Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Jeremy Laszlo
Ashton,” James stated. “He’s from Glenvale. He says if you guys don’t mind, he would like to hit the road with you in the morning. He too is going to The Choosing.”
Both boys nodded to their father, and then to Ashton across the room, who was watching them patiently. Almost simultaneously they then said, “Goodnight dad.”
“You go ahead, Garret. I need to speak to your brother for a moment,” James said.
"Sure thing, Dad," Garret replied.
James, Emily, Samuel, and Jack watched as Garret turned to walk down the hall towards his room, carrying with him all his new belongings. They smiled at his retreating steps, knowing they would be missed, but knowing too they had given the boy all they could to prepare him for whatever might lay ahead.
"Seth, why don't you take a seat," suggested James, pointing to the chair he himself had sat in moments before.
Seth looked around at the faces of his friends and neighbors before sitting. His father's tone frightened him and the fact that none of them would meet his gaze troubled him deeply. Preparing himself for the worst, he sat down as his father had instructed and waited for whatever it was that his father intended to say.
"I wouldn't do this if I didn't feel I had to, Seth." James said taking a moment to get his emotions in check and focus his thoughts. "You know that everyone here loves you like their own child. We are all your family and any one of us, including your brother, would lay down their life rather than see you in pain."
Now Seth began to become afraid in earnest. He was not sure where this conversation was leading, but nothing about his father's tone nor the grim faces in the room bode anything positive. Seth began to shake from nervousness but tried to hold on to some semblance of control to hear what it was that his father was trying to tell him.
"Starting tomorrow it’s just going to be you and your brother looking out for one another, and the gods know your brother is going to need some looking out for with his grand dreams of battle and all," James said.
Seth let out a sigh of relief and even managed to smile a little at his father's comment. This wasn't anything new. In fact, he had been thinking the same thing earlier in the evening. He nodded his understanding to his father and sat silently letting James continue. James stood for a second, seeming to steady himself and gather his thoughts. He was a large man, both tall and muscular, so he found it odd that he looked so worn. Where he usually stood tall, his broad shoulders held back as if daring the world to face him, now he stood slumped, eyes downcast, ashamed.
"You're a wonderful young man and we are all very proud of you. I know if your mother were here she wouldn't be able to let either of you go tomorrow." With his last statement James nearly lost his resolve and his voice faltered slightly. He could barely keep his emotions at bay. "What I'm meaning to tell you Seth..." James paused, looking to his friends for support. All of them had tears in their eyes, and Emily was openly weeping by this point. Taking a deep breath James continued. "Seth, Garret isn't your brother, I'm not your father and your mother wasn't your mother." James barely finished before he lost control of his emotions.
Seth sat open mouthed, tears streaming down his face now too and he shook his head in disbelief. All eyes were on him, every look a mask of pain and sorrow. Seth could hardly breathe and it felt as if in a single moment his entire life was stripped away, if it had even been his life to begin with. He could find no reasoning to his father's words. They echoed over and over again in his head but simply did not ring true.
"What do you mean, Dad? That's not possible! We're twins, how could we possibly not be brothers?" He cried.
James tried to settle his own nerves and took several deep breaths before responding to his son's questions. "You have the same birthday it is true, Seth, and the two of you do
Both boys nodded to their father, and then to Ashton across the room, who was watching them patiently. Almost simultaneously they then said, “Goodnight dad.”
“You go ahead, Garret. I need to speak to your brother for a moment,” James said.
"Sure thing, Dad," Garret replied.
James, Emily, Samuel, and Jack watched as Garret turned to walk down the hall towards his room, carrying with him all his new belongings. They smiled at his retreating steps, knowing they would be missed, but knowing too they had given the boy all they could to prepare him for whatever might lay ahead.
"Seth, why don't you take a seat," suggested James, pointing to the chair he himself had sat in moments before.
Seth looked around at the faces of his friends and neighbors before sitting. His father's tone frightened him and the fact that none of them would meet his gaze troubled him deeply. Preparing himself for the worst, he sat down as his father had instructed and waited for whatever it was that his father intended to say.
"I wouldn't do this if I didn't feel I had to, Seth." James said taking a moment to get his emotions in check and focus his thoughts. "You know that everyone here loves you like their own child. We are all your family and any one of us, including your brother, would lay down their life rather than see you in pain."
Now Seth began to become afraid in earnest. He was not sure where this conversation was leading, but nothing about his father's tone nor the grim faces in the room bode anything positive. Seth began to shake from nervousness but tried to hold on to some semblance of control to hear what it was that his father was trying to tell him.
"Starting tomorrow it’s just going to be you and your brother looking out for one another, and the gods know your brother is going to need some looking out for with his grand dreams of battle and all," James said.
Seth let out a sigh of relief and even managed to smile a little at his father's comment. This wasn't anything new. In fact, he had been thinking the same thing earlier in the evening. He nodded his understanding to his father and sat silently letting James continue. James stood for a second, seeming to steady himself and gather his thoughts. He was a large man, both tall and muscular, so he found it odd that he looked so worn. Where he usually stood tall, his broad shoulders held back as if daring the world to face him, now he stood slumped, eyes downcast, ashamed.
"You're a wonderful young man and we are all very proud of you. I know if your mother were here she wouldn't be able to let either of you go tomorrow." With his last statement James nearly lost his resolve and his voice faltered slightly. He could barely keep his emotions at bay. "What I'm meaning to tell you Seth..." James paused, looking to his friends for support. All of them had tears in their eyes, and Emily was openly weeping by this point. Taking a deep breath James continued. "Seth, Garret isn't your brother, I'm not your father and your mother wasn't your mother." James barely finished before he lost control of his emotions.
Seth sat open mouthed, tears streaming down his face now too and he shook his head in disbelief. All eyes were on him, every look a mask of pain and sorrow. Seth could hardly breathe and it felt as if in a single moment his entire life was stripped away, if it had even been his life to begin with. He could find no reasoning to his father's words. They echoed over and over again in his head but simply did not ring true.
"What do you mean, Dad? That's not possible! We're twins, how could we possibly not be brothers?" He cried.
James tried to settle his own nerves and took several deep breaths before responding to his son's questions. "You have the same birthday it is true, Seth, and the two of you do
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