When the dust of battle settled, we discovered dozens of young adults, and even some children, with paranormal abilities locked up in the underground bunker facility. They were only a small selection of the world’s population of supernaturals, apparently. Several Aquoia, too, exhibited powers beyond this world, or at the very least, of its common comprehension.
With the resources of the institute, we had the opportunity to help all of them, ourselves too. We’d explore and learn about our abilities while we trained to wield them.
It was important that we understand more about thelushina, or the Sky People as the Aquoia called them, and about their great enemy, thedrash. Perhaps Magnum and his creepy, gray “companions” were all thedrashthat had infiltrated the earth. But how could we be certain? By all appearances, Magnum Chase had been just another greedy human mofo who put his own desires above everyone else’s. Megaelites like Magnum who took advantage at every turn because they could weren’t uncommon enough onEarth. But were theydrashtoo? Were there more of them secretly plotting to bend humanity—andlushina—to their will?
Hoping it wasn’t so wouldn’t protect anyone. Better to be prepared, just in case.
We were far from alone in our mission. Already, we had a skeleton crew in place that would aid us, and it kept expanding. Yolanda and Armando would stay on to teach the students to defend themselves. Jude, aka Reece and my “dad”; Tobias, aka Orson and Griff’s “dad”; and Marisa, aka Alexis and Hunt’s “mom” were the only lie-rents to survive their fight with Magnum’s soldiers. My not-mom and both of Brady and Layla’s not-parents had been killed.
They’d gone down fighting for us up until the very end, just as they’d promised.
At least they hadn’t gone out defending a lie but their love for us.
Jude, Tobias, and Marisa wanted to help make things right. For the first time in what felt like eons, I believed them. They would lead some other exemplary researchers in studying us—only to such extent as any of us felt comfortable, if at all; the choice was up to each individual—so we might begin to catalog the range of supernatural abilities and how it was that some of us “humans” had them and some didn’t.
The institute would also teach academics of all levels to best prepare us for whatever the world might hurl at us. Marisa was spearheading the hiring, and already we’d drawn the attention of brilliant professors around the globe. Hunt was practically salivating at the chance to study with them. It seemed the more astounding the teacher, the more the idea of teaching such extraordinary individuals became absolutely irresistible.
I’d believed what we were building here was totally unique, a vanguard for a whole new world. I mean, I’d heard of no other institute for supernaturals anywhere, ever—outside of fantasy, of course.
Then we received a visit from a very scholarly,talkingpygmy owl named Sir Lancelot—sobonkers—and two ancient wizard brothers named Albacus and Mordecai, who turned out not just to be ghosts—becauseno, that wasn’t nutty enough: talking ghosts I could see and hear—but half ghosts. The brothers were equally alive and dead … somehow.
Sir Lancelot, Mordecai, and Albacus were responsible for several academies tailored to those with paranormal capabilities all over the world. There were more, they said, but by name they mentioned a Magical Arts Academy, a Magical Creatures Academy, and a Magical Dragons Academy.
Dragons.
I mean,come on.
Dragons!
My first follow-up question was: When do we get to see dragons?Dragons.
Sir Lancelot had trilled cutely, cleared his throat like a person, and assured us we’d set something up soon.
After our experience with thedrash, I’d believed my mind incapable of blowing any wider open. My, how wrong I’d been. There weremagical academiesright under our noses all over the place—say what? How had I ever believed the world was so simple before?
We decided to name our new endeavor Ridgemore’s Institute for Supernaturals.
Our mission was undoubtedly ambitious and far-reaching, and in this world that required moolah—lots and lots of it … good thing I’d torn out the heart of a bajillionaire, eh?
Sheriff Xander turned out to be a true ally. With the aid of some well-intended forgery and a few crossed and smudged lines, he figured out a way to allocate the entirety of Magnum’s fortune to my crew. Xander said if anyone deserved that much money, we did, to make up for what that creep did to us.
Once we were in possession of the funds—and it wassomuch money; I’d never seen so many zeroes at the end of a number—we transferred it into a trust that my crew shared with the Aquoia tribe. Magnum had desecrated their sacred land—especially their lake, which they believed contained Sky People essence. He’d violated what was precious to the tribe.
The Aquoia deserved recompense too.
In union, we’d transform all that blood money into something amazing.
An incoming message vibrated my phone and Griffin’s.
Brady:Time’s up. Later!
Griffin rolled his eyes. “He knows we can’t leave her. We’re crew. We’re not going on our first cross-country road trip without her.”
I chuckled. “No, we’d never. He’s totally bluffing. But I can def see why he’s pissed.” I waggled my brows, spoke in an over-the-top French accent. “Like he says, we could be getting …pleasured, too, instead of sitting around.”
I ran my hands around Cleo’s steering wheel. “Though it is one fine place to sit. Man, did Cleo turn out pretty.”
“Nowhere near as pretty as you. No offense, Cleo.” Griffin’s eyes sparkled. “And … no one says we can’t get a lil’ busy while we wait.” He slid along the leather of his seat, leaned forward. “Nowhere I’d rather be than with you, baby. I don’t care where we are.”
