LXXIII

The night had grown quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the backyard and the soft hum of the kitchen light. The birthday party had been a success—awesome, as Leon would say—and I couldn’t help but smile as I glanced at the heap of brightly colored wrapping paper and the remnants of party decorations scattered around.

Leon was already asleep upstairs, sprawled out in his bed, clutching one of his new toys like it was the most precious thing in the world. That was good. He’d been running on sugar and adrenaline for hours, and the crash was inevitable.

Meanwhile, I was left to tackle the aftermath.

Leora and Selena were in the kitchen, tackling the mountain of dishes. I heard the clinking of plates and the low murmur of their conversation, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter. I was in the living room, stuffing trash bags with paper plates, napkins, and what felt like an infinite number of cupcake wrappers.

“This is the last time we’re hosting a party this big,” I muttered to myself, though I knew it wasn’t true.

Selena popped her head out of the kitchen with a mischievous grin on her face. “You say that now, but wait until next year. Or Christmas. Or, I don’t know, National Leon Day.”

“Don’t give him ideas,” I shot back, tying off one of the trash bags and hauling it toward the door.

Leora emerged from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. “Selena’s right, you know. You spoil him too much.”

“Me? You’re the one who bought him a remote-controlled helicopter the size of a small dog.”

It wasn’t as bad as a whole slide and a swing set.

Leora rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, she joined me in picking up stray party hats and balloons. Selena followed, grabbing a broom and sweeping up crumbs with an exaggerated flair.

“You know,” Selena began, leaning on the broom like it was a staff, “this was actually kind of nice. Loud, chaotic, and full of sugar-induced screaming, but nice.”

I snorted. “High praise coming from you.”

“Hey, I’m serious,” she said, nudging me with the broom handle. “You’ve got a good thing here, Reynard. Leon’s lucky to have you.”

Her words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to respond. I glanced at Leora, who was busy folding up the collapsible chairs we’d borrowed from the neighbors. She didn’t say anything, but the small smile on her face told me she agreed.

“Thanks,” I said finally, tossing another trash bag toward the growing pile by the door.

By the time we’d finished cleaning up, the house was quiet and mostly back to its normal state. The kitchen was spotless, the living room cleared of debris, and the backyard dark and still under the faint glow of the porch light.

Leora stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. “I’m going to check on Leon,” she said, heading upstairs.

Selena grabbed a beer from the fridge and plopped down on the couch. “You’ve earned a break, Dad of the Year,” she said, patting the spot next to her.

I hesitated for a moment, then joined her, cracking open my own beer. We sat in comfortable silence, the events of the day replaying in my mind.

“You’re doing good, Reynard,” Selena said after a while, her voice softer than usual.

I didn’t reply, but I nodded, letting her words sink in as I sat up and set aside my beer.

Selena leaned back on the couch, nursing her beer as I stacked the last of the chairs by the wall. The house was finally clean, Leon was asleep, and the air had settled into that rare kind of peace that only came after a chaotic day.

And yet, I couldn’t resist stirring the pot.

“So,” I said, turning toward her with a sly grin, “when are you getting married?”

Selena choked on her beer mid-sip, spraying it across the rag she’d been using to wipe down the coffee table. She glared at me, her face a mix of shock and irritation.

“What the hells, man?” she spluttered, wiping her mouth.

“Worth it,” I said with a laugh, leaning against the wall. “I mean, I told you like two years ago about who your soulmate’s gonna be. Wouldn’t it be nice to finally meet him? Unlock your bloodline powers and all that?”

Selena narrowed her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh sure, because everyone loves hearing about their supposed soulmate from a discount precog who can’t keep his mouth shut.”

“Hey, I’ve been nothing but honest with you,” I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. “And I do care about your interests, you know. So enlighten me—what’s stopping you?”

Selena snorted, setting her beer down with more force than necessary. “You’re pretty dense for a guy who’s supposed to see the future.”

“Maybe,” I said, crossing my arms. “But humor me. What’s the holdup? It’s not like being soulmates guarantees you’ll actually like each other. Who knows? Maybe it’s just a one-night stand. That’s all you need, right? Boom, bloodline powers unlocked. Maybe even bump you up to Ascended status.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I watched her carefully, gauging her reaction. Becoming Ascended wasn’t just about power—it would make her a blindspot to the Prophet’s precognition, giving her a real shot at taking him down. It wasn’t just for her; it was for all of us.

Selena stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

“You make it sound so easy,” she said, her voice quieter now. “Like it’s just a checkbox on some cosmic to-do list.”

“Isn’t it?” I asked.

She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “No, it’s not. Because even if you’re right—and I’m not saying you are—it’s not just about me. What if he’s not ready? What if I’m not ready? And what if…” She trailed off, her fingers tightening around the edge of the rag.

“What if what?” I prompted, sitting down across from her.

Selena hesitated, her gaze fixed on the floor. “What if I don’t want to be tied to someone just because fate says so? What if I want it to be my choice?”

I leaned back, considering her words. She had a point. For all my talk about destiny and soulmates, I knew better than most how heavy those chains could feel.

“Fair enough,” I said finally. “But you’re still wasting potential.”

Selena rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile on her lips. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“Yep,” I said, standing up and stretching. “And you’re stubborn. But hey, that’s what makes us such a great team.”

She laughed, a genuine, light sound that cut through the lingering tension. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook for that one, though.”

I grinned. “Looking forward to it.”

“It’s complicated,” Selena said suddenly. Her voice was quiet but firm, the kind of tone she used when she’d decided to let her guard down—just a little. “It’s stupid enough that for my magical bloodline to activate, I need to lose my virginity to my soulmate.”

I raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of my beer. “Well, that’s one way to restart a conversation.”

She shot me a look but continued. “Do you know I inherited this blood from my mom? She told me about my special bloodline powers and literally begged—like, on her dying breath—that I had to awaken it so my stupid dad would accept me back.”

“Silhouette, right?” I asked, leaning back against the counter. “Did you ask him? I believe he’d accept you if you just asked.”

Selena snorted, her expression darkening. “Yeah, he’d accept me. Of course, as just another asset.” She downed a swig of beer, her voice hardening. “That’s not what I want. I wanted to be seen as his daughter, not a tool. Daddy issues… so lame, right?”

“Nah,” I said, shrugging. “Leon will join the club sometime soon, so you wouldn’t be so lonely.”

Selena glared at me, but the corner of her mouth twitched, betraying a hint of amusement. “Stop with the dark humor. It doesn’t suit you.”

I smirked, taking another sip. “You’re the one who said it was complicated. I’m just trying to lighten the mood.”

Selena sighed, rubbing her temples. “You don’t get it, Rey. It’s not just about activating some power or proving something to my dad. It’s… everything. The expectations. The legacy. The pressure to be something I’m not even sure I want to be.”

I nodded slowly. “I get it more than you think. But you know what I’ve learned? Sometimes, the people who put all that weight on us—parents, society, whatever—they don’t actually know what they’re asking. They’re just passing down their own baggage, hoping we’ll carry it better than they did.”

Selena stared at me, her expression unreadable. “And what if I can’t carry it?”

“Then you drop it,” I said simply as I picked up my beer from where I left it. “And you decide what’s worth picking back up.”

She was quiet for a long moment, her gaze distant. Then she sighed again, softer this time. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It’s not,” I admitted. “But you’re strong, Selena. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. And you’ve got people who care about you, whether or not you awaken your bloodline or prove anything to anyone.”

She gave me a small, tired smile. “Thanks, Rey. You’re still an ass, though.”

“Guilty as charged,” I said with a grin, raising my bottle in a mock toast.

Selena clinked hers against mine, and for the first time that night, the weight in the room seemed to lift just a little.

The doorbell rang, sharp and unexpected, cutting through the quiet hum of the night. I glanced at the clock on the wall: 11:45 PM. What in the loving hell?

Selena was already halfway to the door, her beer abandoned on the table. “I’ll go,” she said curtly.

I didn’t argue. In my current state, with aura completely tied up in the Soul Chain I used to keep Leon in check, I was about as useful as a blunt knife. Still, the unexpected timing put me on edge. My mind raced through contingency plans—snap the Soul Chain, warn Leora, prepare a counter-attack…

My thoughts were interrupted by a voice I recognized instantly.

“Where is my brother?”

Atropos.

Selena’s voice was sharp and dry, laced with annoyance. “That’s tough. Party’s over. Go home.”

I frowned, setting my beer aside. At first, I thought maybe she’d come to check if Leon liked her gift—or if he’d opened it yet. That thought quickly turned to guilt when I remembered the massive box was still dumped in the garage. I hadn’t even started assembling the slide and swing for the treehouse.

But Atropos wouldn’t show up this late over something so trivial, right? Then again, Leon’s birthday wouldn’t be trivial to her. Still, this wasn’t about the gift.

I sighed, pushing myself off the couch. When I walked to the door, Atropos’s expression shifted ever so slightly. Her eyes sparkled briefly at the sight of me, though she quickly masked it. Selena, on the other hand, clicked her tongue in irritation.

“We did it,” Atropos said, her voice calm but charged with restrained excitement. “We made the technology that could help even mundanes learn aura.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what?”

Selena leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “She’s probably drunk,” she muttered, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity.

Atropos ignored her. “It’s real, Reynard. The simulations were successful. The artifact—the software—it works. A mundane could now learn aura techniques and even develop special abilities in months, not years.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with implication.

It looked like the… research paper I turned over to Bob worked…

I crossed my arms, my gaze narrowing. “And you came here at midnight to tell me this because…?”

Atropos hesitated, glancing briefly at Selena before turning her attention back to me. “Because this changes everything, Reynard. And because you’re the only one I trust to understand the weight of what we’ve done.”

Selena scoffed. “Oh, please. Spare me the melodrama.”

I held up a hand, silencing her. “Atropos, you’ve got the whole Association behind you, not to mention Bob himself. What do you need from me?”

Atropos took a step closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “I need your perspective. Your insight. This technology… it could save lives, but it could also destroy them. I want to make sure we’re on the right path before we take the next step.”

Her words struck a chord in me. The idea of mundanes—people like I once was—having access to aura sounded like a revolution. But revolutions were rarely bloodless.

I exhaled slowly. “Come in,” I said finally. “Let’s talk.”

Atropos nodded, stepping inside as Selena rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath. I had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

~073