JACKSON

Morning light poured in through the windows of the conference room as I stared down at the city. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Sophia anxiously pacing the room, while Sebastian and Dominick passed the time on their phones. The room was silent. After a few more minutes, we turned to the opaque glass doors when a cloaked figure stepped in. Walking towards the end of the long conference room table, her shoes made a clicking noise before she pulled off her ragged cloak.

Sophia averted her gaze and straightened out her hair. "Amara."

The black of Amara’s pantsuit and dark brown of her hair pulled into a tight bun, brought out the silver of her eyes. Her red lips turned up in a grin at the room. "I want to see smiles on those dower faces." She gestured toward the four of us, but a look of confusion was shared between Sophia, Dominick, and Sebastian. "Oh." Amara noticed the fear on Sophia's face. "My darlings, you have nothing to fear regarding last night’s debacle. I would never scold my children for trying their hardest." Amara sat down and a glass of red wine materialized in her hand.

"We are not your children." My savage tone caught the attention of everyone in the room.

Sophia seethed through clenched teeth. "Shut up, Jackson. If you hadn't been busy making out with your ex, we would've succeeded."

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My body expanded before I turned to Sophia. Her eyes blackened and darkness crackled between her fingers.

"Enough," Amara shouted before Sophia and I dropped to the ground from the pain Amara made course through us. It was like hot pokers were running over every nerve ending at the same time. A few minutes later, the agony subsided. Sophia and I rose from the ground and moved to opposite ends of the conference room. "Sophia, you need to be more understanding of Jackson. You know he hasn't seen Enoch in a very long time. Jackson has had his fun, and now that this new Enoch knows the truth and wants nothing to do with him, we can put it to rest." Amara took a long sip from her wine.

I had gone back to blankly staring out of the window but clenched my fists at her words.

"Now, if I can have an uninterrupted moment of everyone's attention." I watched everyone's reflection in the glass turn to Amara. "Truth be told, my darlings, I ordered Jackson to end the ritual. When I discovered that some of our old enemies had returned along with the Nexus Stone, I knew our plans would benefit from some adjustments. However, nothing has changed. As I told each of you months ago, this city is where I foresaw my husband’s return. Our focus.” Amara paused to turn her chair towards me. "Should remain on retrieving the Nexus Stone, but more importantly, on this Aidan." My eyes shot in Amara's direction and she gave me a smile. "I have plans for him. Is that understood?"

There was a moment of pause before Sophia, Sebastian and Dominick replied in unison. "Yes, ma'am."

“Doesn't really matter since the guy is indestructible,” Sebastian added while I kept my eyes locked on Amara.

Her smile grew wider showing her teeth before she let out a deafening laugh. “Oh, my grandson is many things, but indestructible is not one. Trust me on that.”