We're Not Brothers

Chapter 18

Charlie's POV

We go to Papa and Dad's house pretty early, Cam said he wanted to talk with Papa. I just want to sleep, so he lets me go upstairs to our old room.

"I love you, Chipmunk." He whispers, kissing my forehead.

"I love you, Goose." I mumble before sleep takes me.

I wake to hear a few voices in the living room. I can tell one is Cameron, and it sounds like Papa, Ashton, Teddy, Johnny, and Winston are there too. I shuffle my way out downstairs.

"We were able to evacuate the area, and those who were not involved will be able to go back after rebuilding." Papa was saying.

"Evacuate where?" I ask, yawning.

"Good morning, Sweetheart." Papa smiles at me tightly. "We were just talking about what had happened at Higher Parks."

"What happened to need evacuation?" I ask, sitting in Cam's lap.

"I did." Cam says quietly.

"What do you mean?" I say looking back at him.

"I did research." Papa begins. "It was shortly after I found out I was pregnant with you and Ash. We found out that Cam and Evie have Witch blood. So I did some research to find out why Cam was so clingy." Papa smiles at Cam. "From the time we knew about you, the two of you were inseparable."

"What did you find, Papa?" I ask, entwining my fingers with Cameron's as he wraps his arms around me.

"There was a book in the library that covered Witch Linkers." Papa looks between all of us. "Depending on how powerful the pair is, they can find each other at various times of their lives. And when they find their partner still in the womb, they are extraordinarily powerful."

"But, Evie always teased me about being weak..." Cam sighs. "Because my affinity is water."

"Cam..." Papa sighs. "You're beyond powerful. You just haven't had the opportunity to fully delve into your abilities."

"But why evacuate the area around Higher Parks?" I ask.

"Because of a passage in the book." Papa looks at us apprehensively. "We evacuated the area up to three hundred miles from Cameron before we rescued him. The building they were holding Cameron and the others in was underground, and protected with magic, so those inside were unaffected. Higher Parks isn't just a name. Their Pack lands are high in the mountains. But the rest of the area was... Destroyed."

"What? How?" I gape at him.

"The book said 'In the case of an extraordinarily powerful Linked Pair, all measures must be taken to ensure their safety. If one gets hurt, the other may lose control of their power, bringing devastation. Likewise, if one is taken or dies, the surrounding area of at least a hundred miles will be brought to its knees and all shall perish.' Since Cameron was taken, the area around him was destroyed." Papa recites the book's passage.

"But how, Papa?" I look at him.

"A flood." Papa says quietly. "Cameron's power called upon the waters of the rivers, creeks, and lakes in the area. Everything within a two-hundred mile radius that wasn't underground, high in the trees, or protected by magic was destroyed and killed." Papa says softly.

"When did that happen?" Cam asks.

"My guess is when they took you into the Blood Room." Johnny says quietly.

"Blood Room?" I look at the small man in Winston's grasp.

"Jayus said he was collecting our blood for some kind of debt." Cameron says softly.