Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga, Lady Adellandra Dratianos [reading tree .TXT] 📗

she needs you. Heck, I need you. You’re my big brother. I idolize you.” He removed his lenses and wiped his tears with his shirt sleeve.
“Derrick...” Anna dared to whisper. Luna nudged her, shaking her head.
Let them be. They both need this as much as they need each other.
I need Jake, too. Anna supplied to her sister’s mind. I love him.
Annabelle, let them be.
With a quiet sigh, Anna agreed. They continued to watch the somber scene.
Derrick had replaced his glasses and was now sitting on the bed next to his brother’s body. He held Jake’s hand, looking at the floor and shaking his head.
“How could I compete with you, Jacob?” Derrick whispered to his hands. “You were the perfect jock while I was just a joke. Whatever mean words I ever said to you in my life I take back. I didn’t mean them, Jake. Truthfully. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, I just wanted my old brother back. The one I came home to so many years ago.” Now he sighed. “I wish I had the magic to help you through this. I hope you’ll forgive me when all this blows over. I only want you to be happy.” He stared at his brother’s face for a few moments. “You’re my big brother, Jacob. I love you.”
The room was quiet then. Time seemed to pass slowly while Derrick sat next to his brother. Luna sat in one of the free chairs and dabbed her tears. Anna walked over to the bed and placed a hand on Jake’s cheek. Each were at a loss for words.
The heard a moan coming from Jake after a few minutes.
“I love you, too, little brother.” Jake whispered.
Derrick looked up and smiled, hugging him. “You’re back! You’re okay.” He looked to Anna. “He’s okay.”
She nodded.
“That was one heck of a head rush.” Jake said softly. “My head is pounding.”
“I bet this will take the pain away.” Anna grinned, kissing him.
“It still hurts a little.” Jake teased, kissing her again. “Did you get it out of my head?”
“We all did.” Derrick said. “Luna and I helped.”
“Can I get out of here, now?” Jake asked them.
Anna smiled, petting his hair. “I’ll see about getting you released.”
“Thanks, Anne.”
“No problem.” Anna remarked. “I’ll be right back. Lu? Coming with me?”
“Huh, oh, yeah.” Luna snapped out of her reverie. “Sure.” She turned to Jake. “Good to have you back.”
“Good to be back.” Jake said with a smile as the girls left the room. He took a breath and waited until they were gone to say anything. “Did you mean what you said?”
“You heard?” Derrick answered. “Why didn’t you answer?”
“Yeah, I heard. Every word.” He said. “I didn’t answer because I was waiting to see what you’d say next.”
“I meant every word.” Derrick said. “Remember when I ran away?”
“That was nearly ten years ago. Why are you bringing that up now?”
“Just answer me. Please.”
“Yes, I remember.” Jake said. “It’s hard to forget. Why?”
“Somewhere between our years in the Academy, you’d gone from a cool guy to an insensitive jerk.” Derrick said. “When I came back nearly three years later, I found you’d changed. You were cool again. I had begun to miss that about you.”
“You missed me?” Jake asked, amazed. “If you want to know the truth, you were the reason the family changed. We found how much we missed having you around, even if you were just a book worm most of the time.”
Derrick smiled at that. “From book worm to detective. How do you like that?”
Jake laughed. “I love it, and you, Derrick.” The brothers hugged once again. “I’m willing to give you half of my share in the family business.”
“You’d do that for me? Even if I’ll never rule the Roost?”
The Roost was what the Readings called their family business.
“Don’t knock it, brother.” Jake said, clapping him on the back.
The girls came back in to the brothers laughing at each other.
“Okay, boys, what’s so funny?” Luna asked, folding her arms and smiling at them.
They looked at each other. “The Roost.”
“Ah, the family business.” Anna supplied. “Speaking of family,” she started, sitting next to Jake and hugging him. “It’s time to start one of your own.”
She gave him a mischievous smile, kissing his lips.
“You don’t mean?” Jake asked, wondering. She nodded. He took her in his arms and swung Anna into his lap. “That’s great! I’m gonna be a daddy!”
“At least something good came out of this.” Luna remarked to Derrick when he moved to stand beside her.
Derrick looked to his girl-best friend. “Did she tell you?”
Luna shook her head. “Nope. This is the first I’d heard of it.”
Derrick turned back to his brother, who was busy laughing and teasing Anna with kisses. They looked like they were having fun. “So, when are they releasing him?”
“They’re not.” Luna said. “He’ll go downstairs and be admitted for a few days for observation. Just like you, his body went through hell, and they have to make sure he’s fine before sending him home.”
“He’ll be fine.” Derrick supplied, smiling at his brother. “He’s a Reading. Strong, dependable, loyal, caring. Definitely a Reading, inside and out.”
Luna giggled. “You make him sound like a family pet!”
“Well, he does look like our old schnauzer, Leo.” Derrick said with a laugh, loud enough for Jake and Anna to hear.
“I heard that, Worm.” Jake joked.
“Worm?” Luna asked. “Where did that nickname come from?”
“He used to be a bookworm in school.” Anna supplied.
Both Luna and Derrick stood above the couple. Derrick looked at his watch.
“Visiting hours are long over.” He said. “We’ve got to get back and tell the family what happened.”
“Not our family, I hope.” Jake wondered. “Dad wouldn’t know what to do with the info.”
“No, not ours.” Derrick replied. “Mine. Besides, I owe Ariana some explanations.”
“You bet you do.” Luna said.
Derrick rolled his eyes at her. “Don’t push your luck, Aluna.”
Luna frowned. “Fine.” She looked to her sister. “Sorry to break it up, but we came together so we have to leave together.”
“Good point.” Jake told her.
“Traitor.” Anna playfully teased. She stood up. “I’ll be in to see you in the morning, okay?”
“Hurry back.” Jake told her. “Take care of my son.”
“Son?” Anna asked in teasing mood. “I thought we’d have a daughter. At any rate, we’ve gotta go. I love you, Jacob.”
Jake reddened and his brother smiled. “Anna, not in front of my brother.”
“Why not?” Luna asked. “He loves you, too.”
“Let’s go already.” Derrick said. He shook his brother’s hand, hugging him goodbye. He whispered in Jake’s ear. “Not a word of what I said to anyone, you hear me?”
“Hey, would I blab?” Jake asked innocently.
Derrick laughed. “Don’t make me get into it. See you later, Jake.”
“See you.”
The trio left, just as a nurse walked in to take his vital signs.
Story #2:
The Bond of Ancient Mystics

As that was happening to the Readings on Strawberry court, Ariana’s other sisters were living their own lives. Claudia and Craig planned a wedding date with Kevin and Andrea, Cara giving her own advice. Anna and Jake were on rocky trails since his release from the hospital, getting ready for the new addition to their tiny apartment. Mary Ellen and her new boyfriend-Earthly Protector were getting to know each other better. Without threats to their powers and lives, the other three Woods’ sisters resumed their normal lives.

Anna was reading a book on the balcony of their apartment when the phone rang. Jake answered it from inside, leaving her wondering who it was. Since their run-in with Sabrina and Damian in the Abyss, she’d been feeling tired, almost exhausted.
The balcony was so peaceful and the neighborhood so quiet. The only sounds were from the tree above her, birds fluttering in the leaves, chirping at one another, squirrels running up and down the branches. It was a sunny day this side of the city, and Anna could feel her energy boosting itself from the fresh air. She put her book down and stood over the railing, daydreaming.
A red squirrel saw her, shaking the leaves as it skittered toward the end of the branch to say hello.
She put her hand out to the little squirrel, using telekinesis to make berries and nuts appear in her hand. She watched as the squirrel cautiously tiptoed along the branch, closer to her hand. He stared at her with tiny beaded eyes.
“Don’t be afraid, little one.” Anna whispered, using empathy to give the squirrel a sense of her kindness. “I won’t bite.”
I know you will not, human girl. You are different. From the Gods themselves.
Anna smiled. “Why, thank you, little one.”
My friends call me Skitter. How can you understand me?
“I have Magic that allows me to talk to the creatures of the earth, tree brother.” Anna replied. “Are you going to take them or not? If you aren’t, I will.”
Skitter the squirrel grabbed as many as he could before shoving them into his cheeks. We share.
“How generous of you.” Anna laughed lightly.
The squirrel scampered up her arm and onto her shoulder.
Much better view from here. The squirrel commented.
“I’ll bet.” Anna replied. She asked his permission before taking him off her shoulder. “Do you always come this close to humans?”
Skitter shook his tiny head no. None are as nice as you.
“Thank you, Skitter.”
“Who’s Skitter?” Came a male voice from behind her. It was Jake. He had the cordless phone in his hand.
Anna turned. “My new squirrel friend here.”
He looked to see the squirrel staring up at him.
Skitter asked Anna. He looks big! Is he nice like you?
Anna giggled.
“What’s so funny?” Jake asked.
“You look big to him.” Anna supplied. She turned her head back to Skitter. “And yes, he is nice, even if he’s a bit thick sometimes.”
“Hey!” Jake cried.
Skitter chittered at him before scampering back to the tree. I smell trouble. See you later, Earth sister.
“I was only kidding, honey. You know that.” Anna supplied after the squirrel had left. She went back into the apartment with Jake at her heels. “So, who was on the phone?”
“My parents have invited us to dinner tonight.”
“This ought to be interesting.” Anna replied. “Dinners with the Readings always involve my getting in the middle of a family squabble.”
Jake shook his head. “Not anymore.”
Anna washed her hands in the kitchen sink. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“I’m not joking, Anne.” Jake told her. “Last time I had dinner with my parents, they were actually civilized.”
“Right.” Anna smiled at him when she dried her hands. “Who else will be there?”
“Ariana and Derrick of course.” Jake said. “Oh, and Kenny, Brian and AJ.”
“So, all the Readings, with the addition of two Ancient Mystics.”
“Six.” Jake wrapped his arms around her. “Seven, if you count my son.”
“Daughter.” Anna smiled.
“Child.” Jake remarked. He took a deep breath. “I just hope nothing happens while we’re there.”
“What could happen?” Anna asked. “Sabrina’s gone, Damian’s dust, and we’re going to be parents before the end of next year. What could possibly happen?”
Jake shrugged. “You know my family.”
“More than you think.” Anna replied. “So, when are they expecting us?”
He put his hands in his pockets. “Would you believe in an hour?”
“Jacob Paul!” Anna cried, rolling her eyes and laughing.
True to his word, they were at the home of Alexander and Evelyn Reading within the hour.
“When do you think we should tell them you’re pregnant?”
“Knowing your