The Brotherhood: Awakening Book II - 23. Chapter 23

 

The Brotherhood: Awakening

Chapter XXIII

By X

 

 

As it turns out, the unknown was not so unknown after all.

I stumbled out of the portal and smashed into an unaware Sunny. We took an awkward tumble and landed on our asses.

“So not Mars,” I whispered, staring at the ceiling of the gate room.

“Mars?” Sunny shouted, exasperated. “What are you talking about? What just happened?”

After standing up, I offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet. “My bad. I must’ve tripped or something when I went through.”

Did I trip?

I wasn’t sure anymore. I felt something push me, but there was no one there. It was more like a strong gust of wind knocked me off balance. Is that what happened? Or was my clumsy brain making excuses?

I heard my name.

“Tripped?” Sunny looked down at my feet. “Of course, you tripped. Your shoes are untied, dummy!” He got down on one knee and unexpectedly started tying my shoelaces. “I leave you alone for a second, and you fall apart without me.”

“Okay, it’s not that serious,” I assured him, whacking the top of his head. “I’m more than capable of being alone and tying my shoelaces.”

“Sure you are,” Sunny countered as he undid my other laces and retied them more securely. He continued to grumble about me being “worse than Zac” as he finished and stood to face me. “There you go. Do I need to change your underwear too?”

“Underwear? Since when has underwear been part of the Skai onboarding experience? I’d love to sign up for that plan.” I sneered, pushing him away playfully. “Why are you here?”

The portal shut down, and we both watched the stones return to their original position on the ground. For a moment, I thought back to the portal in the woods and then began concentrating on our portal to see if it would also activate without me touching it.

Nothing happened.

“I was heading out to look for you,” Sunny said, breaking my concentration. “Didn’t you get my text?”

“I saw it but haven’t read it yet. I got caught up in a ridiculous conversation with someone.”

“Oh? Who? And ridiculous, how?”

“It had to do with Game of Thrones and all those titles. It was a whole thing. It’s not important.”

Sunny looked beyond confused. “Come again?”

“It’s nothing.” Wrapping my arm around his neck, I pulled him close, tussled his hair, and headed out. “Come on, let's get out of here.”

“Not so rough! Unless you want me to pull out my ropes and chains. Trust me; I can do rough.”

“You’re sick,” I laughed.

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” he snickered, slapping my stomach hard.

Our banter continued as we made our way back to my room. Sunny stood by the door, leaning on the frame, watching me closely as every piece of clothing was stripped off, and I stood in the middle of the room in the buff. It wasn’t a gaze of lust or desire but one born out of curiosity and concern. He had yet to ask me about my night, and I don’t think he would have done so had I not broached the subject first.

“I’m fine, Sunny,” I assured him with a smile.

“So…everything worked out how you wanted?”

I offered a simple nod as I walked over to my dresser to grab a pair of pink and black trunks. “I’m still me, I guess.”

“No regrets?”

“Nope. I don’t think so.” Pulling up my trunks, I stopped midway and looked up at him. “Does that make me a terrible person?”

“Not to me,” he shrugged. “You did what was needed to move forward. In the end, I guess that’s all any of us can do. I’m happy for you.”

“Are you, really?” I questioned, making last-minute adjustments downstairs.

Sunny pushed himself off the frame, walked up to me, and without saying a word, he hugged me.

It was close, warm, and intimate.

Our embrace seemed to last forever, which I didn’t mind. But eventually, Sunny pulled away just enough to press his forehead to mine.

“Of course, I’m happy for you. You are my brother, my family, and…I love you.”

It was too much. I couldn’t look into his eyes any longer. A second more, and I would’ve lost it. So, instead, I glanced down and focused on the small logo on Sunny’s shirt.

“Aw, are you going to cry?”

“Shut the fuck up!” I barked, pushing him away and wiping at my left eye. “You’re not all that important to me, so get over yourself.”

“Uh-huh,” Sunny smirked. He eyed me up as I walked past him, taking the opportunity to slap the shit out of my ass cheek.

“You fuck!” I yelped.

“You keep telling yourself that, Sparky.”

I rushed him with my balled-up fist.

“Hey, hey, hey! I warned you I can do rough.”

I continued my advance.

Taking a few steps back, he put his hands out. “You don’t want to do that!”

“Why the hell not?”

“Violence begets violence,” he declared somberly as if dropping some revered, ancient wisdom on my ass.

“You’re an idiot!” I retorted and flicked his nose.

“Aw! What did I do?”

“I swear to god,” rolling my eyes, I backed away from Sunny while still facing him. I knew better than to leave my ass exposed. “Speaking of gods…”

I never finished by sentence. I just stared at Sunny, suddenly realizing it probably wasn’t a good idea to divulge my interaction with Naveyk. It would only rile him up and cause a panic. Plus, he’d probably feel compelled to tell Raz, and that’s the last thing I wanted. It wasn’t about trying to keep things from my brothers. If I thought there was the slightest chance it could blow back on them, I’d be on my way to Raz’s office now. But our conversation had nothing to do with my brethren or The Sanctum. The whole Naveyk situation was a me and Q thing.

I admit, deep down, I knew this revelation would only darken the idea of me being with Q even more. I also admit I didn’t want to deal with it.

I would tell them if and when there was a need.

“Are you going to finish that sentence?” Sunny asked.

No!

“Um, it’s nothing,” I replied dismissively. “Never mind.”

“It didn’t sound like nothing.”

“It’s nothing,” I said more definitively this time.

“Whatever you say, Sparky,” he said and made his way to the door. “You’ve had a night. I’ll give you some you time.”

“Why do you call me that?” I asked.

“What? Sparky?”

“No, Amenhotep, you nit! What other name do you call me?”

“Jackass, for one,” he said with a finger in the air, slowly extending a second. “Dumbass, for two. I think I used idiot earlier. So that makes three.”

“Good one!” I threw my head back and faked a belly laugh. You’re hilarious! You should sell tickets.”

“I don’t know,” Sunny shrugged. “From the moment we met, I could tell you could get a little hot under the collar if pushed enough. Like a...live wire. Fuck around with it, and you’ll get shocked. So, I don’t know, Sparky seemed appropriate.”

I smirked.

“Why? Do you not like it? I’ll stop if…”

“No, no, not at all!” I insisted. “It’s just that someone else calls me that too.” My thoughts drifted to Arsen for a moment, and I smiled. “For the same reason, actually. It’s a funny coincidence, is all.”

“And here I thought I was being original,” he pouted. “Jackass it is!”

“No, I’m good. Sparky is fine, or good old Jacob will do too.”

“I’ll think about it. Good night, Jackass.”

“Wait! You’re really not going to sleep here tonight?”

“Um, nope. I figured you’d want your space. Do you want me to?”

“I mean, you sleep here all the time, so I just assumed…but it’s whatever. I don’t care either way.”

“I’ll stay if you want me to stay, Jacob,” Sunny assured me, throwing open his arms as if preparing for a hug.

“It’s up to you,” I insisted. “Do whatever you want.”

“I’m asking if…”

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Zac came zooming into my room in his boxer briefs, pillow in hand and did an Olympic dive onto my bed. “Get a room already!”

He was tucked under my sheets, pretending to be fast asleep in two seconds flat.

Sunny and I looked at each other and said, “Gross.”

“Hey!” I said, snapping my finger and pointing at the other bed. “You know that’s the extra bed, right?”

Making loud snoring sounds, Zac mumbled, “Sleeping, can’t hear you.”

Grabbing my pillow, I smacked him on the head with it and then hopped into the other bed with Sunny.

“Love you too!” Zac said gleefully.

“I hate both of you!”

“Lies,” they replied in unison.

That night, Sunny and I didn't get any sleep. We chatted away while Zac eavesdropped on our conversation until he eventually dozed off. In what felt like no time at all, morning had arrived, and I was preparing for my classes. I had a quick breakfast with Elijah, Sunny, and Zac, which amounted to eating an apple, engaging in light conversation, and then heading out the door by 8:15.

My mind drifted to the impending "training" I was scheduled to receive from some enigmatic figure. Several times, I absentmindedly nodded along to whatever CJ was saying, utterly unaware of the topic of conversation. By the end of the class, he was elated about something I apparently agreed to and happy to have me “on board.” I wasn't entirely sure about the details, but I had a sneaking suspicion it involved cameras.

Not happening!

The training itself wasn’t such a mystery—not really. Now that my memories were gone, along with the pain when I attempted anything El’odian-related, it was time for me to learn how to use my powers and hone my combat skills. It was time for me to become a true warrior like my brothers.

That was a given.

What bothered me most was not knowing who my trainer would be. I assumed it would be Q until the whole Skai thing happened. Now, I might be paired up with someone random. I hoped it would be Sunny. He was my guardian, after all. And I’d enjoy kicking his ass. Sure, he’d likely mop the floor with me at first. After all, he has the combined knowledge of our people, but eventually, with enough training, I’d kick his ass. With a big smile on my face, too!

The regular KU crew got together for lunch, as was our routine. Not long into our conversation, I shared my decision to have my memories removed. Their reaction was supportive and measured, especially Arsen, who immediately took my hand and asked how I was doing. I had to reassure them multiple times that I was perfectly fine and felt no different than before. Ant was particularly thrilled with the news, but he was trying to keep his excitement in check, which was entirely understandable. I had just surrendered a significant part of my identity, and he didn't want to be seen gleefully celebrating with sparklers and party poppers. Eventually, I playfully smacked the back of his head and told him it was okay to be happy.

To which he replied, “Oh, thank god!” and gave me a big hug. I sensed a happy dance coming on.

They didn't dwell on my memories for long. I think they might have felt a bit guilty for getting what they wanted, but, in the end, it wasn't about them. I did it for myself. It was done.

Arsen, eating a burger, was mid-chew when he suddenly dropped it on his tray and stood up to bow. The rest of the guys promptly did the same, drawing unnecessary attention to our at our table from our fellow diners. I glanced over my shoulder to see Soullen standing there holding a food tray.

“What the…” I muttered.

“You may sit,” Soullen declared. “Please, there is no need to be so formal…especially in front of these humans.”

“People,” I corrected.

“Are they not human?” he questioned, scanning tables around us.

“Yes,” I sighed, “but no one calls them humans. It’s weird and out of place. It makes you sound like you came from Mars.”

“That would be ridiculous. I have never been to that planet.”

“That’s not the…ugh, why are you here?”

Before Soullen answered, he eyed up the tiny space between me and Paul and moved a half step closer. He stared at Paul. Swallowing hard, Paul looked around at the rest of us before slowly sliding away from me to make room for Soullen—poor guy.

I admit, I smirked a little.

“It was Qua’quelle’s idea,” Soullen continued as he slid in beside me. “I also wanted to try this pizza Zac talks about. It is one of his favorite foods.”

“What do you mean it was Q’s idea?” Arsen asked, looking at me as if I had any clue.

Soullen shrugged. “He thought it would be best if I found a human friend group around my age. It will help me learn the social norms of today’s youth, apparently. I do not know why it’s necessary, but he is my eldest brother.”

“You’re like a billion years old,” I said sarcastically.

“I am not.”

“The point is no one here is close to your age.”

Everyone except for Soullen looked at me as if to say, “Really, dude?”

“No one here is your age either, Jacob, but you still engage with them.”

“I don’t count. I slept through all those years!”

“That is the same argument I made to Qua’quelle, but he insisted.”

“So, you chose my friend group?”

“Yes,” he answered, taking a bite of his pizza. His eyes lit up as if he bit into one of The Great Mother’s cookies.

Literally!

“Little dude, your eyes,” CJ warned.

I gave him a quick elbow in the ribs to get him to turn off the two bright headlights coming from his eyes. Scanning the area, I didn't think anyone had noticed his brief light show.

“What is this heavenly delicacy?” Soullen asked, with a string of cheese connecting his mouth to the slice.

“Pepperoni,” I said. “Now get it together!”

“Surely, this must be a gift from the Gods,” he declared confidently.

“Wait until you discover bacon,” Ant laughed.

Soullen was intrigued.

The remainder of lunch was filled with laughter aimed warmly at Soullen, who was clueless about many things. But I could tell he felt comfortable. I saw it in his eyes. Soullen felt like he belonged – like he was one of us.

Score one for Q. He got this one right.

After lunch, Soullen insisted on joining CJ for his next class despite not being enrolled at KU. That was just a formality and certainly wouldn’t cause any professor to object. He was a member of The Brotherhood; he wore the letterman jacket to show it, and that’s all the formality he required.

“You can continue to explain this sexting to me,” Soullen said as they walked away.

I quickly grabbed Soullen by the neck and pushed him into Arsen. “Go with Arsen and learn about anthropology.”

“But…”

“No buts!” I interrupted, glaring at CJ. “Just do as I say.”

“You are unreasonable!” Despite his protest, Soullen did, in fact, follow Arsen instead.

“What did I do, dude?” CJ questioned innocently.

After classes, I made my way to The Village as per The Great Mother's instructions, uncertain of what lay ahead. The guys opted to join me, as they were also headed in that direction for a bite at the diner. We were lost in conversation and cracking inappropriate jokes - that went right over Soullen's head – when a sleek, tinted-out black Audi pulled up next to us.

Xazzumir stepped out wearing a black suit and tie with dark sunglasses and walked around the car to open the back door. He ignored everyone except Soullen, to whom he respectfully bowed and said, “Your Highness.”

Despite his guard going up instantly, Soullen offered a slight nod of acknowledgment but said nothing.

“Please, get in, Jacob,” Zazz said, gesturing at the opening door.

“I guess this is me, guys,” I said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Arsen moved to block me from getting in the car. “You good?”

“I’m fine, Arsen,” I laughed.

I don’t know how many times I would have to drill into them that these are my people. Not some mercenary group kidnapping me for ransom money.

I hugged him, then moved him off to the side.

CJ slapped my ass and told me he’d let me know when all the equipment was set up.

I was terrified.

“I will send you additional communications,” Soullen announced loudly as if he were declaring a royal edict. “Please respond promptly this time.”

“Shut up.”

“That was rude!” Soullen looked at his new friend group for confirmation. “It was, right?”

They just blinked at him.

“And stay away from CJ!” I instructed as I bent to enter the car.

“Dude!” CJ protested.

“You’re a bad influence.”

“Dude!!!”

I entered the backseat and rolled down the window to wave goodbye before Zazz pulled off.

“Okay, so where are you taking me?”

“Please roll up your window,” Zazz said.

I complied, but Zazz didn’t answer.

I repeated my question, “Where are you taking me?”

“Me? Nowhere.”

I glanced at the space next to me as if the invisible someone beside me might provide a more useful answer—the nothingness next to me remained silent. So I shifted my gaze to the back of Zazz’s head, confused. "What do you mean?"

“Give it a second,” he insisted.

“Give what a second?” I was beginning to get annoyed.

My seat suddenly felt like Jello. The cushions began to warp and twist as a dark portal appeared under me.

“See ya,” Zazz smiled at me through the rearview mirror.

“What the…”

I tumbled through the portal, spiraling in a chaotic freefall through a dark void that seemed to stretch on forever, though, in reality, it was likely no more than ten seconds if that. Much to my surprise, I landed gracefully on one knee, arms extended for balance, almost like a gymnast nailing a routine. I'd have scored myself a modest 9.5.

“Ah, right on time, Suga. That’s what I like to see.”

Ms. Cynthia?!

I looked up, and sure enough, Ms. Cynthia was leaning forward over her desk, staring down at me – her glasses on the verge of falling off the brim of her nose. Even with Ms. Cynthia’s head floating above me, it took a second to realize where I was.

Ski-Tech? The hell?

“Now let's get off the floor, Suga,” she said. “I can’t have you on your knees. This is a business; we need to maintain a sense of decorum and proper posture. So shoulders up!”

“Ms. Cynthia?” I said as I slowly rose to my feet.

“Yes, Suga?” Her smile was as warm as ever.

“How did I get here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” she said, looking at me bewildered. “A portal.”

“But I didn’t go through a gate.”

“I know, Suga. Portals and doorways are sort of his thing. Who knows how it all works.” Waving her hand about dismissively, she looked like she was discussing everyday mundane things like how a traffic light knows when to turn red. “To be honest, it’s all voodoo to me.”

“What am I doing here?” I asked, feeling as though I was having an out-of-body experience.

“For your appointment, of course,” Ms. Cynthia said. “And I see you came empty-handed.”

“Empty-handed? I didn’t even know I was coming here.”

“Mmmhmm,” she grumbled and folded her arms over her chest as she sat back in her chair. “Soullen would’ve brought chocolates from Antonio’s. He’s a good boy, that one. Very proper, indeed.” Sitting forward, she started gathering some papers into a pile. “Well, you might as well go on in. He’s expecting you.”

“Who?”

“Well, Zenial, of course, Suga.”

“For what?” I was so confused.

“Your training, Suga. Are you not paying attention? Have you been drinking spirits this early in the afternoon?”

“Spirits? What…No! What is happening right now?”

“Boy, you better get your narrow behind in that office before I get up and drag you in there by your ear. You arrived here on time; you best believe you’ll be entering his office on time. ”

Okay, I took offense to that. There’s nothing “narrow” about my behind!

“Yes, ma’am! I’m going! I’m going!”

I went up to the door and knocked softly.

“Boy…” Ms. Cynthia growled.

I recoiled and quickly ran into the office, closing the door securely behind me. That was a close one. I’d rather do battle with anyone other than Ms. Cynthia. Any sane man would!

Zenial stood behind his desk with his back to me, skimming through documents from a folder. He appeared engrossed in what he was reading. Not wanting to disturb him, I slowly and quietly inched my way to his desk.

“Jacob, you’re here,” he said, smiling while looking over his shoulder and waving me over. “Come in. Come in.”

I must have seemed like a creeper trying to sneak up on him. Anyway, I gave a little bow as I got closer to his desk, but Zenial happened to turn away to check out some papers, so he never saw me.

Shit!

“Give me a second; I just have to finish reading this contract. Please, have a seat.”

It looked like he was about to face me, if only for a moment, so I bowed again, but he never did.

Fuck!

Not wanting to be disrespectful, I refrained from taking a seat until I could properly bow. As I stood there, I noticed a shopping bag on the edge of his desk. Being the non-intrusive person that I am, I leaned forward onto my tippy toes to take a peek.

“That looks good,” he muttered to himself as he began to turn.

I instantly snapped back to attention and bowed again.

“Wait, that’s not right,” Zenial whispered, turning away from me again while crossing out a section on his document.

God dammit!

I was annoyed.

“How many times do you plan on bowing, Jacob?”

“Well, you keep not turning around!” I snapped, then instantly regretted my decisions in life. “Um…I mean, so how did you know?”

“Half this room is just windows, Jacob. I saw your reflection in the glass.”

I’m pretty sure I heard him snickering under his breath.

He spun around, threw the folder on his desk, and insisted I sit. Pressing a button on his office phone, he gestured for me to “hold on” with his finger while he spoke to Ms. Cynthia.

“Ms. Cynthia, I looked over the contract. I redlined a few things and made a few notes in the margin for consideration. Once legal reviews and updates the wording, I’ll be ready to sign.”

“Mmmhmm…” It was like a sweat melody to my ears. “Did you read the clause they added on page 11, subsection 3, paragraph C5 ?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t find that problematic, Suga?”

“Not really, no. We’ll make back the money by the end of the first quarter next year.”

“Well, I don’t agree, Suga,” she grumbled. “They are clearly trying to take advantage of the situation and needlessly milking us for more money. I won’t have it!”

“I understand, Ms. Cynthia, but they’re going to end up paying us back double, if not triple, by the end of the first quarter, second quarter tops.”

“Yes, Suga, but they’ll pay it without those ridiculous concessions.”

“True…”

“Ring me back when you’ve reread page 11, subsection 3, paragraph C5, and changed your mind. Then I’ll send it down to legal.”

“But…”

Click.

I laughed my ass off. It was nice to know it wasn’t only us guys on the lower end of the totem pole with their heads on the chopping block.

“She’s right,” Zenial confessed. “I’m just sick of these negotiations. They’ve been going on for months. I’m ready to be done, but I suppose I can’t be fiscally irresponsible.”

“Sometimes it sucks being the top dog,” I said, offering Zenial a not-so-sympathetic toothy smile.

I sat silently as Zenial reread page 11, subsection 3, paragraph C5. After a few minutes of hemming and hawing, he crossed out the section, scribbled a note on the side, tossed the papers into the folder, and threw it in a wire basket on the corner of his desk. It was the only thing inside.

“So, how are things?” he asked.

“Um…fine. How are things with you?” It still took me a minute to stop sounding or feeling awkward around Zenial.

“Aside from boring contracts, great,” he smiled, then his face fell slightly. “You look confused.”

“Is this like the first stop before I go off to training? I think I have training scheduled for today,”

“No, this is the only stop.”

“You’re training me?”

“Yes. Why? Does that bother you?”

“No, of course not!” I insisted. “But…”

“But?” Zenial repeated when I didn’t finish my sentence.

“I don’t know. Isn’t this way below your pay grade? I’m sure you have infinitely more important things to do than worry about my training.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Jacob,” Zenial corrected. “Looking after my brothers, their well-being, including their training when need be, is exactly on par with my ‘pay grade,’ as you put it.”

“The Great Mother put you up to this, didn’t she?”

“She did make a personal request,” he confessed with a laugh. “I was happy to oblige. But the truth is, I was already having Ms. Cynthia clear up my schedule so I could spend time with you. Don’t look so surprised, Jacob. You’re not the first brother I’ve trained. It’s something I enjoy doing. Besides, what The Great Mother wants, The Great Mother gets.”

“Except for a lasting peace between the two sides,” I mumbled.

“What was that?” he asked sharply.

“Nothing,” I assured him with a cheeky smile. “Nothing at all.”

“So…Naveyk, huh? That was wild,” he said, his playful yet sinister grin matching my cheeky energy.

Holy shit!

“Um, you know about that?” I uncrossed my legs and straightened up, feeling as rigid as a board. "But how?"

“I have my ways,” Zenial teased with a wink.

I thought about it for a second and assumed The Great Mother must have spilled the beans. But as I glanced at the shopping bag on his desk, I put two and two together. “Bingo!” I shouted, snapping my fingers.

“Excuse me?” Zenial asked, feigning ignorance while the glint in his different colored eyes gave away the game.

“Bingo,” I repeated a little less energetically. “I saw the purse in the bag. You were at purse bingo last night and saw us.”

“You looked in my bag?”

“Maybe, but let's not focus on that right now. I’m right, aren’t I?” I slouched ever so slightly, easing the stiffness of my posture a bit, but not fully.

“I was not at bingo,” Zenial laughed.

Narrowing my eyes, I gave him my famous suspicious side-eye.

“But…I did make a call earlier in the day to place a silent bid on the purse.”

“Raspberry sorbet doesn’t seem like your color,” I snickered, releasing more tension in my stance. “But you do you.”

“It’s for Ms. Cynthia. Her anniversary as my executive assistant is coming up, and I thought it would make the perfect gift. I’m surprised you could pick out the color so precisely.”

“I’m gay,” I said, rolling my eyes playfully. “That’s what we do.”

Now, he was the one giving me the side-eye.

“Okay, fine, I’ve been hanging out with Zac too much. It’s a whole thing.”

Zenial smirked and nodded as if to say, “It all makes sense now.” He pulled out the purse and sat it on the desk. “It’s nice, right?”

“She’s going to love it.”

“I could feed a small county for what I paid for this, so let's hope you’re right.”

I seriously doubt Zenial or any El’odian had to worry about money issues.

“Anyway, I stopped by the shop last night to pick it up. I was talking with The Great Mother when she suddenly started inching her way to the window, and there you were, chatting with Naveyk. After a couple of minutes, I said my goodbyes and left.”

“You left?”

“I did.”

“You just left me there? I could’ve been killed!”

“I seriously doubt that, Jacob. Besides, if that was the case, why should both of us get killed?”

“What?!”

“I’m kidding!” He had a nice little laugh at my expense. “If I thought for a second that you were in any real danger, I would’ve intervened. No question. But that’s not what I saw. I saw two individuals having a private conversation a stone's throw away from The Great Mother’s. You were safe.”

Of course, I believed Zenial, but that didn’t stop me from keeping up the act a little longer. I’m shocked he didn’t come charging toward us, not to protect me but because it was Naveyk, of all people…or Gods, actually. You’d think he’d want to know what in the hell was going on, so I silently commended him for his restraint. I don’t know that I would’ve been able to do the same if, out of nowhere, I saw Sunny talking to Arsen or CJ, let alone Naveyk. You best believe I’d be right there, front and center, with my nose all up in their business.

“I know I should’ve reported it right away, but…”

Raising his hand, Zenial gestured for silence. “No, I disagree,” he said.

“You do?”

He nodded. “I trust if Naveyk had said anything that led you to believe the Skai were in danger, you would’ve reported it immediately.”

“Yes! Of course!” I confirmed urgently, moving up to the very edge of my seat, but still not as tense as before. “I would always report something serious or harmful.”

That was the god’s honest truth.

“It’s okay, Jacob,” Zenial smiled warmly. “I believe you unequivocally, which is why your conversation with Naveyk is none of my business.”

I slowly sank back into my chair, staring at him closely. “You’re not even a little curious?”

“Of course, I’m curious, Jacob,” Zenial admitted as he twirled his pen between his fingers. “The Naverian God, Naveyk, shows up to chat with one of my guys? How could I not be curious?”

I admit, I was more interested in his tricks with the pen than in what he said, but he didn’t need to know that. The pen suddenly stopped spinning as he pointed at me with it, snapping me out of its spell.

“But if I may hazard a guess?”

“Um…go for it.”

Reclining in his chair, Zenial did a few more tricks with the pen before he finally spoke. “He wants you to stay away from Qua’quelle?”

Sitting forward and resting my elbows on my knees, I clasped my hands and said, “Seriously, do I have this stuff written on my forehead?”

“You’re Skai, he’s Nave,” Zenial said. “It’s not that hard to figure out, Jacob. There hasn’t been such a union since ancient times, and look at how they turned out. None of us want a repeat of what happened back then. I imagine that includes Naveyk.”

“Do you worry about that?”

“I have my concerns, yes,” Zenial said bluntly, looking me straight in the eyes with his hypnotic gaze. I wouldn’t be much of a leader if I didn’t consider all possibilities, good or bad.” Leaning forward, he dropped the pen and clasped his hands on his desk. Ultimately, and more importantly, I trust my brothers to make wise decisions to benefit their well-being and The Sanctum’s. It’s all any of us can hope for.”

“You’re way too chill,” I joked. “It makes me nervous. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Zenial laughed. “No shoes, belts, or any other article of clothing will be dropping today.”

“Aren’t you curious what my answer was?”

“I already know, Jacob,” he said matter-of-factly. “I am curious about one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Were you afraid?”

“Out of my mind!” I exclaimed, slapping my hand down hard on the armrests. “I was shitting bricks! I really thought I was going to die.”

A hint of amusement twinkled in his eyes, and I felt he didn't burst out laughing in my face just to avoid making light of what I saw as a life-or-death situation.

“He couldn’t have killed you if he wanted to, Jacob.”

“Oh, and why is that?” I said, wide-eyed and sarcastic. “Because he’s reportedly weaker than he was way back when?”

“No, because the Gods made a pact not to directly interfere with their creations' lives and development. The whole point of creating us was to see who did it better without divine intervention.”

“That still holds?” I exclaimed. “How do you know they didn’t renege on that deal long ago?”

“I suppose I don’t,” Zenial replied honestly.

“That’s comforting.”

“For all their machinations, the Gods, as far as we can tell, have always proven true to their word. Whether we like the outcome or not. And besides, reneging on such a pact is not as easy as going back on a bet you made with your frat buddy over beer pong. It would require the agreement of all those involved. Our God, Skailer, has not been seen since the day he blessed his children with his Divine Gift. The fate of Aal’ee is unknown to all, leaving Naveyk alone and bound to their pact.”

“To be clear, that’s all a guess, right?”

“It is.”

“So…what you’re saying is…I still could’ve been killed!”

This time, Zenial didn’t hold back the laughter.

“Why do you think no one has seen Skailer since the day of The Gift?”

“Now that’s a question we’ve been pondering for ages, I’m afraid. At first, we believed his life ended once he made us immortal. Our brothers came to terms with it a long time ago, but when Naveyk was spotted after our awakening in the New Age, hope was rekindled amongst our brethren that Skailer is out there somewhere as well – waiting to return to us.”

“Waiting to return for what?” I asked without thinking.

Leaning forward again, he lowered his voice like he was about to tell me a secret, “If we knew that, it wouldn’t be a question for the ages.”

“Oh…right. I’m dumb,” I said, slapping my forehead. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“If you saw me with Naveyk, does that mean everyone knows?”

“Well, I didn’t make an announcement over the PA system, if that’s what you mean.”

It wasn’t my intention to make him sound like a gossip queen, but I assumed there had to be rules for this sort of thing—protocols he needed to follow.

“No, that’s not what I meant at all.”

“It’s okay, Jacob; I understand what you’re asking. Though not entirely rare, spotting Nayvek, our enemy's creator, is still a big deal. So yes, I reported it to the rest of The Nine. I also talked with Razual and Eolaeis late last night.”

Gritting my teeth, I winced like I was getting ready to get punched in the face. “How much trouble am I in now? ”

“None, as a matter of fact,” he replied with a dismissive shrug. "I assured everyone that what I observed was merely a regular conversation between two individuals, but I would talk to you to confirm there was no cause for concern. Having done so, I can now reassure them that, indeed, there's nothing to worry about. I hope this doesn't bother you too much."

“No, not at all. I get it. I should’ve just gone to Raz immediately, but I didn’t want it to turn into another thing. It seems I’m always getting embroiled in another thing, you know?”

“I understand, Jacob,” Zenial smiled. “But that’s why we’re here – to help you navigate these murky waters. It’s why we are brothers. Nothing will ever change that. Please come to us when you feel your back is against the wall.”

Touched by the sentiment, all I could do was nod.

“You are definitely unique,” he snickered.

“Meaning?” I was l almost hesitant to ask.

“Meaning…you’ve turned out to be more interesting than any brother that has awakened from their slumber in the past thousand years – maybe two thousand!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “That sounds like a nice way of saying I’m a pain in the ass.”

“Not at all,” Zenial assured me. “But The Sanctum has certainly been buzzing since you came home.”

“And that’s a good thing?”

“Depends how you look at it.”

“That’s a classic non-answer. I see The Great Mother has thought you well.”

Zenial enjoyed that comparison immensely and wore it like a badge of honor, much like Q.

“A little break from the mundane is never bad,” Zenial added. “It livens the place up. In fact, I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

“Oh god…” I gritted my teeth again, expecting the shoe to drop finally.

“You’ve made such an impression that…”

“Oh god…”

“His Highness, Prince Iythaeryn would like to meet you.”

What the?! The son of our dead king wants to meet me? Lucky me…

“I’m good,” I blurted out nervously.

“I’ll be sure to tell him that.”

“No, don’t. I was only kidding! I’d be more than happy to meet him, as long as it's far in the future and on a day I have other plans.”

Zenial stood suddenly and buttoned up his blazer. I heard the door open behind me. “Too late, he’s already here.”

I was frozen.

“It was great to see you again, Ms. Cynthia,” a youthful voice rang out behind me.

“Of course, it was, Suga. Thank you for the chocolates.”

She was purposely loud at the end to get her point across.

Walking around his desk, Zenial whacked me on the shoulder and gestured for me to stand. The moment I heard footsteps approaching, I bowed. Zenial bowed a second later. I only saw a pair of shiny black dress shoes and the bottom half of Prince Iythaeryn’s slacks as he approached us.

“Welcome, Your Highness,” Zenial said with a tone worthy of Prince Iythaeryn’s status. Standing straight, he gestured toward me. “Allow me to present our newly awakened brother, Jacob.”

“Your Highness,” I said, my voice trembling awkwardly. I’m sure I stayed in the “bowing” position longer than necessary, but I didn’t know what else to do.

I was shocked to feel his hand against my cheek as he curled his fingers under my chin to raise my head. Before I could get a good look at him, Iythaeryn pressed his forehead against mine – I kept my eyes fixed on his shoes.

“Welcome home, brother,” Iythaeryn said, his voice light and honeyed. When I didn’t meet his gaze, he slowly lifted my head with his finger. He almost appeared to choke on his words when he looked at me. “By the Gods…”

“Your Highness?” Zenial sounded as concerned as I felt.

“You have his eyes…”