Free Everafter (Kissed by an Angel) by Elizabeth Chandler Page B

Tristan’s eyes as if he was trying to see beneath the surface of a pond.
    Tristan gazed back at him steadily. At last he spoke. “I’ve been wondering what inning it was when Mark Teixeira hit the grand slam.”
    “Tristan!” Philip said softly, breathing the name like a prayer.
    Tristan nodded.
    “Tristan!” Philip’s face was alight with wonder.
    “Hey, buddy.” Tristan’s voice shook. “I’ve missed you. Still beating people at checkers?”
    Philip broke into a grin. “Not anymore. I’m learning chess.”
    “Chess! No! Now I’ll never win!” Tristan exclaimed. “Unless, of course, Lacey helps me cheat.”
    Ivy’s brother laughed as if this was the funniest joke in the world. Tristan laughed with him, then laughed harder when Philip forced his own chuckle to sound deep.
    Tristan put his arms around Philip. Philip hugged him tightly and squeezed his eyes shut, but Ivy saw the tear escape down her little brother’s cheek.
    TRISTAN HADN’T REALIZED HOW RAW HE’D FEEL when seeing Philip again. Philip talked about a million miles per hour—summer camp, California, his year in school since Tristan had left. Finally, the question Tristan had expected and dreaded was asked: “How come you came back as another person?”
    “We’re not sure,” Ivy said quickly, covering for him.
    “I fell,” Tristan replied, then told Philip exactly what had happened.
    Afterward Philip sat quietly for a very long minute, as if thinking things through. “It was because you love Ivy. Me too.”
    “You too? No kidding!” Tristan quipped.
    “I would have kissed her and brought her back to life.”
    Tristan almost cried: Philip’s understanding felt like forgiveness.
    He saw Ivy quickly wipe the corner of her eye, then she rose to her feet. “Philip, we have to go. Remember, if anybody asks, we were just exploring. No one can know Tristan— or Luke —is here.”
    Philip nodded. He gave Tristan a solemn hug good-bye and followed Ivy to the vestibule. At the door he turned and looked up at Tristan searchingly. “You came back after a long time,” the little boy said. “Can Gregory?”
    Ivy and Tristan exchanged glances. Philip saw them and answered his own question: “He can.”
    “If you think you see Gregory, do you know what to do?” Tristan asked.
    “Run.”
    “Good. And call out to Lacey,” Tristan said. “After that, if you can do it safely, call Ivy, and she’ll call me. Beth and Will are also on the lookout. You’ll be okay, buddy.”
    “And Ivy will be okay?”
    “Hey,” Ivy said lightly, “it’s all of us and just one of him.”
    But Philip wasn’t so easily convinced. He looked to Tristan for confirmation that their numbers would be enough.
    Tristan couldn’t lie to him. “I’ll do my best to keep her safe, I promise.”
    After they left, Tristan felt on edge and paced like a caged animal, moving from room to room. He tried to distract himself, playing another round of his detective game, piecing together the story of the family who spent their summers there. Nicholas and Sarah—he had found their names on framed certificates for sailing and gymnastics—were close to Philip’s age. Michael, the victim of Gregory’s lightning strike, had shared a room with Nicholas. What had it been like for those kids to lose their big brother? Tristan had felt Philip’s tears against his arm and for a moment thought his own heart would break. If Philip lost Ivy—
    It didn’t have to be this way , Tristan thought. Right now he had the advantage, knowing who and where Gregory was. When Gregory possessed Beth, his growth in power was gradual, but the night she tried to kill Ivy, Beth’s grasp had far exceeded her natural strength. Tristan needed to find out what kind of powers Chase had now, and take him on before Gregory’s strength grew. He had to protect Ivy—he had promised Philip.
    Checking the map in the living room and estimating the walk would take close to two hours—too long to chance