The Haven High Book Series (Wattys2017)

Chapter 40

Lauren came to in the Ryu's cozy living room on an overstuffed couch with half a dozen worried faces staring down at her. When she went to ask what had happened her memories flooded back in. Angry tears started streaming down her face again. When Quinn gave her hand a squeeze, she realized that he was holding it. When she looked up she could clearly see Zach pacing back and forth behind the smaller in stature Ryu's. He looked frustrated beyond belief.

She started to sit up and Zach rushed forward in concern nearly taking out Grandma Ryu in his haste. She held her hand up to stop his progress and to assure him she was all right.

She announced in a calmer voice than even she could believe she could muster given her present state of agitation, "I think something we discussed today broke down a barrier in my mind that kept me from the truth about my so-called-deceased brother. He was or is the boy that's been imprisoned on another dimensional plane. But you don't have to worry about me crying about it anymore, because I'm going to find him and bring him back, and the council can go fuck themselves!"

Ray's gran seemed to look shocked, but Ray's dad got a hard glint of determination in his eyes and said, "I too feel the council can go fuck themselves."

Ray's mouth dropped open when he heard his father curse, but his father just nodded his head stiffly and finished with, "Let us know if there's anything we can do."

When his wife looked at him with concern he said, "Kasumi we stood back and let them take two children now and have done nothing. I let them take Aiko, because I thought it was the honorable thing to do. It was not."

His wife went to speak, but he held up his hand, "No my love, my blossom, enough is enough, we couldn't save Aiko, but we can save this boy. Tell me what I can do?"

"I don't have a plan yet, but if I think of one and you can help, I will let you know." Lauren said emphatically.

Mr. Ryu seemed to like that answer, and nodding authoritatively, said, "In the meantime I can give you kids a ride home."

"Come." He commanded.

When Ray made to follow them his father said -- not even looking back, "Not you. Your mother and I need to speak to you there are many things we must discuss."

Ray hung his head, but didn't object: obedience seemed to be second nature to him. Poor Ray to find out your parents had been keeping secrets from you all your life – twice over. This whole stupid magical world was built on a foundation of secrets and lies and she was sick of it. It was time to shine a light on the messed up shit that's been going on for far too long, and she was going to be the one to do it.

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The guys insisted on accompanying her home and she had no choice but to agree; they never even gave her the option, and she was grateful for the company. She couldn't imagine the too quiet house. It gave her too much time to be alone with her thoughts -- her irate thoughts. She was mad at the council, mad at her mother, and mad at the world that robbed her of her twin brother and left her with a gaping hole in her heart.

She had half a mind to join the hate filled crew that was going around wreaking havoc on the magical world. They were probably people that the council screwed over too, but she couldn't do that. Even in her rage, and hunger for revenge, she couldn't bring herself to do it, not at the cost of innocent lives. The night school students were using guerilla warfare and her fellow halfbloods were just cannon fodder to them.

Nobody spoke during the drive home not even Quinn. If someone had told her two days ago that Quinn could spend twenty minutes without saying a word, she would have called them a liar and told them to check their head.