Page 101 of The Souls Harvest
He always told me, repeating the details as if it was a story branded in his mind, that he was born in Libera the day his mother died. She was on a mission with his father - an easy one they were promised - because she was pregnant then. But Galen’s father never came back, and his mother was brought back to the island by the rest of their team—bleeding. Gunshot. Something had gone dramatically wrong. She refused to let go of the soul she’d beensent to harvest and had used what was left of her vital energy to save it. And to preserve her unborn child.
That day, a soul was offered a new chance in life while Galen’s mother was closing her eyes forever, staring for the first and last time at her newborn son, carried away in Evelyn Popplewish’s loving arms.
“The child in your story,” I hold my tears, “That was Kris. Evelyn took him away. That was your mother’s last wish…”
He doesn’t answer me straight away. When we reach the cooling shadow of the trees, Galen stops a few steps before me with his head hanging heavy between his shoulders as he mumbles, “Yes…My mother drew her last breath holding in her arms only one of her children.” The first straight answer in a while.
The trees protecting us from the heat have large trunks, but the bark looks young and tender when Galen easily scratches it off from one of them. His shoulders tense as he leans against the tree, one hand bearing his weight against the trunk.
The grass complains under my rushed steps as I shorten the distance between us.
I run a hand over my face. “What is so wrong about his talent that Roden didn’t even try to raise him in Libera? Why not give him a chance like you had—”
I startle, muffling a gasp behind my hand at the sound of Galen’s fist hitting the tree. His shoulders tremble with every shaky breath.
I approach him, intentionally making my steps heard. When he doesn’t react, I brush his back with my fingertips, hoping to distracthim from my next question with a friendly touch.
I don’t want him to suffer, but I need to know. “What happened after Popplewish took him to Horigos?” I drop my hand, giving him time.
Galen bows his head against the tree, shaking slightly. His voice is a low rasp when he says, “Evelyn told Roden that the baby had died during the crossing. She knew Roden gave my mother a choice only to maintain the image of the forgiving, loving saviour in the eyes of his people. He was already planning to send someone to find my brother and put an end to him in secret, without staining his precious Libera. The little taste Roden had of Kris’ abilities the day we were born was enough to make him a threat.”
I fight the urge to hug him tight. “Instead, she asked Tabitha for help?” I mumble to myself, to turn the supposition into a hopeful truth.
Galen nods. His fingers have never stopped torturing the bark despite his knuckles being visibly raw and scratched.
“Galen, please, look at me.” Once again, I stretch a hand towards him, but he turns on his heels so quickly that I move a step back.
His eyes scan my face, begging me to understand. To stop. But I can’t. Not yet.
“How long have you known about this? How long have you been playing both sides?” I ask, bracing myself when a gentle breeze coming from somewhere beyond the trees brushes my bare arms.
The smile on his face is beautiful and sad, and I’d kiss him if only to wipe it off. But I remain still.
“Evelyn had my memories erased. She thought it was best to cancel Kristyon from my life, for my own good and my brother’s—and I forgave her a long time ago. She told me everything after my first mission when I accidentally ended up on thewrongside of Horigos and met Kris for the first time. Evelyn never confirmed it, but I believe she’d sent me there on purpose…”
I narrow my eyes, taking his rediscovered will to talk like an invitation. “What happened?”
Galen sighs loudly, pressing his lips together, “You’re not letting this drop, are you?”
“Nope.” Something warm sparks in my chest when his voice regains some of his natural confidence. His laugh is more like a low rumble in his chest that makes my heart flutter.
“Fine. Ventiol was still called Sector 43, and I was sent here for a quick reconnaissance operation. There were rumours about some Rogues roaming around the gentrified areas and causing turmoil. I only had to locate them and report back to my superior.”
“And..?” I invite him to continue, waving a hand in his face when he pauses too long.
“And I never found them because Tabitha captured me.”
My jaw drops.
He shakes a lock of hair off his face, lowering his eyes. “Funny, eh?”
“Shocking that you’re still alive.”
“Well, she didn’t find me by accident. Evelyn told her exactly where I’d be. Tabs had fun polishing knives in front of me for a few hours while I was tied to a chair in the kitchen. But then she introduced me to Kris, and my memories unlocked the moment he started talking nonsense about feeling connected to me, as if we were mated souls, destined to be together and save the world.” His gaze softens. “Until I threatened him to punch him once I had the chance, and Tabitha had to step between us, amused but also running out of her already thin patience. That’s when Kris told me he was my brother—the good-looking one.”
An uncertain smile tugs at my lips. There he is again, my Galen, a perfect knot of rules and compliance, that switches into someone too passionate to control himself when people he truly cares about are in danger.
“Do I want to know if this is now the right side of Horigos?” I step closer.
