He shrugged out of Charles’ grasp. “You don’t understand how much he looks like Steven. And he even has the same blood type. What I’m saying is… We’re willing to try keeping him at our house. I sent a picture to Steven, and he’s flying home as soon as he can. He wants to meet him.”
Charles’ face turned red and the muscles flexed in his jaw. “Brian, you can’t let anyone else in on the secret. If people here discover Alora’s past—her power—we don’t know what might happen. You promised never to tell anyone.”
He lifted his chin. “This is different. It’s like a miracle, and we can’t ignore it. Even Karen agrees since she saw his picture. Anyway, it’s too late… Steven’s already heard the whole story, and he swore to keep it to himself.”
“But you can’t take him to your house.” Squeezing his eyes shut, Charles massaged his forehead.
“Charles is correct. He’s more dangerous than you realize,” Kaevin agreed.
“He has Vindrake’s bloodbond,” Charles continued. “He already attacked one of the lab techs here at the hospital. As soon as he wakes up, he’ll try to kill you. What are you going to do? Keep him tied up all the time? Are you going to go out to work and leave Karen alone with a dangerous man?”
Brian pushed his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. We haven’t figured out the details. But Charles, he’s just a kid. He can’t be more than twenty years old.” He stepped around Kaevin and put his hand on the sleeping form.
“What are you doing?” asked Charles.
“If you take him to Laegenshire, I’m going with you.”
“You’d risk your life for this guy? You don’t even know him. Just because he looks like Steven doesn’t mean you owe him anything. It’s a freak accident.”
“Well Steven disagrees. He thinks there could be a real connection here. Especially after he heard about Karen losing the baby.” Brian lifted a stubborn chin.
“What baby? What are you talking about?” asked Charles.
Brian sighed, but kept his hand clasped around the sleeping man’s arm. “About two years before we had Wesley, Karen had a miscarriage. She was only five months along. It was a boy. And Steven says the same baby might have been born in a parallel world.”
Alora had been holding back her questions, but this revelation was too much. “Are you saying we might have exact counterparts in the other world? Like there are two parallel worlds with identical people in them? Actual doppelgangers?”
Brian shook his head. “Probably not doppelgangers. Steven says it wouldn’t work that way. There are too many variables. But with over millions and millions of DNA combinations it’s probable you could have two that are very similar in this world alone. You know how there are always people who win those celebrity-look-alike contests? Having another realm only increases the chance of that happening. The real miracle isn’t that they have similar DNA… It’s that we found him. What if it’s a God thing?”
Charles groaned. “You can’t pull the God-card, Brian. What am I supposed to say to that? How can I argue without sounding like I’m trying to thwart God’s will?”
“Then don’t argue. At least let me go to Laegenshire and talk to Graely and the council. Maybe they can figure out a way to help us.”
He threw his hands in the air. “Fine! Go make your case with Graely. Just remember, if you bring this guy back here and he ends up killing someone, it’s on your head. But I want him tied up any time he’s around Alora. I’m not willing to take any chances with her life, even if you’re willing to risk your own family for this stranger.”
Brian’s head dipped in a sharp nod. “Fine!”
“Fine!” Charles echoed.
“Fine,” said Alora, unable to hide a smile.
Kaevin glowered. “It isn’t fine with me. I dislike this man, in spite of his resemblance to anyone else.”
Reaching out to take his hand, Alora sent Kaevin a reassuring smile. “It’ll be okay. We’ll let your father decide. Let’s go before the doppelganger wakes up.”
“Wait,” said Brian. Struggling with the boy’s limp body, Brian slid him to the floor. He sat down to cradle the boy’s head on his lap. “I don’t want him to fall again when we transport.”
Kaevin’s eyes rolled around as he bent to grasp Brian’s hand.
In spite of her uncle’s glare, Alora grinned and winked. “Back in a flash.”
*****
Vindrake picked at a piece of gristle wedged between his molars. Having finished his midday meal, he rested comfortably in his chair while three men squirmed under his inspection.
A pale man with limp blond hair spoke up. “I promise, Sire, we never betrayed you. We couldn’t, with the bloodbond and all, not that we would ever desire to betray you. And we returned as soon as Graely freed us. Me and Faelowe and Harmaele, we came straight here.”
“Speak up and stop mumbling. I can barely hear you. What’s your name?”