Crest (Book #2,Swift Series) by Heather London Read Free Book Online Page B

basement?” Just thinking of that day still sent chills down my spine. That was the day I thought I had lost the Harpers forever.
    She hesitated for a moment. “Uh, yes, I do remember that day.”
    “Do you remember our conversation that evening when I came back for my backpack?”
    She shut her eyes tight, like she was trying to search her mind for her lost memories, as if she knew some had been lost. “I remember you running up from the basement and out of here in a hurry, then calling your house a few minutes later to make sure you were alright, and then... well, that’s all I remember from that day.” She opened her eyes and stared at me, blankly.
    My heart sank. I stared back, wondering if I should go any farther. It felt like I was messing with fire, like I was challenging the council head on, but I didn’t care. I had to talk to someone.
    “Ms. Donaldson, we need to talk.”
    Ms. Donaldson sat quietly as she listened to me tell her everything about the night I went back in time, to my six weeks in 1905 and finally, how I unexpectedly arrived back here this morning. I filled her in on how Aunt Rose and Jack didn’t seem to remember me being gone. I told her my theory on how I thought the council had somehow erased their memories, as they had with hers. When I finished, she sat back in her chair stunned. She didn’t speak for a moment; then, as she began to piece it all together in her mind, she asked me a question I couldn’t answer.
    “Why would they want me to forget it all? I’m not a threat to you and I’m not a stranger to the magical community.”
    I shrugged, not knowing what to say. “Maybe they just didn’t want anyone to remember what happened? Maybe they thought it would be better if they made everyone forget?” I phrased it as a question because, to be honest, I had no idea behind their reasons for doing this.
    “Maybe.” She scrunched her eyebrows together, still trying to process everything I had just told her. “Now, the council has been known to erase people’s memory, but it’s usually to cover up a mistake that they made or to protect the non-magical community from becoming suspicious about something. So, I will have to assume that they are either trying to right a wrong on their part or they are trying not to draw attention to your disappearance... but, if I had to take a guess, I would say it was both.” She shook her head. “So I understand why the council would erase the memories from Rose and Jack, but… but—me? I’m... just so confused by it all. I’m not sure what to think of it.” She met my eyes with such bewilderment that I actually felt sorry for her and angry at the council for wiping her memory.
    “It just feels good to get this all off my chest and out of my head. It’s nice to know that there is someone out there that knows the truth about me,” I admitted, my voice falling with each word I spoke.
    “Well, I’ve known about you for a long time now, but it seems you already knew that. It’s just nice that we can talk openly about it. I was always afraid to ask you any specific questions, knowing that your mother was trying to protect you from all of this. However, it seems like you are in the middle of something now, something more than I ever could’ve imagined.” She paused for a moment, holding a serious face. “But don’t you worry, we’ll figure this out. Between the two of us, I’m sure we can come up with a plan of what to do next.”
    I hesitated for a moment, not sure if what I was about to ask was even possible. “Well, I’ve been thinking and I have an idea.” It was something I thought about a lot back in 1905... Just in case something like this ever happened. There were so many nights that I laid awake and wondered what I would do if I ever got separated from the Harpers. “Can you help me contact the council?” I blurted out and held my breath for her response. When she didn’t say anything, I felt the need to defend my idea.