19

Uncle Ed could not look at me, making me feel even worse than I already did. I knew that he was not telling me the whole truth.

It was only when Max cleared his throat and spoke up that I glanced his way.

“Isla, I think it would help if you both calmed down. I can understand your concerns, but rest assured that your family will come to no harm.” He promised, and I nodded, hugging my knees to my chest and wondering how it had come to this.

I missed my life before returning to Pembroke, and now bad luck seemed to follow me everywhere.

“They are not your family.” Uncle Ed turned to me and growled. I could see he was trying to control the anger inside of him. His body language gave that away, with his clenched fists, red face and raised voice.

Max sent him a warning glare, but he continued to ignore that.

I was confused.

How could he say that they were not my family when they were?

Maybe he just meant that after all the things that had happened,