Ember Gods

Chapter 44

Jacob took Gallus home after they'd met with Brojan and Kenji. Once they were inside the shop, the taller man turned and offered his hand to Jacob.

"I owe you an apology for how I've treated you."

Jacob shook his head. "No, you were right to be upset."

"It was out of your control. I couldn't have done any better than you did." He paused to take off his armor. When he looked at Jacob again, his eyes were glistening. "Thank you for getting Aloren back."

"No problem." Jacob smiled. It felt good to be on the man's good side again.

They exchanged goodbyes, then Jacob returned to Taga. He and Matt went with Aloren to her tower to get her things. She'd decided to take Akeno up on the offer to live with the Makalos.

After dropping Aloren off at the tree, Jacob and Matt keyed home. Brojan decided Jacob could keep the key, since Aloren had been rescued, but he made the brothers swear up and down not to do anything stupid and to talk to him before going anywhere.

Jacob was just fine with that.

***

"What happens now?" Aloren asked Jacob, pulling the coat she wore closer around her. "Any big plans?"

They leaned against the ledge of one side of the canyon in Taga, watching the first snowflakes fall. Makalos bustled around them, readying the village for winter.

"Basketball tryouts are coming up soon," Jacob said. "I need to get ready for those. And I'll be helping to get the Shiengols out of August Fortress. Gallus is organizing that." He paused, then glanced at her. "You?"

She sighed. "Explore your world, eventually. Forget about the past. And . . . and my brother. Live a normal life." She turned to him. "I want to help Eachan somehow. I know he didn't do very many good things, but he did save my life—more than once."

Jacob nodded. The Fat Lady had gone to the tunnel to check on the man, but he wasn't there. She guessed the Lorkon had taken him back to Maivoryl City.

"Tell me about the town hall. I . . ." Jacob paused. He wanted to tell Aloren how happy he was that she was back now, but he wasn't sure how to say it. "I'm really glad you made it. Gallus was so angry with me for a long time."

Aloren laughed. "Oh, I can imagine how he responded. He can get pretty intense sometimes." She faced the canyon floor below them again. "It's really good to be with you again. And Jacob, I missed you. A lot. It was weird to me how much. I mean, my mom has been dead for nearly six months now and I miss her too, but it's different from how I felt while being in the town hall. I knew you were still alive—prayed you were—and held onto that more than anything else. I even wondered what you were doing more than I wondered about my brother."

They fell silent for a while. Jacob mulled over what she'd just said. She'd thought about him! Probably as much as he'd thought about her. He sneaked a few glances in her direction—wondering what she was thinking now. A half-smile slowly crossed her face, showing her dimple, and a warmth flowed through him. He remembered how irritated that smile had made him when he first met her. But now he knew it would never annoy him again.

Her hand rested on the cement barrier near him. He looked at it, then glanced at her again. He almost—almost—put his hand next to hers, but hesitated, not sure how she would react. She pulled away when excited voices drifted toward them, her eyes lighting up. Jacob turned to see where she was looking.

"Jacob!" Matt called. "You've got to see this!"

Akeno was running toward them without a limp! Matt ran next to him, and they were followed by Jaegar and Sweet Pea.

Aloren laughed, then a solemn expression crossed her features. "About my brother and mom . . . I'll always love them. I'll always hope to find my brother someday. But there's so much to enjoy in the present. Why stress over what's been done in the past—the things I can't control? And maybe he'll find his way to me if I stop running all over the place searching for him."

Jacob agreed, but then looked over the canyon again. How different his situation was from hers. Nearly everything depended on learning from what had happened in the past.

He smiled, put his serious thoughts away, and turned back to the approaching group. For now, he was content with simply enjoying the friendships he'd forged.

###

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Series and Mosaic Chronicles) and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life - it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

Learn more about her by visiting her website: www.andreapearsonbooks.com