I gasp.
“He’s kidding,” Matthias assures me, but Teddy looks serious.
“I've always wanted brothers,” I say. “Any siblings, really. My stepbrother and I never got along. I tried, but… I think our parents wanted us to get closer… that’s why they sent us up the mountain together.”
“Matthias is going to keep a look out for your stepbrother.” Teddy gives Matthias a meaningful look I can’t interpret.
“That’s right.” Matthias clears his throat. “And we can get the word out to the rest of our brothers.”
“Do you all live here on the mountain?”
“Most of us, yes,” Matthias says. “I have my own cabin closer to the one where we grew up.”
“I called Matthias as soon as I carried you here. He’s the one who got your pack. I told him he couldn’t miss it.”
“Because it’s pink.” I pick up one of my braids and hold the flamingo colored end up in front of Teddy’s face. “My favorite color has its uses.”
Teddy shakes his head, so I tease his beard with the end of my braid, to see what he’ll do. He lets me tickle him under the chin for two seconds before capturing my hand and pressing it to his chest.
I look back at Matthias, pretending my face isn’t flushing. “Did you happen to see an urn up there with it?”
“I saw it,” Matthias says after glancing at Teddy. “It was in pieces. I’m sorry, Lana.”
“It must have fallen.” I go to rub my forehead and remember it’s bandaged. “Was it empty?”
Matthias nods.
“So we must have reached the summit.” I try to think and am rewarded with a sharp pain in my head. “Ow.”
Matthias heads to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water, Tylenol, and more frozen blueberries.
Teddy rubs my back as I take the medicine. “Easy, babygirl. You don’t have to deal with it today.” He gently holds the cold bag to the back of my neck.
I let myself relax against him. “You’re right. Smart Viking.”
“Viking?” Matthias coughs to cover a laugh.
“Don’t you need to be somewhere?” Teddy snaps at his brother.
“Not really, but I’ll head out.” Matthias slings his bag over his shoulder. “Daisy sends her regards, by the way. She wants to talk to you before the next town meeting.”
“Daisy?” I ask.
“Our mayor,” Matthias says. “She’s eighty-nine going on fifty.”
“Pain in my ass,” Teddy mutters.
“Hey.” I poke his biceps again. It feels so firm, I do it again. “That’s not nice.”
“You tell him, Lana,” Matthias saunters towards the door, which has creaked open in the breeze again. “Uh, Teddy…”
Teddy tweaks my braids while I poke him in retaliation. “What is it?”
“You need to come see this.”
Teddy stiffens, cocking his head towards the door. I sit up. I hear it too–the distant, rhythmic clacking of helicopter blades.
“Sit tight, babygirl.” Teddy shifts me carefully onto the couch and strides out the door with Matthias.
I leave the frozen blueberries in a decorative bowl on the coffee table and follow, too curious to stay back. When I reach the door, a gust of wind bangs it open
A helicopter hovers over the grassy meadow in front of Teddy’s cabin. Dust flies, pine trees thrash their branches, and wildflowers flatten as it sets down.
I cup my hands over my ears and duck away from the wind. Teddy turns and wraps his arms around me, covering my head with a protective hand.
The helicopter has barely landed when a big man with a black briefcase hops out of the back and waves the pilot away. He strolls towards the cabin as the helicopter lifts off and flies away. I squint but don’t recognize the newcomer. In his suit and black sunglasses, he looks like one of the Men In Black.
“Brother,” the man calls. He’s got blond hair, cut a bit longer than Teddy’s and tousled from the helicopter wind. His beard is clipped with surgical precision to line his strong jaw.
The blond business man removes his shades, and I gasp. Take away the suit, the expensive haircut, add worn clothes and a messy beard, and he’d be a mirror image of Teddy.
He sets down the briefcase and holds out his arms. “Miss me?”
Pressed against Teddy’s chest, I feel his growl vibrate through me. He carefully maneuvers me aside.
“Teddy,” Matthias warns, but Teddy is already storming across the meadow towards his doppleganger.
I sidle up to Matthias. “Is that one of the triplets?” Teddy didn’t say he was one of three, but I could’ve gotten confused.
“No. That’s Teddy’s twin.”
“Darius,” Teddy snarls. He prowls up to his twin. With shoulders bunched and hands held away from his sides, he looks like a pit fighter circling his opponent.
“Theodore.” Darius the twin folds his glasses and puts them in his pocket. “How are things?”
“Fine. No thanks to you.”
“Matthias? And…hello?” A smile spreads across Darius’ face when he sees me.
Teddy steps between Darius and me, blocking his twin’s line of sight. With them face to face, I get a chance to spot more differences. Teddy has more tattoos. Darius looks like he’s ready for the boardroom, Teddy like he just came from a biker rally.