Chapter 286\u00a0<\/p>\n
Athena\u00a0<\/p>\n
14702\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to stay at Orion\u2019s for a few days,\u201d Tristan explained to Derek. \u201cJust until we can get\u00a0<\/p>\n
this place properly fixed up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood idea,\u201d Derek said. \u201cI\u2019ll keep working on securing it while you\u2019re gone, get that window\u00a0<\/p>\n
replaced, clean everything up.\u201c\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d Tristan said. \u201cI appreciate it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
We went to the bedroom and Tristan pulled out a bag, starting to pack clothes for both of us, I\u00a0<\/p>\n
moved slowly around the room, gathering my toiletries from the bathroom, a few personal items I\u00a0<\/p>\n
wanted with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everything hurt and I was moving carefully, trying not to aggravate my bruised ribs or sore\u00a0<\/p>\n
throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou okay?\u201d Tristan asked, watching me with concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust sore,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019ll be fine once I can lie down properly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He finished packing quickly and we headed back out, Derek promised to call if he needed\u00a0<\/p>\n
anything and we drove toward Orion\u2019s house, which was about twenty minutes away in a quieter part\u00a0<\/p>\n
of the territory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When we pulled up to Orion\u2019s house, I felt some of the tension in my chest ease slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This place held good and bad memories, the days I\u2019d spent here learning to control my abilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I decided to focus on the good memories, to think of the quiet mornings with Sarah\u00a0<\/p>\n
drinking coffee while the kids played, the feeling of being surrounded by family who loved and\u00a0<\/p>\n
protected me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah opened the front door before we\u2019d even gotten out of the car, her arm in a sling but her\u00a0<\/p>\n
smile warm and welcoming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re here,\u201d she said as Tristan helped me out of the car. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you decided to come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
|||\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
19:59 Tue, Jan 20 WG\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 286\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for having us,\u201d I said, letting her hug me carefully with her good arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be silly,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is your home too, you know that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Orion appeared behind her with Liam on his hip and Lily peeking around his legs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2+14702\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAunt Athena!\u201d Lily squealed, running over to hug my legs gently, apparently someone had told\u00a0<\/p>\n
her to be careful with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHi sweetheart,\u201d I said, running my hand over her hair. \u201cHow are you doing?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m okay,\u201d she said, though her voice was quieter than usual. \u201cHow\u2019s my baby cousin doing?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYour baby cousin is doing fine.\u201d I confirmed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded seriously and then grabbed my hand. \u201cCome see my new coloring book, I did a whole\u00a0<\/p>\n
page this morning.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet her get inside first,\u201d Sarah said with a gentle laugh. \u201cShe can see your coloring book after\u00a0<\/p>\n
she rests a bit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
We all moved inside and the familiar warmth of the house wrapped around me, the smell of something cooking in the kitchen, the sense of safety that came from being with people who would\u00a0<\/p>\n
do anything to protect you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYour room is ready for you,\u201d Sarah said to me. And Tristan, you still have your room from last\u00a0<\/p>\n
time too, unless you two want to share?\u201d 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
She raised an eyebrow and I felt my cheeks heat slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll figure it out,\u201d Tristan said diplomatically, though his hand on my lower back told me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
exactly which option he preferred.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d Sarah said with a knowing smile. \u201cWell both rooms are ready regardless, fresh sheets,\u00a0<\/p>\n
towels in the bathrooms, everything you should need.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d I said sincerely. \u201cFor everything, for taking your time to prepare our rooms after\u00a0<\/p>\n
everything that happened.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re family,\u201d Orion said simply, coming over to hug me. \u201cYou don\u2019t thank family for being\u00a0<\/p>\n
=\u00a0<\/p>\n
|||\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u05db\u05e1\u05dc\u05d5\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tue, Jail 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f14\u00a0<\/p>\n
14%9\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 286\u00a0<\/p>\n
there when you need them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt tears prick my eyes and I blinked them back, the exhaustion and stress of the past day\u00a0<\/p>\n
making me more emotional than usual.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy don\u2019t you go lie down for a bit?\u201d Sarah suggested gently. \u201cYou look exhausted and I know\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u2019re probably in pain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am pretty tired,\u201d I admitted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tristan took my hand and led me upstairs to the room that had been mine during my previous\u00a0<\/p>\n
e nigh\u00a0<\/p>\n
stay, Sarah had put fresh flowers on the nightstand and opened the curtains to let in natural light,\u00a0<\/p>\n
making the space feel bright and welcoming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need anything?\u201d He asked as I sat down carefully on the bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust some rest,\u201d I said. \u201cWill you stay with me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Memories Drifted Into Soft Silence by Kyx Frost 286 Chapter 286\u00a0 Athena\u00a0 14702\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re going to stay at Orion\u2019s for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-second-gear-of-love-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26443\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}