Free Embrace by Rachel D'Aigle

I’m so tired. I’m not cut out for this.”
    Nona stopped her licking as a knock at the bedroom door intervened and sidetracked Meghan’s melancholy mood.
    Breakfast, delivered by Pantin Hollee.
    “Thank you, Hollee,” mumbled Meghan, rising from the floor.
    “Up early and hard at work already, I see.”
    Meghan nodded half-heartedly.
    “I’ve never seen anyone work so hard and learn so fast, Meghan. It will all come together.” Despair and failure must have been written all over her face, Meghan realized. She fought the lump rising in her throat, determined not to let it surface. She mustered out, “Thanks.” Hollee gave her an understanding pat on the shoulder and then left, insisting she eat.
    38
    After breakfast, her strength renewed, Meghan hardened her mind once again.
    She would not fail Juliska.
    She would work harder.
    She would gain control.
    8
    Colin tried to ignore the third argument (in a week) currently raging in the Mochrie house.
    Jae’s father was angry with him, nothing new.
    However, Irving’s agitation soared today, at the fact that Jae was disappearing for hours, while he was supposed to be with him, studying.
    Colin did not wish to be present for this argument, which was proving to be the most heated he had ever witnessed. However, his curiosity got the better of him.
    Where is Jae spending all his time? And why hasn’t he told me?
    “Jae, you must understand I do this for your own good,” avowed Irving. “Tomorrow morning you will accompany me to work! That is final! No more wandering off!” Irving’s face was red hot.
    The angry glare that emanated from Jae sent shivers down Colin’s spine, and he swore that for the tiniest of moments, Jae’s eyes even changed color, appearing darker.
    Then, Jae did something he had never done before. It paralyzed everyone in the room.
    “No, Dad,” he said with quiet confidence. “I won’t.”
    Irving’s red face turned purple but no words would come out of his mouth. Sheila Mochrie sank into her chair with a blank stare, having never heard Jae out right defy his father.
    Colin decided he no longer wanted to be present. This is going to get bad. Very bad. He edged his way to the front door, escaping, and took cover behind a nearby rock formation.
    To his surprise, a moment later, Jae bounded by.
    Colin had the briefest of thoughts … Maybe I should follow him. He was curious now.
    Where was Jae disappearing to if he wasn’t spending time with his father, which until the arguments of this past week, is where Colin believed Jae always was.
    “If I can’t trust Jae, who can I trust?” muttered Colin. He decided to follow, anyway, with the intention of outing his presence at the right moment.
    Jae was still obviously angry. He mumbled as he stormed off, punching and kicking rocks along the way. Colin had never seen him so angry. Could he blame him, though? Life with the Svoda was hard enough, and Jae’s father, even harder.
    39
    Jae was too upset to notice Colin following a distance behind him. Jae came to a stop at the entrance to the path that led to Juliska Blackwell’s castle. It was a steep climb. Colin hid as Jae glanced back, appearing to be checking to see if he was alone. His face showed signs of an inward struggle.
    Jae began the climb to the castle. Colin decided not to follow, which turned out to be a smart decision as Jae got a few steps up, then changed his mind and came back down. As soon as he was down, he changed his mind and began upward again, at a hasty pace, as if determined not to change his mind this time.
    Was Jae visiting Meghan? Colin doubted that. But why would he visit Juliska Blackwell?
    Was he so upset with his father he would turn him in, and for what? Being mean? Colin knew that Jae respected Banon Blackwell, and at the same time, she had not always been kind to his family. Then Colin had another disturbing thought.
    Was this where Jae spent his missing time? With Juliska Blackwell?
    “What is he up to?”