Sun Catch Her (Book 1: Three Rivers Deep series) COMPLETE

Chapter Fourteen

I had just missed trig class. Oh well.

Our movements slow with dissipating adrenaline, Micah led me away from the pillar when the hallway emptied.

"I don't want you to leave," I said, despairing. "I just found you."

"I know, I know." Micah sighed. His hands became gentle as he straightened my shirt, twisted from being carried. "It's only going to be for a week, little one. Nobody's forcing me to leave. This is my decision."

Vision blurring with the threat of tears, I looked at him, and his determination faltered.

"Although, now that you can see me, it makes it incredibly hard for me to tear myself away from you." Sighing again, he lowered his head to mine, our hair mingling. "Even though, as of late, my leash has been loosened so I am able to take physical form to strengthen your safety, as things stand, I can't be with you to take care of you the way I would like to. If I don't finish the last of my guardianship trials, my elder cousin will remain in higher authority. She will be able force me from you, as she has threatened to do."

"So you need to leave voluntarily so she can't make you leave?"

Our hold on one another finally relaxed. We sat on the floor in the small amount of space behind the pillar, him leaning against the wall with me sitting before him. He touched the makeup coating the hollow under one eye. "You look so tired."

"I am," I said, quietly admitting to this.

"You've been having nightmares for weeks."

Reflexively smoothing the wrinkles in my skirt, I remarked, "You do seem to know a lot about me."

A half-smile lifted one corner of his mouth. "Aurora Anne Whyte," he breathed my full name. "Born under a new moon. Heiress to one of the most successful fashion houses on the west coast. You plan to take your rightful place in your mother's company, as soon as you are ready." He paused before continuing, his expression going solemn. "The first thing that you wanted after you woke from the two- week coma was a glass of water and your mother. You...you cried for nearly four hours for her. And fought like a wildcat when anyone touched you."

Remembering, I nodded slowly.

His hand stroked my hair again, weaving it into a loose braid. "Yes, I know a lot about you," Micah said, opening his heart to me through his eyes. "For how I could not, when I've kept watch over you for the past eleven years?"

Since my mother's death then. He had clearly been there when I woke in the hospital.

"I know you can tell what I have spoken is true, as I am sure you have been able to taste the honesty in my words, my clairvoyant little one."

So he really did know more about me than most. Mom was the only other person who knew I could taste the truth.

"Yes, the flavor of your words is peppered with honesty," I said, taking the braid from him. "I can taste this coming from you, among other things." It felt weird to be able to talk with someone about the unusual way in which I experienced emotions.

Opening my fingers, I dropped the loose braid. "Your decision to leave has a fleeting flavor about it, like you've only seriously considered leaving since this morning's conversation with Indy in the kitchen. And you just decided it was the right thing to do after lunch." What had Alexander said to make Micah decide to leave?

"It is a decision that has needed to be made for some time. But I've been reluctant to leave you again after what happened in New Mexico."

"Y-you left before?" I stammered. Was that what had given that thing the opportunity to attack me?