Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy Read Online Free PDF Page B

silverware scraping and cutting came to an abrupt stop.  The room went dead silent and I could feel my face going white.  Cade reached under the table and took my hand, squeezing it as he straightened his shoulders in what I imagined was meant to be a confident posture.
    “I intend to bring her back to Eile , the Otherworld, so that she may learn how to use and control her power.  I wish to be her friend and to provide what help I can.”
    That seemed to satisfy my dad for the rest of meal.  Thank goodness.  I was relieved, sure, but I was also disappointed.  A friend?  Was I just a friend to Cade?  I cast him a sidelong glance, but he had returned to his pancakes.  Sighing, I decided I should follow his example and not draw any more attention to myself.
    The rest of the day was spent sharing stories.  Cade answered all of the questions my brothers threw at him and thankfully, Dad’s prodding followed a more typical male theme that didn’t fall under the ‘Let’s Embarrass Meghan’ category.  Mom asked him about his own mother, and Cade had to pause before answering.  I was the only one to see the dark expression cross his face, though.  He never mentioned the Morrigan, but told my family about his sister and how she had helped raise him until the Dagda took him in.  I laughed along with everyone else as he recalled some of his more rambunctious exploits as a boy.  By nine that evening, everyone was ready to call it a night.
    “Oh, Meghan, I forgot to tell you,” Mom said as she got up with Dad to head to their room.  “Robyn called while you were out this morning and wanted to know if you were going camping with them this weekend.”
    I wince d .  I hadn’t planned on it.
    “I think you should consider it, d ear,” she gave Cade a quick look.  “Your friends will be heading off to college soon and you’ll be going . . . well, you might not be seeing each other again for quite some time.”
    Yes, I would be going to live a new life in the Otherworld.  She didn’t need to say it, and she was right.  I should go camping with them.  But if the faelah found me . . .
    “Cade could go with you,” Mom continued, smiling over at him.  “Then your friends could meet him.  It’s this weekend, so it gives you two plenty of time before you have to leave.”
    Cade cleared his throat and said, “It sounds like a great idea.”
    Mom smiled.  “Good, it’s settled then.  Goodnight you two, don’t stay up too late.”
    Despite a strong temptation to take advantage of some alone time, I bid Cade goodnight as well.  I was tired and emotionally overwhelmed by the day’s events and I could use some time alone to think about . . . things.
    After Cade assured me he had everything he needed for the night, I gave him one last smile and headed downstairs with a slightly heavy heart.  He’d been the perfect gentleman and it was clear that my brothers loved him and my parents, at the worst, tolerated him.  Mom liked him, it seemed, but it was harder to tell with Dad.  Sighing, I burrowed under my comforter and tried to focus on sleep.  Only problem was, there were still so many questions I wanted to ask, but I had n o idea when I'd get the chance (or gather the courage) to ask them.
    * * *
    For the next few days, Cade settled in with my family like a long lost friend .  He played with my brothers, showing a patience I had seen only practiced by my parents.  He helped my mom with preparing our meals and he took part in insightful discussions with my dad.  After that first morning at the dinner table, when Dad had established his authority as my father, the tension surrounding all of us seemed to ease.  I grinned, realizing that Cade had passed the rigorous Elam litmus test.
    The few times Cade wasn’t being held captive by my family, he accompanied me into the swamp and helped me eradicate any wayward faelah we stumbled upon.  When I showed him how much my archery had improved by shooting one of