Burning Embers (book 3)

Chapter 25

 After hours of walking in a haze, her body finally decided it could take no more. How far could her destination truly be, Skylar wondered. It wasn't like she had the slightest idea where her father had taken her in the first place, that had been the point after all. The further away she was from everyone she cared about, the better. Her eyes stung as she started thinking of everything she had lost – everyone she had lost. Would they even remember her? Was her absence even marked in their lives? Surely no one could've missed her. If they did, wouldn't they have come looking for her by now? After all these years in hell, she didn't know who to turn to. Her father... was dead. Her mother and Elliot... well they abandoned her the second they let her father take her to that godsforsaken place. Who did she have left?

Skylar balled her hands into fists and hit the ground with a sudden thud. She let out a cry of pain as she struck the earth beneath her with her hands, taking out at least some of her frustration on the barely growing grass. There was one person she could go to. She knew it from digging around in her father's mind. All the lies he had told her... all the lies he had told their family. She didn't know what finally had her over the edge, what finally made her kill him, but she knew this secret was part of the reason.

Did her grandmother even know of her existence? Or was she as unaware as Skylar was? It was of course possible that her grandmother didn't even have the slightly inclination who she was since her father had tried everything in his power to leave that life behind. Perhaps that was the best reason to seek out her grandmother, for the mere reason that her father shunned her so much. Whatever Gayle Bastian Cicilene hated, couldn't possibly be that terrible. Skylar, herself, was after all something that her hated. She wondered briefly if Cicilene was ever her real last name, or if it was one of her father's attempts to leave behind his old life.

"My dear, what are you doing out here in the cold all by yourself?"

Sky lifted her head to see the kindest grey eyes she had ever seen in her life. The older woman standing before her was kneeling down, with a hand outstretched to Skylar, a wary smile on her wrinkled face. Skylar took in a sudden breath and her blue eyes widened as she was flooded with the thoughts of the woman before her.

It had been years... years since she had heard thoughts so kind and caring. It brought her to tears, which only seemed to heighted the woman's worry. May, that is her name, Sky thought.

"Are you all right?"

Sky tried to rise to her feet, but found herself incapable. May reached out and provided some support. "Thank you," Sky said as she pulled herself up, still slightly leaning on the woman.

"Do you need a place to stay? I have an inn just a few minutes' walk from here...?"

Skylar thought about declining the woman's offer, but so no ill will in her mind, or her eyes. This little bit of kindness seemed so foreign and out of the blue. She offered May the kindest smile she could manage. "I would be much obliged... but... I'm afraid... I..."her voice traveled off as she realized that she would have no way of paying the older woman for her act of kindness.

The kind woman smiled again and patted Sky's arm. "We shall not worry about such trivial matters as money, child. First, let us get you cleaned up, and perhaps you could tell me your story. You seem to be carrying a great burden, and I would not be the woman my mother raised me to be, if I left you here in such a condition. Now come along. I won't take no for an answer."

Again, Skylar had the sudden urge to cry, but felt too tired to bring herself to. Instead, she simply nodded and let the woman lead her to the inn she spoke of. Perhaps things would be looking up sooner than she thought, for unless this May was very skilled at keeping her thoughts in control, she had nothing but good intentions.

Years of not being able to trust anyone, however, still made Skylar skeptical. Even though embers of trust remain, even they can burn until there is nothing left but ash.