There was a creak as hermahmensettled back into her chair. “Talk to me, daughter mine.”
Lyric reached out and stirred some iridescent beads in their little container. When she’d been a young, the tiny donuts had delighted her, especially as the collection had always included every color imaginable, from the softest of lavenders and the brightest of reds, to the deepest of blues and the crispest yellows. And everything in between.
She cleared her throat and picked up a single crystal bead. “You know… when I was little, I used to think you had the power to splinter rainbows. I was convinced that somehow, you were able to go out during stormy days and find them, and these were what was left over. Fragments from your magic.”
Layla put her hand across the table, a beckoning gesture. “Something’s going on. Amahmenknows these things.”
Letting the bead drop back with its lot, Lyric replayed all kinds of clips from what she had decided was a night from hell. And considering the billboard bullshit from the evening before was her standard… that was really saying something.
Hermahmenmight have intuition, but with everything else that was going on, there was no reason to verify that hunch so graphically.
“It’s really okay. I’m just… a little off.”
The hell it was okay. She’d roped her brother into something thathad turned into a royal mess—literally, because L.W. had been involved—and then against her better judgment, she was getting totally obsessed with a human she couldn’t really be with.
Not truly. Not deeply… honestly.
God, she really wanted off this drama carousel.
“What was it like,” she abruptly heard herself ask. “Back when you were up in the Sanctuary with the Scribe Virgin.”
Layla’s perfectly beautiful face registered surprise. “I—well, ah… why do you ask?”
“I don’t know.” Lyric played with some red beads. “I’ve been thinking a lot about life lately. I’ve made the decision that I’m not going to do the social media thing anymore.”
“Why? You’ve enjoyed it so much.”
“It’s fake. Nothing but pretend. I can’t… I can’t keep going between mygranmahmen’s deathbed and a makeup chair so I can look good for pictures I don’t care about.” She shrugged. “And you know… sometimes I think it would be easier if I had a higher calling. Transcribing the history of the species, being so close to the creator of us all… must have been such a sacred duty.”
Hermahmen’s brows drew together again and she seemed to retreat into herself. “It was rather heartbreaking, in truth.”
“Because you couldn’t live your own life?”
“No.” Those pale eyes lifted. “Because we couldn’t help. We could only sit on the sidelines and watch.”
Lyric immediately returned to being up on that roof, hearing the shooting and the sirens. “Yes… that would be terrible.”
“It was.” Layla seemed to shake herself back to the present, picking up the bracelet she’d been working on. “That’s why I do this. I can make a difference for people who need help and support.”
“That’s what I want to do.”
“And you have so many years ahead of you.” Layla smiled with reassurance. “There are many avenues to work for the species—”
“What if I wanted to fight?”
“No.”
They both turned around. Xcor had come into the kitchen, and the expression on his face was like someone had suggested he invite a squadron of slayers to sit at his table.
Lyric frowned at the male. “Payne and Xhex fight—”
“They’re different.” He marched forward, peeling off his leather jacket as if he meant to show all of his weapons. “And I don’t want any more talk about this—”
“Why are they different?” Lyric knew in her heart the reasons why, but pride made her want to defend herself in some way. “They had to train. They had to learn. No one comes out of the womb knowing how to—”
“I’m not talking about this. Not tonight—”
Layla spoke up. “Okay, let’s just all take a—”
