The Siege of Kadenburg by T. E. Ridener Page B

told you that meeting Louisa made him feel weird?”
    “Yeah,” She nodded. “I remember that.”
    “It’s because Louisa is special, too. You were both selected by Urseth to serve a great purpose to our kind. She doesn’t understand her gifts yet, but she will.”
    “So you could enter her dreams like this, too?”
    “I doubt she’d welcome me,” Liam admitted. “She’s seen many horrors. Beau has too. What happened to them is far worse than what happened to me.”
    “Liam, you were ripped open.” Presley nearly sobbed. She blinked back her sudden tears and noticed how the sky was darkening above them.
    “Easy there,” Liam said in a soft whisper as he stepped in front of her. His hands landed against her shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze. “Be careful with what you feel right now, Pretz. You’re in control of the weather and I was really enjoying the sunshine. Think happy thoughts, okay?”
    “This is too weird,” Presley shook her head slowly, refusing to meet his gaze. “I can feel everyone else’s emotions because I’m special? I can see you in my dream right now because I’m special? What about the night in the river? How was I able to hear you then?”
    “Because you’re-”
    “Special. Right, I get it.” She licked her lips and then glanced at him. Why was he still smiling? If she was stuck on the ‘other side’ she would be miserable. How could he be so happy?
    “I’m happy because I can still watch over the people I care about,” Liam responded to her thoughts. “I get to watch my little brother become a dad. I get to watch my mom cook my favorite meals and I still get to witness my dad crooning to country songs when he thinks no one is watching,” he laughed at that last bit, but then he took on a more serious stance. “I get to watch Dimitri slowly fall in love with my best friend.”
    “What?” Presley’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Dimitri is Rutley’s alpha. That’s all that’s going on there, Liam, I swear. If anything happened before that it was just a drug induced mistake.”
    “Hey, it’s okay,” Liam shrugged. “I mean..there isn’t much I can do from here, you know? I wouldn’t begrudge either of them the opportunity to find happiness. I wouldn’t do that to anyone. Besides…I’d rather it be Rutley than some random Joe, ya know? Rutley’s a good guy.”
    “You’re such a good person, Liam,” she whispered sadly. “I don’t understand why you had to…to..”
    “To die?” He tilted his head to the side. “Because everybody has an expiration date, Pretzerella and mine came sooner than I expected.”
    Still the same old Liam, she thought, stepping forward to hug her arms around him. He felt so real. He felt alive. He was warm and strong, and the steady beating of his heart made Presley question just how much of a dream this was.
    “Dreams aren’t always so imaginary,” Liam promised as he kissed her hair. “I am a chosen delegate of Urseth, as are you and Louisa.”
    “A delegate?” Presley blinked, pulling back to gaze at him. “You mean like a messenger of some sort?”
    “Something like that,” Liam nodded. “Your father and Natalie were also delegates. I don’t think Natalie has told you that, has she?”
    “No,” Presley whispered, another frown anchoring her lips downwards. “We don’t really talk about much of that. Right now I’m just trying to get used to having her in my life.”
    “Natalie isn’t as bad as your uncle Arnold wants you to believe, Pretz. She was put through a lot to be so young. You need to see what happened that night. That’s why I’ve brought you here.”
    “Okay….” Presley replied apprehensively.
    As Liam’s fingers closed around hers, Presley felt nauseas. Everything began to blur and she felt her body being pulled through the very threads of time. She clung to Liam, burying her face against his chest as the world around them twirled and shifted. It seemed to take an eternity for