The Brotherhood: Awakening Book II - 21. Chapter 21

The Brotherhood: Awakening

Chapter XXI

By X

 

 

We all stood there, stunned. Obviously, this wasn’t who we were expecting. Whether it was a good or bad omen remained to be seen. If I were to hazard a guess, this wouldn’t end well for any of us.

Especially if it was her day off.

Despite being out of the office, Ms. Cynthia maintained an air of professionalism in her black, knee-length skirt, paired with a single-button black blazer and a deep burgundy blouse. A gold and silver filagree locket dangled from her neck, adding a touch of timeless elegance to her ensemble. Her outfit was fresh and pressed as if she had just picked it up from the dry cleaners. Her bun's small ruby butterfly pins were dainty, but their scarlet hue shimmered brightly as if brought to life by the ice cream parlor’s lights.

“Now, where are my glasses?” She asked as she rummaged through her black and gold leather tote bag.

A funny thing happened while she was occupied going through the bottomless pit that was her bag. All my brothers stood up perfectly straight and, one by one, changed their attire. Sunny was the first to transition from baggy shorts and a t-shirt into an expensive-looking navy blue suit with a vibrant purple tie and handkerchief. Even his hair was suddenly gelled and styled to fit a young businessman. After Sunny, it was like a domino effect. One dark swirl after another seemingly bounced around the room and made everyone presentable in the presence of Ms. Cynthia.

I’d wager some serious cash that each of them suffered PTSD after getting scolded for not following proper office dress code. Or, maybe they witnessed someone else go through it and carried that trauma like it was their own. It was hilarious and scary all at the same time.

There were only four El’odians in the room who did not change. Soulen was one of them. But I could see the panic in his eyes, unsure if he should follow along or stand his ground. I’m certain he stuck with his current casual attire because he felt secure following Q's lead. Otherwise, I'm convinced he'd be looking just as dapper as the others.

Me? I thought I looked pretty spiffy already.

Sunny cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Your glasses are around your neck, Ms. Cynthia.”

He stepped back before she could even look down.

“Ah, so they are,” she said with a smile as she placed the glasses at the tip of her nose. "Thank you, Sunny. Now, who do we have here?"

She surveyed the room by tilting her head down to look over her glasses. One might wonder why she put them on in the first place, but only a madman would question it. “Oh, Eolaeis!” She sounded positively delighted to see him and went right up to Eolaeis. Wrapping her arm around his, she gave it a few gentle pats before continuing, “Thank goodness! There’s someone here with some sense that I can talk to.”

"Ms. Cynthia," Eolaeis said warmly, covering her hand with his own. "It's always a pleasure to see you. I apologize if dragging you into this situation caused any inconvenience. It was certainly not my intention."

“Oh, nonsense, Suga. You boys are never an inconvenience. I’m here to help.” Walking arm-in-arm with Eolaeis, she went up to the rest of my brothers. “Now, who else do we have here?”

She peered through her glasses and announced, "Calyx."

Her gaze traveled from his head to his toes as if confirming his identity mere seconds after uttering his name. “If you were coming all this way, you should’ve called ahead, Suga. I would’ve prepared a proper welcome for Aulus’ top lieutenant.”

“Ms. Cynthia,” Calyx responded, bowing his head. “You honor me, but I would never dream of imposing on you for a routine visit.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, gently patting his chest. “It was probably best that you didn’t reach out.”

She shifted her attention to Malik just as Calyx was about to speak, leaving him momentarily speechless with his mouth hanging open.

Sunny couldn’t help but snicker.

“I don’t know you,” Ms. Cynthia declared.

Confused, Malik glanced around the room as if he thought she might be addressing someone else. "Um, Ms. Cynthia, we've actually met several times. Just a few weeks ago, I hand-delivered some documents to you. Don't you remember?"

She reached out and took hold of Malik's face, gently moving it from side to side as she scrutinized him closely. "Hmmm... I don't think so," she stated flatly.

“Ms. Cynthia, it’s me. Malik.”

She turned his face to the right and then back in the other direction before finally releasing him. "No, I don't know you," she declared. "I distinctly told the Malik I know that if he ever intended to set foot on my side of the pond again, he should do something about that ridiculous man bun on his head. And yet, here you are with a man bun. Utterly ridiculous."

Before he could respond, she shifted her attention and locked eyes with Q.

Uh-oh. Trouble.

Their gazes lingered on each other for a moment. It wasn’t hostile by any means. Simply, mutual acknowledgment.

Uncoiling herself from Eolaeis’ arm, she slowly walked up to Q, extending her hand as if he were meant to kiss it. “Emaneé,” she said gently, her face graced with a fleeting, genial smile.

Wait, what?

Emaneé? Emaneé who?

To my surprise, and probably to the rest of my brothers, Q took her hand, bowed, and pressed the back of it to his forehead.

“Ms. Cynthia,” he said graciously. “It is always a pleasure to lay eyes on one so radiant.”

“Oh, cut it out now. You’re going to make this old gal blush.”

“Nonsense,” Q said, rising upright as he held her hand. "The only thing old in this room are the ones you hold dear – their radiance mere embers compared to the blazing fire I see in your eyes."

“You are dashing and terrible, Emaneé!”

What in the hell was happening? Who is Emaneé, and what has he done with my Q? And when the hell did he become a poet?

Slipping her hand from Q's grasp, she adjusted her blazer and cleared her throat. "Are you here stirring up trouble, child?"

“No more than usual,” Q shrugged innocently.

“Mmhmm….” She clasped her hands together, scrutinizing Q momentarily before addressing the group around her. "Now, where is he? Where's my dear boy?"

Upon spotting Zac, she extended her arms, beckoning him to come to her.

Zac didn’t hesitate. He practically ran to Ms. Cynthia, who enveloped him in a motherly embrace the second he drew near.

“Are you okay, Suga?” she asked, gently pulling away from him to peer into his eyes.

Zac nodded.

“You’ve been crying.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“You’ve been crying.” She repeated sternly.

“Okay, maybe a little,” Zac confessed sheepishly.

Ms. Cynthia pulled out a handkerchief and a small bottle from her bag. After spritzing the embroidered cloth a few times, she cleaned his face. “Can’t have you running around looking a hot mess in front of company, Suga. What will people say?”

“Why are you here, Ms. Cynthia?” Zac asked. “I think Sunny meant for Prince Zenial to show up.”

"I know, dear," she replied, patting Zac's shoulder affectionately. "But Zenial is meeting with the Council of Nine, so he sent the next best thing. Well, actually... probably the best thing, if I say so myself."

Zac giggled and hugged her again. “Thank you for coming.”

"Always, Suga." She pulled Zac close and squeezed his arms reassuringly. "Chin up. Everything is going to be just fine, I promise. But now, it's time to get down to business."

With a sigh, she stepped around Zac to address the crowd. "Alright, first things first, there are too many people here for my liking. I have enough stress in my life without you all adding to it. Liam, Elijah, Xazzumir, there's no need for you gentlemen to be here any longer." She pointed at the three individuals like a teacher addressing her students and continued, "You can head on home now."

“Um, are you sure, Ms. Cynthia?” Liam asked timidly, looking around as if he was being tested.

“Suga, look at my face. Do I look unsure to you?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Then why are the three of you still here?”

The trio offered a respectful head bow before disappearing into a vortex of dark energy.

Without missing a beat, Ms. Cynthia turned to face Soullen.

He stepped back but kept his eyes locked on hers.

“Hello, Dear Prince,” She smiled warmly, offering him a playful finger-wiggle wave.

"Hello, Ms. Cynthia," Soullen replied, attempting to mimic her greeting with an awkward finger-wiggle of his own. "It's good to see you again."

"I know, Suga," she winked at Soullen before turning her attention to the Skai in the room. "Now, would someone care to explain the ruckus going on here and why y'all pulled me away from my stories?"

"Your stories?" Sunny questioned, giving me a baffled look as if I had just handed him a quadradic equation. "It's your day off?"

"Yes, Suga. Even dedicated women like me get a reprieve now and again."

"Really? I just assumed you lived at the office."

"Sweety, don't be asinine. It's unbecoming." Ms. Cynthia reached out to straighten Sunny’s tie, then looked him in the eye and softly touched his cheek.

“Well?” She asked.

Sunny’s eyes narrowed, confused by her question. We all were.

Seconds passed, and the room remained silent. Just as Sunny opened his mouth to speak, Ms. Cynthia removed her fingers from his face and turned to address the rest of us.

“Well?!” She pressed, and we realized she was asking the room – not Sunny - to answer her original question.

We all exchanged glances, silently debating who should speak first – a decision never advisable when Ms. Cynthia was involved.

“Are we really doing this right now?” she scolded. “No one has anything to say? I guess Zenial hurled me halfway across the state for nothing? If I have to ask again, no one will be happy. Especially me.”

Suddenly, everyone had a novel’s worth of things to stay. We spoke loudly over each other, vying to be heard. Accusations and finger-pointing flew around the room, and even I joined in, trying to make my voice heard over Kaylec and Calyx.

“Good lord….” She shook her head disapprovingly and walked over to Eolaeis, tapping his forearm. "Eolaeis, please."

"Silence!" Eolaeis commanded, his voice booming like thunder and causing the glass sneeze guard over the ice cream to crack. "You all know better. Act like it!"

“Thank you, dear. Let's try this again. I expect the lot of you to act like men with manners and decorum this time. Calyx, you first.”

Ms. Cynthia listened attentively as Calyx outlined his mission to bring Zac back to Venice point by point. I half-expected her to react when she heard "Venice," but she didn't flinch. The odds were good that this plan might backfire on "Team Zac." Ms. Cynthia was the epitome of old-school values, which, in her eyes, meant strict adherence to rules and utmost respect for authority. She believed they were the foundation of a civilized society, and everything would crumble to dust without them.

There was no doubt in my mind that if anyone dared to defy Zenial's orders, they'd have to contend with a nuclear force in the form of Ms. Cynthia before they even reached Zenial. And yet, here we were, attempting to challenge the directives of a Sanctum Prince. Not good.

Sunny was next to deliver his impassioned speech to Ms. Cynthia. He called out the cruelty of removing Zac from his home over an “innocent” date with “Jacob’s friends.” I wondered if he thought he was clever by calling them my friends as if Ms. Cynthia didn’t know there were two Nave in the room with us.

“Sunny!’ she said crossly, walking up to Sunny and grabbing him by the chin. “That’s not how one behaves. You know better than that! You don’t go against Aulus’ wishes. He’s a Prince! You are not.”

“I know, Ms. Cynthia. I’m sorry, but….”

"No buts!" She shook her head gently. "There are rules, Suga. Protocols. You don't get to disregard them when they become inconvenient. Your ability to follow them when they're challenging reveals your true character's worth. Aulus did nothing wrong. His request was reasonable. He has every right to request the presence of one of his brothers, not only because he's a Prince but because he's your brother."

I couldn’t believe I had to sit there and look at Kaylec’s smug face. He was so pleased with himself, watching Sunny get his ass handed to him. The only thing that made it bearable was picturing Sunny punching the shit out of him.

Calyx, on the other hand, stood there, listening to her lecture with intense focus. He resembled a statue, rigid and devoid of emotion. Well, that's not entirely accurate. Some sculptures convey far more emotion than Calyx.

“Your job is to uphold the will of The Sanctum,” she continued. “Aulus is the Sanctum. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Sunny looked defeated.

It broke me.

And poor Zac. The realization that he was going on a trip halfway across the world began to set in. He looked upset, but not like before. I think he was in the acceptance phase of his grief.

“Now, I’m going to chalk all this up to runaway emotions.” Releasing his face, Ms. Cynthia adjusted Sunny’s collar and smoothed out his shoulders before she continued. “I understand how much Zac means to you, so I’m giving you a pass this time. But you only get one, Suga. I won’t have this happening again in my house. You hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” Hooking Sunny’s hair behind his ear, she patted his cheek again before facing Calyx. “Now that we settled that kerfuffle, you may go.”

Calyx was quick to step up to Ms. Cynthia and bow respectfully. “Thank you, Ms. Cynthia. Your assistance with this matter has been invaluable. I’ll be sure to inform Prince Aulus.”

“Oh, Suga, you don’t need to talk me up,” she said with a dismissive wave. “I am who I am. The name speaks for itself. Like Madonna or Cher or….the Pope.”

“Yes, of course.” Calyx was obviously confused but pretended like they were speaking the same language. “Well, we won’t bother you any longer. Come, Zac, it’s time to go.”

“No!” Soullen protested, taking a step toward Zac and reaching for his arm.

My eyes were fixed on Zac as I grabbed Soullen and held him back. “Don’t make it worse for him,” I whispered.

“Oh, Suga, Zac isn’t going anywhere. Not as long as I’m breathing air into these old lungs.”

Our heads perked up instantly, much like a dog that had just heard a noise. Zac's smile stretched from ear to ear.

Intrigued, Q’s eyebrow perked up as well.

“Excuse me?” Calyx questioned.

“For what, Suga?”

“You just said….”

“I know what I said, Suga,” Ms. Cynthia interrupted. “I was here when I said it.”

“I don’t understand.”

For a second, I thought he was channeling Soullen.

“I know,” Ms. Cynthia said, shaking her head sympathetically and placing her hand on his arm as if consoling him. “But that’s more of a you problem, dear. I’ve said what I had to say, and now you may go.”

“Ms. Cynthia, with all due respect….”

“Oh, Suga, I find whenever a statement starts that way, the words that follow are quite disrespectful indeed.”

“Ms. Cynthia, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, but you simply don’t have the authority to stop me.”

She looked over her shoulder at me and Sunny. “See what I mean?”

I could only see the side of her face, but she didn’t look pleased when she returned her attention to Calyx.

“You’re delusional if you think I’d allow anyone to come into my house and take this boy away from everything he knows.”

Kaylec rushed to Ms. Cynthia, about to throw a tantrum. “Ms. Cynthia, you can’t….”

“Boy, hush up!” Her voice was sharp, and it cut like glass. We all flinched.

She stared coldly at Kaylec and continued, “I haven’t addressed you once. That should give you pause and reason for self-reflection. But do your reflecting over there.” She pointed to the “back of the class” and shooed him away. “Go on. Get!”

With his tail tucked between his legs, he had no choice but to retreat.

“Ms. Cynthia,” Calyx said with an exacerbated sigh. He placed his hand over his chest like he was pledging allegiance. “As you said, we serve The Sanctum. I’m afraid that includes you as well.”

“Of course it does, dear boy, but Razual appointed Sunny as Zac’s guardian with….”

“Yes, I’m well aware!” Calyx interrupted forcefully.

Amused by his forceful stance, Ms. Cynthia folded her arms across her chest, quirked her head to the side, and gave him his moment.

“Tread lightly, Calyx,” Eolaeis warned as he stepped beside the pair. “I will not warn you a second time.”

"Fascinating," Q murmured quietly to himself.

I gave him the “cut it out” look. I didn’t want him poking more bears in the room.

He smirked and winked at me as if to say, “Relax, I got this.”

I felt a bit foolish. Q had encountered these situations before. Probably a hundred times or more. He was happy to sit back and watch everything unfold, fading into his surroundings like a background character. But I confess, it was strange to see him assume a hands-off role. I’m used to seeing him front and center, large and in charge. It made sense, though, considering this wasn't his fight, even if he initially stirred the pot a bit.

“It’s okay, Suga,” Ms. Cynthia said to Eolaeis. “Since we’re interrupting me now, I’d love to hear what he has to say.”

Calyx’s expression shifted from cold and distant to instant regret. I might be reading into it, but I swear there was a hint of panic in his eyes. Given it was Ms. Cynthia... well, let's just say you'd have to be a bold man to get snippy with her. I didn't think Calyx was that kind of man.

“Forgive me, Ms. Cynthia, Eolaeis,” Calyx offered. “I meant no offense.”

“Well, Suga, you have a funny way of showing it. But please, continue. Only someone with words of the utmost importance would face the hazard of interrupting me. I can only conclude that your words fit that definition.” Her voice maintained the charm of the Ms. Cynthia we all loved, but there was a lilt to her tone…a challenge…that made the room go cold.

I was glad she was on our side.

“I am aware that Razual appointed Sunny as Zac’s guardian,” he began, his tone measured. "But the fact that he would allow the boy to come here with our sworn enemy shows a significant lapse in judgment. Because of this, Prince Aulus believes that Sunny isn't suitable for the role, at least not at this time. Sunny is too young and inexperienced to bear such a responsibility. It was a mistake to place such a heavy burden on his shoulders." He paused and gazed intently at Sunny as if trying to peer into his soul. "None of this is Sunny’s fault. The blame falls squarely on Razual."

“I see,” Ms. Cynthia pondered. “Those are Aulus’s feelings on the matter?”

“Yes.”

“And what do you think, Suga?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m asking what you think,” she repeated.

“Me?”

“It’s not a difficult question, Calyx. At least, I don’t think it is.” She grabbed Eolaeis’ arm and leaned into him. “You understood the question, right, Suga?”

“Perfectly.”

“Oh, good. I feared I was having a stroke and speaking in tongues.” She turned to Calyx and offered a big smile that said she wouldn’t repeat herself.

"To be honest, I'm with the Prince on this," Calyx finally stepped up to the plate. "Even if he hadn't sent me, I would have pursued this matter independently. I cannot stand by while they put the boy in peril."

“How expedient of you,” she said, leaning back slightly as if she smelled something foul in the air. “So, you agree that Razual made a mistake?”

“Very much so,” he said. “I respect Razual, of course. There is no question that he’s a competent, noble, and inspirational leader.”

“As long as we’re not questioning the obvious. Thank the heavens for small miracles.”

“With all that said,” Calyx continued bravely, “no leader is above reproach. Razual made a mistake. It is everyone’s sincere hope that he learns from this mistake and uses it to become an even stronger leader for The Sanctum.”

“Interesting,” she mused quietly, almost to herself. “No leader is above reproach, you say? Except for our Princes, of course. Their word is Law.”

“Of course!” Calyx agreed enthusiastically. “We all serve them, and through them, The Sanctum.”

“Oh dear, how awkward this must be for you.”

“I don’t….I don’t understand.”

I swear I heard Q chuckle.

I think Ms. Cynthia did, too, for her eyes darted in Q’s direction for a split-second before they flashed back to Calyx.

Calyx began to speak, but Ms. Cynthia cut him off.

“You see, Suga, if you hadn’t interrupted me earlier, you would’ve learned that Razual appointed Sunny as Zac’s guardian at the behest of Prince Zenial.”

“He did?” Sunny stared at me as if I was the one who made the decision. He was obviously shocked.

“Yes, Suga,” Ms. Cynthia confirmed, glancing over her shoulder at Sunny. “He said you had great potential.”

“I do?”

“Hush now, child. I’m trying to make a point here.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry.”

Looking down at her feet as she stepped up to Calyx, Ms. Cynthia got right in his face.

“Do you understand our dilemma, Calyx? To say Razual made such a grave error in naming Sunny as Zac’s guardian is to say Prince Zenial was in error. Now, that’s not what you’re saying, is it?”

“No! Not at all! I would never!” Calyx’s Adam's apple was doing serious gymnastics as he swallowed.

“Of course, you wouldn’t, Suga,” she smiled; her honeyed tone did little to mask her disapproval. “How would that look in front of our guest?” She gestured at Q without looking at him. “It would be downright scandalous. Had Aulus simply reached out to my office to voice his concerns, I would have informed him of this little tidbit of information, and that would have been the end of it. Instead, you wasted a trip and pulled me away from my stories.”

“Forgive me, Ms. Cynthia, I….”

“I know, I know, dear. You don’t understand a great many things.” Grabbing his tie, she pulled him down to eye level and, very sweetly, started straightening his collar. “There’s one thing I do need you to understand. And that’s who I am.”

“Excuse me?”

“Who am I, Suga?”

“Ms. Cynthia,” Calyx said.

“Exactly,” She said with a deceptively friendly smile. “And when I speak?”

Calyx looked to his Skai brother in desperation, but Ms. Cynthia grabbed his face and compelled him to focus on her. "Don't look at them, Suga. You’re conversing with me now, and it’s rude.”

She finished adjusting his collar, released his tie, and let him stand up straight. Then she repeated, "When I speak?"

“You speak with Prince Zenial’s authority.”

She laughed and playfully slapped his chest. “That’s sweet, Suga, but no. I speak with my authority. So when I say you can go….you go. Are we clear?”

“Yes, Ms. Cynthia.”

“Good. I’m so glad we could come to a mutual understanding on this matter. But let's not ever let this happen again because next time, there will be a misunderstanding.”

Without another word, Calyx returned to his little crew, Kaylec included, and disappeared in a column of Askyli.

“Work my last nerve,” Ms. Cynthia mumbled before she was nearly tackled by Zac and Sunny, who hugged her profusely.

“Ah, my sweet boys,” she said warmly, wrapping her arms around them. No deception that time.

It was a heartwarming sight, watching the three of them. There was a lot of history there.

But, Ms. Cynthia, being Ms. Cynthia, eventually swatted them away like flies. “Get off me unless you plan on coming over to do my ironing.” Shaking her head, she adjusted her blazer and blouse. “Lord, you boys will drive me to add bourbon to my tea.”

“Thank you so much, Ms. Cynthia,” Zac gushed.

“Seriously!” Sunny joined in. “We would’ve been lost without you.”

“Maybe not lost, but certainly farther apart,” she agreed.

Sunny tried to go in for another hug, but Ms. Cynthia swatted him away again. “Boy, stop! This is fine silk and costs a pretty penny to dry clean. Now, it’s time to go. It’s been a stressful day, and everyone needs to return to their own corners and take a minute. Zac, say goodbye to your little friend. We’re going home.”

“What? I still have to go?” Zac whined.

She gave him a look that shut him up instantly.

Like a timid little sheep, he walked up to Soullen. “I guess I have to go.”

“I understand,” Soullen nodded. “I am relieved it is with Ms. Cynthia and not Calyx. So I find it acceptable.”

Zac coughed in an attempt to conceal his laughter but failed miserably. “I had a great time today. Well, except for the drama at the end.”

“I did as well,” Soullen beamed. “Can I send you written communication through my new device?”

Zac didn’t try to hide his laughter this time.

Even Q smirked.

“Yes, you can text me, Soullen,” Zac assured him. “I would like that.”

“I would as well. Please send me communications.”

“I will,” Zac said.

“Communications better be all he sends,” Sunny mumbled.

I elbowed his side. “Shut it.”

The two boys stared at each other, unsure how to say goodbye. Do they hug? Shake hands? Do the Hokey Pokey? In the end, it was a very anticlimactic wave and a smile. But even as Zac walked over to stand next to Ms. Cynthia, they couldn’t take their eyes off each other.

“You too, Jacob,” she ordered.

“Me? Why do I have to go?”

“Because, Suga, if my day was ruined, yours should be too. Now, go on. Get to it.” She pointed at Q.

“But….”

“Boy! If you don’t….”

“Okay! Okay! I’m going.”

Scratching the back of my head, I awkwardly walked over to Q, who did not attempt to hide the stupid smirk on his face. “I guess I have to go too.”

“I see that,” he responded, casually leaning back against the table.

“Can I send you written communication through my not-so-new device?” I asked.

“Yes, you can text me, Jacob,” Q replied earnestly.

“I object to the mockery!” Soullen announced with his hand in the air.

“I doubly object!” Zac added loudly.

Looking over at two would-be lovebirds, Q and I both said, “We would never….”

“Okay, you’ve had your fun; now wrap it up,” Ms. Cynthia said, looking at her watch. “I am not missing my Judge Judy marathon. If I do, believe me, there will be hell to pay.”

As much as I made fun of the boys for staring clumsily at each other, I found myself in the same boat. Normally, I’d grab Q and kiss him deeply, but it didn’t seem appropriate with a hoard of Skai eyes on us. I think he sensed my trepidation because he looked eager to see what I would do. Ultimately, I did the same sad wave and smile as the boys.

Yes, I was a loser.

I glanced at Q as I walked away, not realizing I had almost walked into Ms. Cynthia, who was walking over to him.

“Oh, sorry!” I was a bit startled by our near collision.

“Mmhmm,” was all I got from her as she continued to walk past me.

I watched closely as she approached Q and placed her hand in his.

The whole thing was weird, like trying to assemble a jigsaw puzzle while missing half the pieces. Considering the Nave/Skai history, their friendly relationship seemed out of place.

Or was it all an act? To whose benefit?

So many questions! Judging by Sunny, Zac, and even Soullen's expressions, I could tell I wasn't the only one curious about their interaction. It seemed like any moment now, one of them might step forward, raise a finger in the air, and ask, "Um, what's going on here?"

Of course, that never happened. We still had some sense left. The only person who seemed indifferent about the whole thing was Eolaeis. I could only assume he knew something we didn’t.

“You played a perilous game, Emaneé,” Ms. Cynthia asserted, squeezing his hand while shaking her head. Despite her warning, there was a sense of relief in her voice. Gratitude, even. “You should have just let this go.”

“It seems the ‘game’ came looking for me.” Q shrugged innocently. “I was here minding my business, just watching others enjoy their ice cream. It wasn’t a Naverian field that went up around this place to trap us inside.”

“Yes, Emaneé, but once you ascertained what was really happening here, you could have left well enough alone.”

“I could have….I suppose.”

“What exactly were you hoping would come of all this?”

Gazing upward, Q carefully contemplated his answer as if the words would drop from the acoustic ceiling. “After doing this for as long as I have, I've found that sometimes...not all the time, but sometimes…if you hold out long enough, a third option presents itself.”

“Are you saying I was your third option?”

“I’m saying….” Q stood from the table's edge, bowed, and pressed her hand to his forehead. “It is always a pleasure, Ms. Cynthia.”

“Mmhmm! You’re incorrigible!”

“I can only be who I’m meant to be.”

I grinned like an idiot at his poetic phrase.

“It’s interesting, Emaneé, that you would choose those words.”

"Oh?" Q said, fixing his gaze squarely on her eyes.

Ms. Cynthia placed her hands over Q’s and said, “Some might say you are doing the exact opposite by running from what you were meant to be.” She shook his hands gently. “But what do I know? I’m just an old lady looking forward to a Judge Judy marathon.” She slipped her hands away from Q’s grasp and walked back towards us.

I didn't fully grasp the significance of her statement, but it clearly held meaning for Q. The shift in his demeanor was subtle, a barely perceptible narrowing of his eyes. But I knew.

Ms. Cynthia stopped abruptly, turning her head just enough to glimpse Q out of the corner of her eye. “Thank you, Emaneé. I suppose this means I am indebted to you….again.”

What in the entire hell?!

“Think nothing of it.”

“Nonsense. I always pay my debts. As you well know, Emaneé.” She walked to Eolaeis and slipped her arm around his. “Take us home, Eolaeis.”

Q’s eyes were now on me.

“I love you,” I mouthed.

The last thing I saw before I was enveloped in shadow was his sly smile and a brilliant halo of light appearing around him.

Before I knew it, we were back at The Club – minus Ms. Cynthia. I could only imagine Eolaeis somehow dropped her off along the way while in transit. I had no idea how any of that worked. The moment we “touched down,” Sunny scooped Zac into his arm for another brotherly hug. I wanted to give them their space and tried to walk away, but Sunny quickly grabbed me by the belt and pulled me into their hug fest.

However, the moment was short-lived as Eolaeis placed his hands on Sunny and Zac’s shoulders and informed them Raz would want to speak with them. I thought I was meant to go with them, but Eolaeis told me I was free to return to my room. It felt shitty. I wasn't entirely sure if they were in trouble or simply receiving a stern talking-to, but regardless, I should have been standing beside them, sharing in the consequences. After all, this had all started because I brought Zac along for the ride.

I waited anxiously in my room for Sunny to pop his head in, uninvited, as he always did. An hour quickly turned into two. My restlessness grew with every passing minute. I was tempted to storm down to Raz’s office to see what was happening. That was the nuclear option, and I wasn’t quite there yet. Close, though.

Then it dawned on me that Sunny could have been chilling in his room this whole time and didn't see a reason to swing by mine. I entertained that thought for all of two seconds. I knew Sunny well enough to know that he’d barge through my door the moment he was free. At the very least, I was certain Sunny would want to give me an earful for convincing him to let Zac come along. In many ways, he was right. I wouldn't blame him if he stormed in and went off on me. After all, the fact that Zac had come so close to being taken away from him – and still could…

Yeah, I’d sit there quietly and take it.

I lay in bed texting Q until he had to attend a meeting. Then my phone began blowing up from Arsen and the gang, curious about what happened. The house was abuzz with talk about something going down, but the specific details eluded them. They were sure it had something to do with my date with Q, which I resented. Sure, they weren’t wrong, but they didn’t have to assume it was about us automatically.

As revenge, I played coy for a bit, pretending I had no idea what they were talking about. They weren’t biting. Ultimately, I confessed that something did happen but that they’d have to get the details from their side. I was not about to put Skai business out there as hot gossip. They were free to talk to Q if they wanted.

“Ha, good luck with that!” I laughed to myself as I hit send.

Nearly three hours passed without any signs of Sunny. I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to see where he was because there was no way he was still with Razual. Unless they did something else, like go for drinks, there was no way Sunny wouldn’t see me. At the time, it never occurred to me that Sunny might be pissed off and avoiding me.

I rolled off the bed as a knock sounded on my door. Swiftly, I hopped back into bed and grabbed my phone, pretending I didn't have a care in the world. The door swung open without any invitation to enter, as was customary with the guys. They never waited for an invitation.

My phone was conveniently positioned to block the person from my view as they walked in. To my surprise, it was Liam who plopped down next to me. He was not who I was anticipating, but a welcome guest nonetheless.

“Hey, bud,” he said as he got comfortable beside me.

“Sup, Liam,” I responded. “What brings you by?”

“Just checking in to see how you’re doing.” Strands of his pale white hair fell over his blackened eyes as he turned his head to face me. Despite the absence of his naturally brilliant hazel orbs, I could still detect the genuine concern for my well-being in his eyes.

“I’m good. Where’s your other half?”

“Lijah? I left him in Budapest.”

“Budapest? The hell?”

“Sanctum business,” he shrugged. “You know how it is.”

“Um, actually, I don’t.”

“Oh, right! You haven’t been given an assignment yet. Don’t worry; it’s coming. Enjoy your free time while it lasts.”

“What kind of assignments?”

“It could be anything, really. We followed up on a possible lead to The Eye tonight. It ended up being a dead end, but Lijah wanted to have another look. He can be stubborn sometimes and refuses to let things go. I didn’t feel like wasting any more of my time, so I left him behind.”

“I see.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if their lead was connected to the one Q was investigating. Then again, it’s a big world out there, so probably not. Still, what would happen if both sides showed up at the same time and location looking for something as precious as The Eye?

“Jacob….Jacob,” Liam said, nudging me with his elbow.

“Huh?”

“Where were you just now?” he asked. “You seemed worlds away.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s nothing. I was thinking about….my….taxes. Hey, listen, what’s going on with Sunny? Where the fuck is he? There’s no way Razual would lay into him for three hours, right?”

“Three hours? What are you talking about? You didn’t hear?”

“Hear what?”

“He’s probably still in Venice.”

“Venice?!” I shouted and got up on my elbow to look down at Liam. My manly panic was amusing to him.

“Oh wow, that was loud,” he laughed, pushing my face away until I was on my back again. “Relax. It’s nothing bad. Not, really. After his chat with Raz, he was sent to see Prince Aulus to make amends.”

“Make amends?”

“Is there a parrot in here?”

“A parrot?”

“You keep repeating what I say like you swallowed a fucking parrot.”

“Just tell me what’s going on.”

“Sunny had to apologize to Prince Aulus in person, Jacob. Like, obviously.”

“Obvi….um….what do you mean?”

“What do you mean? What do I mean?”

“Now, who’s the fucking parrot?”

“Ugh! Get out of my head!” he laughed and shook his head as if in a daze. “What happened today was nowhere near miles of okay. A Prince asked for Zac. Sunny should have let him go. Period. End of story.”

“Well, he didn’t just ask for Zac,” I corrected gently. “He was taking him from his home.”

“I get that, and it sucks,” he agreed. “But as a Prince, that’s his right. Besides, all of The Sanctum is our home. Not just this little corner on Main St.”

“So…you would’ve let them take Zac?”

“You’re making it sound like Calyx planned to throw Zac in a white van and tie him to a radiator. That’s not what happened. Zac would’ve been perfectly safe. I love Zac as much as the next brother, but yes, after asking questions, I would’ve let him go. And you know what I would have done after he left?”

“What’s that?”

“Brought my ass back here to talk to Razual and Eolaeis so the higher-ups could handle this. That’s what Sunny should’ve done.”

“Well, I should be apologizing alongside him because I didn’t want to let Zac go either.”

“But I understand you were about to let him go. At least until….you know….”

“Know what?”

“Qua’quelle decided to get involved.”

“Oh, that….”

“Yeah, that. What was that all about?” At some point, Liam retook human form. His gaze was locked on me from the corner of his eye. “Why did Qua’quelle get involved?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. I never got a chance to ask him.”

“If you had to guess?” he inquired softly as if it was a taboo subject that would cause me to fly off the handle if he probed too deeply.

“I don’t know, man. Maybe he just saw a scared kid and decided to act.”

“But like I said, Zac was never in any danger. Qua’quelle would’ve known that.”

“I know, Liam, but it doesn’t change the fact that he saw a scared kid.”

Silence blanketed us, and it felt as comfortable as an eiderdown duvet. I really wasn’t in the mood to psychoanalyze the reasons behind Q’s actions. It’s Q. He does whatever the hell he wants whenever the hell he wants. I suppose I could’ve gone with that simple explanation, but it probably would’ve come off a bit too bitchy.

“Hold on,” Liam blurted out suddenly.

Oh, god. Here we go.

“Have you been sitting up here all this time worrying about Sunny?”

“So, not where I thought you were going with that,” I replied without thinking.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” I said dismissively. “But yeah, he’s been gone for like three hours!”

Liam laughed. “That’s actually kind of sweet….and really dumb.”

“Why dumb?” I objected as if my honor had been insulted. I was overselling it, but Liam didn’t fall for my mock outrage.

“Why didn’t you go downstairs and ask Raz, Eolaeis, or any other countless brothers around here?”

“I didn’t think that was a thing I could do.”

“Of course it is, dummy! You’re part of his family now. You have every right to know what’s happening with one of your brothers, especially when that brother is your guardian. Raz is pretty open with us. He would’ve told you. It’s not like he sent Sunny on a super-secret mission or some shit. It’s an apology. Hell, how do you think I know all this?”

“Because you asked?”

“Exactly! Just ask next time, Jacob. Don’t sit around worrying needlessly. The worst that could’ve happened was Raz telling you he couldn’t discuss it for now. Not exactly the end of the world. You know what I’m saying? You need to stop walking on eggshells around here. You’re one of us.”

“Okay! I got it! Jeez!”

“Do you?” he asked, punching me gently in the arm several times. “Do you?!”

“I’m reporting you to HR for harassment.”

“Go for it,” Liam laughed.

“Wait, if Sunny is in Venice, where’s Zac? I haven’t seen him either.”

“He’s with the Great Mother. Do you know how I know? I asked!”

“Shut up!” I tried to kick him off the bed, but he held steadfast. “Why is he with her?”

“Bingo night, I guess.”

“What?”

“Yeah, you know, bingo.”

“I know what it is! But what the fuck are you talking about.”

“Twice a month, The Great Mother hosts bingo night at her place.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No! It’s a big deal. I don’t know if you know this, but The Great Mother is very active in the community.”

“But this is a college town. How many college kids play bingo?”

“Are you kidding? Her bingo nights are legendary. People come from all over to play – all ages and sizes. Especially with all the crazy nice gifts you can win. She also does a silent auction. I’m pretty sure tonight it’s purse bingo. You best believe college girls line up around the corner for a chance at a luxury bag. The guys, too, trying to get gifts for their girlfriends or trying to get laid. It's the only bingo game in three counties that requires a reservation. You don't get in if you don’t call ahead to get a spot.”

“That is crazy,” I mumbled, rubbing my head in disbelief. “The Great Mother and bingo. I feel like I’ve entered an alternate reality.”

“Believe it, bucko. We should go sometime. It’s super fun.”

“The Skai partake in bingo?!”

“And the Nave, unfortunately. They’re crazy lucky. If it wasn’t hosted by The Great Mother, I’d swear they cheat.”

“The Nave? What? You’re not serious!”

“Crazy, right? Skai, human, and Nave all in one place bingoing it up.”

“Okay, now I know I’ve stepped through the looking glass!”

“Don’t get it twisted, Jacob. We don’t do it because we like being around each other. We do it for our love of The Great Mother. This is her event, so of course, we will support her. She raises a crap ton of money for her charities through silent auctions, especially since the Skai and Nave feel like they have to outdo each other.”

“But it’s a silent auction. How would anyone know who’s putting in more money?”

“We don’t,” Liam snickered. “But the more the Nave go up to place a silent bid, the more we do the same.”

“Wow….” I said breathlessly. “That’s an ingenious racket The Great Mother has going on.”

“Tell me about it!” Liam exclaimed while slapping me across the chest. “Tax-free, too, I bet. Ain’t no way The Great Mother is filing taxes on all that cash. Besides, who’s going to call her out? The IRS? I don’t think so.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of IRS agents kicking down The Great Mother’s door and taking her out in handcuffs for tax evasion. Hilarious!

“Anyway, it’s not as crazy as you may think, Jacob,” Liam continued. “You probably don’t know, but back in the day, like, I mean, really back in the day, The Great Mother used to hold tournaments in Cyprinia. It was a time when Skai and Nave could let out all their aggression in non-lethal combat. It was her way of keeping the peace.”

“Yeah, Q told me a little about those tournaments.”

“Ah, so you do know,” Liam considered. “See? It’s not that crazy. It’s the same thing….just less violent. Instead of wielding swords, we use daubers.”

“I don’t care what you say. This is fucking nuts.” Now I was picturing Q scanning ten bingo sheets with fists full of daubers looking for N33. “So, Zac is playing bingo?”

“No, I think he’s the caller tonight.”

“He never mentioned it today.”

“He probably assumed he’d be back in time to assist The Great Mother. Speaking of which, spill!”

“Spill what?”

“Don’t play dumb.”

“I’m not playing.”

Okay, that didn’t come out right.

Liam snorted. “Zac’s little date with the Nave. How did it go?”

“Okay, it wasn’t really a date, date. We were all just hanging out, getting a cell phone and some ice cream.”

“I’m pretty sure….”

Liam’s words were cut short by a knock at the door. I expected whomever it was to let themselves in, but the door never opened. I was shocked.

“Will you look at that?” Elbowing Laim, I pointed at the door. “Some guys around here do have manners.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about how everyone around here walks into my room after knocking. What if I’m in the middle of something? If you know what I’m saying...”

“I knock!”

“Yes, you knock. Everyone knocks!” I lost myself momentarily and started going off on a mild tangent, ignoring the second knock. “But no one waits for me to say ‘come in’ or ‘hold on a sec.’ What if I’m jacking off or something? I’m used to it at this point, but it’s kinda rude, is all I’m saying.”

“Speaking of rude, are you going to let them in?”

“Oh, shit, right,” I said, picking up my phone to look at my missed message. “Come in.”

“I’ll wait next time,” Liam declared.

“No, it’s cool,” I assured him. “At this point, I don’t care. And if I was jacking off, I’m sure I’m not the first brother you’ve walked in on.”

“Oh, shit!” Liam quickly jumped off the bed.

“That many, huh?”

Slapping my foot off my knee, Liam whispered, “Jacob, get up.”

“Why? What’s the big – oh my god!”

I’m surprised I even got the words out when I saw who was standing there. I quickly got on my feet and bowed in unison with Liam.

“My Prince,” we said.

“Guys, I’m in your house now,” Zenial said warmly. “You can relax.”

"Of course, my Prince," Liam replied, his gaze fixed on the floor. "But what are you doing here? I mean, um, not that you need permission to be here. Obviously, you can come and go as you please. I'm just saying we would've come to you."

“Liam….” Walking up to Liam, Zenial cupped his face and pressed their foreheads together. “I need you to relax for me. Me being here is not a big deal. I just stopped by to talk to Razual and wanted to take the opportunity to talk to Jacob as well. If that’s okay.”

“Of course, my Prince. I’ll step out and give you two some privacy.”

I didn’t know how to feel about Zenial coming all that way to see me. Alone. Was he planning to chew me out? If that was the case, maybe it was better to be alone to spare myself the embarrassment.

Liam walked away, but before closing the door behind him, he doubled over like he was in pain and gave me an “OH MY GOD” look. Yeah, that didn’t make me feel any better.

“Uh, sorry to keep you waiting, Prince Zenial,” I finally said, my words stumbling out. It was the only thing that came to mind. “I wasn’t expecting you to be the one knocking on my door.”

“We’re alone, remember? Call me Zenial, please.”

“Right! Sorry.” Scratching the back of my head, I looked around the room like I was searching for an escape hatch. I didn’t know where to look or place my hands. The whole situation felt awkward; he’d only been in my room for a few minutes. We seemed to build a friendly rapport back at his office, but with everything that had happened today, there was a good chance all of that had gone down the drain.

“May I sit?” he asked while pointing at my bed.

“Yes, of course. Please.”

He was about to sit down but stopped himself. “It is safe to sit down, right?” He gestured at my sheets and smirked.

“Oh god! You heard that? There’s nothing on my bed. I swear! I was just giving Liam an example of….”

“I’m only messing with you, Jacob,” Zenial laughed as he sat and pointed at the spot next to him. “Please.”

I sat down cautiously, expecting a landmine to go off the second my butt hit the mattress. Zenial grabbed me suddenly and pulled me down expeditiously.

“You guys seriously need to relax,” he said, shaking his head. “I guess it’s my own fault. I really do need to find more time to swing by and spend more time with you guys. These last few months have been hectic.” He pondered his statement for a moment before he continued. “Still, that’s no excuse.”

I couldn’t tell if he was talking to me or thinking aloud. Either way, I wasn’t planning on saying anything. It was weird seeing him out of the office. He wasn’t dressed up to the nines. He wore dark blue jeans with a tear in the right knee and a black half-zip pull-over sweater with sneakers. Not exactly boardroom attire. Maybe it was “casual day” at the office.

Scratch that. Ms. Cynthia would never allow that.

“I hear you had quite a day,” Zenial teased, his heterochromatic eyes lit up along with his smile.

I couldn’t help myself despite it being Zenial. Sometimes, the foolishness comes out of me on a whim. I looked off to the side, rubbing my chin like I was trying to figure out what he was talking about. “Um, nope. Nothing special about today. Whatever do you mean?”

That gave him a good chuckle.

“I’m sorry for today,” I said. “I didn’t mean to….”

Zenial gesture for silence. “I didn’t come here for an apology, Jacob. I came here to check on you and ensure you’re doing ok.”

“You….did?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not in trouble?”

“Why would you be in trouble?”

Now, I was confused. Was I seriously in an alternate reality? “I don’t know if you heard, but something happened today. It involved swords, ice cream, and a lot of yelling. It was a whole thing.”

“You don’t say?” he said, feigning ignorance. “Look, obviously, today's events weren’t ideal, but you guys got through it.”

“Except for Sunny. He got banished to the other side of the planet.” I was only half joking.

“And that’s why I’m here. I knew you’d be worried about Sunny since I abruptly sent him to Venice. But understand, Sunny did not get banished. He went to make amends. I’ll bet Liam made that clear.”

“Okay, fine,” I conceded, rolling my eyes without thinking. “I just don’t understand why I wasn’t sent with him. If he needs to apologize, I should be groveling alongside him.”

“We don’t grovel, Jacob.”

“I’m saying I would have. Especially if it takes some of the heat off Sunny.”

“Sunny will be fine. He wasn’t sent to purgatory. It’s Venice.”

“Okay, sure, but to be yelled at for three hours? That’s a bit much.”

Zenial shook his head, looking at me like I was a lost puppy. “The Nine just got out of a meeting like thirty minutes ago. This whole time, Sunny has been sitting in a posh villa loaded with amenities as a guest of Aulus. And Aulus knows how to treat his quests. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had someone feeding him slices of red apples. I assure you, Sunny has been quite comfortable for three hours now. More comfortable than you if that helps you in your quest to feel punished.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it a quest. Wait, are you serious? Sunny, is living it up in Venice?”

Zenial nodded. “In fact, I expect he’ll be back any minute now. Probably smiling.”

My concern for Sunny took a sharp turn down the "I'm about to lose it" lane.

"I'm going to kill him," I announced. "He could have sent a simple text to let me know he's okay."

Zenial pulled out Sunny’s phone out of his back pocket and handed it to me. “I didn’t want him distracted. I wanted him to take the time to consider what he would say to Aulus.”

I looked at his phone and saw the few texts I had sent him while waiting for him to come to my room.

“Fine, but he’s still not off the hook,” I grumbled.

“That’s between you two,” Zenial smirked. "But to answer your earlier question, Jacob, you're getting a pass on this one because you're still new to all of this. You haven't linked with our people yet." He raised his hand to stop me from interrupting. "I'm not saying it's good or bad, Jacob. You're trying to navigate this on your own, and that's perfectly fine. Sunny, on the other hand, knows exactly how things work here. Unlike you, he has the memories and experiences of our people to guide him. He doesn't have any excuses."

“He loves Zac,” I shrugged.

“As do we all,” Zenial countered. “Still, that’s not an excuse. He let his emotions get the better of him. If he had taken a moment to collect himself and think clearly, he would have realized this situation could have been resolved fairly quickly. If he had contacted Raz or myself, I could have had Zac back home by dinner. Instead, Sunny and Eolaeis sit in a lavish villa waiting for Aulus. The poor devils.”

“Eolaeis too?!” I was shocked. I almost had to push my eyes back into their sockets.

“Yes, Eolaeis too. He confessed to his role and felt it was only appropriate to go with Sunny to meet Aulus.”

“Oh, god, now I feel like crap. Eolaeis shouldn’t get in trouble for something we did.”

“Who said Eolaeis is in trouble?” Zenial asked.

“Well, he shouldn’t have to apologize for our screw-up.”

Zenial’s face twisted in confusion. “I never said that either.”

“Okay, now I’m confused.”

"Let's just say Eolaeis wasn't too thrilled about the choice to remove Zac from his home without reaching out to us first. He felt it was important to convey that message in person."

“He can do that?”

“Oh, yes.”

“But Aulus is a Sanctum Prince.”

“Yes,” he nodded thoughtfully. “And Eolaeis is….well, Eolaeis.”

That’s all he had to say about that.

“What about Sunny’s guardianship over Zac? Is he going to lose, I don’t know – custody - for lack of a better word?”

“That was one of the articles of concern Aulus brought forth during our meeting. An issue he quickly retracted when he discovered Sunny was appointed guardian at my direction.”

“Awkward….”

“You can say that.”

After a brief moment of dead air between us, Zenial slapped my knee and stood up.

I followed suit.

“Hopefully, I was able to put your mind at ease. If that’s the case, then I should get going. Unless, of course, you still have concerns?”

I shook my head no.

“Good. It was nice seeing you again, Jacob.”

“Same. Oh, before you go, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How many passes do I get?” I smirked.

Placing his hands behind his back, Zenial walked up and whispered in my ear, “How about we don’t find out?” As the darkness consumed him, his last words before he vanished were, “By the way, please thank Qua’quelle for me.”

I had no time to process that since Sunny’s voice filled the room seconds before his body materialized.

“Oh god! That was pure torture.” Wisps of shadow appeared in the room and swirled about as Sunny’s body took form. His voice continued to echo off the walls. “Torture, I tell you!”

I raised my brow curiously.

“I would have preferred to be hanged and quartered, I think,” he said, finally appearing in his human form.

“Torture, you say?”

“Yes!”

“We’re talking about the same luxury villa you were hanging out in, correct?”

He was about to jump in my bed but froze in place momentarily. “Oh, so you heard about that.” As he fell onto my bed, he swapped out his suit for white basketball shorts.

“Yeah….”

He shrugged. “It was aight.”

“You’re an idiot,” I pronounced as I tossed him his phone. “I was sitting up here for hours worried about you, wondering what the hell happened to you, and you’re off in some sweet villa eating apple slices and who knows what else.”

“Hey, how did you get my phone? And who told you about the apple slices?”

“I have my sources,” I shouted, feigning anger. I was happy to have him back but didn’t want him to know.

“If you were worried, why didn’t you ask someone where I was?” he asked, pointing at the closed door.

“Shut up! That’s not the point!”

“Okay, Jeez! I’m sorry.”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying!”

“Why are you going off on me? I’m the one who had to sit around for over two hours waiting for Aulus to get back. Only to talk to him for like ten minutes and then be sent home again.”

“In a posh villa.”

“That’s beside the point,” he giggled like a toddler. “Seriously, how did you get my phone?”

“Never mind that. How did it go? Was Aulus pissed?”

Sunny spent ten minutes describing the luxury of Aulus’ villa. I only allowed him to go on as long as he did because I thought he was leading up to a point. But no, he was simply describing how ‘totally cool Aulus’ place is’ and how I ‘really need to see it sometime.’

“Focus!” I snapped my fingers in front of his face. “How was Aulus? Was he pissed?”

“Oh, right. Surprisingly, he was pretty chill about it. Not what I was expecting at all. He accepted my apology without any issue. Of course, I had to suffer through a lecture about the importance of following orders, the proper chain of command, the authority of the Princes, and yada, yada, yada. I wanted to jump out a window by the end of it, but I got through it.”

“You’re a modern-day Rosa Parks.”

“I know you’re being sarcastic, but I’ll take it as a compliment anyway.” Leaping off the bed like a goddamn grasshopper, Sunny snaked his arm around my neck and pulled me down to the bed. “And how are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” I said, jabbing my elbow into his side. “How’s Zac? I haven’t seen him since we got back.”

Rolling onto his back, with his head still pressed against mine, he replied, “He’s fine. Happy to be home, I’m sure. The poor guy needed to justify his reluctance to go with Calyx. He wanted to ensure everyone, especially Razual and Eolaeis, understood that he wasn’t afraid of his brothers from across the way. The abrupt nature of their request took him by surprise.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

“Obviously, we get it. But I think deep down Zac was terrified he would get kicked out of The Sanctum for not going along with Calyx from the get-go, so he kept over-explaining it. I think Razual also sensed this because he took his time talking Zac down from panic mode. It was good for him to hear that he is a solid member of The Sanctum. I think Zac felt better afterward. Bottomline, the boy ain’t going nowhere.”

“Good. I’m glad. He’s been through enough.”

“I know.”

I waited momentarily for him to say something more, but he never did. “Well?”

“Well, what?” Sunny said while checking his phone.

“Aren’t you going to say I told you so? That this was a big mistake, and it blew up in my face?”

He reached over his head to massage the top of mine. “No, I’m not.”

“You’re not?” I turned to look at him, surprised by his response.

“Nope.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Why do you sound like you want me to go off on you, weirdo?”

“Can you stop scrolling through your list of potential fuck buddies and answer my question?”

“I already did, Jacob,” Sunny said as he matched with a guy’s bulge on his hookup app.

Granted, it was impressive, but I needed him to focus. I snatched his phone and put it under my back so he couldn’t reach it. “What are you talking about?”

“I already told you that you were right,” he said, trying to dig his hand under my back.

I fought him off for a couple of hilarious minutes, and he finally gave up.

"Despite everything that happened, this turned out to be a valuable experience for Zac on a couple of fronts. First, as you said, if I had kept him here, he'd forever be haunted by 'what ifs.' I couldn't bear to do that to him. He needed the opportunity to explore his emotions. Secondly, in the process, he gained a firsthand glimpse of the mess he might be getting himself into."

Sunny swiftly placed his hand over my mouth to prevent me from launching into a tirade about his convoluted reasoning.

"Before you get on your high horse, let me finish," he urged.

"It had better be worth it," I replied, pushing his hand away.

Grabbing his phone and putting it under me was a mistake. I felt like I was on a vibrating bed as many times as it went off with half the guys in the state wanting to hook up with Sunny.

“I believe it’s important for Zac to understand the many difficulties he might encounter if he chooses to pursue this friendship with the Nave boy.”

“You know his name is Soullen.”

“Whatever. I’m saying that it’s good that Zac has all the facts upfront instead of being blindsided later when he’s emotionally invested. Now that he does, he can decide what he wants to do.”

“You mean you won’t stop him after all this?”

“No….” Sunny grumbled.

“Really? After everything that happened today, I thought you’d put the kibosh on him hanging out with Soullen ever again.”

“No, it had the opposite effect on me, actually.”

“Do tell.” I got back on my elbow to look into his eyes, excited to hear this new revelation.

Sunny took the chance to practically jump over me to snatch his phone. A wrestling match ensued for a few minutes, in which I was the victor. I held his phone up in the air like a prized trophy. Unlocking his screen, I scrolled through his messages and deleted a few right in front of Sunny just to fuck with him.

“Oh, come on!” he shouted, reaching for the phone as a babe reached for his bottle. “I’ve been trying to set up a time with BigDongTwunk2002 for over a week!”

“You’ll survive,” I laughed at the ridiculous name as if I was one to talk. I mean, BigDickJock4U wasn’t much better.

“How do you even know my screen code?”

“It’s 333. Not exactly hacker-level encryption we’re talking about here.”

“I’ll change it to something you’ll never guess.”

“Adding a three isn’t going to make it any harder.”

“Shut up!” he shouted, frustrated that I cracked his master plan.

“Can we focus, please? How did it have the opposite effect on you?”

“What?”

“You were saying….”

“Oh yeah,” Sunny interrupted, waving his hand in my face to shut me up. “I disagree with what Aulus tried to do, but I get it was his right as a Prince of The Sanctum. It made me realize I wasn’t being fair with Zac, nor was The Sanctum.”

“Oh?” Now I was invested.

“We can’t in one breath say that Zac is mature, intelligent, and capable enough to become a full-blown member of The Sanctum at such a young age, yet at the same time, think that he’s not mature enough to decide for himself what relationships are best for him. It doesn’t make any sense. And that’s what I told Aulus….after I apologized.”

“You just have to kick the hornet's nest, don’t you?”

Sunny shrugged innocently.

“And you came up with that all on your own?” I questioned.

“I did,” he said proudly.

“Look at you, adulting.”

“I know. I’m growing as a person.”

I laughed.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m still Zac’s guardian, and I’ll kick his butt if he gets out of line. Same with you.”

“I have no doubt.”

“Thank you for looking out for Zac,” Sunny said sincerely. “It means a lot to me that you tried to look after him.”

“Always. But you know, someone else had a bigger hand….”

“I know! I know!” Sunny interjected grumpily. “I knew you were going to bring him up. You had to ruin a perfect moment by bringing him into this.”

To be clear, Sunny was obviously joking and trying to mess with me….I think.

“I guess I owe him my gratitude for his small role in all this.”

“If by small role you mean playing the lead, then we agree.”

“You say tomato; I say tomato.”

“That’s not how that goes. It’s tomayto tomahto. That’s how the saying goes.”

“That’s what I said.”

“No, it isn’t! You just said tomato twice.”

“Exactly….” He looked at me like I was the idiot.

“Forget it! Never mind. I’ll pass your gratitude to Q next time I see him.”

“Must you?” he whined.

“I’m going to kick you.”

“You’re violent. You should talk to someone.”

The smile faded from my face the longer I stared into Sunny’s eyes. There was a truth he needed to hear. One that he deserved to know.

“What is it?” he asked solemnly. “What’s with the face?”

“Well, if we’re giving credit where it’s due, I have to say that you were right.”

“I was?” Sunny genuinely looked confused. “Right, about what?”

“Everything.”

“Okay, I’ll take that, but, um….can you be a little more specific?”

“Today, I saw what things might be like if shit hits the fan.” My thoughts returned to the ice cream parlor – the insanity that almost became a full-blown war. “There was a moment when things got heated. I’m talking weapons out, Q almost going supernova, death and destruction—the whole nine yards.”

“I know, but we got through it okay,” he offered kindly.

“That’s not what I mean,” I said timidly. “I froze, Sunny. I didn’t know what to do. A decision had to be made; a side had to be picked, and I couldn’t do it.”

Instead of throwing it in my face.

Instead of saying, “I told you so.”

Instead of giving me a three-hour lecture.

Sunny simply said, “It’s okay, Jacob. You’ll figure it out.”

I choked up, nearly losing it. Even though I collapsed back onto the bed, avoiding eye contact with Sunny, he could sense that I was going through a tough moment. In an effort to change the subject, he sparked up a different conversation, telling me how much fun Zac had with my friends. He was particularly fond of CJ and Arsen. That’s all I picked up from the conversation, even though he must have been talking for ten minutes.

Sunny’s words, “You’ll figure it out,” kept echoing in my mind as the day’s event replayed repeatedly. The sense of helplessness that had become all too familiar to me was inescapable. It seemed to be a recurring theme in my life. The very reason I had sought the Gift from Q in the first place was to have the capacity to protect those I held dear. Now, as a Skai with the power of a god literally at my fingertips, I remained utterly useless.

It had to change.

I sprung out of bed and bolted toward the door.

“Hey!” Sunny called out as he sat up frantically. “Where are you going?”

“I need to take care of something.”

“Okay, cool. Want me to come with you?”

“No. I have to do this on my own.” I smiled to reassure him that everything was going to be okay.

“Jacob,” Sunny called out again as I was about to close the door behind me.

“Yeah?”

“Whatever happens….I’ll be here. Always.”

He knew.

I was like a determined man on a mission, swiftly navigating through The Club to reach the gate and transport myself into the woods near KU. I’ll admit, my resolve began to wane the closer I got to The Great Mother’s shop. Cold feet anchored me down, rendering me immobile as I stood across the street from her place.

Then I remembered – It was bingo night! It bought me some time, for I was not about to burst in while everyone was having a good time. I didn't know when the game would end, but it gave me a chance to wander around The Village and muster up the courage I needed.

I must have walked in circles for over an hour, maybe two. It's a wonder no one thought to call the cops, suspecting I was "casing" the local businesses for a potential robbery. Eventually, I found myself back where it all began—the diner where I had breakfast with Arsen and the gang. A cozy little bench outside the restaurant offered me a perfect view of The Great Mother's shop. There I sat, nervously bouncing my leg and staring at the place, unsure of my decision.

Bingo had come to an end; the dimly lit waiting area made that clear. There was nothing left to hold me back except my own fears.

Was I making the right decision? Would it hurt?

Enough fucking around, Jacob. Get up and go already!

Repeatedly rubbing my hands on my legs, I took a deep breath and stood up. And….then I sat down again. I repeated this several times, convinced that the cops would be summoned if I didn't stop acting like a madman.

"Okay, you can do this," I whispered to myself. "Just go!"

It was time to summon my courage and put on my big-boy pants.

With one last deep breath, I stood up for the final time and began my march toward The Great Mother's shop.

"So...that's your decision?"

That voice.

I knew that voice. It chilled me like shards of ice caressing the length of my spine.

Why here? Why now?

Maybe it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. My nerves, perhaps? All I had to do was turn around to find out, but I didn’t want to. Nothing good could come from this.

But then I thought it again – Why here? Why now?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I slowly turned to face him. It wasn't my imagination. He was really there, seated on the same bench I had just vacated, adjusting his gloves as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Naveyk?"

"Hello, Jacob," he greeted me with a warm smile. "It's good to see you again."

Something felt off about that smile….