Loving Ashlynn (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 45 - Creando Stateram (Samson Conrad POV) Pt.3

Chapter 45 – Creando Stateram (Samson Conrad POV) Pt.3

Dad says that the most observant person in the room is the one that you should always be the most concerned about. I'm not sure I fully agreed with him on that front.

What about the most reckless?

That was when I was ten or eleven. Fast forward to the present and I think I was finally understanding what he intended to teach Silas, Brennan, Talia and I that day.

It was not about the room, but your roll in it.

How did we survive and protect ourselves? By being the most perceptive in the room. By listening and not always being the one with the loudest voice or the most to say.

There was – still is – a lake of hostility between supernatural families in Bend. Things that had happened between the generations before my own.

As Luca, Imogen and I – carrying Fatima – leave the school, as discreetly as possible I can almost feel the happiness and anticipation rolling off of Nick Romas.

I'd bet money that he was chanting, "Finally! Ansel has made a mistake."

It's not that there was bad blood between Dad and Nick, it was more that Nick had always assumed that since grandpa Antone did not have sons, that he could court one of the daughters and the Den would be left to him. That never happened. My mom and her sisters found love instead of just someone that could and would eventually replace their father.

I think even after they had, because Nick and Grandpa Antone's fathers were such great friends that Antone would pass the reigns over to him. However when it came time, dad was given control of the Den, which Nick has fought in his own passive aggressive way.

Nick would use this to make trouble.

I doubt that he was even truly upset that Lydia had died. No, this was just his way of making dad look bad and striking while the iron is hot.

"Use my Audi," my mother says handing the keys to Luca before we exit.

Turning the day over in my head I started questioning everything as I walked out the back of the school with Imogen and Luca. Why would Lydia do – hell what was Lydia even doing? She was chanting but what?

The only person that dipped their toe in magic was grandma Mary. Since when did Lydia practice? Did my father know?

I maneuver Fatima around when we get to the car, leaving her head on my lap, but her body on the backseat.

In the car, though there are only four of us, it feels as though two giant elephants join us.

"Hey... uhm... Samson – Cynthia is full Fae, right?" Imogen asks, turning back to face me. Blinking, my eyes stinging painfully, I nod.

"Do you know what kind?"

I blink, sure there were types of Faes, Were's and Vampires but Cynthia was nothing special. Or I guess that's what she said but she also said that her daughters name was Sophie and that she died.

"No," I shrug. "I – I uhm – Faith told me that Cynthia was back in town," I nod.

"Is she going to be at this meeting your dad is holding?" my eyes narrow as I look at Imogen. What was with all the questions? Especially about that horrible woman of all people!

"Why?" my voice takes in a hardness that shows she's grating on my nerves. "The spell that Lydia was doing," that gets my attention. "I," she glances at Luca.