Redemption

Chapter Seventeen: The Forgotten Child

When I opened my eyes, I found myself sitting on the plaid couch in Fletcher's present-day living room. I felt queasy and unstable. One look at Micah's green pallor told me he was experiencing the same side effects.

Fletcher released our hands and walked into the kitchen. When he returned, he was holding two tall glasses of fizzing ginger ale. He handed each of us a cup.

"So that was the infamous Brianne?" Micah asked, taking a sip.

"That was her," Fletcher said with a small smile.

"I've heard so much about her from the other protectors, but I'd never seen her before," he said. "Alexis, you look so much like her it's unnerving."

I glanced down, feeling my face redden. I wasn't sure how I felt about being compared to my biological mother. I was grateful, I supposed, because my mother was a beautiful woman. But she had also been a disreputably atrocious person. I hoped our shared appearances was where the comparisons stopped.

It was overwhelming to see my biological mother. I hadn't even known that Abigail wasn't my mom until a few days ago. Now I was learning all of this new information about the woman who gave me life, but was a stranger.

It was strange to hear her premonition, to learn that she'd seen this very moment many years before it happened. She knew I would come to Fletcher for help. She knew she wouldn't be here to help me herself because she was going to die. Even the idea of leaving me alone in the world wasn't strong enough to keep her from the darkness. The notion made my stomach churn.

"So, she was pregnant with me when she had the premonition?" I asked, remembering my mother's swollen stomach.

Fletcher shook his head. "No, you were a playful toddler by that time. That was your little brother she was carrying."

My breath caught in my throat, and I felt as though I'd been punched in the chest. Micah nearly spit out his ginger-ale.

"My... brother?" I choked.

"Are you telling me that there was another Galloway kid?" Micah asked, sounding just as shocked as I felt.

"Oh, yes. Brianne and Samuel had another child. A son named Caleb."

The room was silent for a moment.

"I have a brother?"  I whispered in disbelief. I had grown up as an only child, so the idea of having a sibling was amazing.

"Why have I never heard about this?" Micah asked, outraged. "As Alexis' protector, I'm supposed to be briefed about everything!"

"You are given all information pertinent to your witch, and anything necessary for her training. The protectors must not have felt that this information was relevant," Fletcher said with a shrug.

This didn't appease Micah, who continued to mutter obscenities under his breath.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

The idea of meeting him sent a thrill of excitement coursing through me. There was someone else out there who could actually relate to the things I was enduring. Maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought I was.

"After your parents' execution, the two of you were kidnapped by Malin soldiers. We planned a rescue mission, but that went south in a hurry. Unfortunately, Caleb died during the battle," Fletcher said solemnly.

I felt as if I'd been stabbed in the chest.

"There was a lot going on that day," Fletcher continued. "Everyone was battling everyone- friend against friend, brother against brother. No one knew which side the others were working for. It was complete chaos.