Something tightens in my chest. They’re not wrong, but the casual way they say it grates against something raw.
Where the hell have they been? They laugh like no time has passed, like they’ve been on the sidelines rooting for me all along.
They weren’t.
They left me.
So instead of matching their smiles or letting them bask in their own satisfaction, I let my shadows pool heavier at my feet.
“Why now?” My voice is sharper than intended, but the bitterness rising in my chest feels long overdue. “After decades of silence, why show up now?”
Porter sighs, running a hand through his shaggy hair. “The Fates reached out.”
The words hit like ice water. The Fates don’t reach out. They meddle. They unravel. They choose the worst possible moment and call it destiny.
“The Fatesneverreach out,” I say slowly. “Not unless it’s to deliver catastrophic news. Usually mine.”
Zane straightens, suddenly serious. “Why didn’t you tell us you found a way back in the Act?”
I stare at them, my pulse kicking up. “What? I didn’t. That’s…that’s simply not true.”
Porter’s jaw tightens. “Well, according to them, it is. And the three of us need to be together to sign it.”
My thoughts race. Of course. After centuries of silence, of leaving me to claw through this mess alone, now they appear. Because they thinktheireternity is suddenly on the line. Not because they believed I could handle it. Not because they remembered me.
I’ve chased this for centuries, only to circle endlessly, stonewalled at every turn. So why are the Fates pushing this narrative now? Why drag my brothers back into it? What game are they playing?
My head spins with questions I don’t have answers to. The door creaks open before I can bombard my brothers further. I turn just in time to see Levi step inside, balancing a tray of coffees and a bag of pastries, looking determined.
A do-over.
He felt the tension this morning, and in classic Levi fashion, everything can be fixed with caffeine and kindness.
I don’t know whether to kiss him or curse him.
“Good morning!” he announces, breezing into the family minefield like it’s Sunday brunch, not a supernatural intervention. “Figured this meeting deserved a proper start.”
Zane’s smirk widens. “Oh, yeah. Ireallylike this one.”
Levi eyes them warily as he hands out coffee, then looks back at me, searching for signs of distress. I take the cup he offers, my fingers brushing his, and the knot twisting in my chest eases.
“It’s so great toofficiallymeet you both,” he says, leaning into me, sipping his coffee. “In town long?”
Porter, rummaging through the bag of still-warm pastries, pipes up. “Not sure yet.”
Levi nods, then zeroes in on me. “You should have dinner with us. Tonight. My place.”
I narrow my eyes. “Levi—”
He reaches for my hand, squeezing lightly, then drops his voice so only I can hear. “They’re your family, Hayden,” he says. “And family deserves a meal.”
Something about the way he saysfamilymakes my throat tighten.
Zane perks up, a flaky croissant in each hand. “That’s an invitation I could get behind.”
Levi grins, looking far too pleased with himself. “Good.”
Before I can argue why this is a massive mistake, Zane closes the gap and sweeps Levi into a bear hug.
