Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson Page A

ignored you for the last year and a half!  What kind of a friend does that?”
    She reached out and pulled me into a hug.  I couldn’t return it because my arms were crossed, but I let my chin rest on her head.
    “You didn’t ignore me Meghan,” Tully murmured.  “You just didn’t know how to tell me what was wrong, and I knew that.”
    She released me and stepped back.  “I’ll miss you,” she said, sniffling a little, “but I’ll just pretend you’ve gone away for college.  Promise you’ll come back and visit?”
    I took a deep breath and placed my hands on Tully’s shoulders.  “I promise.”
    We both turned back to watch the small waves ripple across the lake once more.
    “So,” Tully said, all traces of sadness gone from her tone. “Cade.  Was he your reason for being such an emotional wreck last year?”
    And just like that, we were teenage girls once again, talking nonsense and giggling with reckless abandon.  Soon I would be facing down the worst Eile had to offer, but at that moment I just wanted to be young and carefree one last time.
     
    -Six-
    Luathara
     
    Cade and I left for Eile the next morning.  I tried to hold it together as I packed what I could carry into the Otherworld with me.  Most of my stuff would be left behind, and Mom had told me it was because I would need somewhere to stay when I came to visit.  Every weekend.  I had smil ed at that.  I would try to come back as often as possible, but I was sure that getting settled in to my new life would take a while.  After all, I had to learn how to use my magic, somehow make peace with my birth mother, and avoid the Morrigan all at the same time.
    I sighed, gave my room one more remorseful glance, and headed upstairs.  Cade was in the living room, standing at attention with my family gathered around.  I gulped.  It felt like I was going to my execution.
    “I guess this is it,” my mom said with a trembling lip.
    No Meghan, you will not cry . . .
    And then Aiden ran up and gave me a fierce hug, followed by the rest of my brothers.  It took me a long time to compose myself enough to speak.
    “It’s just like if I was going off to college,” I assured them as I sniffed.  "As soon as I've got my life in order in Eile , I'll come back for a visit.  I promise."
    “Cade, a word if you don’t mind,” Dad said, opening the door and gesturing for Cade to follow.
    My mouth went dry and my stomach plummeted.  Oh no.
    Cade gave me a calm look and used shil-sciar to speak to me.  It will be alright Meghan.
    I took a deep breath.  I had to believe him.  H e was the son of a goddess and could turn into a faelah-killing superhero on a whim, but I feared for his safety when he was alone with my dad.
    They were gone for twenty minutes, twenty agonizing minutes.  While we waited, I helped Mom and the boys make some cookies, one last family activity before I left.  When Dad and Cade finally returned, we all stopped our laughter and chatter.  Dad’s eyes had a misty quality to them and Cade looked the same way he had before he left.  I bit my lip to keep the tears from coming.
    Before Cade and I started down the horse path, my brothers handed me a picture album my family had put together for me.  The photos depicted scenes from my life.  My mortal life.  I hugged everyone for a long time, crying silently as I hung on to them one last time.  I would miss them, but I would come back to visit.  They were still my family.
    Cade whistled for Fergus, who had been keeping a low profile in the bushes, and I called out to Meridian.  She swooped down from the treetops to settle on my shoulder, nibbling me affectionately to try and cheer me up.
    Sorrow? she sent.
    Yes , I answered, but it will get better.
    I smiled.  Mind-speaking with Meridian seemed less colorful, less complicated than the shil-sciar method with Cade, but her words were comforting nonetheless.
    We reached the dolmarehn fifteen minutes later.  I took a deep