Dad sat on the couch opposite him and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “What can we do to help?”
Jacob shook his head. “I don’t know, Dad. I don’t understand most of what’s going on around me anymore.” He looked up. “I wish you did, though. I wish you could figure all this out.”
Dad nodded. “I know. We could take you to a doctor again, but I really don’t think that’ll help.”
Mom sat next to Dad, a blanket for the two of them to share in her hands. “No, it didn’t last time. These must be night terrors. But why? He’s never had this problem before.”
No one responded. Jacob snuggled further into his blanket, feeling the panic finally leave him. His parents were smart and had access to smart people—they were royalty, after all. They’d figure things out.
His mom left to make three cups of hot chocolate. He and Dad didn’t speak, and he was fine with that. He wanted to relax and stop thinking about his hallucination. Or night terror. Whatever it was.
A few minutes later, Mom returned, handing out mugs. Jacob sipped his hot chocolate, enjoying the warmth as it flowed down his throat and into his stomach. After a moment, he put the cup down, ready to ask something he’d wanted to know for a while.
“Where did Matt come from?”
Mom looked up, surprised. “You don’t know already?” She turned to Dad. “You didn’t tell him?”
“No—haven’t had the chance.” Dad’s eyes glowed and he rubbed his hands together. “You already know that when I came to Arien’s kingdom, I brought my best friend, Kelson, with me.”
Jacob nodded. “And he helped distract the Lorkon when you got Mom and me.”
“Yes. He fought alongside me—faithful as always. He wanted to rescue his queen, even though he didn’t have to. His wife, your mother’s best friend, had been badly abused and left to die. We found her and made sure she was comfortable. I gave Kelson the choice to remain with her or to continue with me, and he chose to continue.”
“And was killed trying to get the Shiengols.” Jacob thought he could see where this was going. “He left a son behind, didn’t he?”
Mom nodded, rubbing her eyes. “Yes. There was no way we were going to leave a one-year-old boy in Maivoryl City with the Lorkon coming to power—especially the child of parents who were so important to us, and loyal.” She looked at Jacob. “His mom had been my biggest help in the castle—my best friend. She and I were inseparable. And when your father and Kelson came from Troosinal, Midian fell in love with Kelson while I fell more in love with your father.”
His parents beamed at each other, Mom’s cheeks glowing. Green swirled in the air around them and Jacob looked away, embarrassed by their obvious affection. They’d always been so . . . so mushy.
“When we found out Midian had passed away, we brought the boy with us, intending to raise him as our own.”
“Does he know he’d been adopted?”
“Of course. But we’ve never treated him like he wasn’t one of ours.”
Jacob thought over this new information. Matt wasn’t from earth either! Did he remember living in Eklaron? How would he have forgotten it? “How’d you explain to him the whole being-from-another-world thing?”
“Didn’t have to. He’d been very traumatized when the Lorkon attacked the castle, and his memories of that time have always been vague. He didn’t know the difference between the two worlds.”
“But now he knows the truth, right?”
Mom folded up the blanket she and Dad had been using. “Yes. I told him the night your father and Amberly were kidnapped. He wasn’t as shocked as we’d expected.”
Dad laughed. “Quite the opposite. He thought being from another planet was great.” He leaned forward, a serious expression on his face. “Kenji told me Gallus wants to get a group together to find the Shiengols.”
“Yeah. And they’ll need my help.” Jacob hesitated. “That’s okay, right?”
“Of course. And I’ve been thinking a lot . . . I’ve decided I’m coming too.”
Jacob sat up. “Really? Awesome!”
A half smile crossed Dad’s face. “And it’s about time we taught you how to fight with a sword.”
“Great.”
Dad nodded. “The Makalos want to go during Thanksgiving break.”
“That’s this month—good.”
“All right,” Mom said. “I’m tired. It’s time to get back in bed.” She brushed Jacob’s hair off his forehead, feeling his temperature, then took his mug. “Will you be okay now?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Jacob didn’t mind his mom fawning over him—it would probably never stop, regardless of how old he got.
Jacob climbed the stairs to his room, excited at the thought of learning how to fight from his dad.
He pulled the blankets up and sighed contentedly. This would be the best month ever. As long as he didn’t hallucinate—or have a night terror—again.
***
Jacob didn’t wake up until nearly noon—he was surprised Mom let him sleep that long. After showering, he went downstairs to the kitchen, where Mom was eating a tomato sandwich.
“The Makalos have been asking about you all morning—everyone over there is worried, especially Aloren.”
Aloren? Jacob’s mouth went dry. “What did you tell them?”
“That I’d send you as soon as you got up.”
Jacob hesitated. “I can go visit them?”
Mom laughed. “Of course—you’re not a prisoner, and you’re not sick. Just overly exhausted. I excused you from classes all day.”
“Thank you.” Jacob hugged her.
She patted his arm, then pulled away, looking him over. “You’ve been really stressed. I don’t want it to ruin your feelings toward Eklaron.”
Jacob rolled his eyes. It didn’t surprise him that she’d want him to fall in love with her—their—world. “It won’t, Mom. I promise.”
“Okay. Get going—they’re anxious to see you.”
Jacob grabbed an apple and dashed upstairs to get the key and his shoes. After he’d swallowed the last bite of apple, nearly choking on it in his hurry, he keyed himself to Taga Village. He couldn’t wait to see Aloren.
The dark interior of Kenji’s place let him know no one was home. Rather than key over to the tree, he decided to walk there.
Jacob started down the path that wound between the Makalo dwellings. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and nodded at people as he passed, picking up speed. It was cold.
When he got to the ledge, he saw that Kenji and Ebony were down by the tree, talking to Aloren.
“Hey,” he called, waving, then quickly descended the wall, using the holes etched into the stone.
He turned as Aloren threw her arms around him. “You’re here. And you’re alive!”
He laughed. “‘Course I am.”
She flushed and stepped away, tucking her hair behind her ear. Jacob’s heart thudded in his chest—she liked him! Right?
Ebony and Kenji caught up. “Your mom told us what happened last night,” Ebony said, “and we’ve been very worried about your hallucination. Especially after what took place when you were in the tunnel with the Ember Gods.”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah, it’s pretty frustrating, not knowing what’s going on.”
“We’ll figure it out soon,” Kenji said, clapping his hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “Or, you will. We really won’t be much help here.”
Jacob chuckled. “Good to know.”
Ebony grabbed Kenji’s arm, pulling him away. “We were on our way to visit some friends when we saw Aloren. Dear, let’s keep going. We can leave these two to catch up.”
Aloren’s face split in a grin as she turned to Jacob, and he marveled at the change in her from the first time they’d met. Where had this enthusiastic, happy person been back then?
“You’ve got to see what I’ve done with the tree!” she said.
Jacob followed her, wondering if she’d added a secret room or something. The idea of being alone with her was definitely appealing.
She opened the door and waved for Jacob to go in first.
He stepped into the slightly darker interior and raised an eyebrow.