“Ave?” Shane. His voice cracks as he speaks. I stare at him for a few seconds and he just breathes heavily with hope and regret etched onto his face. My brother has bags around his eyes, and his hair hasn’t been tamed yet. His clothes are dirty, his shoes non-existent.
“Yeah.” I whisper in response, smiling through my concern for him.
“Is that actually you?” he takes a hesitant step forward and tears brim in his eyes. There’s a lump growing in my throat that won’t go away.
“I’ve only been gone a week, Shai.” I reply jokingly, which my brother takes as a sign to run forward and embrace me in a bone-crushing hug.
“Oh my Goddess, I was sure you had been killed. We all thought you were gone, Ave.” He talks into my ear as if he thinks I won’t hear him otherwise. “When you mind-linked dad ab
