Page 156 of Taming the Kraken

“You really should have just told me I was your mate back then and let me figure out what I wanted to do with that information.” Reiya looked up to see the sheepish grin on Lee’s face.

“Instead, Chelsie and I had to wipe the drool off her chin every time she saw you.” Brody listened as Reiya gasped.

“Brody!” Reiya said, slightly mortified.

“That’s okay, Reiya. Levi here was no better. I knew every time he came back from seeing you, he would be brooding and in a bad mood.” Xander looked around the room. “Is Lita still working on replicating those crystals?”

“Yes,” Reiya said with a slight frown. “It’s taking so much out of her.”

“It’s going to be weird without you guys living in the dragon kingdom,” Lila said, knowing Xander was thinking the same thing. The nembrant glass left her in a bit of a blur. Unlike Alexa, who had remembered everything clearly, she didn’t. It was like waking up from a dream state. What happened from the time she got the nembrant glass in her eye until it was removed was hazy. She didn’t even remember when it happened.

“Any word on Alexa?” Brian finally spoke up in agitation. He was not like this family, and just pretending everything was fine didn’t work for him.

Levi frowned and looked down at Reiya. Her face was crestfallen as she glanced down at her hands. The whole room became solemn as their worries were brought to the surface.

“No … nothing.” Levi said quietly.

“Then what are we doing? We should be—” Brian started but stopped with a glance from Levi.

“How do we find her? We can’t just aimlessly wander around looking for her. With everything going on, we shouldn’t be splitting up. I would do anything to keep her safe. I—” Levi stopped as three people manifested in the middle of the room.

“Thank the gods!” Reiya jumped up and wrapped her arms around Alexa. Alexa hugged her mother tightly as her father wrapped them both in his arms.

“Just god. Thank the god. And I’m right here. You’re welcome,” Ken said with a smirk.

“Pfft. Thank the guardian. I’m the one who killed Erebus.” Mikah snorted and Ken glared at him.

“And we found them because of me.”

“Because the moron broke the necklace. Oh … I’m sorry …” Mikah said solemnly.

“Sorry?” Ken looked at him in confusion.

“I shouldn’t speak like that about your ‘lover.’” Mikah grinned widely.

Ken glared at Mikah. That damn bear couldn’t wait to tell everyone.

“Lover?” Brian asked with a playful smile on his lips.

“Didn’t you know? Ken is so much of a man that Erebus fell for him.” Mikah ran his hand over his chest and tugged down on his shirt. He bit his lower lip and batted his eyes at Ken. “Careful, Alexa, or I might not be able to resist those godly pheromones he is practically dripping with.” He dodged to the side as Ken swung his arm at him. “Owww, you vicious thaaaang!”

“Erebus was in love with you?” Levi looked up at Ken, who turned from Mikah and shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t think he knew what love was, to be honest.” Ken just couldn’t fathom such a poisonous love. Erebus thought he was in love with him, but his actions never reflected it.

“Are you okay?” Reiya held her daughter’s head against her.

“Yes, I’m fine. We would have been back sooner. But we searched over Erebus’ castle for clues, and I needed to change my clothes before we came back.”

“What did you find?” Levi asked, looking at Ken and Mikah.

“Nothing. There was nothing there. It was almost … it was as if he planned to die,” Mikah said, clearing his throat uneasily.

“I wish we didn’t have to kill him. I couldn’t seal him on my own, and we couldn’t risk losing him again.” Ken looked at Levi and shrugged. “Damned if you do … damned if you don’t.”

“You didn’t have a choice. You couldn’t risk him getting away.” Levi then directed his attention to Mikah. “I spoke with Gaia more about you. I’m guessing Ken filled you in.” He watched as Mikah nodded his head. “You have chosen Alexa as your master. You are connected to her now, which is why you could sense each other even when you weren’t a guardian. The master bond with a primordial still has many mysteries. Gaia isn’t sure what all this will mean. Talia, the primordial beast that was killed, never took on a master.”

“I guess we’ll be learning about it now.” Mikah chuckled and shrugged. “The dark sprite is no longer an issue for me. I’m not sure exactly, but I believe I absorbed it.”