Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 62569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“We honor the fallen by striking those who caused it in the first place. You will always be one of them—a De Lange.”
“True. I will always be a De Lange.”
He hung up the phone.
I didn’t.
Instead I kept talking. “But I didn’t fall, you jack ass—I just fucking rose.”
31
RAVEN
The one where you pick sides and realize you belong with the enemy more than you ever belonged with the allies.
It had been a week.
A week of staying with my dad, wanting to murder anyone who looked at me or asked how I was holding up, as if I was standing in front of a wall making sure it didn’t fall.
My sister was the worst.
“I wasn’t there for you.”
“I’m so sorry. I suck, here let me bake you bread.”
“I’ll watch the baby!”
“All men suck.”
I genuinely think she thought she was helping when she really wasn’t. I missed Ace. He’d freaking killed that woman in cold blood and within a day we had a hand written note announcing he was the new boss of La Nebbia.
Just like that, anther De Lange had chosen sides.
Dad actually smiled when he read the note like the news made him happy. Ivan did the same thing. Clearly, they had all lost their minds. When I asked them anything about Ace they refused to answer me.
A knock sounded at my door. Bella waltzed in, radiant in her white sun dress. “Hey, I’m going to take Lily with me for a picnic under the tree—it’s like five feet from the house, but it’s good to be outside.”
She was already reaching for her before I could answer.
“Oh,” She made a face. “Maybe put on some lip gloss and…pants.”
I wasn’t wearing pants?
I looked down.
I was in nothing but Ace’s long T-shirt. “Right.”
“Go out front, I heard you had a package.” She shrugged like it was normal for me to get packages at my dad’s house, which it wasn’t. In fact, most packages weren’t even delivered to the house on account of they could go boom and kill us all.
Intrigued, I put on a pair of jeans and added a fresh new T-shirt. I slammed a black hat on and power walked down the hall. Where were all the men? Weird.
I made it to the front door and frowned. Why was it already open?
I took a step outside and stared.
Ace stood on the front porch.
He was wearing a fitted black suit that looked too good on him. Messy hair still present, he shoved his hands into his pocket. “You like words, right?”
I smiled through my tears. “I’ve been told I talk too much.”
“I believe it.” He took another step toward me. “And poems, do you like those?”
“Yes.”
“I have one for you, some might call it a famous poem, I call it a riddle, would you like to hear it? Since your life is mine?”
Hot tears burned the backs of my eyes. “Since our lives are yours—I’ll listen.”
“I’ll only ask one question after and then I’ll leave.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say don’t. Instead I just stood there. “Alright.”
He reached for me and grabbed both hands in his.
“The Road Not Taken.”
My tears spilled over onto my cheeks. “By Robert Frost.”
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
“I choose you and Lily, but the road…” I shook my head. “It’s not one I’ve traveled or would wish for you.” He pulled me close until his forehead touched mine. “It’s your choice.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Are you on this road with me?”
“I’m the one trying to read the map,” he rasped. “I’m just not very good with words or direction.”
“Ah, so the enemy needs me?”
He tucked my hair behind my ears. “More than you will ever know.”
I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his mouth and said. “We accept.”
“Thought you would say that.” My dad’s voice came from behind me. I turned around. His blue eyes landed on Ace behind me then back on me. “This isn’t the path I would have chosen.”
I walked up to him, all my life he’d been the protector, the savior, everything to me and I’d always wondered what parts of him I got since it felt like they all went to Tempest. I almost laughed when it suddenly dawned on me. I got bits and pieces of his darkness, his determination, and his need to forge his own path, something new, something he was told not to do.