Awakening Book One of the Trust Series - By J. E. Swift Page 0,109

canvas; the room swirling around them to another scene.

This place they were now in was brighter and Caitlyn instantly recognized it. It was the foyer of Declan’s family home. Garrett’s mother, her eyes now lined with dark circles, stood there with little Garrett holding her hand, still clad in the same pajama’s.

Jonathan stood there, his dark hair almost completely devoid of the gray that distinguished him. He looked at Garrett’s mother and then the little boy. He spoke first. “Mary, what you are asking…”

She looked at him. “I know what I am asking, Jonathan. Nathaniel has gone mad. He has these ideas of grandeur, these ideas that he wants to rule the world. I know I left the Trust willingly with him, and not on good terms.”

“Yes. The Tribunal will not be lenient.”

“That is fine. Let them punish me as they see fit. I just don’t want Garrett here to pay the price. I need to protect him.” She glanced down at her son who was busy studying the paintings on the wall. She whispered, “I will not let a madman raise him.”

“He will try to find you. He is not going to let you take his son that easily.”

“I know, which is why I need protection by the Trust. Please, Jonathan. I know I’ve made mistakes, but we were friends once. That has to count for something.”

At that point, a young woman with black hair walked through the door, a boy slightly older than Garrett in tow.

Caitlyn knew without question that this was Declan and his mother. The resemblance between Declan as an adult and his mother were striking.

A young Declan moved to stand next to his father. He stared at the boy in front of him, cocking his head slightly as he studied him.

Declan’s mother looked at Jonathan pointedly before turning to the woman so desperately seeking help. “Mary, it’s getting late and I know that you have traveled almost non-stop for twenty four hours to get here. Listen, I am going to heat up some leftovers and then why don’t the three of us retire to the living room and talk further? I have the guest bed all made up and you can stay here until we get this figured out.”

Councilman McPherson placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Son, why don’t you show Garrett your room?” He bent down to whisper loudly in his son’s ear. “I bet Mom will even bring milk and cookies up to the both of you and you can have a sleepover.”

Declan grabbed the younger boy’s hand. “My name is Declan. Yours?”

“Garrett. Garrett Livingston.”

Caitlyn then turned to look at Garrett’s face and squeezed his hand. There was no recognition that he even felt the comforting gesture. His eyes held a faraway look in them, and she knew that he was absorbed in whatever memory he was currently thinking of. As if on cue, the current memory faded into the distance, and was replaced by Harold’s Pond, the first place that Garrett had ever shown her.

Garrett was now a couple of years older, Caitlyn would estimate around eight years old.

He was peering around the house, watching his mother. His mother was drying laundry on the line, but instead of picking up one piece at a time, she floated the sheets and towels to the line, hanging them without laying a hand on them.

“Mom, how are you doing that?”

Mary jumped. “Garrett Stevens! You scared me!”

He shrugged. “How did you do that? Can you teach me? Is it magic?”

His mother laughed lightly. “Magic? No. That was not magic.”

“Well, what is it?”

Mary stepped away from the laundry, looking as if she was contemplating something over. “Garrett, come here. I think you are old enough now to learn some things.” Garrett walked over to her, and plopped down next to her on the grass. “Can you keep a secret?”

He nodded eagerly. She smiled before continuing. “Good. Garrett, we are special. We are not like most people.”

Garrett’s eyes were large. “How?”

“Well, when you get older, you will be able to do things.”

“What kind of things?”

Mary threw a pebble into the pond. “Well, I don’t know yet. You may be able to move objects, or read minds, or maybe heal. It depends. We won’t know until you change.”

“I’ll be a superhero? Like superman?”

His mother ruffled his hair playfully. “Not exactly. But you will be able to do things that others cannot.” Her face got serious. “Garrett, I will tell you all about our families history and our abilities,