Human

31.

            "Please tell me there is more than one Potente family with the name Montclair!"

Wes dropped his eyes from mine. "No, dear."

"You're telling me I am related to Carrianne Montclair?"

"She is your half-sister."

"But she is the same age as me. Was my dad sleeping with Carrianne's mom and my mom at the same time?" I asked outraged.

Garrett chimed in beside me. "Actually," He said. "Carr is a year younger than us. She skipped a grade."

I stared up at Garrett and rolled my eyes exaggeratedly. "You think that makes it better?" I huffed. "I'm the sister of your freaking girlfriend."

A smug look crossed his face. "I thought you didn't care about me anymore."

"What?" I asked surprised.

"You just found out who your real dad is, and that you have a sister, and the thing you are being pissy about is that your sister is with me." He explained. "Obviously, that means you still have feelings for me."

I was struck by his words. I hadn't expected this conversation to turn this way. "I never...I mean, I didn't say...You know what? You just sit down and shut up. I'm not having this conversation with you right now."

Garrett gave me his heartbreaking smile and crossed his arms across his chest, obviously feeling proud of himself. I punched him in the gut and he huffed out a breath. "Don't be mad at me for making you realize it." He chuckled around his gasp for air.

I pointed my finger in his face. "You, hush." I laughed.

Derrek cleared his throat. "So, um, does that mean that Carrianne's mom is Annabeth?"

I looked from Derrek back to Wes. "Yes." Wes answered. "That is why you must be so very careful. Annabeth was willing to go to any lengths to secure her placement with your father. So far that she had your mother killed. Don't doubt for a moment that she would do the exact same to you."

"What about Carrianne?" I asked Garrett.

He shook his head certainly. "She has no idea about you, if that's what you mean. She would have told me by now if she knew she was related to you."

"How can you be so sure?" Derrek asked.

Garrett was clearly annoyed that Derrek was intervening in the conversation again. "I'm positive that Carrianne knows nothing about her father having a secret love child living right next door to her, Derrek. That's the kind of thing she would have mentioned."

"Ok, I am just asking." Derrek rolled his eyes.

I've never seen Derrek be anything but my happy, smiling, and joking around Derrek. I didn't like seeing him like this. "Can you two please just knock it off?" I spat at them both. "I think I've got enough going on without the two of you being at each other's throats. If we can't all get along then, you guys should just go."

"No." They said in unison, then shared glares with each other.

Derrek spoke again first. "I mean," He said. "I don't want to leave you. I'm fine with everyone getting along. I want to be here for you if you need me."

Garrett stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Derrek where he was sitting. "Cade, you know I am not leaving your side again. You being so far away, and having those people come after you terrified me. I won't let something like that happen to you again. I'm going to be at your side," He reached down to grab my hand. "I'm going to be here to protect you this time. No one is going to get anywhere near you again."

Derrek snorted a laugh. "Oh, really?" He countered to Garrett. "Just what are you going to do to protect her?" He laughed. "Let her know how the bad guy is feeling?" He mocked Garrett's ability. "I've seen what Cade can do, and I am more than positive she doesn't need protecting."

Garrett and Derrek were in each other's faces again in an instant. "Oh, yeah?" Garrett yelled. "Who is going to protect you, huh?"

I felt my annoyance rippling over me. "Out!" I shouted, and the floor beneath our feet shook. A few of the pictures on the walls went crooked, and a book slid off of Wes's desk. "I don't have time for you two." I said a little more calmly and the room stilled. "Please, just go wait in the other room."

They both dropped their eyes to the floor in shame and shuffled out of the room, closing the door behind them.

"Well now, that was quite interesting." Wes smiled.

I looked around the room that now looked a little disheveled. "I'm so sorry about that." I apologized then quickly used my telekinesis to fix all of the pictures and replace the book. I had surprised myself in how I had done it though. I had expected to need to do each thing individually, but as soon as I had the thought to fix everything, it all snapped into place immediately. I honestly hadn't even needed to try. "Woah." I said under my breath.

"Woah, indeed." Wes echoed me. "I truly am always amazed to see your power in action. You are quite the special girl, Ms. James."

I settled back down in my chair beside Wes's desk. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"You and my mom..."

"Oh, I see." He said reading into my question. I had been wondering about the way he talks about my mother. I couldn't help noticing how it always seemed he had an awful lot of feeling for her. On top of that, I couldn't wrap my mind around why he was so willing to help me, no matter the cost. "I've told you before, your mother was quite the beauty, and such a kind soul. It was pretty impossible for a person not to fall for her." He stared into the distance. "I did love your mother. I cared very deeply, although she was much younger than I. Marrsala was a girl unlike any other." He smiled as he spoke of her.

"Wes, did you ever get married?"

"No, dear."

"Weren't you matched?"

"Yes, but I refused to do it. I was promised to a young lady for a long while, but when it finally came time for us to wed, I just couldn't follow through with it. I do not believe in marrying a person I don't love. I made that choice, and I was shunned. I left The Order, and changed my name from McDuffie to Talbot."

"Oh." I nodded. "Good for you."

Wes chuckled lightly. "Honestly, I wasn't trying to be noble by turning down that marriage. The girl was truly a bore and I cared too deeply for Marrsala to ever dream that I could marry someone else." He admitted. "I had hoped after your mother and father were separated, that she may decide to be with me. However, she never came back."

"I'm sorry." I told him. "I didn't realize you felt that way about her."

He smiled. "I don't think she did either, love."

I fidgeted with my hair and watched the ceiling fan over my head spin. "Were you in The Order with Charles?"

"I was, but we didn't interact much." He said. "I will tell you truthfully, every time I was with him I was struck by how kind and charming a man he is. To me, he seems like a good man, but you know sometimes people aren't what they seem to be. I still urge you not to trust him, or go to him yet. He is married to Annabeth after all."

"I won't." I told him. "I was just curious."

"It's natural to have questions. You are taking in an awful lot in a short amount of time." He smiled, but then cleared his throat. "I need to ask you something."

I didn't like the tone in his voice. "Yes?"

"I'm worried...I'm worried about your friend, dear."

"Derrek?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I believe he is hiding something."