The Half-Giant's Guide to Seeing the Future

The Day I Left My Family

Granmam and Moreno wanted to know every detail of my vision, down to the swirls of color and the exact tone of the conversation. I didn't see why that mattered, but apparently, they knew more about this than I did, so I was forced to trust them.

Dad was still quiet. He sat at the table, gripping his hands so hard that his knuckles were white. He didn't look angry but scared.

Granmam squeezed every detail out of me as she worked on lunch. As head of a massive cattle ranch, she was always feeding not only Oakeleys but all of her ranch hands as well.

It took a lot of manpower to keep the ranch running. Dylan had been working on the ranch as soon as he was big enough to ride. Grandpa had taught him everything, and Dylan wanted to inherit the ranch more than his absentee father's tech empire.

Emma walked straight into the kitchen, followed by a much older woman with frizzy white hair and amber eyes like the younger girl. Granmam nodded at the woman and smiled softly.

I shook my head, confused. Of all the people to walk in my grandmother's kitchen, Mrs. Dorkepski, the lady I dog-sat for, was not on my bingo card.

"Athelda," Moreno said. "I'm surprised you're here."

"Course you are," Mrs. Dorkepski's tone was spunky. "But you half-giants will never be rid of me much as you try to retire me. Us old timers are important."

Moreno just chuckled softly. Emma offered the older woman a chair, and she waved away the help.

"I'm only one hundred and forty, girl," she said. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"Terri, this is my grandmother, Athelda Valan née Dorkepski," Emma said. "She drove here to meet you."

"Kimmy said she was here, and I think I have the right to meet the girl who might change the future," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "I'm one of the oldest halfants around. Older than your grandmother. I was born the year Tytan became king, so I've seen it all, little girl."

"It's good to see you, Athelda," Dad said.

"Charles boy, always getting yourself in a spot of trouble, and no doubt you've raised this young scamp like you," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "Well, girl, are you trouble?"

"Memaw," Emma said. "I don't know why Kimmy even invited you."

"Because Kimmy is the responsible granddaughter," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "And you're the rebellious one. Too much human in you and too much giant in her."

Moreno looked like he wanted popcorn as Mrs. Dorkepski went back and forth with her granddaughter. Emma scoffed at her grandmother. Mrs. Dorkepski put her hands on her hips and stared at me.

Mrs. Dorkepski had always struck me as a rather frivolous woman until this moment. She micromanaged her pets but, overall, was a loving woman. Here, though, everyone here seemed to respect her and hold her in a much higher regard than I'd ever seen anyone treat the batty lady.

"I think she must go to Redwood," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "Sure, it's understaffed, but the place is impenetrable. Drake made sure of that."

Moreno stiffened. "Drake Pennal is not the reason Redwood is safe."

There was that name again. It was connected to the future and that little girl in my vision.

"Who's Drake Pennal?" I asked.

It's like the air was sucked out of the room. No one met my eyes. Finally, Granmam broke the silence.

"When I was your age, Terri," she said, "Drake Pennal was the commander of the halfants at Redwood Compound. It's the outpost protecting the giant side of the portal staffed by halfants. Moreno works at Redwood."