SPIRITBORNE | Book 1 of the Spirits' War Trilogy [excerpt]

5: THE CLAN

"At the wedding."

Mr. Adolphus extends a hand and I grasp it in a hasty handshake.

My great uncle. I thought he'd been living abroad all these years, unable to come for a visit. But he'd been right here the whole time. Out in the woods, that is.

Margo's dad seems pretty old-school. But maybe he's mature enough to answer all of my questions since Lauren has made it clear she doesn't have the time to do so herself. Plus, it's nice to see another familiar face amongst all the strangers.

I turn back towards the alpha and Lauren meets my eye for a split second, her azure gaze cold and unwavering. Then she whips around and peels back the folds of her tent, disappearing once again into its depths. I smooth my hair back from my eyes, adjusting my toque. I dab at my glistening eyes with the sleeve of my sweatshirt.

"Is she okay?" I whisper to the gentleman who now stands beside me, his hands clasped together at his waist and his mouth twisted into a slight frown.

"Of course. She does that sometimes."

My great uncle beams as he squints at the sky, extending a calloused hand to shield his chestnut eyes from the sun's unyielding midday light. I follow his gaze; the moon – though scarcely visible at this time of day – is still full. I pretend to stroke my upper lip, hiding a smile as he continues.

"So, what do you think? Ready to switch gears and live in the forest with us?" he jokes.

I snort, unsure whether or not to answer him sarcastically. "I don't believe this," I tell my relative, stretching my arms wide to indicate the campsite and all in it.

"I know." He smiles kindly. "It's hard for me to handle sometimes, too. But your father will be ecstatic to be able to see you again."

I glance up at him, my brows furrowing. "Actually...my dad died," I manage to choke out. Seven years and I still can't say it. "He and my mom went on this hiking trip—"

Mr. Adolphus intakes a sharp breath. "I'm not sure how much Alpha and the others have told you, so—"

"Next to nothing, actually. I can shapeshift. That's all I really know at this point. What else is there?" I demand, crossing my arms over my chest. "And why did you speak about my dad as if he's still...?" I swallow, unable to finish.

My great uncle grins with a glint in his eye. "You're not an orphan, Skye. Your father is still alive. I've wanted to tell you this for ages—"

"You must have me confused with someone else."

He hardly knows me. He's been away for so long, he doesn't even know my dad died. I scrunch my eyes tight, holding the tears at bay.

"He's...alive. Always has been," Mr. Adolphus says softly. "I spoke with him on the phone just last week."

I force an awkward – borderline hysterical – laugh. "It can't be real. None of this is real."

"Ah, but it is," he insists.

Alright, I'll bite. But sooner or later I'll come to my senses and figure out what's real and what's not.

"Are Margo and David here? Is...is my dad here?"

My great uncle – if that's who he really is – clears his throat. "They're dealing with a lot at the moment. As for your dad—"

I groan. "So they just left me here?"

"For the time being. You're in good hands." Mr. Adolphus smiles. "Lauren is strict but she cares for us all. Now—"

"Pinch me."