Page 36 of Thorn Evermore

I chuckle. “Of course.”

Kyson smiles. “From?”

“Greece, by way of England.”

It was that cousin I’d followed, only to find out he had died from a fever before my arrival.

“Wow. That’s amazing.”

“I’d like to think he wasn’t directly involved in the persecution of native people, but even indirectly is still problematic.”

“I know. Mine were here too. England and Ireland.”

“It’s a complicated past, and one I wish there was a way to repair and make it right. I mean, there is, but there’s a lack of interest from the people who could make it happen.”

“Don’t get me started. I’ll talk your ear off.”

I chuckle, leaning in to kiss his cheek. He gasps, pointing at the road where three pedestrians are running across the busy highway. I narrowly avoid hitting them, and roll down my window to yell.

“What the fuck are people doing running across this? Are they trying to die?”

“Insane,” Kyson says, peering out the window. “Uh, Thorn?”

“Yes?”

“Those people just jumped over the railing.”

“Okay.”

“It’s like, a hundred-foot drop to the ravine down there, but they just jumped over the railing like it was nothing.”

“Huh.” I maneuver to the right shoulder and stop the car, peering over the side. I spot the three people running through the woods below the bridge and know without a doubt they are not mortals. There’s no way you could jump that far onto concrete and still be able to run. Great. More unauthorized supes in the area.

“Are they… are they dead?” Kyson asks when I return to the car.

“Um, no.”

“No? Hurt? Should we call for an ambulance?”

“No.” I put the car in gear, trying to think of a plausible explanation, but when I come up blank, the only thing that makes sense is the truth. “What if I told you that there are special classes of people in New Onyx.”

“What’s that got to do with those people who jumped?”

“I believe they’re part of the special class.”

“Special class? Who can jump that far and survive with no injuries, except, like…” He pauses, seemingly thinking it over. “Superheroes, or, or… something supernatural?”

“Exactly.”

“Exactly what, Thorn?”

“Supernatural.”

I feel his eyes on me, his expression stunned. Then a minute later, he laughs. “Okay, you got me. You’re teasing me.”

“I’m not.” I glance at him. “It’s true, Kyson. There are supernatural beings around New Onyx. I believe you just witnessed some.”

“Like… what kind of supernatural beings?”