Page 53 of The Unseen Hour (The Unseen Hour Duology #1)

T he remaining weeks passed by quickly, and with each day, Orion’s mood grew worse. He was as kind and compassionate with me as always, but then he’d get quiet and moody, and retreat into the woods.

Charon hadn’t summoned him at all, and with the Unseen Hour so close, he expected it any day.

When the moment finally arrived, I almost expected it to reduce some of his tension. That was the only roadblock left—whether Charon said anything that indicated he knew what we were up to. After a kiss goodbye, Orion readied to meet the god, his expression gloomy.

“One more hurdle. Survive this last bit, and then we can go home,” I reminded him.

He lifted my hands in his and kissed my fingers.

“I won’t let him ruin this for you, or for us,” he assured me.

Without his restless energy in the cottage, I fell into the same tense mood myself. It was as if the situation demanded anxiety, and at least one of us had to fulfill the requirement. I was too jumpy to read. I needed action.

With Orion keeping Charon busy, there was one other thing I’d been considering for some time, and the Meadow would never be safer.

We’d spent nearly a year searching for my father with no success, but somehow I knew it wouldn’t be as difficult to find the people I wanted to see. When I reached the Meadow, I headed directly for the area in the sea of Shades where I knew the oldest souls tended to congregate.

The two people I sought took me a laughably short time to locate. One with lighter hair than his brother, and one with darker. One with grey eyes, and one with blue.

“Remington? Reginald?” I asked as I approached them.

Both were dressed in the more intricate male fashions of Orion’s time. One in a deep blue tailored coat, the other in silver.

The two Shades turned and watched me but didn’t respond. Still, it was almost the hour. All the Shades were more active. This was my best chance.

“You’re Orion’s brothers, aren’t you?”

The one with grey eyes blinked heavily.

“Yes. That’s us. I’m Regi,” said the one with blue eyes.

“And I’m Remi. Our brother Rion. Do you know him?” asked the other.

I felt tears forming in my eyes. I had no idea how much they would be able to understand or remember, but for Orion I wanted to try.

“I’m in love with your brother,” I started.

I told Remi and Regi everything. How they’d ended up in the Meadow, where Orion was.

I didn’t go into detail on what their brother had been through; that was his story to tell.

But I gave them the broad strokes. That he’d been alone for nearly a century, that there was an angry god ruling the place, and that Orion and I would be going to Emrys with the god on the hour.

I told them how much their brother missed them, and how I felt about him. That I wanted to help them as well. I even told them about my father.

“I was too late for him, but we can still help both of you. That’s what I want. To help you, and Ry,” I finished.

Miraculously, they kept their attention on me through the entire story.

“He’s doing all this to free us?”

“Yes. To free all the souls. But if we succeed, he’ll never see you again. I wanted you to know everything he’s doing for you. How much he loves you.”

Regi’s blue eyes blazed in a way that reminded me of his older brother.

“We never did find out who meant to harm us. But Rion was willing to die trying, to keep us safe. It sounds like he’s still doing it.”

“And we can help. You’re going back as well? Let us shield you. We’ll stand at your side when we leave for the hour. We’ll keep you hidden while you cross over,” Remi promised.

It may have been an empty promise. They were this responsive only because the hour was so close. When I returned, I thought, they might have no idea who I was. But I was touched either way.

Three brothers bound by love for a century. Each still willing to do whatever it took to help the other. As much as I cared for my family, I hadn’t trusted any of them enough to share this much.

But Orion’s brothers immediately accepted what I said and expressed a desire to help. They were every bit the wonderful men Ry had said they were .

“I’ll return on the hour, then, and look for you. I wish there was something else I could do. I just didn’t want you to … I didn’t want you to leave this realm without knowing just how much Ry cares for you.”

“And we care for him as well. Always. Can you give him this?” Remi reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

“And from me,” Regi seconded.

They each handed over a small, dry bean.

“The kitchen? When you set up that scavenger hunt for him?” I asked.

Remi laughed.

“He told you about that? He was always such a good sport.”

“The best older brother,” Regi agreed. “We always had the most fun in each other’s company. When our father died, a lot of responsibility was put on his shoulders. We just want him to know we saw how hard he worked. That we appreciate what he did.”

“That he didn’t fail. He has looked after us all this time, and we love him,” Remi added.

Tears fell down my face as I accepted the small tokens and put them in my pocket.

“I’ll make sure he gets them,” I said.

“Watch out for him, please. He deserves someone to look after him as much as he looks after others,” Regi urged.

“And welcome to the family,” Remi added.

They both leaned forward, hugging me. Their touch was frigid, but I welcomed it.

Family.

I’d come to the Ether to save one family member and was too late, but I could still free others.

I returned to the edge of the woods, losing sight of the brothers in the sea of Shades.

Orion didn’t return until the orange and purple lights were long faded and blue and green were ruling the night. I’d made it back to the cottage quite some time ago.

“Are you hurt?” I asked when he walked through the door and went to sit in front of the fire without a word. “Does he know? What did he say?”

“According to him, he’s been traveling,” Orion gritted out, as though each word cost him.

“Dealing with the other gods?” I pressed.

Orion’s jaw clenched, but he managed a nod. I wondered if only Charon had this power to protect his secrets, or if Death could have ordered us to behave similarly.

“He doesn’t know about the music?”

“No. I’ll be joining him on New Year’s Eve to gather the Shades. When I go to the Meadow, I’ll hide the baton. You stay here and follow later with the music. Stay in the back of the crowd, so he doesn’t notice you.”

His brothers had already offered to hide me, so that worked perfectly.

“Ry, while you were gone I went to the Meadow.”

I’d half-expected him to worry, even though I was in no danger as long as Charon was away.

“I thought you might go,” he said instead.

“Why?”

“To look for him one last time. Just to make sure Death wasn’t wrong.”

“Actually, I went for you.”

“Me?”

The entire story spilled out .

“I hope I didn’t overstep. I know you haven’t been to see them in quite some time, and I didn’t want to meddle.”

He got up and moved quickly toward me. He pulled me into a hug.

“It’s perfect, Starlight. It’s exactly like they told you. You’re my family, and their family. And I’m glad you got to meet them. I said my goodbyes long ago. To find out that at least they got to hear that I never stopped loving them, or fighting for them … it means more than I can express.”

“They wanted you to have these.” I pulled the beans from my pocket and handed them to Ry.

He took them, laughing, and beginning to cry at the same time. He placed them in his own pocket.

“The three of us would have done anything for each other. Go with them tomorrow. If they can help it, they won’t forget. They’ll keep you safe. And so will I. No matter what it takes, or what happens, Starlight. I will make sure you get home.”

He’d said as much before, but he sounded more fervent this time.

“I know, Ry. I trust you, and I’ll have your back.”

“I have something for you as well. The book. It’s not what I’d call finished, but I still feel like you should have it.”

He went to the shelf to pull out his latest story. I flipped it open and thumbed through the pages carefully, drinking in his familiar handwriting. I read a few passages, not in order, but on whatever pages fell open.

“Wait. This is … this is us . You wrote us.”

There was a section about the cavern, and the woods. On seeing me for the first time. Our entire story for the past year, from Ry’s perspective.

In one moment the spark I’d been missing for a hundred years returned, lighting up my entire world.

A love story, and an adventure, from his perspective. The same poetic writing I’d fallen in love with, but it was directed at me.

I clutched the book to my chest, overwhelmed.

“I never expected something like this.”

Orion ran his hand through his hair.

“I’m glad you like it. I’d hoped to work on it more in Emrys, but this seemed like the best time.”

I shook my head.

“Not the book, although I will cherish it. I never expected a love like this.”

I threw myself into his arms again, and he kissed the top of my head.

The Ether hadn’t provided what I expected at all.

And I had no intention of letting Orion go.