Page 40 of Chasing Luna

“You remembered the scar?”

“How can I forget? You and your incessant need to climb on the top of every tree eventually got you a pretty nasty scar, and a stern lecture from your father.” He chuckles and I study his handsome features closely.

How can this man be the grubby, weak kid I used to tease way back then?“Hey! You’re older so aren’t you supposed to be wiser? And why didn’t you stop me from doing those things?”

He scoffs at me, but there’s a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “Why would I? You were the only form of entertainment I had,” he teases and I roll my eyes.

“How dare you! And you left me all alone after that, too! It was as if you didn’t share any responsibility for that accident.” I try to push him away, but he didn’t even move an inch.

“What did you expect me to do? Wait for your grandmother to come and kill me?” he says a little too loud and I smack him with a pillow.

“Be quiet, dumbass. We’re going to get hanged by our toes if we get caught.” I laugh along with him. We stay silent after a bit, reminiscing about the past on our own.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I stifle a yawn. He smiles softly.

“I should ask you the same thing. Why didn’t you tell ME?” He softly touches the tip of my nose with his forefinger and I try to bite it. “Too slow, my dear.” I can’t help but giggle at that.

“Well, I didn’t realize who you were at first.” I sigh at the memory. “And, the first time we met you tried to kill me. The couple of other times we saw each other were just… messy.” I shake my head, wondering what kind of sadistic God reunited us as enemies after years of separation.

The silence that follows is long but not uncomfortable. For a while, all I can hear is his own breathing in sync with mine. I let myself yawn loudly this time and close my eyes. “Are you that tired? Shall I leave?” Gregory makes an attempt to stand but I grab his hand, shocking even myself at the bold gesture.

“Can you stay until I fall asleep?” I mumble sleepily, not caring how needy I seem.

“Okay, I’ll stay as long as you need me.” I feel myself drift off to sleep as soon as he whispers those words.

***

I wake up the following morning hugging my pillow. No sign of Gregory anywhere, too. It is as if I dreamed up the whole thing from earlier. I stretch my limbs, recalling bits of our conversation as well. My chest feels warm and tingly at the thought and I immediately slap myself awake. “Isabela, the situation is already complicated enough.” I admonish my own thoughts. “Come on, girl. Pick a struggle.” I stand and get ready for a shower when a knock on my door rouses me from my musings. “Ah, Eliza, just in time.”

Eliza blinks at me and shoves a robe in my hands. “We don’t have time, Mistress. Now, put this on and come with me.”

“What’s going on?” I say, hastily wrapping the thin material over me.

“There are new developments on the Midnight Walkers pack. The Queen has asked you and Mistress Katarina to come to the study at once.” She leads me through the winded corridor, eventually stopping in front of my grandmother’s study room. She knocks three times and opens the heavy oak door without waiting for an answer from the other side. “My Queen, Mistress Isabela is here.” I step inside and do a curtsy before scanning the room.

“Good morning, Queen Mother.” My eyes fall on my sister’s bewildered face, and Gregory’s smiling one behind her. I give them both a nod before settling in front of my grandmother’s desk.

“Good, we’re all here.” I feel Katarina’s hands settle on the small of my back, and I fight the urge to slap them away.

“Did you have a good night’s rest?” she whispers. I glance at Gregory who seems to be very interested in what my grandmother is setting up on her desk.

“Yes, I actually slept well.” I smile at Katarina.I’m not falling for the “good sister” act again.

“Children.” The Queen claps her hands together, making us both jump. “We’ve found their hideout, thanks to Grayson here. He stayed up all night to plot the next targets of the Midnight Walkers pack.” She gestures for him to take the floor.

“There’s a pattern to their attacks.” He unfurls a map on the table, and we all crowd over it. “The Esperanza estate is located in the southwest of Elvira Springs. The Midnight Walkers pack started at the opposite end of the map, near city hall here.” Gregory points to the lone building on the map. “And they’re attacking places in a circular pattern, skipping one building or area in between. It eventually ends here, on the estate. And if I’m right—” He takes a pen from the table and marks a point in the map.

I take a closer look at it. “The orphanage?” I look at my grandmother. Elvira’s lone orphanage building stands near the center of the town square. It’s one of the oldest institutions in town, and houses more than fifty abandoned children. “If Gre—I mean, if Grayson is right, then those kids will die tonight!” I urge.

“Hush, you insolent child!” My grandmother slams her hands against the table. “We’ll stop them at just the right moment.” She walks to one of her bookshelves. Her next words chill me to the bones. “I’ll make sure those pests will burn.”

Chapter Forty

Absolute power corrupts absolutely,I repeat the words in my head as I walk to the Omega’s house. I gather all of them in the training space. “Heard anything yet? Anyone spying on us?” I sit cross-legged on the soft grass and they all follow suit.

“I didn’t get anything.” Lisa takes a swig of her water bottle.

Tommy and Mikey also shake their heads. “Hmm. I guess people aren’t gossiping as much these days,” I comment.