Emerge: The Awakening Read Online Free

She wandered through the mass of rooms and stairs of the rambling old church until she finally found her room. She hadn’t come the same way twice since they arrived. The church-house was great, especially the bell tower that was now her bedroom suite, but the guesthouse across the gardens was a bit much considering they didn’t know anyone. Her parents were so wonderfully weird. No cul-de-sac with granite countertops and white picket fences for The Carmichael’s. They were far too unique for such normalcies.
    “We need those ‘you are here’ maps.” Allie scowled as she drifted into her bedroom, but Lily glowered right back at her.
    “Jeez, what’d I do this time?” She flopped onto the bed.
    “We haven’t been in this house two weeks and you’ve already painted your walls?” 
    “I paint when I’m stressed, Ma. It helps me think.”
    “Is it school?” Lily instantly made the switch to mom-mode. “I thought your first week went well?”
    “No, Ma, school’s fine. I’m still just really confused about this move. It’s different.”
    “We always intended to come back home, and when the opportunity presented itself, we felt like we had to take it. I’m just sorry it was so sudden.”
    “So we’re really just ignoring the mad-dash across the planet in the middle of the night? The guns? The fact that you yourself were surprised when Dad announced we were coming here?”
    “Honey, you need to focus on making a life here.” She expertly skated over the taboo subject. “I was so proud of you in Sydney. It was wonderful to see you come out of your shell. I’ve always hated how our jobs have kept us on the move so much, but—”
    “Don’t, Mom,” she sighed. “You can’t keep calling what we do ‘moving.’”
    “That’s all behind us,” she said firmly. “I promise this is our home now.”
    “Until next time,” Allie muttered.
    “Have you had time to check out the beach?” Lily changed the subject. 
    “Yeah, I did some investigating last night. The beaches here are weird. And it smells funny.” She made a face at her mother.  
    “I’ll miss the ocean too, but it’ll feel like home in no time,” Lily promised. “You should go exploring, get familiar with the island. I loved it here when I was a kid.”
    “I don’t know, something’s off about this place, Ma.”
    “Alright, Allie-girl. Dinner will be ready in an hour. I trust you don’t need a GPS to find the kitchen?” she laughed as she left the room.
    Allie headed up to her rooftop garden where the grass and wildflowers grew tall in a haphazard kind of way. A small weathered deck at the center was raised just enough to maximize the view of the city across the Lake Erie bay.
    Who knew they had islands in Cleveland? She leaned over the parapet to gaze at the skyline in the distance.
    She fiddled with her necklace, a nervous habit. Lily had given her the glittery, coal-black pendant a few years ago. It was a family heirloom, and as their adopted daughter, Allie treasured it more than anything she owned.
    She tugged at her necklace now, feeling anxious and uncertain about everything. She wanted to believe this really would be their permanent home, but it was hard to accept. The way they left Sydney, only to arrive on Kelleys Island—to this house, like this fabricated, perfect life had been waiting for them all along. It was just too easy.
    Then there was Aidan and his friends. She was curious about them and the way they accepted her so readily, but Aidan was especially intriguing. He was totally comfortable with her. Even with Gavin, it was always like he had to power through his hesitation, like it was some unpleasant thing he had to deal with if he wanted to be with her. With Aidan, there was no uneasiness—something she’d never experienced before. But there was something else there too. She liked him more than she cared to admit. Their initial attraction to each other was intense, and Allie knew she wasn’t ready for