Unleashed (The Gate Chronicles Book 3)

Chapter 4: Donnovan

Donnovan stared at the ceiling in his room as he tried to sleep. He had to get up earlier than normal tomorrow to attend a meeting, and he needed to be on alert for it. Not sleeping the night before was a decidedly poor decision. But he couldn’t sleep.

Instead, he threw his legs over the edge of the bed and stood. A visit to Ryder seemed like a good choice. Of course, if anyone saw him heading to the infirmary, they’d probably think the worst. He lay back down. Ryder wasn’t supposed to be anything more to him than a sister. She couldn’t be for his sake and hers.

Yet she was. Donnovan was sure than her father, Andrew, knew, but the older man never let on that he knew anything. His mentor just observed him quietly from a distance as he always had and gave advice when it was needed. Apparently, it wasn’t needed when it concerned matters of the heart.

Andrew was wise, though, and Donnovan knew that the man would say something if he felt that whatever was between Donnovan and Ryder was a problem.

He closed his eyes. Thinking about it sent him back to his childhood days and to one specific memory of Ryder that he’d never forgotten.

“Ready or not, here I come.”

Donnovan stifled his laughter as Ryder walked underneath his tree, searching for them. They were playing hide and seek along with Ryder’s sister, Cassie, and Donnovan’s brother, Ansgar. He could see the other two children from where he was hiding, but he doubted Ryder could because if she could, she would’ve gone after them by now.

The edges of the jungle behind West Base were the perfect spot to hide, especially if you were a little boy who liked to climb. And Donnovan was exactly that.

Ryder passed under his tree again, looking for the others. Her four-year-old voice echoed quietly around the clearing. “They’ve got to be around here somewhere.”

The scene changed again, and this time they were older. About fifteen or sixteen.

“Nova?” Ryder stared at him.

“Yeah? What’s wrong?”

Their classes had just ended, and the two of them were sitting in the rafters of West Base, studying.

She shook her head quickly. “Nothing’s wrong… I just… I need to tell you something.” She bit her lip. “Don’t laugh, please…”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why would I? Is it funny?”

She cleared her throat and went red. “No.”

“I won’t laugh then. What is it?”

“N-Nova… I…” She laughed and buried her head in her hands. “How am I supposed to tell you this?”

“Uh… It would sort of help if I actually knew what it was.” Donnovan smiled and put an arm around her. “It’s okay. Just tell me, Ry.”

Ryder was completely red by then. “I… I like you.” She stammered out.

Donnovan stopped smiling and stared at her.

“I like you, Nova.” She glanced up at him, unsure what to think of his silence.

“You do?” He shook off his surprise.

Ryder nodded.

“Ry, I… I like you too, but we can’t… We can’t be together.” Donnovan bit his lip.

“What? Why?” Ryder stared at him, eyes filling with tears. “Why can’t we just see where it might go if we both feel this way?”

“Because I can’t make you a target. I can’t distract you from what you’re supposed to do.” Donnovan ran a hand through his hair. “It would be selfish.”