Chapter Thirty-Two
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“I GET THE FEELING YOU’RE not just here to visit,” Amaros said after their snacks had been consumed. “Did Fate send you to live here in our base with us?”
“She showed me a cabin I believe is somewhere nearby,” the mystic replied. “I know it’s near a lake.”
“We have a cabin on the far side of our lake,” Zoe confirmed. “You’re welcome to move into it, but we’ll need to make some adjustments first.”
“I’ll install an indoor toilet and water pipes from the lake and set up another septic tank,” Reegan said, knowing her family would pitch in to help her.
“We’ll need to install solar panels and a battery,” Xan figured. Sin could easily duplicate the items.
“I’ve only been here for an hour and it already feels like home,” the Mad Prophet joked.
“We can probably expand the cabin to give you more space,” Camriel mused, making mental plans to knock down an outside wall to build more rooms.
“I don’t need a mansion,” Queeg said, then glanced at the TV. “But it sure would be nice to be able to watch movies again.”
“We’ll set everything up for you,” Zoe vowed. “Have you seen anything about the latest knight who arrived a few days ago?”
Queegly sipped his coffee before replying. “He’s having a hard time winning his female over,” he said. “The cambion is resistant to change. She’s spent a long time living alone because of her talent.”
“What is her talent?” Arkas asked curiously.
“She can manipulate emotions,” the human replied. “You all heard Xathan issuing his warning about destroying whoever killed a bunch of militants?”
“We heard,” Kochab said.
“It was the cambion who made the soldiers and humans turn on each other,” Queeg explained. “Two soldiers were killed in the fracas and the knight and his mate escaped.”
“Two more of our enemies are dead?” Victoria asked in a gleeful tone. She leaped to her feet and grabbed the chart from a sideboard to update it.
“The shadow wielder also killed one of Rahab’s minions when they took her to the police headquarters,” their newest member of the base said casually.
The knights shared looks of dismay. “Are you talking about Jazmine Sedaka?” Amaros asked. “Lachial’s offspring?”
“That’s her,” the Mad Prophet confirmed. “She’s a pretty girl, but she’s absolutely nuts even after her sire bonded with her. Now, she’s not just crazy, she’s far more dangerous as well.”
Zo shivered hard and felt the sudden urge to go to her son. Arakiel felt her emotions through their bond and woke up. She used the excuse to go and get him, missing the fleeting look of compassion the human cast in her direction.
“It’ll take a while to get the cabin ready and to set up your equipment,” Amaros said. “You’re welcome to use any of the empty bedrooms in the north or south wing until then.”
“I appreciate your hospitality, son,” Queegly said, knowing the alien was billions of years older than him. He only looked like he was in his mid-to-late twenties, though.
“Can I give Queeg the tour?” Grace asked when Zoe returned with her son.
The Mad Prophet stood and crossed to his allies’ matriarch.
He gently took the baby’s hand and smiled.
“He’s a handsome little fella,” he said as obsidian eyes locked onto his face.
“Don’t worry, mama bear,” he said when Zoe frowned.
“I didn’t scan him. I just wanted to see the little tyke up close. ”
She’d scanned him and knew she could trust him and handed her baby over. “Bring him back to me before Grace takes you to the lake,” she requested.
“Will do, ma’am,” he said, expertly cradling Arak in one arm as he followed the littlest cambion on her tour.
Everyone moved into a huddle as soon as the pair were in the south wing. “Can we trust him?” Amaros asked his mate bluntly.
“Yeah,” Zo said. “Queegly used to be a normal human until a few months before the Rapture. He fell from an oilrig he was working on and fractured his skull. He survived against all odds, but he gained psychic powers. He knew the Rapture was coming and that he would lose his family. Fate chose him and now we have to keep him safe. His voice will be a beacon of hope for the people who still have gray souls.”
“He’s going to lead them to our allies so we’ll have an army of our own?” Amaros asked when he scanned the information from her mind.
“That’s a switch,” Braqel said with rising anticipation they all felt.
“Rahab won’t be the only one with a human army to back him up this time,” Eze said with a fierce grin.
Grace could hear every word her family was saying as she gave their newest arrival the tour.
Arakiel was quiet as the prophet carried him.
She waited until they headed outside so she could show him the interior of the garages before asking him a question.
“Do you know who my mate will be and when he’ll show up? ” she asked.
Queegly shook his head. “Sorry, little sister,” he said.
“Fate doesn’t show me information like that until after the knights arrive.
” He saw her disappointment and nudged her with his elbow.
“Chin up, kiddo. Whoever she picked will be the perfect male for you, just as you’ll be the perfect female for him. ”
“That’s doubtful,” she said morosely, pushing the button to lower the roller door again. “I’m not much to look at compared to my sisters.”
Queeg had picked up her past from their brief moment of contact.
He turned to face her with a solemn expression.
“The things your mom put you through don’t define you, Gracelyn Doblin,” he said.
“Fate is delaying the arrival of your mate so you can grow into the woman you’re supposed to be.
Never doubt that you’re worthy of a Knight of Order.
Every single one of you has a purpose. It’ll just take a while before you’ll get your chance to shine. ”
Tears had gathered in her green eyes at his compassionate, knowing tone. “I almost wish you were my pops,” she joked, blinking her tears away. “I doubt Vetis is capable of giving me that sort of peptalk.”
He chuckled and bounced Arak when the baby started to fuss. “This little fella needs his mom,” he figured, then they headed back to the base. “As for your pops, Vetis thrives on torturing females. It’s the only thing that brings him true joy. I want you to remember that.”
Grace had the feeling he’d seen a flash of her future and nodded uneasily. “Yeah, that doesn’t really surprise me,” she said. Zoe was waiting for them at the main entrance to their home. “You’d better feed the little monster before he starts rage crying and brings the walls down,” the kid joked.
Zo gave her an exasperated look before taking her son from the oracle. “Are you heading to the lake now?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” Queeg replied respectfully. “We might take an amble to the cabin while we’re at it.”
Grace nodded in agreement. “Don’t worry, we’ll be on the lookout for bears,” she said before her bestie could warn her.
“Take a gun, just in case,” Amaros said from the great room without raising his voice.
“Keep going to the end of the hallway,” Grace said to Queegly. “I’ll meet up with you in a second.”
Zoe had hurried off down the closest passageway to the south wing so she could feed Arakiel in privacy.
Queegly strode down the hall, marveling over just how large the base was. Seeing it in visions hadn’t prepared him for the reality. He’d barely taken three strides before the teen was at his side again. “Thanks,” he said when she handed him a pistol.
“You know how to use one, right?” she asked.
“I’m from Texas,” he reminded her in amusement. “My pops taught me how to shoot when I was six years old.”
Xanthia had set up cameras around the lake and near the cabin. She kept an eye on the Mad Prophet and their sister as Grace gave him a tour of the lake and cabin. “They’re on their way back,” she reported a couple of hours later.
Grace was skipping at the human’s side, happy to have someone new to talk to. Queeg was smiling and looked at ease. They paused when a deer emerged from the woods on the far side of the lake. The Texan didn’t raise his gun to shoot it. They both watched the doe drink, then continued their journey.
“I think Mr. Crantz is going to fit in here just fine,” Qiana said. She’d sent her magic into the human and hadn’t found anything wrong with him medically. His fractured skull had healed nicely.
“Fate wouldn’t have sent him here if he was going to cause us any trouble,” Zoe said.
Arak had fallen asleep on her lap, full of milk and surrounded by his loved ones.
Despite the tranquility, a deep sense of unease slowly continued to rise inside her.
She wished she knew what was causing it, but it remained a mystery.