIsaac
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are the best hope you have.”
Cedar looked between the pillar of a man in front of her and her small gray mother at the door. Maeve’s face was ugly with anger as she glared at Rohan. Cedar nodded.
Maeve let the door swing shut and looked at Cedar. “May I talk to you alone, please?”
Rohan cleared his throat and said, “Maeve…” She ignored him and took Cedar by the arm, steering her into her bedroom.
“Mum, what’s going on?” Cedar said as soon as they were alone, though the lack of doors in the apartment meant that every word they spoke could be easily overheard. “Why don’t you want them to help? Eden is missing! We need to do everything we can to find her! And I still think we should call the police.”
“Believe me, there is nothing I want more than to find Eden right now,” Maeve said. “But why didn’t you tell me about Eden’s ability? Why did you go to them first? If I had known, I could have kept all of this from happening in the first place.”
Cedar felt a wave of anger—and guilt. “I thought about telling you. But you hate Finn so much.
Still.
And I thought this might have something to do with him.”
Maeve pursed her lips. “Yes. I did tell you to stay away from him, and for good reason. They are nothing but
poison.
You need to stay away from them.”
“Are you insane?” Cedar lashed out. “This isn’t about you, or Finn’s family and whatever quarrel you have with them. We have to find Eden!” She pulled out her phone. “You’re all crazy. I’m calling the police.”
“Think about it for half a second,” Maeve said. “What are you going to tell them? That your child disappeared through a magic portal? They’ll think
you’re
the one who’s crazy, or thatyou’re trying to cover something up. And if you weren’t their primary suspect, Jane would be. No. As much as it pains me to say it, Riona was right. This was probably just an accident, and Eden will come back at any time. But
we
need to be the ones who are here when she does, not these people who are strangers to her. Think how frightened she must be, and how she would feel if she’s found by someone like Rohan.”
Cedar narrowed her eyes and asked, “How do you even know what she can do? I haven’t told you anything.”
“I had an unexpected visitor today,” Maeve said. “Your new friend Riona called me the minute you left their house, and showed up not long after. She told me you came looking for Finn, asking about their medical history. She insisted on meeting Eden, but I refused. I knew what it meant.” She shook her head. “I’ve always worried that Eden would be like her father. You should have told me when she manifested. Instead, you went to
them.
”
“Mum, you act like you know them so well and yet you haven’t said anything about them other than ‘stay away.’ Why didn’t you tell me you knew Finn’s parents? You knew I thought they were dead. Who are these people? How are they different from us? Why can Eden open these doors? Give me some answers here!”
Maeve’s jaw stiffened. “Answers will come soon enough. But you need to send them away, tell them this isn’t their concern. You and I will find Eden ourselves.”
Cedar let out a roar of frustration. “That’s not good enough!” She pushed past her mother and back out into the living room.
Rohan and Riona were standing close together, talking quickly in hushed voices.
Cedar looked at them fiercely. “Well?” she said. “You said you could help. How?” Maeve followed her into the room and stood glowering in the corner.
“We’ll know more when Jane gets back and we can question her more thoroughly,” Riona answered.
“Except Jane says she doesn’t remember anything,” Cedar pointed out.
“Well, it may have been the shock. She may remember more during the flight,” Riona said. “Why don’t you tell us more about what Eden can do? It may help us anticipate what she’ll do next and how she’ll come back.
Cedar looked between the pillar of a man in front of her and her small gray mother at the door. Maeve’s face was ugly with anger as she glared at Rohan. Cedar nodded.
Maeve let the door swing shut and looked at Cedar. “May I talk to you alone, please?”
Rohan cleared his throat and said, “Maeve…” She ignored him and took Cedar by the arm, steering her into her bedroom.
“Mum, what’s going on?” Cedar said as soon as they were alone, though the lack of doors in the apartment meant that every word they spoke could be easily overheard. “Why don’t you want them to help? Eden is missing! We need to do everything we can to find her! And I still think we should call the police.”
“Believe me, there is nothing I want more than to find Eden right now,” Maeve said. “But why didn’t you tell me about Eden’s ability? Why did you go to them first? If I had known, I could have kept all of this from happening in the first place.”
Cedar felt a wave of anger—and guilt. “I thought about telling you. But you hate Finn so much.
Still.
And I thought this might have something to do with him.”
Maeve pursed her lips. “Yes. I did tell you to stay away from him, and for good reason. They are nothing but
poison.
You need to stay away from them.”
“Are you insane?” Cedar lashed out. “This isn’t about you, or Finn’s family and whatever quarrel you have with them. We have to find Eden!” She pulled out her phone. “You’re all crazy. I’m calling the police.”
“Think about it for half a second,” Maeve said. “What are you going to tell them? That your child disappeared through a magic portal? They’ll think
you’re
the one who’s crazy, or thatyou’re trying to cover something up. And if you weren’t their primary suspect, Jane would be. No. As much as it pains me to say it, Riona was right. This was probably just an accident, and Eden will come back at any time. But
we
need to be the ones who are here when she does, not these people who are strangers to her. Think how frightened she must be, and how she would feel if she’s found by someone like Rohan.”
Cedar narrowed her eyes and asked, “How do you even know what she can do? I haven’t told you anything.”
“I had an unexpected visitor today,” Maeve said. “Your new friend Riona called me the minute you left their house, and showed up not long after. She told me you came looking for Finn, asking about their medical history. She insisted on meeting Eden, but I refused. I knew what it meant.” She shook her head. “I’ve always worried that Eden would be like her father. You should have told me when she manifested. Instead, you went to
them.
”
“Mum, you act like you know them so well and yet you haven’t said anything about them other than ‘stay away.’ Why didn’t you tell me you knew Finn’s parents? You knew I thought they were dead. Who are these people? How are they different from us? Why can Eden open these doors? Give me some answers here!”
Maeve’s jaw stiffened. “Answers will come soon enough. But you need to send them away, tell them this isn’t their concern. You and I will find Eden ourselves.”
Cedar let out a roar of frustration. “That’s not good enough!” She pushed past her mother and back out into the living room.
Rohan and Riona were standing close together, talking quickly in hushed voices.
Cedar looked at them fiercely. “Well?” she said. “You said you could help. How?” Maeve followed her into the room and stood glowering in the corner.
“We’ll know more when Jane gets back and we can question her more thoroughly,” Riona answered.
“Except Jane says she doesn’t remember anything,” Cedar pointed out.
“Well, it may have been the shock. She may remember more during the flight,” Riona said. “Why don’t you tell us more about what Eden can do? It may help us anticipate what she’ll do next and how she’ll come back.
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