Chapter Thirty-Five
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QUEEGLY RUBBED HIS aching head, wishing painkillers worked on his migraines. Qi had scanned him several times, but she hadn’t found anything wrong. The doc had put it down to side effects from having a shattered skull.
“This is the price I have to pay for being an oracle,” he said with a grimace. His headaches were usually accompanied by powerful visions. Most of the time, he saw the future. Sometimes, he saw the past. Last night, he’d received a vision of something that had occurred a few days ago.
“There’s no way I’m going to tell my friends about that,” the Mad Prophet muttered. He didn’t want Grace to hear about it and she was far too perceptive. The teen would glean the information from someone. He knew she would suffer if she discovered what the survivors had gone through.
It was lucky Xanthia didn’t have any cameras operational in the area where Xathan, Lachial, Vetis and their guards had slaughtered their targets. The scenes he’d witnessed in his dream had been horrific.
Sometimes, he wished he hadn’t been burdened with this destiny.
But Fate had chosen him and he needed to suck it up and do his duty.
He knew he would be rewarded with his fondest dream once this was all over.
All he could do was try to guide his friends along the right path.
He’d already done what he could for Grace, but the kid was going to go through some harrowing ordeals in the future.
He would spare her from it if he could, but her destiny had already been decided by a power far higher than him.
His friends were all taking the day off from working on building his new home.
Queeg was sitting in his studio across from his bedroom.
Amaros had muted the room with magic, so he had privacy and no outside noise to interfere with his broadcasts.
Xan had set everything up for him with her magical affinity for all things electronic.
The knights had moved the furniture in here for him.
Everything would be moved to the new house they’d been working so hard on when it was finished.
Putting his feet up on his desk, he sipped the steaming hot coffee in appreciation. As far as the apocalypse went, things were pretty damn good at the stone base. He had everything he could ever want or need and the companionship of some pretty amazing folks.
Sinai strode past Queegly’s studio, knowing Angel wasn’t hiding inside. The seer needed a quiet room and her pet was anything but silent. “Where are you, Angel?” she called out.
Grace’s door opened just ahead. “She’s in here,” the kid said with a grin. Angel yowled and sauntered into the hallway to look up at her favorite human. “You have excellent timing,” Grace went on. “She just started screaming at me for food.”
As if understanding her, Angel launched herself into the air. Sin caught the feline before her claws could dig furrows in her leg. “I know you’re starving,” she said with a wince as the cat howled into her ear. “You don’t have to deafen me!”
Grace giggled as the duplicator stomped down the short passageway to the main building.
Leaving her bedroom, she carried the books she’d finished to the library in the great room.
As always, the carvings Oaklie had created came to life when she neared them.
Grace touched a fox that was sleeping beneath a tree in wonder.
Oak had integrated all of the animals she’d carved onto their doors into the design on the bookshelves.
“This will never get old,” Grace murmured as she grabbed a bunch of new books to read.
“Hey, kiddo,” Bria said, glancing up from the pool table. Urzra stood behind her, gazing at her derriere in admiration as she lined up her shot. “Do you want to play with us?” the emotion manipulator asked.
“Sure,” Grace agreed. “I’ll just stash these in my room and I’ll be right back.
Urz blinked when the teen seemed to vanish, then reappeared a few moments later. “Are you sure you can’t teleport, female?” he asked.
“I’m positive,” Grace said. “I don’t feel that weird sense of disorientation when I arrive where I want to go.” Her gaze went to the nearest doorway as another knight appeared. “Hey, Tol. Do you want to be my pool partner?” she asked.
Tolas grinned, glad to have something to keep him occupied. “I’d love to,” he agreed. “Wyn is taking a nap with Nova in our bedroom.”
Grace had already figured that out. Her brother always seemed a bit lost when he needed to give his mate some time alone with their daughter.
Xan and Semi were sitting at the computer desk with Cam and Vic at the other end of the great room. “It’s coming along well so far,” Xanthia said as they studied the photos she’d taken of the mansion. They were comparing it to the plans Cam had drawn up.
“The plumbing is in place and the foundation is in and it turned out perfect,” Camriel said. “Thanks to Cat, we’ll be able to start building the house tomorrow rather than needing to wait for twenty-eight days.”
“It’s awesome that she can dry concrete this thick so quickly with her fire,” Vic said. “That’s made this project move along a lot faster.”
A sizzling noise that came from outside was immediately followed by a splintering sound. They all heard Tori screech in triumph.
“Tor must have blasted that dead tree to pieces,” Eze said as he strolled into the kitchen to join his mate. Sin was watching Angel scoff her latest snack down.
“She’s got deadly aim,” Ree said as she closed the fridge door.
She’d grabbed some snacks for a few of the knights and cambions who were fishing at the lake.
The picnic tables were getting a lot of use.
Sin could have duplicated the food instead of her sister scrounging for it, but she let it slide.
Braq entered the room to take some of the food from his mate. “Jaq’s strutting around like a proud rooster,” he joked. “He acts like Tori’s the only cambion who can wield a deadly power.”
“She is pretty awesome,” Reegan said. “Manipulating metal is handy, but I’ll never be as flashy as my sister.”
Sin nodded in agreement as she picked Angel up. “My skill is amazing, but nothing compares to calling lightning from the sky or shooting huge fireballs at our foes.”
They headed outside to join the others at the lake.
Kochab was swimming with his female when they arrived.
Qiana Forgan was easily the most beautiful cambion, but none of the girls were jealous of her.
How could they be when their mates were so devoted to them?
Qi wore a bikini and her knight couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.
Koach was always with her whenever she left their base to heal people. They were rarely parted.
“I wish I was as tall and skinny as Qi,” Oak said as she redid her bun. Her butt-length black hair always tried to escape from the loose coil she piled on top of her head.
“I don’t,” Ark said. “I love you just the way you are, babe.”
Oakley rewarded her mate with a scorching kiss and he pulled her onto his lap.
“Save it for the bedroom, guys,” Zoe joked, glad Grace wasn’t there to witness their public display of affection. Amaros was sitting beside her, rocking their tired baby in his arms. Little Arak refused to go to sleep. Their son wanted to watch his family, but he desperately needed a nap.
“Cannonball!” Jaq shouted as he and Tori joined them.
Stripping his shirt and pants off down to his swimming trunks, the knight raced towards the rickety dock Cam had built.
He leaped into the water with his knees drawn up to his chest. Kochab and Qiana turned away from the gigantic splash of water that drenched them.
“Will your brother ever grow up?” the trauma surgeon asked with a slight scowl.
“Nope,” Koach said, grinning as they treaded water. “That’s what we love about him. He’ll always be a rascal.”
“Who wants to race me to the far end of the lake?” Jacquin asked.
A mad rush of males removing their clothes down to their trunks ensued, then they splashed into the water. Qiana swam to shore, shaking her head as the knights began their race. “Sometimes, it’s hard to believe those idiots have been the saviors of our world for billions of years,” she said wryly.
Amaros watched his brothers with a fond smile, glad they were finally being given the chance to find true happiness.