Crown Of Shadows

Chapter 9- Home

Killian woke me before the sun had come up, the look on his face was a mix of feelings. Sadness, pride, and understanding.

"Come on, he has been blowing up my phone for about 3 hours now. The jet touched down at 2 am."

"Wait, what time is it?"

"I let you sleep until 6 am, just because he is impatient doesn't mean you should suffer." I knew that I had a forever ally in Killian and Callie. They would always be my corner, they took me in as a favor to Kaleb, but I had become a surrogate daughter to them both. I packed my clothes, exiting the room leaving it just as clean as I had moved in. I froze before going down the steps. Turning I went to the twin's room. I peeked in both still fast asleep. I walked in quietly placing a soft kiss on Ben's head. He didn't even stir. I stood there for a moment.

"Emmie?" My spine snapped straight and I turned around. Great was rubbing his eyes. I walked over to him and scooped the little boy into my arms. He hugged me tightly, and I felt tears well up again.

"Do you have to leave Emmie?" He whispered to me. And each word made my heart ache even more.

"I have some things to take care of, but I will come back I promise." I laid him back in bed and he stared up at me with his mother's eyes. Brushing his hair back from his face.

"I will come back to every single birthday, and Christmas I promise." I held my pinky finger out and he wrapped his little finger around mine.

"If you ever need me you tell your dad to call me and I will come. No matter what."

"Even if it's just to chase monsters." Every word the little boy said was a gift to me. They were the first words he spoken in the entire 2 years I had been here.

"Especially to chase monsters." He seemed satisfied with that answer, rolling over and going back to sleep. I stepped out of the room and Callie was standing there. She had a hand over her mouth and tears falling down her cheeks. She pulled me into a tight hug.

"You darling girl," She walked me to the stairs and then back to her son's room. I think hoping to get him to talk a little more. Killian stood at the door holding his hand out for my bag.

"Come on." I crawled up into his truck and watched the dirt road turn into the pavement that then turned into the small town. I had gotten used to the quiet that was Maine. I liked it here, but there was an urge to go back. I hadn't realized how much I missed Elsie, we pulled back onto the highway and for a moment I lost my courage.

"Killian, I am not ready to face him."

"Yes, you are." Was his only reply, I started to fidget in my seat and he clamped down on my hand.

"Relax, he is just as anxious as you are." I found that hard to believe he seemed to always be so aware and self-possessed. I found myself bouncing my leg and getting butterflies in my stomach the closer we got to the plane.

"You still have a six-hour plane ride before you have to face him, take the time to prepare yourself. Think of it as sparring with Anna, you have to mentally be ready for your opponent." I paused for a second and thought it through. He was right, I was going about this like I had when I had left. I was not that same girl anymore, I had grown into a mature adult who could stand my own ground, and win. Just like I wanted to, and now it was time to face the problems I had run from in the first place. He pulled up to the tarmac, getting out of the truck Killian grabbed my bag, walking me to the steps of the plane he handed the bag up to the steward.

"Thank you, Killian, for accepting me into your family." He pulled me into a tight hug.

"You are welcome back as often as you like. You are family now Ember. And the family is forever." He released me and I thought I saw single tears fall into his big red beard.