The Certainty (Book Four in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Easily Broken

After sight seeing, I was tired. My brother and Luke wanted to see a bit more of the city so I shooed them off. I told them to check in every hour and to come back to the hotel for dinner before their game.

Michael and I took a cab back to the hotel and I sent Aidan a text letting him know. I didn’t get a reply and at this point I didn’t care. I waved to Hank at the front desk and he smiled and waved back. When we got back to the room I dropped the bags and took off my coat and boots. I climbed into bed and passed out instantly…

I sat up in bed, breathing hard, my heart racing like a horse at the race track. I gulped in air like I was a suffocating man. I was alone in my room, something that hardly ever happened. I closed my eyes and tried to tell myself it was all just a dream. It wasn’t real. It was just a horrible, ugly dream.

“It wasn’t a dream,” Max said.

My eyes snapped open and I looked at him. He was standing over in the shadows, his face completely obscured.

“It has to be.”

“That is one possible future,” Max said very carefully.

“That’s not Aidan. That could never be Aidan.”

“That’s one possible outcome I’ve seen. It’s him, Georgie, I assure you.”

“But…the balance beam…?”

“That part was a dream. I had to interrupt it. My apologies.”

“What’s happening, Max?”

“You have two roads to travel, Georgie. One is becoming shadowed quicker and quicker.”

“Which one?”

“The one I just showed you.” He came out of the shadows of the hotel room and approached me. “I can show you the other, if you wish.”

I swallowed and stared at him. Max sat down next to me, his face looking a bit paler than I remembered.

“Is it horrible?” I asked.

“It’s not pleasant.”

“Then no. I don’t want to see it.”

He reached out and ran his fingers through the section of hair that hung loose against my face.

“I’ve forgotten how fragile you can be. So easily broken both on the outside and on the inside. Your mind is like thin glass, if you press too hard, it will shatter.”

“Max…”

“My…boss instructed me to show you both destinies.”

“But I don’t…”

Max pressed his hand against my forehead and I felt myself falling, the darkness of sleep taking over again.

“Max?” I call. “Max, come on. This isn’t funny.”

I hear clattering from behind me and I whirl around to look. I’m in a dark room made of stone. There is a small window on the back wall but it’s barred. I walk over to it and peer out. I can see the night sky.

My head feels weird. There is no bond. It’s gone, just out of reach.

“Help me! Someone help me!” I call.

No one responds. I hear mice scurrying across the floor and I try not to move. The family of mice makes their way to the other hole in the wall and I move again when they disappear. I turn and face the door. I hear heavy footfalls in the hall and I shrink back to the wall. He’s finally come to finish me off.