The Brotherhood: Awakening Book II - 26. Chapter 26

The Brotherhood: Awakening

Chapter XXVI

By X

 

 

Things got awkward, at least for me.

Eolaeis, on the other hand, continued to lather his body like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb at my feet. I wanted to know more, but I didn’t dare ask. We stood in the shower, silent and naked. Thinking the conversation had ended, I reached to turn off the faucet just as Eolaeis spoke up at last.

“Do you know the chances of an El’odian conceiving twins, Jacob?”

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

I knew.

I didn’t need to be a mystical prophet to foresee where this conversation was headed. A small part of me wanted nothing to do with this discussion, but the greater whole needed to know.

I turned slightly to catch him in the corner of my eye and said, “I’ve heard it’s exceedingly rare.” My fingers slipped from the silver faucet, allowing the hot water to continue its assault on my body.

"It is," Eolaeis affirmed quietly, his eyes locked on the wet tile before him. He was clearly lost in another place and time, frozen in his grief.

“Eolaeis,” I said gently. When he didn’t respond, I called for him again and placed my hand on his arm – it was enough to pull him into the present.

“Sorry, Jacob, I’m…”

“No worries,” I assured him and patted his bicep awkwardly. I almost told him he didn’t need to share whatever it was causing him distress, but I stopped myself. I knew I wouldn’t like what he had to say, but I needed to know. “Take whatever time you need.”

“You spend months in a cocoon with your beloved, pouring every bit of yourself into this tiny ball of Askyli, praying to Skailer that you don’t screw something up in the process.”

I smiled. “What’s your partner’s name?”

“His name was Xanar.”

Was.

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Jacob. We lived countless years together before he was taken from our world.” He pressed his hand to his chest before continuing. “His every thought and experience lives on in me. Xanar would’ve liked you.”

“Really? Why?”

“You’re every bit as stubborn as he was. Snarky, too.”

“Hey!”

“It’s not an insult, Jacob. It’s what I loved most about Xanar. He wasn’t afraid to challenge established norms.” Eolaeis smirked at a memory he didn’t share. I could tell it made him happy, and I smiled along with him. “He made it his mission to go against the grain in almost every aspect of life. Xanar didn’t like surprises, so you can imagine his shock when we were blessed, not with twins, but triplets.”

“Triplets?” I exclaimed. “I had no idea that was possible. Not that I’m an expert on the capabilities of our kind.”

“It’s virtually unheard of,” Eolaeis clarified, turning so the water would hit his muscular back. “There have only been two other families gifted with triplets in the history of our people.”

“Wow! That’s crazy. So, it wasn’t planned?”

Eolaeis chuckled heartily; witnessing him so full of joy was a rare delight. Not that he never smiles or laughs—he's not as stoic as Q, after all. But this sudden outburst had a special warmth to it. “One doesn’t plan for more than one child. The splitting of the Askyli into two, or in our case, three, is entirely random. Our best minds have looked into the phenomenon and can find no cause.”

“That’s helpful,” I joked.

“Very. Nonetheless, we were elated. Our sons, Az’gannil, Kelgaran, and Zastron, were gifts from the heavens and definitely spoiled as such. Still, we were a family of soldiers, and they were raised to be the finest in the King’s Army. They trained with me, their father, and some of the greatest warriors Asevaya had to offer. They would actually line up outside our home, hoping for the opportunity to train and mold the famed triplets.

"They were originally part of my regiment, but after several years, I decided to grant them more independence from each other. I reassigned them to different units. This arrangement proved beneficial, and they thrived individually. My sons encountered their own challenges, honed distinctive battle skills, and earned the respect and honor of their fellow soldiers on their own merits. Though separated, they ascended in rank concurrently, and as if by design, their warrior abilities complemented each other flawlessly. I’ve yet to encounter a father prouder than me."

Eoleais beamed as if his sons were standing before him now.

“I was equally as proud of Xanar. He commanded an elite force, one that attracted our most revered warriors. And as such, all three of our sons eventually reunited under Xanar’s command – something I believed he orchestrated despite his refusal to admit it.”

“Why would he do that?”

Eolaeis offered a simple shrug and a smile. “He missed them. Also, I think he envied my time with them early on. I had the privilege of leading them; he had not. Xanar denied this, of course, and I was tempted to have them reassigned again, but his eyes…”

“You could do that?”

“Reassign them? Yes. When it came to the King’s Army, I outranked Xanar, but at home…”

“He outranked you,” I offered, laughing softly. “I’m sure you didn’t want to deal with his snarky side.”

“You could say that,” Eolaeis admitted with a nod while turning around again. He mindlessly soaped a spot on his shoulder for the third time. “I should’ve listened to my gut and dispersed them. I’m afraid my love for Xanar overrode my better judgment.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked, slowly moving my soapy hand across my chest.

“At the time, our relationship with the Nave was turbulent, to say the least.”

“Isn’t it always turbulent?”

"Yes, but we've also had extended periods of relative peace with the Nave, just the occasional hostile encounter here and there. But the timeframe I'm referring to was incredibly volatile. It felt like every day brought reports of our forces clashing with theirs. Lives were lost on both sides during that period, so I wasn't thrilled about having my boys and my beloved all in one regiment. But for Xanar's sake, I went along with it. They were skilled and capable warriors, no doubt. Still..."

Eolaeis’ words trailed off as he stuck his head under the shower head. I wasn’t sure if he would continue, so I did the same, rinsing off the suds from my body. When he was done, he shut off the water, and I quickly followed suit. Eolaeis stood there with his hand on the faucet. He didn’t look at me.

“One day, I got word that a small contingent of Nave soldiers were spotted near one of our outposts. They were led by…”

Q, of course.

“Setesh,” Eolaeis said.

Oops…

“There are certain Nave names that make your adrenaline spike. Setesh, the head spymaster, is undoubtedly one of them. I’m sure some of our names elicit similar reactions from the Nave. Regardless, when I heard that Setesh was spotted, I also got word that Xanar and his men were sent to the outpost to capture him. The wealth of knowledge he possessed would have been invaluable to us.”

“Sure, but how did you plan to get his information?” I asked naively. “It's not like he was going to volunteer…”

The foreboding look Eolaeis gave me was enough to answer my foolish question. He didn’t need to utter a single word.

“Oh… never mind.”

“Ideally, we wanted him alive, but if that didn’t work out, we’d kill him. Either way, it’s a victory for the Skai and a devastating blow for the Nave. Sometimes, the psychological impact a loss like this creates on your opponent is more powerful than any information you can extract. So Xanar was assigned to intercept Setesh. And in this case, we might be lucky enough to get both.”

Eolaeis paused and shot me a sideways look. I wasn't sure if he expected a reaction from me, but I simply met his gaze.

He continued, "But the more intel I gathered about the situation, the more it rubbed me the wrong way. Luck wasn't on our side. Why would a high-ranking member of the Nave army lead a small platoon of eight soldiers to a remote and strategically insignificant outpost in the middle of nowhere? None of the details added up, yet it felt strangely familiar.

"Then it hit me. Two centuries earlier, I led a comparable mission near Nave territory. I led a small group of six heading towards the farthest edges of their border."

"I bet someone caught sight of your band, and when the news spread that you were in the mix, they couldn't wait to get their hands on you," I said confidently, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Precisely."

“What’s the twist, though?” I asked. “There has to be some kind of twist. I’d bet Sunny’s life on it.”

Eolaeis smirked. “The twenty soldiers they sent to capture us were surprised to find an entire platoon of fifty Skylarian soldiers. Not six.”

“You set a trap.”

“Yes. They fought hard, but ultimately, the Nave were wiped out.”

“Why, though? Why set traps? Why not just go about your lives?”

“It's what we do, Jacob,” Eolaeis stated matter-of-factly. “We do what is needed to maintain the edge over our enemy. Full-blown war was not feasible, so both sides employed these hit-and-run tactics to chip away at the other’s numbers and resolve. Though slow and time-consuming, our campaigns were highly effective.”

“And now you were afraid your family was walking into a Nave trap,” I said.

“I knew they were,” Eolaeis reflected somberly. “All the signs were there. I’ll never understand why Xanar didn’t see it. The thirty soldiers he led easily caught up with Setesh and his men." Eolaeis sighed heavily, closing his eyes as if envisioning what unfolded next. "In that fleeting moment, my sons beamed with hubris, surrounding their prey. Zastron even quipped, 'We couldn't have wished for a bigger prize, except maybe Qua’quelle himself.'"

“Moments later, the Nave trap was sprung, and his wish was granted. Our brothers were swarmed by nearly a hundred Nave soldiers, led by Qua’quelle.” His eyes snapped open suddenly. “Xanar, my sons, and the rest of our brothers died that day, save for one. After taking the lives of Kelgaran and Zastron, Qua’quelle spared Az’gannil. I don’t know why. Perhaps he wanted Az’gannil to bear witness to the carnage that unfolded that day – or maybe he took pity on the boy. Only the Gods know his reasoning. Regardless, I was grateful for that small mercy.”

“And you’re sure Q was the one…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.

“When I found Az’gannil, we linked, Jacob. I’m sure.”

“Right…”

"They fought valiantly against Qua’quelle, supporting each other and coordinating their attacks to bring him down. Ultimately, he proved too formidable for them, and they met their end honorably against a superior adversary."

“What about Xanar?”

“In his grief, he lost his focus and was cut down by the very prey he thought he was hunting.”

I pressed my fingers against my eyes as if fighting a headache, then rubbed my face vigorously. “My god, you must hate me.”

Almost immediately, I felt Eolaeis’ hands on mine as he pulled them away from my face.

"Never, Jacob," he declared. The sincerity in his voice left no room for doubt.

"How could you not?" I insisted. "I'm in love with..."

“Never, Jacob,” Eolaeis interrupted, taking my face into his hands and pressing his forehead to mine. “I cannot hate you any more than I can pull the moon down from the sky. You are my brother. Love is all I hold for you.”

I choked up a bit. I didn’t move or say anything for fear of breaking down completely. How did I find such an amazing family in the Skai? On a lighter note, I definitely felt Eolaeis’ sizeable junk pressing against me. If it didn’t bother him, it didn’t bother me. I was happy to be in his brotherly embrace.

“I tell you this history not to poison your heart against Qua’quelle. I would never do that. I don’t hate Qua’quelle for killing my sons. I doubt he even knew they were my sons, but even if he did, it wouldn’t have mattered. He was a warrior doing a warrior’s duty, as were Zastron and Kelgaran. The Gods know I have slain many Naverian sons. None of our hands are clean in this eternal conflict.

“Still, they were my sons.” Eolaeis allowed his hands to fall from my face and land on my shoulders. “I just needed you to understand, Jacob. As much as I love you, I will one day commit the unforgivable sin of breaking your heart, and for that,” he squeezed my shoulders gently, “I am truly sorry.”

When Eolaeis pulled away, all I saw was the love of family in his eyes. I felt it. Dropping his hands from my shoulders, he smiled before walking off.

I was overcome but not speechless. I needed Eolaeis to finish the story.

“What happened to Az’gannil?” I yelled out before he could turn the corner. His son’s name bounced off the wet tile louder than I expected, and I immediately felt unworthy of saying it.

Eolaeis placed his hand on the wall with a sigh, turning just enough to catch a glimpse of me. “He still slumbers,” he said, the warmth of a loving father evident in his every word. “I look forward to the day we are reunited.” He started to round the corner but paused. “He’s a lot like his father. Snarky.” Grinning, he playfully tapped the wall. “You two are going to get along great.”

I wasn’t sure. Sometimes, snarky and snarky repel each other, like pushing together two magnets with the same poles.

I returned his smile. “I look forward to it, Eolaeis”

Watching him vanish around the corner, one thing was crystal clear. Despite hearing Eolaeis’ heart-wrenching story, my feelings for Q remained unchanged.

Did that make me a terrible person? Was I supposed to feel guilt?

*  *  *

Three weeks whooshed by in a blur, thanks to my rigorous training schedule that left little time for anything else. Two days before Thanksgiving, I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and ruminating about my training. It was insane! Q and Zenial held nothing back, and every time I whined about not being able to land a hit on them, they turned up the heat. It was like a daily workout on steroids, each session more intense than the last.

And you know what? I was grateful. I learned so much from those two. I’m nowhere near their skill level, but in a few weeks, I learned what would’ve taken “human Jacob” months, if not years, to absorb.

Two weeks in, Q introduced Soullen as my sparing partner for the night. He felt Soullen would be an equivalent match. I wanted to punch Q in the nose. Of course, as annoying as it was to admit, Q was right. Again.

Soullen and I went at each other like bitter enemies, which, considering who we were, wasn’t too far from reality. The cool thing was that I could beat someone for a change. Don’t get me wrong, Soullen had crazy skills, which was unsurprising since he was also being trained by the best. But I had a chance!

Soullen questioned why he had to guard the floating X, which he did flawlessly, the little brat! I told him I’d win a prize if I could destroy it, and when he asked for clarification, I told him he wasn’t old enough to know.

We duked it out for hours with Q sitting on the sidelines, correcting our mistakes and offering guidance when needed. Soullen and I landed some decent hits each, but the final round went to him. For the record, the match was super close. Despite losing, I felt genuinely proud, and my confidence as a Skai shot through the roof.

Zenial, on the other hand, questioned how I was getting so good so quickly. He never outright asked, but he made subtle comments about my skill level improving faster than he predicted. When I wouldn’t give him a straight answer, Zenial simply flashed a sly grin and then beat my ass.

He knew.

By the end of the third week, thanks to my improvement, Zenial passed the baton of my training to Eolaeis. Now, it wasn't just me but a whole crew - Sunny, Liam, Elijah, and even little Zac, throwing in his cute kicks and punches. Adorable, right? Our meetings dialed back to a few times a week, a welcome change from the intense seven-day grind with Zenial. But don't be fooled. Eolaeis was more of a drill sergeant than Zenial ever was. Seriously, it was like, "Holy hell!"

It wasn't just about combat training; my Skylarian brain made everything else a breeze to pick up. Thanks to Sunny and the crew, I spoke El’odian in just over a week. I effortlessly switched between English and El’odian every few sentences when talking to one of my brothers. It became second nature, and it was pretty awesome!

While daydreaming, I envisioned how my next encounter with Kaylec might unfold. He’d been MIA for a bit, but the next time he rolled around, I was ready to put him in his place if he got in my face or threatened me in any way. Backing down in fear was no longer on the table.

I was ready.

“Hey, I hear congratulations are in order.”

Lifting my head off the pillow, I parted my bent knees and saw Liam standing by the open door.

“Huh?”

“I just heard you got assigned your first mission.”

I sat up, crossed my legs, and threw my hands up in frustration. "What? What mission?"

“Sunny hasn’t told you?”

“I haven’t seen him today.”

“Well, he has all the details,” he shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll come knocking sooner rather than later. I hear they want it done by tonight.”

“Want what done tonight?” I demanded like a pouting child. “And who are they?”

“The Sanctum, you fool!” Elijah laughed. “That’s all I know. If you want more info, find Sunny.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“Nope,” he said, and then his eyes lit up like he had an epiphany. “Wait…what’s today? Tuesday?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh…” His tone suddenly changed to something more somber. “Okay, then you’ll probably find him hovering somewhere over Seoul.”

“Seoul? As in South Korea?”

“Yeah, that’s where they keep it,” Elijah said matter-of-factly.

“Bite me, smartass!”

“I’ll have to run it by Liam first, but that can be arranged,” he snickered.

“Shut up! Why is Sunny in South Korea?”

“Ask him yourself,” Elijah shrugged. “Maybe you’ll be able to talk some sense into him. Lord knows we’ve tried.”

He was gone before I could get any more answers from him. I immediately whipped out my phone and sent Sunny several texts. When those went unread, I called him multiple times with no answer. I went to his room to ask Zac why Sunny would be in Seoul. To my frustration, their room was empty. I asked around, and apparently, Zac had a date with The Great Mother—something about movie night.

Left with no alternative, I went to the gate room and pulled up a tracking app on my phone. Following the ice cream parlor incident, the five of us downloaded an app to stay updated on each other's whereabouts. It was mainly to keep an eye on Zac, although we never let him in on that secret. It wasn't out of fear that he might be in danger or anything, but rather a precaution in case he got summoned away somewhere; at least we'd have the exact location. And now, it came in handy for locating certain individuals who ventured to the other side of Eiyr without a word.

I arrived at the Dream Forest, a large public park in the Gangbuk District of Seoul. Our gate was well hidden off the beaten path. Even if anyone did wonder close, it would just look like a pile of stones to them unless a Skai was actively coming through. I’d love to be a fly on a branch for that crazy interaction.

It was around seven in the evening when I flew into the city. I landed in the alley behind a string of restaurants and went on foot to the red indicator on my phone. After a brisk twenty-minute walk, I was outside a swanky high-rise apartment building. The app indicated Sunny was in the middle of the street, yet I couldn't see anyone. After briefly scanning the surroundings, I realized he wasn't at ground level but soaring high in the sky, just as Elijah had hinted. I quickly ducked behind the building and launched into the air, circling the structure until I finally laid eyes on him.

Sunny hovered with one foot over the other, his expansive, raven wings flapping occasionally to keep him afloat. He exuded a casual yet stylish vibe, dressed in black slacks, shiny dress shoes, and a black dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves and the top two buttons undone. His left hand was in his pocket while his right was held out to the side. A dark sphere of Askyli, wreathed in flames, slowly spun over the palm of his hand as he absently wiggled his fingers. His eyes were pools of darkness, and with the wind tousling his white hair, Sunny looked absolutely stunning, akin to a mythical being plucked from the pages of a fantasy novel.

He didn’t acknowledge me at all – not even a glance in my direction. His eyes were fixed on the apartment building across from us. We were high up and far enough away that spotting us against the dark sky would be impossible.

With a gentle flap of my wings, I moved closer to him. “So? Whatcha doin'?”

I got nothing. Sunny remained trance-like.

Trailing his line of sight, I focused on one of the apartments. The wide-open windows showcased a scene of what seemed to be a family of four. A mother and father were seated with their adult children, sharing a meal. However, my attention was drawn to the younger woman leaning over and kissing the guy's cheek. It could have been a boyfriend-girlfriend scenario. They seemed happy, enjoying a night of laughter and lively conversation as they shared their meal.

“Sunny, what are you watching?”

When he didn’t answer, I pressed further.

“Who are those people?” I had an idea, but I needed to be sure.

“It’s family night in the Yoon household,” Sunny finally spoke. His voice was barely above a whisper at first. “I come here sometimes on Tuesdays to watch them.

“Why?”

Sunny shrugged. “I’m trying to decide if I want to hurl this sphere of Askyli at them.” The ball in his hand pulsated with every word.

Because of my training, I knew what he held in his hand was powerful enough to take out the top six floors of the building. I could feel it. Nothing would survive, especially if the structural damage caused the whole building to collapse. The loss of life would be devasting, and yet, I honestly didn’t care about any of it. All I cared about was Sunny.

“And why would we do that?” I asked.

No response.

“Sunny?”

I gave him a minute before pushing harder. “Sunny, who in the hell are these people? Talk to me. Why are you going after them?”

“They found me,” he said softly.

I looked around. “Out here?”

“They were supposed to be away for the weekend, but a storm brewing over the Pacific caused their flight to be canceled. The weather here was blue skies, so I took the opportunity to invite a guy over. He wasn’t anyone special to me – just another dude from some app, both of us trying to keep things discreet and not get outed. Big fail.

“My parents returned home. I think my mom called out for me. I don’t remember. I was too engrossed in the act at hand.

“She opened my door and caught us. Her scream sounded like she had stumbled upon a murder scene. My father rushed in and lost it. He removed his belt and started whipping the guy, ordering him to get out amid some other choice words—poor guy left most of his clothes behind.

“It didn't take long for my father to turn his belt on me. He didn't say much as he hit me, just words like 'shameful' and 'disgrace’ and my all-time favorite, 'deviant.' You know, the classics. My mom did most of the yelling, but she used full sentences. Somehow, her words cut deeper and stung infinitely more than my father's belt."

“I’m sorry, Sunny,” I said.

"They threw me out." He continued, his gaze still fixed on the joyous family before him. "They tossed me out in the dead of winter with only the clothes on my back. I suppose it was simple for them, considering I wasn't their son anymore."

Sunny glanced at me briefly before locking his eyes on the apartment window again.

"I sought comfort and refuge with my brother. I sat in his living room, crying like I never had before, pouring out the details of everything that happened and apologizing. He didn't say much. His focus seemed more on the clock than on what was unfolding with me. He kept checking his watch because his new fiancée was due at any minute, and he didn't want me near her. He hurried me out the door, handed me whatever money he had in his wallet, and instructed me never to come back again. You see, not only did he have a fiancée, but he’d also been promoted at his firm. It was middle management, but he had started the climb, and he couldn’t have my scandal tarnish his finely cultivated image.

“I was an orphan with nowhere to go.” Sunny’s words were matter-of-fact and emotionless, but his fingers started to move faster, and the sphere of Askyli shuddered, more agitated than ever.

I looked at the family on the other side of the glass. They were sharing food from various festive wooden bowls, but their plates were now empty. The older woman, Sunny’s mom, I guess, took a napkin, dapped her mouth, and nodded to the group. Then, both women got up and left the room. There were only four seats at the table. I assumed the younger woman, his brother’s fiancée, was sitting in Sunny’s spot. I balled my fists.

"I even attempted to contact the guy I hooked up with, hoping he'd understand and let me crash with him for a night. But he blocked me. I couldn't blame him. At that time in my life, I’d probably have done the same.”

The Askyli stopped moving in his right hand and dimmed. Sunny made eye contact with me. “Not anymore.”

Before I could respond, the Askyli sphere bounced to life again, hotter than ever. Sunny’s deadpan voice continued. “Left with no money and nowhere to go, I resorted to my only option. I hit the streets and did whatever it took to survive."

Like Zac.

The two women reappeared carrying a tray of colorful desserts, a decanter filled with a clear drink, and small shot glasses. The men ooh’d and aah’d as the decadent selection of sweets was set in front of them. His father clapped twice and beamed at the family before him. It was a room filled with cheer and playful gestures. Sunny’s brother gestured at his father, said something, and then grabbed his love’s hand, guiding her to sit down again. His mom poured drink into his dad’s shot glass, touched his shoulder lovingly, and returned to her seat as well.

I looked at Sunny. He stared at them.

“The small, green ones next to the yakgwa are dasik. They’re tricky cookies to make, but my mom’s a master. They’re my favorite.“

“Apple favored?”

“Green tea. She makes white sesame ones, too, but I don’t see them.”

“Oh.” It was all I could think to say. Sunny’s voice was still flat but with a hint of all-out rage…if that was possible. I was just glad he was talking to me.

“I fell in with the wrong crowd.”

We were back to his life on the streets. I closed my eyes and winced inside. Of course, I wanted to know everything about Sunny. I just wasn’t sure my heart wanted to hear it.

He continued. “Before I knew it, I was no longer a person but an object to be whored out for the highest price I could get. It was brutal for a long time. The drugs helped me forget, and at some point, I became numb to it all. Then Eolaeis found me.”

Sunny actually cracked a little smile when he mentioned Eolaeis, but his voice stayed dark. “As you can imagine, my world completely changed. Not only did he save me, he avenged me. They’re all dead. Every man who caused me pain…or left the slightest mark on my body…are all dead.”

He moved closer to the building, gliding effortlessly. I flapped my wings to keep pace with him. His ball of Askyli suddenly seemed bigger.

“Except for them. They sit there very much alive, framed in that window, eating their kimchi with samgyeopsal, and drinking Soju. It’s the picture-perfect family my parents always wanted.”

Sunny sighed, showing the first hint of emotion other than hate. “Look at them laugh, Jacob.”

I moved in front of him and looked him dead in the eye. “Sunny, don’t.”

He looked past me, still watching them be happy. I could see the window-shaped rectangle of light reflecting in his eyes. “I used to think they were laughing at me.”

“Sunny, look at me.”

“I’d get so angry.”

His ball of Askyli pulsed. I was right. It was bigger.

“I doubt they were laughing at you.”

“You’re right, they weren’t. There wasn’t a single thought in that room about the deviant son and brother they discarded. I was trash. And that’s what you do with trash.”

Sunny finally looked at me. “Right?”

My heart broke, and my eyes watered.

I didn’t know what to say, and he wasn’t looking for an answer. We just hovered there, staring at each other. Eventually, he blinked first and used the moment to move even closer to the apartment complex. I did an awkward backstroke with my arms and wings, trying to stay ahead of him.

“You know what’s worse than being a joke, Jacob?”

“Sundryn.”

“Being forgotten,” he said softly, and I saw his eyes start to water, too.

The destructive sphere floating in his hand grew in size and intensity.

“So why shouldn’t I kill them?”

“They’re horrible people, no doubt,” I said, “but they’re your family.”

“You are my family,” Sunny said sharply. “The Sanctum is my family. They are just humans who don’t deserve to share the same space as us.”

“You’re hurt, I get it. I would be, too.”

“I’m not hurt,” Sunny insisted bitterly. The black water in his eyes said differently.

“Sure, you just come here every other Tuesday for the lovely view. Got it.” I moved closer to him, just inches away from his face, to block his view. “You have every right to be furious, to want them dead. I get it. But at the end of the day, they are your family.”

He was about to speak, but I cut him off. “I know. I’m your brother, your family. And that’s true, but so are they. You might think you want to do this,” I reach out to his right hand, “but trust me, you don’t.”

I wrapped my hand around his and closed his fist, extinguishing the flaming ball. “You don’t want to carry this with you for the rest of your life. It’s not worth it, man. Let it go.”

“I guess there’s always next Tuesday.” Sunny blinked, and a black tear fell from his eye. I almost missed it against his dark gray skin. He quickly wiped it away as he turned away from me and vanished into a cloud of shadow. He didn’t go far. I could still feel him. So I did my own little vanishing act and joined him in the alley below.

I emerged between two dumpsters and sprinted to catch up to Sunny.

“Hey! Don’t leave me behind like that,” I admonished playfully.

“I should be so lucky.” Sunny voice matched my playfulness. He was back. I smiled, jumped on his back, and draped my arm around his shoulders. “Where are we going now?”

“To the gate. We have a mission.”

“Why are we walking? Wouldn’t it be faster to fly?”

He shrugged. “You’d have to let go.”

It was a sweet answer, but it wasn’t the only reason. Sunny needed the noise and lights of a city to take his mind off things. And Seoul was overflowing with both. I wanted him to find his peace.

“So, about this mission,” I said, looking over my shoulder at the apartment complex. A big part of me wanted to incinerate Sunny’s family, too. Slow and painful-like. I wanted to run images of their amazing son on a loop in their head as I listened to them scream at the flames licking the skin from their flesh. Dark, I know, but I’d argue that the cruelty they inflicted on their son was infinitely worse.

I didn't want Sunny to bear the weight, but that didn't mean I couldn't shoulder it for him. I'd do it in a heartbeat if I knew it would genuinely bring him peace. I had never been so confident about anything in my life. I just wasn't convinced it would.

As unexpected as these thoughts were, they didn't scare me. If anything, I embraced them. What did that reveal about me? About my humanity? I could already hear my brothers' voices, saying, "You were never human."

"I was planning to come find you, you know."

"Yeah, but I beat you to it. Sue me. So, spill about this mission."

"Can we just walk for a bit? I'll fill you in when we get there."

"Sure," I said, playfully poking his cheek.

He attempted to wriggle free from under my arms, but I held on tight. Sunny took the opportunity to point out some of his favorite spots and reminisce about the mischief he and his friends used to get into when they were younger. Those memories filled him with joy; he laughed and joked the entire time, struggling to form a coherent sentence at some points.

That all changed when Sunny stopped in front of a building. It was a bathhouse for men. He stood there, frozen, without saying a word. Something happened there. Something terrible. I didn’t need to ask. Sunny’s face told the story.

I slid off his back, pulled him close, and quietly led him away from the area. The sightseeing was over.

We walked through the gate in the Dream Forest, only to emerge on the other side at Los Padres National Forest in California. Not long after, I trailed behind Sunny as we entered a quaint café in Santa Barbara.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked as we sat in the booth.

“Hold, please,” Sunny said as the server came up.

“Hello, my name is Jayden. I’ll be helping you guys today. Can I start you off with anything to drink?”

“No, thanks, Jayden. We’ll take two slices of your Devil’s Pie.”

“Solid choice!” Jayden said approvingly and then pointed at Sunny’s head. “I love your hair, by the way. The maroon highlights bring out your eyes.”

"Thanks." Sunny's grin could melt butter. "Your jeans look great, hugging all the right curves."

"Thanks. Just got them a few days back. Wasn't sure at first."

“Oh, I’m sure. They look great on you.”

Jayden blushed. “Two slices of Devil’s Pie coming right up.”

“Nothing for me, thanks. Just bring one.” I said.

“Don’t listen to him. He’ll have a slice.”

“Gotcha!”

Sunny couldn't take his eyes off Jayden's ass as he strolled away. It was true; his jeans showcased all the right curves, but we didn't have time for his nonsense. I was still in the dark about why we were there.

"Hello!" I exclaimed, snapping my fingers in front of Sunny's face. "We've barely been here two minutes, and you're already flirting with the staff. I can't take you anywhere."

“He started it.” Sunny winked and licked his lips seductively. “And I took you here.”

I ignored him. “So, you’ve been here before?”

“Nope. First time.”

“How did you know to order the pie? We never saw a menu.”

“Well, if you must know…”

“I must,” I insisted smugly.

“It’s a memory shared by our brother Paxson. He lived near here some twenty years ago. He’d play his guitar for money and come here to get a slice of pie when he couldn’t play anymore. That was before he became homeless, was recruited to one of our houses, and received his gift.

“You brought me here because of a twenty-year-old memory?”

“No. I brought you here for the pie, dummy. It’s the best damn pie Paxson ever had. Aren’t you curious?”

“No, you idiot. I don’t have that memory. Why would I be curious?”

“It’s made with red apples.”

“I don’t care!” I was about to go off on him, but he interjected.

“And our mission is here.”

“What is this mission?!” I shouted, drawing unwanted attention to our table.

“Calm down, Sparky. People are looking.”

“They’re about to be looking at me throwing you through this window.”

“I got you, bro. Don’t sweat it. So, the mission…” Sunny looked to his right, “hold, please.”

"Oh my god!" Frustrated, I slumped back into my seat, resting my head against the cushion.

Jayden approached the table, holding two small plates. "Two slices of our world-famous Devil's Pie," he announced, setting them on the table.

“See, Jacob, it’s world famous.”

“Shut up.”

“Hey! Jacob is my middle name,” Jayden joined in proudly.

I looked at his name tag. “Your name is Jayden Jacob Jackson?”

“Actually, it’s Jayden Jacob Jenson-Jackson.”

“Kill me,” I whispered.

“Yeah, it’s weird. I think my parents were tripping on something when they had me.”

Sunny beamed at him. “Well, Mr. Jayden Jacob Jenson-Jackson…”

I delivered a solid kick to his shin.

“Uh…” he stammered, reaching down his leg. “Thank you for the pie.”

“Here, try it with this,” Jayden leaned over the table and placed a small bowl in front of Sunny. “It’s honey with a bit of cinnamon. Dip your pie into it, but not a lot, just a little. It will blow your mind.”

“I love having my mind blown.”

Jayden’s brow arched as he gave Sunny “fuck me” eyes.

All I could do was roll mine. It was like being with CJ.

“Well, enjoy. If you need anything, wave me over.”

“Oh, I will, for sure.”

Sunny cut into his pie, but I grabbed his hand. “Mission first.”

“We’re here to eliminate an Aberration.” He pulled his hand away from me to scoop up the pie. He dipped it into the honey.

“An Aberration? What the hell is that?”

“Oh, right, you wouldn’t know. We probably should’ve covered that during your lessons. Try your pie.”

“Forget the pie. Explain.”

“Not until you try your pie.”

I begrudgingly murdered a piece of the pie by shoving it…almost whole…in my mouth. It was delicious! The apple flavor exploded in my mouth. “Holy shit, this is…”

“I know, right?” Sunny exclaimed, sitting forward with excitement. “Try it with the honey.”

It was fucking out of his world. I’d rank it third behind The Great Mother’s cookies and tea.

“An Aberration,” Sunny continued, “you might know them as Enlightened. It’s what the Nave call them.”

“Yeah, of course. Q told me about them. They’re humans who carry a hint of Anavi in their system.”

“An unfortunate byproduct of Naveyk jizzing his seed all over the place when he gave his power to the Nave. Some mammals were infected with Anavi and, through millions of years of evolution, passed it down to these apes.” Sunny gestured to other patrons in the diner. “So now we’re tasked with cleaning up Naveyk’s mess to prevent them from Awakening into Nave.”

“Aren’t the chances extremely rare for a human with Anavi to spontaneously evolve into an El’odian?”

“Yes,” Sunny conceded with a mouth full of pie. “But remember, they don’t just become El’odian; they only become Nave. That being the case, if the chances are 0.001%, the chance is too great and threatens The Sanctum.”

“How so?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Sunny asked. “For now, it’s a war of numbers between the Skai and Nave, right?”

I nodded skeptically, unsure if I would buy what he was about to sell me.

“The only thing preventing a full-out war is the numbers. Neither side wants to take the chance that they are vastly outnumbered. It’s like playing chess without knowing how many pieces are on the board. Over time, these Aberrations could give them a numerical advantage. Not only do they have brothers waking from their sleep, but there’s a chance Aberrations will join the Nave ranks. It’s a fucking cheat code!”

Okay, I couldn’t deny his, or more accurately, the Sanctum’s logic. Still, actually eliminating someone today, unlike daydreaming about Sunny’s family, wasn’t on my to-do list. But this seemed non-negotiable.

“So, you came here to smoke a guy?”

“And for the pie, Jacob,” he added, tapping his plate with his fork. “It’s good pie. And ‘smoke a guy?’ Really? You make it sound like I’m going to blast him with a shotgun. I have no desire to make this man suffer.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Something quick and painless; I promise you that.”

“Sunny…”

“Also, it’s not just one guy. We have two targets. One for you and one for me.”

“Me? Why can’t you take them both out?”

“Because that’s not our orders.”

“What difference does it make?”

Sunny shrugged. “Apparently, it makes a difference to The Sanctum.”

“They’re testing me, aren’t they?”

“Us,” Sunny corrected. “They’re testing us, Jacob. Remember, I’ve never done this before, either. This is their way of ensuring we’re up for whatever is required. Do you want to look over the files and pick your target?”

“No, you go first.”

“Are you sure?”

"Yeah," I asserted. "You've got a plan for this guy. I'll take the next one." The ease with which those words left my mouth should've set off alarms, but it didn't. I'm not saying I was gung-ho about the situation. I simply felt a cold indifference toward the whole thing.

“I think you should look at the files,” Sunny insisted.

“I’m good, Sunny,” I snapped. “Besides, I’ve already made up my mind. You’ve been Skai longer than I have. I want to see how you handle things first.”

“That’s not true. You’ve been Skai your whole life. You just didn’t know it.”

“You know what I mean,” I said. “Now, who is this guy?”

“His name is Trevor.” Sunny scrolled through his phone and then turned it around to show me a picture. “He’s an attorney.”

“How do we know he’s Enlightened?”

“An Aberration,” Sunny corrected. “A team confirmed it.”

“A team of Skai?” I asked.

“No, a team of storm chasers. What do you think?”

“If they already investigated him, why didn’t they eliminate him?”

"That's not the deal. Those guys are experts at what they do. We're not. The newbies usually get these kinds of missions. It's another way to test our capabilities.

"I nodded. “How do we even find these Aberrations?”

Sunny laughed. “The answer is going to blow your mind.” Then he raised two fingers and wiggled them in the air.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Getting use two more slices.”

I rolled my eyes. “You were about to blow my mind?”

“Social media,” Sunny said.

“What about it?”

“If social media has taught us anything, it is that the vast majority of humans are narcissistic, self-absorbed, self-centered creatures suffering from a severe case of main character syndrome.”

“You realize all those words mean the same thing, right?”

“These people believe that the world would be worse off if they don’t share every idiotic, mundane, inane idea that pops into their heads?”

“Were you beaten with a thesaurus or something?”

Sunny continued to ignore me. “Because of that, hunting down Aberrations has become infinitely easier. It used to take years to run across one.”

“I don’t follow,” I admitted.

“Two more slices of Devil’s Pie,” Jayden said as he approached the table. “I’d advise caution. If you're watching your figure, this pie will do a number on it. Trust me.”

“Thanks for the advice,” Sunny smirked, licking his fork as he eyed Jayden from head to toe. “But trust me, it’s not my figure that I’m watching.”

“I can see that,” Jayden basically purred.

“Thanks, Jayden!” I thundered. “We appreciate your great service.”

“If you need anything else, please…”

“Yeah, we got it,” I interrupted. “We’ll let you know.”

When Jayden walked away, I grabbed Sunny by the chin to force his eyes away from his ass. “You were saying?”

“Um…right,” he nodded. “Wait. What was I saying?”

“Social media!”

“Right, right, right! Take, uh, our guy Trevor here.” He pointed at his phone. “He posted interesting stories on his socials because he thinks his mansion is haunted.”

“Haunted?”

“Yes,” Sunny laughed. “He thinks he has a ghost in his house. Can you believe that?”

“No. I also can’t believe how long this story is taking.”

"Anyway, his usual routine is to get up in the morning, pour himself a cup of coffee, and go through his work emails. According to him, there are times when he'd place the coffee on the counter, get distracted by a phone call or a series of texts, or some other random shit. Later, he'd realize he forgot to grab his coffee and left it on the other end of the counter or in a different room. He’d go to retrieve it, only to find it missing. He’d search around and eventually find it next to where he was sitting. Initially, Trevor thought he absentmindedly took the coffee with him, but the more it happened, the more he became convinced it was a ghost. A friendly ghost, mind you."

I shook my head. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Not at all! Unbeknownst to Trevor, he’d been tapping into his Anavi, which manifested as some type of telekinesis.”

“So, basically, because this idiot thought Casper The Friendly Ghost was bringing him his fucking morning coffee AND decided to post about it, he’s going to die today?”

“Crazy, right?”

“And this is how we find these Aberrations?”

“It helps a lot. Finding these people is extremely difficult. They’re infected with a minuscule amount of Anavi, making it nearly impossible to detect. You’d have to be pressed against them like a sardine to sniff them out. When people post these paranormal stories, we investigate. Almost all of them are bullshit, obviously, but a few do lead us to Aberrations.”

“But if they have Anavi, aren’t they protected by the agreements between the Skai and Nave.”

“Nope. Aberrations aren’t Nave or sons of Naveyk until they evolve. They’re essentially humans infected with a virus, and we’re the cure.”

“So, where is this guy?”

Sunny checked the time on his phone. “He should be here in thirty minutes or so.”

I looked at him quizzically.

“It’s in the file you don’t want to read.”

“Okay, but why this place?”

“Trevor flies to Santa Barbara once a month for business.” Sunny tapped his finger against the window. “He works in the building across the street. After he’s done, he comes here to grab his coffee and a slice of pie before heading to his hotel. He gets the Key Lime pie. He should be killed for that alone.”

“Shouldn’t we be handling this someplace less public? Like his hotel room? Why here?” I emphasized.

“Because when he finishes the pie, he may return to his hotel room or hit the gym or a bar. The one thing we know for sure is that Trevor never skips out on his damn Key Lime pie. He’ll be here.”

I nodded, though I couldn't shake the feeling that Sunny was using Paxson's Devil's Pie as an excuse. After polishing off my slice, I grabbed my phone to pass the time. I responded to a few messages, showered Q with three different heart emojis, and had a back-and-forth with my mom about Thanksgiving. It didn't occur to me at the moment that I was casually discussing menu preferences with my mom while waiting for a random guy to arrive for his impending assassination.

My life was crazy. My general concern was turning into comfortable indifference, yet I still felt undeniably like me. That said, Trevor wasn’t the only one evolving. I was, too.

“Hey,” I said, disrupting the silence between us. “You and Zac are invited to Thanksgiving at my parent’s place.”

Sunny suddenly lit up like a firecracker. “Yes!” he shouted, throwing his head back in excitement like he had just busted a nut. “Finally!”

“Jesus, it’s just food. Settle down.”

Slowing opening his eyes, he looked at me confused and asked, “What did you say?”

“Thanksgiving…” I replied, eyeing him curiously.

“What about it?”

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

“I found him, Jacob! I finally found him!”

“Who? Trevor?” I looked around the café. “Where?”

“No, not him. Dom! Try and keep up, will you?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“The fucker from Zac’s past. I found him.”

It was my turn to light up like a Christmas tree. “Seriously?”

“Yes! I’ve been close to finding that piece of shit for the last two weeks, but I needed to confirm a few things before I was sure. Now I am.” Sunny handed me his phone to show me a picture.

“The Loose Goose,” I whispered, reading the sign on the building. “What is it?”

“It’s a shitty little bar; he operates on the outskirts of Lexington. It’s where he runs his boys now. I connected with one of them online a little while ago.”

“You did what?” I asked incredulously.

“Nothing inappropriate, jackass,” Sunny scolded. “We talked. It took time…and a bit of cash…to get him to open up about Dom. The kid is terrified of him. He finally came through, though, and now I got Dom’s ass. I’m paying him a little visit later tonight.”

“You mean we, don’t you?” I asked, handing him his phone.

“You still want to be part of this?”

“I told you, Sunny, I…”

"I heard what you said. But you've got to understand, unlike our target Trevor, I'm making Dom and the rest of his rats suffer."

“Your point?”

“It won’t be pretty, Jacob.”

“It better fucking not be!”

“My man!” Sunny gave me a fist pump before getting up to leave.

“Where are you going?”

“To the bathroom. Why? Do you want to hold it for me?”

“Shut up.”

I hopped back on my phone, and after a minute or so, it struck me that we didn't use the bathroom. I certainly haven't since my Awakening. Why would Sunny? Suspicion set in. Did he spot Trevor and decide to "handle" it without me? Did he think I wasn't up for it? It would piss me off if that were the case, which was crazy because, in the beginning, I wasn't sure I wanted any part of this. Now, I was going to be mad for being left out.

What is going on with me?

I gave Sunny the benefit of the doubt that he wouldn’t pull that stunt and waited patiently for his return. I got lost in multiple text conversations with Q, Ant, Liam, and Soullen. My chat with Q was slightly spicier and boner-inducing than the rest. Simply put, I was complaining to him that I wanted cock, but because I had yet to destroy the X, he was holding out. To make matters worse, I wasn’t allowed to pleasure myself without his permission, which turned me on even more. When it came to our sex lives, I very much enjoyed his dominance over me. And if I’m being honest, the sexual frustration. Still, I teased that I might have to start looking elsewhere, and the bastard wished me luck.

When Q asked what I was doing, I said I was with Sunny and couldn’t really talk about it. I was baiting him a little, curious if he'd push for more, but he respected the Skai/Nave boundary and let it slide. Instead, he went back to teasing me about my situation and making my dick hard.

When Q ended our little steamy conversation, I realized fifteen minutes had gone by without Sunny’s return.

“That fucker,” I whispered, believing he left to complete the mission without me. I was about to go after him when I felt his hand smack the back of my head.

“Miss me?” he teased as he sat down.

“Where the hell were you?” I demanded angrily.

“Chill. I told you I was in the bathroom.”

“For fifteen minutes? We don’t even use the bathroom.”

“What do you want me to tell you? It’s the truth.”

I looked over my shoulder at the hall leading to the restroom and spotted Jayden walking like he had just finished riding a mechanical bull. I shook my head at Sunny. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“His mouth is to die for, Jacob.” High praise coming from Sunny. “And his ass? So tight.” He did a chef’s kiss. “Go get some.”

“What?”

“Jayden extended an open invitation to you. Just walk towards the bathroom and give him a little wave; he’ll meet you there. Like you said, he provides great service.”

“My God, you are CJ!”

“Who?”

“Never mind,” I said, burying my face in my hands.

“Well, are you going to take him up on his offer? If you are, go now before our target shows up.”

“Are you nuts?” I asked, parting my hands to look at him.

“What? If you go now, I bet you’ll still feel the warm load I left behind.” Highly pleased, Sunny giggled to himself.

“You’re gross.”

“Fine, be a prude,” he said. “Now, back to Thanksgiving…”

“Yeah, I was inviting you and Zac to my place. You might have to show up in a hazmat suit.”

“Why?”

I shook my head while ignoring his question.

“That’s sweet of you, thanks, bro. But Zac and I will have Thanksgiving with the other brothers at The Club.”

“Skai celebrate Thanksgiving?”

Sunny chuckled. "No, not for the El'odians. We do it for our human brothers. Many don't have homes to return to and have never experienced a loving family. The holidays are tough for them."

“Aww!” That gave me the warm fuzzies. “That’s awesome. Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“I’m pretty sure I did.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did! Yesterday, when I was in your room reading that comic.”

“You mean when I was listening to music with those big-ass headphones?”

"Ohhh," he pointed at me, "that explains why you never answered my questions." Sunny nodded slowly, realizing why his conversation had been one-sided the entire night.

"Does it matter, Jacob? You’re one of the lucky ones. You have a loving family waiting for you. You should be there."

“Yeah, but now I’m sad to be missing out.”

“You’ll be missed too,” Sunny smiled warmly. “Oh shit, heads up. Trevor just walked in.”

I immediately turned my head to look at him.

“Could you make it any more obvious? Yell out his name and wave him over, perhaps?”

“Sorry,” I whispered as Trevor walked past our table. “I wanted to see what he looked like.”

“He looks like his picture.”

I rolled my eyes at Sunny as Trevor sat facing me in the booth behind him. Despite seeing a picture, I still imagined he’d be this grotesque, mustache-twirling villain type deserving of his fate. He was none of those things. He was just some guy who uploaded a video about ghosts.

“Will you stop staring at him?” Sunny whispered.

Well, I thought it was a whisper. He was actually in my head.

“I can’t help it,” I relayed telepathically. “He looks so normal.”

“You were expecting a two-headed ogre?”

I ignored Sunny and watched him closely, averting my eyes when he looked up from his phone to greet Jayden. He brought Trevor his coffee and pie without needing to be asked.

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Callaway. Sans whip cream, just as you like it.” Jayden smiled.

“I said to call Trevor, ”our mark insisted. “Mr. Callaway makes me feel like an old man.”

Jayden laughed. “Sorry. Force of habit.”

“Thanks for the pie.”

“Of course! I had it plated and waiting for you.”

Trevor nodded in appreciation. “How are classes going? Did you pass your economics exam?”

They talked briefly, asking your typical “catching up” questions. The pair appeared to know a lot about each other, which made me wonder how long Trevor had been coming to this café. Knowing what awaited him, I don’t know why I was invested in his life. Casual indifference versus cold indifference, I guess.

Giving his shoulder a tap, Jayden told him to call if he needed anything before strolling away. Trevor lifted the steaming cup of coffee to his puckered lips, his eyes glued to Jayden’s ass. The camaraderie between the two was starting to make sense.

“Now what?” I asked.

Sunny shrugged and ate the last of his pie. “Let him enjoy his pie.”

The minutes crawled by as I sat there, anxiously awaiting whatever move Sunny was about to make. I couldn't even guess what he had planned, especially with the café filling up during the after-work rush. Almost thirty minutes later, Trevor signaled for the check.

“Dude, he’s leaving,” I announced, but not so loud that Trevor would hear.

Sunny remained unbothered. He grabbed Jayden by the wrist as he walked by and slipped his credit card into his hand. “We’re ready to pay.”

Jayden leaned against Sunny’s side of the booth. “Do you guys need anything else before I cash you out?”

“No, we’re good for now,” Sunny said, casually brushing the back of his hand against the zipper of Jayden’s jeans.

With red cheeks and an expanding budge, Jayden walked away.

“Do you ever stop?” I asked rhetorically. “We have a mission to accomplish.”

“I know,” Sunny said, puckering his lips like he was about to whistle. A slender stream of Askyli spilled from his mouth. It flowed down to the table, weaved across the surface, climbed up the wall, reached the windowsill, and glided over to Trevor's booth. It moved with an apparent will of its own. I briefly lost sight of it, but the small shadowy ribbon slipped up his nose as Trevor took the final sip of his coffee.

I sat back and closed my eyes while looking away, wincing. I don’t know why I thought Trevor’s head was about to explode, but I could already feel his blood on my face.

Nothing happened.

Opening my left eye, I watched Trevor sign his tab and say goodbye to Jayden.

“Nothing happened,” I whispered, leaning over the table.

“You need to relax, Jacob. No more caffeine for you. It doesn’t do anything for us, but I’m cutting you off.”

“Did you screw up or something?” I challenged, my heart pounding in anticipation.

“No.”

“Here you go, gentlemen,” Jayden said, dropping off the receipt. “I hope to see you guys real soon.”

Sunny squeezed his ass when he turned to leave. “I’m sure you will.”

Picking up the receipt, Sunny grinned like an idiot. “Oh, look. He left his phone number with a note reminding me to bring you along next time. Jacob, the dude seriously wants a taste.”

I tuned out Sunny and his absurd antics. My attention was fixed on Trevor. He paced back and forth outside the window, repeatedly checking his watch. After a few minutes, a rideshare arrived to pick him up.

“Sunny…”

Trevor entered the vehicle, greeted the driver, and slipped on his seatbelt. That’s when it happened. He gripped the side of his head, overcome by a sudden surge of pain, and just like that, his head fell back against the seat with his mouth hanging open. The driver took off, unaware of Trevor’s new recently deceased status.

“What the hell happened?” I asked, wide-eyed and amazed.

“Brain aneurysm,” Sunny answered. “It’s quick, relatively painless, and easy to detect in an autopsy.”

“Damn…” I said softly. “Mission accomplished, I guess.”

“Not quite. We still have the second target. Your target.”

“Right,” I nodded, eyeing Sunny close. “You seem awfully chill right now.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You just killed a guy!” I damn near shouted while pointing back over my shoulder.

“Say it louder for the people in the back.”

“You killed a guy,” I repeated, lowering my voice while leaning into Sunny.

“I did what was expected of me, Jacob,” he said dismissively. “No more. No less. I’m sorry if I’m not reacting enough to the death of a random human I don’t know or care about. I’m more upset about missing out on Jayden’s ass again than I am about a name on a mission report. You want to talk about a tragedy.”

I can’t say I was surprised. Sunny was ready to blow his family to smithereens while they ate pork belly. Trevor ranked pretty low on his list of important people. At least Sunny was more humane about it than Soullen, who turned my would-be assailants from the alley into shish kabobs.

I also felt nothing for Trevor, and maybe that’s what was bothering me. I was going after Sunny for his nonreaction to killing someone while ignoring my indifference to his death. Sunny was like a mirror reflecting what I had become – a Skai with little concern for human lives outside my circle. It was a harsh reality, but I couldn't avoid it.

“Okay, tell me about the second target,” I said. “Where can we find him? Or is he coming here for dessert?”

“It’s Trevor’s son,” Sunny replied while going through his phone. “Unfortunately, he passed the Nave virus on to his son.”

“Okay, so where is this guy?”

“Here, just read the file. I sent it to you.”

I brought up the file on my phone and froze when I saw his picture. My eyes met Sunny’s. "You're kidding, right? This has to be a joke."

“It’s not a joke, Jacob.”

“But it’s got to be a joke.” I dropped my phone on the table and tapped on the screen. “He can’t be more than seven years old.”

“Eight, actually.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I snapped bitterly. “It’s a kid!”

“You’re right, Jacob. It doesn’t matter.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I told you to read the file, and you shot me down.”

“You could’ve told me the second target was an eight-year-old boy.”

“It shouldn’t make a difference, Jacob,” Sunny said matter-of-factly.

“You gotta be kidding me.” I picked up my phone and went through his file. His whole life, all eight years, filled a single page. Two pages if you count the photo. Where he lived. The school he attended. His friends. Hobbies. Everything. It was a full life. A short -one page- life, but full.

“Sunny. Come on, man, we can’t do this. He’s just a kid.”

“Do you think this is fun for me? I wasn’t expecting a kid to be on our hitlist, but there he is, and we still have a job to do regardless of our feelings.”

“So, you don’t like it either?”

“Of course, I don’t,” Sunny insisted firmly. “Like you keep repeating, he’s just a kid, but the job is the job, Jacob. We don’t have a choice.”

“Let’s call Raz and see what he has to say,” I blurted out.

Narrowing his eyes, Sunny looked to his left and right before staring at me. “Are you insane? Who do you think assigned us the mission? You think we’re running around California, eliminating targets without his approval?”

“It was a stupid idea, I get it,” I conceded sheepishly. “But what if we don’t go through with it?”

“Are you…”

“Just humor me, Sunny.”

“What will happen is we’ll piss off Raz, not to mention the rest of The Sanctum. They’ll send someone else to finish our job, and we’ll be a couple of assholes they can’t count on.”

“That sounds bad.”

“You think?!” Sunny exclaimed.

“Has anyone ever refused to do one of these missions?”

“No, Jacob. That’s not a thing. I would know.” Sunny pressed his finger to his temple and continued, “I have the collective knowledge of our people rattling around in here.”

“Haven’t you ever wanted to be a trend sitter?” I joked halfheartedly.

“No.” Grabbing his phone, he got up to leave. “Let’s go. We need to get this done.”

Reluctantly, I slipped out of the booth, but I went in the opposite direction of Sunny.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“To the bathroom. Why? Want to hold it for me?”

“Are you seriously taking Jayden up on his offer?” He looked impressed suddenly. “Good for you. I didn’t think you had it in you. I’ll wait for you outside.”

“No, you idiot. I’m washing my hands.”

“Opportunity wasted.” I heard him say as I left him standing there befuddled.

A few minutes later, I met Sunny outside the diner and headed to the gate. I wish it had taken longer, but we were hovering over a mansion in a ritzy Houston suburb in no time. Drew, our eight-year-old target, was splashing around in the pool while his nanny looked on attentively.

We must have stayed up there for five minutes when Sunny finally tapped my chest, swooped down, and landed behind the nanny. I followed suit, hiding my wings as soon as I touched down. I stood there observing the kid having the time of his life while Sunny stared at me, waiting for me to act.

I couldn’t. Offing a grown-ass human is one thing, but a child? That felt different. Not even my El’odian nature could override my instinct to protect a defenseless kid. Maybe that last connection to my humanity would fade in time, but it was bright as hell tonight.

Sunny elbowed me in the side, wanting me to do something. I elbowed him right back. He reciprocated and thus began our clown show. We kept at it until Sunny eventually stopped and yelled, "Do something!"

Both Drew and his nanny turned to face us. We were outed.

The lady sprang to her feet and stood in front of Drew like a true protector. “Who are you?” she demanded bravely. “How did you get in here?”

“No need to be alarmed, ma’am,” Sunny smiled and clapped his hands together. “Your gate was opened, so we let ourselves in.”

The nanny’s eyes slowly moved to the closed gate. “Drew, get out of the pool and go inside.”

“But I’m not done,” the boy whined.

“Now, Drew!”

“Really, there’s no need to be afraid,” Sunny assured her while nudging me to act. “We’re…um…bible salesmen.”

“Bible salesmen?” she questioned.

“Yes. We’re here to spread the good Lord’s word.”

“If you’re a Bible salesman, where are your Bibles?”

“Um…” Sunny elbowed me again, and I pushed back, making him stumble. “We were robbed.”

“You were robbed? Of your Bibles?”

“I know, right? What is this world coming to? That’s why we’re here. Could we use your phone?”

“I thought you were here to spread the good Lord’s word?”

“That too.”

Young Drew attempted to hide behind his nanny, but she seized his arm and directed him towards the door, urging him inside. "Go in and lock the door," she ordered, then turned to us. "You gentlemen need to leave before I call the cops."

She retrieved her phone from her dress pocket and began dialing.

“To hell with this,” Sunny sighed, blasting her with dark energy with a flick of his wrist.

The nanny bounced off the side of the house and was out cold. Witnessing what must have looked like magic, Drew let out a bloodcurdling scream while his big brown eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. He ran off, presumably to hide.

“Are you happy now?” I asked, walking up to the glass door. “The kid is terrified.”

"Hey, this is on you. You could've completed the mission from up there," Sunny pointed to the sky. "It could've been quick and easy like I did with the father. One minute, the boy is wet and laughing, and the next, he’s standing next to his father in heaven. If you believe in that kind of thing. Zero fear, zero pain.”

“Whatever.” I tried turning the doorknob. “It’s locked. Let’s go before someone else shows up.”

“Seriously?” Sunny rolled his eyes and pushed my hand out of the way. He twisted the handle until it snapped off. “I hate that this kid is terrified, but here we are, thanks to you.”

“Get out of the way,” I demanded, pushing past Sunny.

The house was enormous, but it didn't take long to locate Drew. His hushed sobs led us straight to a cabinet on the side wall of an overly adorned formal living room. The cabinet was built into a massive, antique wooden fireplace that dominated the room. It wasn’t ornate. Instead, it showcased simple, sturdy beams and a charred finish. It was impressive. Apparently, the designers of the home felt so, too. The entire first floor was built around it. From where I stood, I could see all entry points to the house.

So could Sunny.

“We need to get this over with, Jacob,” he said, curling his fingers to open the cabinet door.

The boy screamed bloody murder when he saw us, or maybe it was just Sunny’s midnight eyes that freaked him out.

I waved my hand to close the door again. “Let's talk about this.”

Drew yelped when the cabinet door slammed against the wood frame.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Jacob. We have a job to do. I killed his father, now you...”

Drew lost it. “Daaaaady!”

His scream filled the room like a fire alarm. I thought the sprinklers might go off.

“Fuck me,” Sunny said, admonishing himself for the slip of the tongue. Running his hand through his hair, he sighed heavily and stared at the ceiling. “Fuck it, I’ll just do it.”

The cabinet door flew open.

“Sunny, wait! Just wait a minute!” I pushed him back and closed the door with a flick of my wrist. Drew disappeared again, but his tear-stained face was seared in my mind.

“Wait for what?”

“A third option,” I said as I stepped in front of the cabinet.

“There is no third option! Either we do it now, or someone else does it later.”

From alongside the massive fireplace, a small voice whimpered, “Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t, don’t…daddy…don’t…I want my daddy…”

Sunny was visibly upset. He took four steps away from me before turning back to speak in a calmer tone. "Look, if you can't handle this, I understand. You can leave, and I'll take care of it. It doesn't align with the orders, but we can address that later. Now, please step aside, Jacob."

“No, listen to me.”

“I’m done listening. You’re only making matters worse for the kid.” He looked past me, trying to do something to Drew from a distance, but failed. “Are you seriously protecting him from me right now?”

“Maybe…”

Similar to how Q shielded Zac from other Skai using their abilities on him directly, I offered a similar level of protection for Drew, albeit on a smaller scale. Yes, that's correct – I picked up a few tricks from Q during our training. It wasn't just about trying to get into his pants.

“Oh, come on, Jacob! What are you going to do next? Fight me?”

“That would never happen,” I affirmed decisively. “Do you really think I’d raise a hand to you?”

The kid let out a loud sob.

“No, of course not,” Sunny conceded, looking at the cabinet door. “But that doesn’t solve our situation. One of us must give, and it can’t be me.

“I’ll flip you for it.”

“Flip me for it? What the fuck are you talking about.”

“I’m serious. Rock paper scissors – best two out of three.”

“What?!”

The kid added small ‘no, no, nos’ to his sobs.

“Okay, best three out of five.”

Sunny turned to me suddenly. He looked me dead in the eyes. “Why are you prolonging this, Jacob?”

“I’m not!” I yelled, sounding offended.

“I think you are. You’re stalling. Why?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Jacob!” Sunny shouted to end the stalemate.

This time, Drew answered. He let loose a terror-filled scream that damaged the very air in the room. It lasted thirty seconds and ended with, ‘Don’t hurt me.’

That's when the house's front door swung open abruptly, casting a veil of warm, radiant light upon us. Sunny averted his gaze, much like one does during a solar eclipse, while I basked in the light, captivated.

"What the hell is that?" Sunny asked, shielding his eyes.

"My third option..."