The Gatekeeper's Secret: Gatekeeper's Saga, Book Five (The Gatekeeper's Saga) by Eva Pohler Read Free Book Online

countless others. Just because Mr. Holt’s ghost didn’t see others doesn’t mean there won’t be.”
    Hip regretted coming. It was obvious to him that Than had no idea how much he had come to love Jen Holt. Hip hadn’t meant to upset his brother. “You’re right, bro’. I’m sorry.” He stood to leave.
    “Wait.” Than slapped a hand on Hip’s shoulder, locking him in place. “I’m the one who’s sorry. Sit back down and tell me why you came to see me.”
    ***
     
    The others had already turned out their horses and had gone inside, but Jen needed to ride. Bobby had been anxious to get cleaned up for his date in town, and Jen’s mom hadn’t been feeling well, so the two of them had cut out early. Only Pete had remained, riding Ace behind Jen and Sassy for another round or two along the fence line. But now, he was gone, too, and it was only Jen and Sassy beneath the setting sun in the cold, cold dusk trotting through the already trampled blanket of snow beneath them.
    She needed to get the god of sleep out of her head, but she couldn’t stop seeing his charming smile and broad shoulders and deep blue eyes and… Turning from the fence line, she steered Sassy up the hill toward the stream, where some of the horses were gathered beneath the lean-to. She wished she could un-love as quickly and as hard as she had loved.
    Why did he have to be a god?
    If he were a normal boy, she’d have a decent shot, but a god? The thought of being his play thing for a year or two, or however long it would be before he got bored with her, made her stomach churn. She pulled up to the stream, brought Sassy to a stop, and dismounted just in time to be sick. As she wiped her mouth with the back of her glove, she let the tears fall.
    But not for long.
    She refused to be pathetic. She bent over and grabbed a handful of snow before smearing it over her closed, swollen eyes. She did not want to be this heart-broken, love-sick girl who could not control her emotions. At eighteen, she had plenty of time to meet someone new, but that would never happen as long as she continued to call Hip. She had to move on. It was the only way to protect herself from further pain.
    And yet, she had come to realize, as she’d gotten older, why her relationships with real boys never lasted. She was afraid of getting too close. It was her father’s fault. Therese had told her to get counselling, but then Jen would have to talk about it.
    A shiver moved down her body. In some ways, Hip had been the perfect boyfriend—always just out of her reach. But the day he tired of her would hurt like hell.
    She climbed back on Sassy and rode to the pen. Before she reached it, she heard a strange sound coming from inside the barn. After dismounting, she cautiously led the mare toward the barn. The last thing she wanted was to come face to face with her father’s ghost. She couldn’t see it like Pete could, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there.
    “Pete?” she called before entering.
    “They see you!” he cried back.
    She dropped Sassy’s reins and stepped inside. Pete was standing with his eyes closed, his palms turned upward, and his head nodding—not slowly, but like a man riding fast down a bumpy road.
    “Pete?”
    “They see you, Jen! Dad says watch out. You could be their key!”
    “What are you talking about? Let’s go to the house! You’re scaring me!”
    Pete’s head continued to nod, even more frantically than before. He looked like a lunatic. “They think you may be their key!”
    “Whose key? What are you saying?”
    “The gods!”
    Jen grabbed Pete’s arm, but he could not be pulled from where he stood. He opened his eyes, suddenly, causing her to shriek.
    “Jen?” His voice was back to normal, and he was no longer nodding. She still held his one arm, but the other had dropped to his side. “What do you want?”
    She trembled uncontrollably. “Let’s go back to the house. Please.”
    ***
     
    When Therese entered her living