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 into 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."
"A hundred and forty?" I asked.
"Giants live longer than humans, and their half-human children inherit that trait as well," Moreno said. "We age slower, too. Your grandmother dyes her hair gray so the humans are less suspicious of her."
"Terri, this is my grandmother, Athelda," Emma said. "She drove here to meet you."
"She knows who I am," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "She's been dog-sitting for me for four years, Emma. 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.
Anyway, Vita wanted to send me ahead to scout, and I spotted another giant while I was on the road," Mrs. Dorkepski continued. "Vita is taking care of it, but giants followed you."
"Then what should we do?" Granmam asked.
Mrs. Dorkepski had always struck me as a rather frivolous woman until this moment. She micromanaged her pets but was, overall, a loving woman. Here, though, everyone 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. "Who's Drake Pennal?" I asked.
The room felt as if someone had sucked out all the air. 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."
"He was thrown out," Moreno said. "Drake was cruel and made decisions that got our people killed. He also made our outpost formidable because he was paranoid. He's a criminal, but he made my home a fortress."
"Doesn't sound like all your halfants are good," I said.
"Drake is dead, little girl," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "I hated the man. He deserved his fate. With all the deaths on his hands, there was nothing more fitting, especially after his negligence got his grandson killed."
"We aren't discussing Todd or the Pennals," Moreno said. "It's not important."
"You just said my visions are important," I said. "So why not tell me?"
"Because..." Moreno looked angry. "Because you can see anything that might happen. It's better not to fixate, especially when your vision is likely twenty years away."
"I want to know what she saw," Mrs. Dorkepski said. "Spill girl."
"I'm afraid that's not terribly productive, Athelda," Granmam said. "Redwood is safe, Terri. The current commander is a good friend of mine. His name is Bryan Station. However, his Lieutenant Alana McDonald is running the place in his absence."
"She's the best," Moreno said. "And I have a feeling you'll like her."
Emma rolled her eyes. "He's biased since she's practically his person. Alana is difficult at best."
Moreno's hands went to his waist, where a blade was strapped. I half questioned if he was about to chunk it at Emma. Instead, he drew the blade and spun it in his hand.
I didn't know why I thought Moreno might throw the blade at the girl who said bad things about his person. Somehow, the title seemed more intimate than a girlfriend or significant other.
"Alana isn't so bad," Dylan said. "But you get her and Moreno together..."
"Lieutenant McDonald is one of the best soldiers that Half Circle had trained in years," Granmam said. "And Moreno is the second best. They can keep Terri safe. I'd even trust them to train her to defend herself."
Dad stood up abruptly. "Terri isn't becoming a soldier for a kingdom that will hate her. Mam, we kept her all away from this intentionally."
I stared at my dad. Yet again, here he was, sticking his head in the sand. A guy in an elevator probably would have kidnapped me without Moreno, and everyone was so sure that others were coming.
"Chuck," Granmam said. "You can't do this to her anymore. Terri is eighteen."
"And I think completely shielding her made her completely unprepared for a day you knew was inevitably coming," Moreno said. "She should have started training when she was fourteen like the rest of us."
"Being a lord doesn't give you the right to run your mouth," Dad snapped. "And I kept Terri far safer than your family managed to protect you in the human world."
If the front door hadn't been practically thrown off its hinges by half-brothers at that moment, I think Moreno might have punched my father. He glowered as Geoff and Nath ran into the room and nearly knocked Granmam off her feet.Elise followed them inside, looking exhausted. Jilly was on her heels, looking worried, but her face softened when she saw me.
"Why is the crazy dog lady here?" Geoff asked.
Elise visibly cringed, but Nath beat his mother to the punch. "Dude, her name is Mrs. Dorkepski, and it's obvious. She's one of them, just like Terri."
"One of what?" Geoff looked exasperated.
"A half-giant," Nath looked guilty the moment he said it. "I'm allowed to say that, right?"
Dad sighed. "Yes, I told Terri. She knows about her mother now."
"What?" Geoff looked me up and down. "How come nobody told me?"
"Because, nitwit, you would have told Terri and ruined it," Nath said matter of factly. "But that means... Dad, you said if Terri found out, she'd have to leave."
He looked almost crestfallen. Now, as big as a pain as my half-brothers were, I did love them. Nath and Geoff had always stood up for me. Even with all their jokes and pranks, they didn't tell height jokes or make me feel like a freak.
"Yes," Dad said. "Terri is going to go where it's safe because some bad people are after her."
"Why just her?" Geoff asked. "Why can't we all go?"
I looked at my brother with his curly hair and big brown eyes. He was so young, and he was just told he was losing his sister. Dropping to my knees, I looked my brother in the eye like I did when I wanted to be serious. This was the only way he could be taller than I was.
"My birth mother is mixed up with some really bad people," I said. "So I have to go so you can be safe, Geoff. You still have Jilly and Nath. And I'll visit when I can."
My brother threw his arms around me and gave me a tight hug. Nath piled on top of Geoff, making the hug tighter. Just for a moment, I wanted to hold my brothers because I had a suspicion it might be a long time before I got to come home.
Jilly cleared her throat, and the boys broke their hug. My stepsister helped me up to my feet and gave me another hug.
"You need any help, and I'll come," she said.
"That might be hard to arrange," Moreno said. "Since humans aren't allowed where we're going."
Jilly broke our hug and glared at Moreno with her hands on her hips. "Who's going to stop me? You?"
"Yes, actually," he said. "It's my job."
Jilly looked like she wanted to argue, but Elise stepped forward and held up her hand. "Please don't argue with him, Jilly. His job is to take care of Terri, and for that, we are grateful."
"So she's just going to go?" Geoff said.
"Trust me, little Oakeley," Moreno smirked. "Your sister is going to be fine."
I looked back at my Dad. He gave a weak smile, but there was pain in his eyes. I didn't want to see him so broken, so I offered him a hug. His arms were so warm and familiar. I breathed in the familiar scent of his aftershave, and my heart calmed. Even though he lied, he did it all out of love.
"Don't forget who you are," he muttered. "You're my daughter. I know you have to go, and I love you so much, Terri."
"I know, Dad," I said. "I love you too."
He broke away, and my eyes fell on the sleeve tattoos on his forearm and then the names of each of his children on his other arm. My name was beside Jilly, Nath, and Geoff. He loved us all equally.
"Are you ready, princessa?" Moreno asked.
I picked up my backpack and duffle bag, looked at my family one last time, and turned back to Moreno.
"So," I asked. "Where is this portal anyway?"
"It's so obvious," Dylan smiled. "I think you're going to be kicking yourself when you see it."
Hey friends!! We're going to the giant world! What do you think will happen when Terri gets there? Thanks so much for reading. Until next time!