The Ties That Bind: The Borderlands Book 1

slight movements could cause. As the knocker came to rest against the door, the eyeball

s exp

ed into the foyer and closed the door

ny smiled. While there were many formal rooms in the house and private space for relax

ormal rooms he passed hadn't changed much since Alice's childhood. It was the private spaces that were updated, used, worn out and repaired. The more public rooms remained matching the f

lanked by a wall separating it from the formal living room and parlor on one side and t

windows in the back wall. The warm wooden floorboards seemed to glow with the light and reflect heat through th

asked. He turned towards Aunt Al

lse would I bake when Jerome told me you were

most frail. She looked pared back to the bone and despite the briskness in he

ough he hadn't aged a day since his arrival. He always played off the comments with talk of healthy living and good genes. He hadn't been around long enough for it to become a real problem. He knew that at some point his lack of regular aging would cause him to need to visit the office and have hi

n't look t

ng was

ger snaps on the rack to cool and then

you before Jerome carts you off

couraged it. Leaving her was the only part of home he missed. Danny bent and gave her a hug. He gentled his strength as he wrapped his arms

o much worse for w

but found the words wouldn't come. He saw the

ng now." She said, before

ooked behind him as

e, I just wanted to give you two a

till. His face was round and broad, the pupils of his eyes were large and black surrounded by red, showing his siren heritage and reminding Danny of a bird at nig

e personal questions for later. Before he left he knew there wou

w business cards when the only thing that changed was what the J stood for,"

wards her. He knew the sheriff noticed the changes as well. It wasn'

see Alice had wrapped two large ginger snaps in parchment paper. She held ou

he door knows to let you in whateve

odded, turned and left the kitch

after being gone so long. I know others who've left and returned needed a bit of time to tr

moved back towards the door, which opened for them without eith

tepped back out of the front door and rejoined the outs

ind them. Both men looked at it and the

it does that," Jerome

"Maybe it forg

shook his head. "

ay and then to the sidewalk. As they stepped on the sidewalk, the trees bega

hey are talking to

," Danny answered

er and the sweetness of the sugar filled his mouth as he chewed and reminded him of the more pleasant aspects of his childhood. When the cookies

hat," Jerome said. He to

you ask?" Da

d spitting crumbs o

as always curious about the trees that Danny could hear talking and he couldn't. For a

anny asked him. After a moment's thought Jerome couldn't think of anything and then

Danny asked as the

and then to say they had. None ever stayed gone long. They

rlands, like Jerome's eyes. Visiting the purely human side of the border was often seen as a mark of ability; a sort of 'see me, I can walk among normal humans and not get noticed' t

ting used to," Danny s

my eyes? I wouldn't ge

," Danny said. "It would change y

e said. "Even t

l black or to make them look like snake eyes if you wanted. I'm sure there are some to make your eyes look p

Danny could see old memories dancing across Jerome's face. After a moment he shook them away a

xactly

ad been an odd sensation to watch her remove the lenses. He had barely been able to hide his reaction and ever after Charlie teased him about having a fear of eyeballs and things goi

Danny out of his thoughts. The

, shock value, Hallo

own heart, his body, mind and magic in synch with the magic of the Borderlands. Now, he was slightly offbeat, his rhythm different from

a deep breath with a large man sitting on his chest. Slowly, the drumbeats died back to a low thump, content to let him remain apart f

out of his mouth as he belly-laughed, and nearly choked on the bite of cookie still in

make their eyes look more fae?" Jerome said. He laughed some more and

lately. He was happy to provide what little he could. After Jerome's laughter, Danny couldn't bring himself to break it with talk o

crumbs from his lips. From here they turned left and Danny could see the digital sig

?" Danny asked. As they walked, Danny could

and she refused to update the sign. She said if they wanted an updated tra

their casual conversation, following Jerome's lead and paying

Then Councilman Rogers who was in charge that year got a bad head cold and refused to expose himsel

matically. "Blas

wn thought. There were comp

here were,"

. And many gathered to watch the time tick over to zero as the countdown began and the holiday arrived. In his first year outside the Borderlands he was surprised to find

ing year, stating that as Rogers missed more than a week he hadn

hat go over?

in the town budget for the digital wonder over there. It lac

Jerome was taking the long way around instead of cutting across. Even though they kept their conversation casual and igno

ring who was in the rent

en't common in Barrowville. Jerome could be catching heat and using the fact of his arrival, either as a detect

just be giving me time to

were more things threatening to pull it to the surface here, tempting it back to life. It left him slight

there were too many who would care personally that he was back, but the name of Faraway s

anny didn't recognize waiting just in front of the doors. He was dressed in a three piece suit with ironed pleats down the front of each trouser leg looki

. He frowned, looked at Jerome and dismissed him immediately, eyes focusing on Danny. The force of the anger in his eyes made Danny want to take a step back.

been in tow

o foot and then back again. If anyth

e finally found out what it take