Initium (The Nocte Trilogy 2.50)

I’m protected.

I’m safe now. I’m wearing Finn’s medallion. I’m safe.

I’m just drawing a shaky breath of relief when the door creaks open again and I’m faced once again with my insanity.

My startled eyes flash upward, finding the impossible.

Finn.

My dead brother.

Standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

He walks in just like normal, and there is no blood, no fear, no crazy look in his eye. His hair is brown, his eyes are blue, like always.

He sits next to my bed, his face pale as he takes my hand and his hand is real, and he’s alive, and he’s here. He’s breathing and he’s warm and he’s here.

I exhale.

“The doctor says you’re crazy, Cal,” he tells me seriously. “You have to take your medicine, and everything will be ok.”

I’m crazy, and everything will be ok.

Will it?

But I nod because Finn is here, and I’ll agree to anything because he’s not dead.

He’s here.

And I’m here.

And I don’t care if I’m crazy.

Finn squeezes my hand, and I breathe and breathe and breathe.

“Our cousin is here,” he tells me finally. “He’s going to stay for a while. He’s nice and you’ll like him.”

I nod but I don’t really care. All I care about is that Finn is here and I had a nightmare and it wasn’t real.

My mom comes in and flutters about, and my dad speaks in a quiet voice, and they make me stay in bed. Later, my step-cousin comes in.

His voice is low as he introduces himself. He’s three years older and his name is Dare.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say

politely, and I’m still tired. I look up at his face and I suck in my breath.

His eyes are black.

* * *

Chapter THREE

Black like the night, like the dark, like onyx. Black like obsidian, like ink. I can’t help but stare at Dare’s eyes as Finn and I walk with him along the trails a few days later.

“Why do you keep looking at me?” he asks with impatience. His hands are grubby because we’ve been outside, on the beach and on the trails.

“Because your eyes are black,” I tell him stoutly. Because honesty is the best policy.