Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Fallon POV

Destiny, my destiny, these words seem to float in and out of my mind. I wonder why I was put on this earth. Why am I so important to the reapers and the supernatural world? Why can't someone else lead? I am not sure I am a leader. I guess I will find out what I am made of soon.

I feel a strong arm touch my shoulder and engulf me. I turn to see Bruce. He pulls me into an embrace. "I am sorry about your parents," Bruce says.

It seems like I have heard I am sorry about your parents more times than I would like over the last week. I guess everyone is sorry. I am sorry too. I am sorry my parents are dead. I am sorry that my brother is dead. I am sorry that the people who loved me enough to hide me are also dead. Death is all I feel right now.

"I do not want to talk about death right now," I say. I know he can see into my mind, so Bruce already knows how I am feeling right now and what I am thinking.

Bruce kisses my forehead. I hear a low growl coming from another room. I look to see Ryan standing in the doorway leading to the sitting area where I am with Bruce. I give Ryan a half smile. I need his help, but I need Bruce too. The two of them will just have to figure it out.

"I need you to back off a little until I figure everything out. I have no idea who I am and where my life is going," I say. Bruce pulls away from me. He steps back and looks toward Ryan.

"Is this because of him?" Bruce asks.

I shake my head. "I need the two of you to get along. I will allow either of you to push the other buttons. Let us just focus on my family for now," I say.

"Sure," Bruce says.

He is pissed, but there is nothing I can do about it now. In one night, the two of them have fought, made up, and then got on each other's nerves again. I cannot deal with it. I need to focus.

"Fallon," Mother Agnes calls out to me. She has left the cleaning party and went to the front porch with Libby. I am happy to exit and leave Bruce and Ryan to kill one another possibly. Maybe this time, they will really fight it out.

I step out on the front porch. I glance back to see Ryan watching me. I do not think there is any attraction to me on Ryan's part, and he only wants to ensure I am safe. Bruce, on the other hand, Bruce is in love. Right now is not the time for all of that.

"Are they still fighting?" Libby asks me. She is rocking in a chair beside Mother Agnes.

"Yes, but not as bad as before. I do not think they will kill each other. At least, not yet," I answer.

Mother Agnes slows her rocking and motions for me to sit with her and Libby. "They were close once, but that was a long time ago. Tonight is not about Bruce and Ryan. Tonight is about you and that map," Mother Agnes says.

Oh, right, the map. That is something I need to figure out. "I am going to help you with the map," Libby says.

Libby gets up from her rocking chair and puts out her hand out. "You want the map?" I ask her. She smiles at me, like, isn't it obvious?

I reach into my back pocket and pull out the map. I unfold it. "It still looks blank to me," Libby says.

I lay the map on her hand. Libby smiles. She begins speaking in the old language. I step back as the map begins to float above Libby's hand. I glance over at Mother Agnes, who is watching all of this as if it is a typical night at the Devour house. Nothing about this is normal, but I guess that is my life now. It is normal to be abnormal for once in my life.

The map is dancing as Libby seems to sing it, a song in a language that I do not understand. I guess that is one thing I will need to learn. The map spins and becomes brighter. The gold writing on the map dance off the map and into the air surrounding us. It is beautiful to watch but also a little scary.

Mother Agnes is thrilled with what she is seeing. The map illuminates a path and a journey. I can see three people walking the path that the map is showing us. I believe what I am looking at is me, Bruce, and Ryan following the path. How will I keep them from killing one another?

The map stops its dance and lands back in Libby's hand. "Now, I can read this too," Libby says.

"Of course, you can, dear. If you are not a Devour, the map will tell you it is secrets if you are pure of heart and know its song," Mother Agnes says. She leans back in the rocker and begins to rock again.

"I guess I have to go on a little trip with those two," I say. I roll my eyes. I hope they can behave long enough for me to follow this map.

Libby reaches out and touches my arm. "They will protect you. No matter how they feel about each other, the two of them know that you are important to us," Libby says.

"I do not feel important. I feel like a seventeen year old girl, who has lost everything and knows nothing about her past or her present," I say.

It is true. I feel so lost, but maybe I can find my way and figure this out. I look at Mother Agnes and Libby. I have lost a lot of people in my life, but I have gained people who care about me too.

"So, where is the map telling me to go?" I ask.

"Devour Cemetary. There is something buried for you there. Your mother and father left it there for you. You are the only one that can open it," Mother Agnes.

Why did they have to leave it in a cemetery? That is creepy. I smile and do not protest. "I will go in the morning. Unless I need to go now," I say.

"It has waited 18 years. It can wait another night. Do not let anything happen to it. You need it to take your magic. Umbra would love to get her hands on it," Mother Agnes says.

"What is it exactly?" I ask.

"No one knows except your mother. I only know that she hid it in the Cemetary. I have no idea what it looks like or its exact location. The map has the exact location. You will know it when you see it," Mother Agnes says.

I look to Libby, thinking maybe she knows what it is, but she shakes her head. She has no idea, either. So I am going to a cemetery to get something that holds my magic, and no one knows what it looks like, but I have a general location. GREAT! Now, I want to growl!

I turn to go back inside the tiny house. I need some sleep. One thing is bothering me. I stop. I turn back to Libby and Mother Agnes. "Why did my father have this map?" I ask.

The two are silent for a moment. "Your father knew that you had special gifts. I gave him the map and told him to give it to you someday. He agreed to give you the map when you turned 18. He also agreed to tell you everything when you turned 18. Your mother was worried and protective of you. She did not want to tell you any of this. She wanted a normal life for you. I cannot blame her. Who would want the child they have raised to come into all of this," Mother Agnes says.

I open the door and go inside the tiny house. Bruce is waiting for me. "I am going back to the hotel. I will come back in the morning if you plan to stay here," Bruce asks.

"Why?" I ask him.

Bruce looks over his shoulder at Ryan. "I need time to think myself," Bruce says.

Bruce walks toward the door. "We are following the map in the morning," I say.

"I know," Bruce says.

Maybe the thought of being trapped with Ryan on a trip is why he needs to be away from him for tonight. "Is it safe for me to return to the hotel for the night?" I ask.

Ryan steps into the sitting room. "You should stay here. I can go get your things," Ryan says.

Bruce looks heavily annoyed. "I will bring her things in the morning," Bruce says.

"Wait," I call out to Bruce. Bruce moves fast. He goes out the door and is gone before I can ask him to stay with me. He is hurt.

Libby comes into the house. "Let him think. He will be back in the morning. You can come with me and share the back guest room. There are two beds in there. Bruce will be back with your things in the morning. For tonight, I have anything you need with me. Help yourself to my overnight bag," Libby says.

Libby leads me down the hall. The tiny house seems to get bigger as we move to the back of it. Libby opens the door to the guest room. It is massive for such a tiny house. "How long will you be staying here? Better question, how long will I be here?" I ask Libby.

"I came to stay with you as long as you need me. As far as you, I know you will need to return home eventually to settle things, but this is your life now," Libby says.

I walk over to the bed in the farthest corner and sit down on it. "I have so much still to settle on my family's estate," I say.

Libby sits down with me. "Your lawyer is an old family friend. He is also a supernatural person. He will protect you and your family property," Libby says.

I am stunned. My parents' lawyer is supernatural. "What is he? Wolf, vamp, what?" I ask. I do not know why, but I need to know.

Libby laughs. "Dave is a shapeshifter. He is a good guy. He is the one that took care of your adoption," Libby says.

Everyone in my life knew I was adopted except for me. In some ways, this feels like a betrayal, and in some ways, I understand it. I shake my head that I understand. I need sleep. I curl up on top of the bed and close my eyes. I hope to dream of mother tonight and our midnight cookie meetings.