The Forsaken (Book Three in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

So Very Durable

I woke up when the plane stopped moving. My eyes snapped open and I sucked in breath.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Michael said. “We landed. We’re here. Everything’s ok.”

I looked around, my mind still in a panic. My eyes found my brother and Luke. Then I looked at Michael. The panic still reverberated through my head. I tried to remember what had caused it.

“It was just a dream,” Michael said softly.

I had that feeling, like I could remember my dream but at the same time I couldn’t remember it at all.

“What was it?” I asked. “The dream?”

“It’s nothing important. Here,” he turned my hand over in his and I opened my fingers, “this is to replace the one you gave me.”

He let an identical chain that held my tags fall into my open palm.

“Oh thank god. I’ve been carrying it around in my pocket.”

He smiled. “Glad to be of help.”

I took his tag out of my pocket and unclasped the chain. I slipped the tag on and then closed the clasp. I put it over my head and then tucked it under my shirt.

“Back where it’s supposed to be,” I said, smiling.

“Ready to go?” Luke asked, leaning over the back

“Yeah,” I said, unbuckling my seat belt. “I’m ready.”

Michael and I got up, grabbing our luggage from the rack. I’d only packed a small duffle again. I sling the strap over my shoulder and followed Luke and Sebastis off the plane. Michael followed behind me, his own small duffle clasped in his hand by the two hand straps.

“You told Aidan to meet us here?” Luke asked.

I nodded. “That’s what Dad told me to do so I did it.”

“Oh this should be fun,” Sebastis murmured.

I smacked him upside the head. “Sh. Be nice.”

He smiled. “Only for you.” He slipped his hand into mine and squeezed.

We entered the airport and again it was packed.

“Is it normally this bad?” Sebastis asked me.

“Don’t know, little brother. I would assume considering the last time I came through here there were more people than this.”

I scanned the crowd for Aidan but didn’t see him.

“He’s here,” Michael said. “I just don’t know where.”

I looked up at him and nodded. “He’ll find us.”

I went back to scanning the crowd as we made our way forward.

“Gee,” my brother said, tapping my arm. “There.” He pointed.

I looked in that general direction and spotted Aidan. He was walking toward us, his eyes glued to me. But there was no grin on his face.

“Something’s wrong.”

“Jason’s here,” Michael said.

I looked at him, the panic rising. “What?”

“I can feel him.”

I looked back at Aidan and he was still a couple yards away.

“What do we do? How far away is he?” I asked.