Free Rourk (Keegan's Chronicles Series Book 4) by Julia Crane

return to Tennessee.
    Keegan was going to miss him.
     
    Thaddeus slung his bag over his shoulder. “I wish I could stay longer, but I’ve got school and training.”
    “I’m just glad you came at all. You really need to visit more often.”
    “Yeah, I know. You could always visit yourself. Mom and Dad miss you too.”
    “When Rourk gets back, we’ll come for a visit. He said he’d have two weeks off. Coming home sounds like a good vacation to me.”
    They walked towards the airport. Keegan hated good-byes.
    “Remember, if you need anything call Gavin.”
    The same words Rourk had said to her before he stepped on a plane.
    She wanted to shake him and get out of him why he was being so cryptic, but it was useless and unfair of him.
    She would just be extra alert in case anything did happen. It wasn’t like she couldn’t take care of herself. She had continued her training and had the gift of disappearing at will. They were all overreacting.
    At least she hoped they were.
    Or maybe she was reading more into their concern then was warranted. She tended to do that sometimes. She just had to trust in herself and those around her. Even if Thad had a vision, she knew altering fate was not an easy thing to do. It came with consequences. She still lived with the consequences of the dark magick. Over the years, it had gotten easier to control her temper and the pain of being apart from Rourk was almost bearable. As long as she had on her necklace. And she couldn’t even recall the last time she’d frozen anyone out of anger.
    Thaddeus dropped his bag and pulled her into a tight hug. Keegan was still surprised how much broader and taller he had gotten since she’d last seen him. He was growing like a weed. Her annoying little brother was turning into a man.
    “Keegan, remember everything happens for a reason.” He let go and grabbed his bag from the ground.
    “What does that mean?” Keegan asked, feeling panic  rising in her chest.
    Thaddeus stared at her for a long moment and then, without another word, turned and walked through the gate.
    Everything happens for a reason? She didn’t like the sound of that. Maybe he was reassuring himself and not her?
    Keegan suddenly felt very tired and wanted to go home and crawl in bed.

CHAPTER 12   
    Seven Weeks Later
    What in the world? Keegan rolled out of bed, and clutched her stomach. Was she coming down with the flu? Food poisoning? She hurried to the bathroom and spent the next ten minutes with her head in the toilet. Lovely way to wake up, she thought with a groan.
    She stumbled to the sink, rinsed her face, and gagged on the toothpaste. Her face was paler than usual, if that was possible, and her eyes were rimmed with red. The reflection staring back at her looked like death warmed over. Not a pretty sight.
    There was no way she was going to class today. Keegan slowly made her way to her room, her head pounding with each shuffle. She touched the quartz necklace around her neck. Obviously, it didn’t work for the flu. Crawling under the covers, she reached for her phone on the nightstand. The first attempt was a miss, and she knocked the book she was reading on the floor. She sighed and tried again, this time successfully.
    Grasping the phone, Keegan typed M and, her mom’s phone number came up, and she pressed send. Her mother picked up on the third ring.
    “Mom, I’m sick.” Keegan groaned.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “I don’t know. I guess I got the flu that’s going around. Can you give me a distant healing?” Her mother was an elfin healer, fourth generation. Keegan wished her power was as cool. All she could do was disappear at will. And her brother was a powerful seer. She’d gotten the short end of the stick. Her baby brother, Warrick, was already showing signs of greatness as well. Another wave of nausea washed over her.
    “Moooom.” Keegan squeezed her eyes shut.
    “Sure, just lie down and close your eyes. I’ll call you back when I’m