“I never thought I would see the day,” Sage mutters to me, and I cackle along with her, giving Aro a quick hug as I pass her by.
She only sticks around for as long as it takes her to reassure herself that Sawyer is getting ready and wearing the appropriate attire before she's off and running around after her younger brother. Lahn has no interest in wearing dress pants and a nice shirt. I'm surprised when Wick is the one who convinces the boy to slow down and get dressed with nothing more but a few kind words and the promise of a few rounds of Mario Kart when they get home.
He's incredibly kind and patient with the boy, helpful to Aro, and very respectful of her as they work as a team to get the boy dressed. I watch, a little shocked for a moment, before I turn to Sage, finding my bestie staring with literal heart eyes at her newest Bonded.
I bite down on a smile, and when she notices me, she nudges me with her shoulder. “I can't help it. I've been so worried about finding him a place in our Bonded Group that it didn't even occur to me that he would figure one out by himself.”
“Has he? Figured it out, I mean,” I say quietly, and she nods.
“It’s still pretty rough around here. Lahn had a nightmare about the Resistance a few nights ago. He was screaming, and we all woke up in a panic. Aro couldn't get him to calm down, and Wick was so quick to jump into helping her. He sat with him for most of the night, and he helped Felix to check him over once Lahn was calm enough. He didn't even hesitate for a second, and it just proved to me and to the rest of the Bonded Group that he really is a good person. It's just a big adjustment period for us all.”
I’ve had a few of those myself, so I can’t help but nod back, slipping my arm into hers as we both watch the little boy dance around Wick on his tippy-toes, chatting away about high scores and the color of the car that he wants to win in one of the games.
Wick smiles back down at him, chatting away nicely and pointing things out to him that his sister needs, getting his shoes and socks on and finishing off the basic care tasks to get the little boy to the town meeting.
The difference in the way that Gray and Sawyer both regard Wick is like night and day. When we'd last been here, there had been nothing but derision and snark thrown in his direction, but now there is a thankful air around them, kindness and respect as they help their Bonded with her brother. I’m grateful that Sage might finally catch a break.
We head out to the ATVs together, Atlas and Gabe waiting at the door for us all. They were both happy to give me space while I got my hair done, especially since they know how much I hate the experience. When they see me, I duck my head to hide my grin from them.
Who would have thought such a simple dress would ignite both of them like that?
“The entire town is about to get an eyeful of you guys if you don't get your shit together,” Sawyer snarks, choosing his words very carefully as he directs the small boy into one of the ATVs.
Trust Sawyer to figure out how to make dirty innuendos on the sly around small ears. Aro just shakes her head at him, buckling Lahn in and handing him one of the small, handheld consoles that he loves so much.
“Just until we get there and the meeting starts, andonlybecause you did such a good job getting ready, then it's off and you have to be quiet and respectful while we listen to Mr. Draven speak, okay? He does a lot for us in our community. You need to be a good member of this town that keeps us safe.”
Lahn listens intently to her and then nods his head, taking the game from her and switching it on without another word. He always seems so good and well-mannered to me, but I've heard from Sage that he definitely has spirit and some trauma that has kept his sister up a lot at night.
I can't imagine how difficult the burden of raising her younger sibling is. The way that she does it with such devotion, love, and respect for him is a huge credit to both her and her Bonded Group. I only hope that things will settle down in the world soon so that we can get to know the little boy a little bit more and help him make friends in the Sanctuary.
With the way things are at the moment, Aro doesn't even want to send him to the school in case he gets targeted for being so close to our Bonded Groups. It was something else I felt a small sprinkling of guilt about until Sage pointed out that it was as much about her own Bonded Group as it is about ours.
Kieran and Felix are notable players, as well as Sawyer, thanks to his job doing security.
Not everything is about me and my void eyes.
That was a quiet dose of reality I very much needed. As we approach the dining hall, the only structure big enough to house the entire population of the Sanctuary, if everyone stands, I remind myself of that again.
Not everything is about me.
But this meeting just might be.
* * *
It doesn't matterhow prepared we are for the situation. There are always hiccups, the first of which is Nox's complete meltdown about where everyone is going to stand. I can see how much it grates on Atlas until he realizes what exactly is going on here.
Nox is concerned, of course, that someone is going to try to attack North as he's speaking. It would be a stupid idea, but it’s also a very real possibility now that we know about the god-bonds and their ability to mess with things even inside the safety of the Sanctuary walls.
He also knows that I am the bigger target here.
So Nox finds himself split between who he is going to protect himself, the only person he truly trusts to do the job properly. I think we’re going to have to watch the Draven brothers fight it out over canceling the meeting, except then I witness a minor miracle.
“I’ll stand with North. I can project my Gift onto him the entire time, and if you guys all stand closely enough, I can project it over Oli as well, that way you can stand with her but know that I have North covered, as well as our Bonded,” Atlas says in a very firm and confident voice.
I watch as the cogs turn in Nox's brain. He doesn't answer him right away, but it's also not a disrespectful thing, he’s figuring out whether or not this situation feels safe enough for him. Whether or not he feels as though his brother is going to be guarded enough. I can tell that North is having to physically restrain himself from getting involved, but we leave it to Nox for a moment until finally, he turns to me, three shadows falling from his body as Mephis, Procel, and Rahab appear.
“Stand right here with me, Oleander,” he says, pointing. I do as he says, ignoring the shortness of his tone.
