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The real scary thing was that Wiley was right. Maybe he hadn’t realized it until Wiley said the words, but the action had been there last night. He would have given his life to keep Lucien and Calder safe. He hadn’t hesitated to jump into the fight, armed with nothing more than a rolling pin. What he felt for them was complete and consuming. Their joy was his joy, and their fear was his fear.
“Yes,” Gio murmured. “But…will everything change in my life with this power? What if it’s not enough to be of any help?”
Wiley chuckled. “Not as many changes as you’d expect. I still work most days on my comic books. We all live together, eat together, and poke fun at each other. With your big family, it probably wouldn’t be an adjustment for you.”
Gio could only blink at him for a second. The reality of moving into the house with the rest of the Weavers hadn’t even dawned on him yet. His condo was nice, but it was too damn quiet. He was accustomed to living with multiple people, constantly tripping over each other. That life was his idea of heaven.
And then going to bed each night with Lucien and Calder. A tangle of arms and legs. So much warmth. No, that was heaven.
“As for the power,” Wiley paused and smiled. “It’ll be enough.”
“How do you know?”
“Because it always has been. The Weavers needed a healer, so they got Dane. When they needed someone who could remove an evil spell that controlled animals, they got me. When Grey was breaking before our eyes, overwhelmed by his own power and the mental onslaught, he got Cort.” He leaned across the table. “We might not know exactly what we need yet, but you will be perfect.”
“Like a bunch of goddesses happened to plan it that way,” Gio snorted.
“Oh, I think they know far more than they like to let on.” He finished his mug of coffee and pushed it aside. “But no matter how it all works out, can you really imagine life without them now?”
Gio sighed. “No, I can’t. And I know it’s fast, but I also know how I feel.”
“You love them.” Wiley made it a statement, no room for doubt or argument.
He did. So much. “I should tell them that first.”
“Eh, I can tell. I don’t blame you. They’re both incredible. Like Baer. Imagine knowing that you had been reincarnated over and over to stop the world from dying. I’m in awe of them.”
Gio nodded. “But I hope this time is different.”
“So do I.”
Servers started wandering between the tables as more people filed into the room, ready for breakfast. Voices filled the area and Gio looked around, hoping none would sit too close to their table, because he wasn’t done talking to Wiley about things best not heard by others.
Grimacing, Gio picked up his muffin, then put it back down. His stomach felt queasy from their conversation. “This will be over soon, right? They need to get the last Weaver and they’ll defeat the pestilents.”
Wiley winced and shrunk in his chair. “That’s just it. They don’t know. Supposedly, they’ll be more powerful when the circle is complete with the Air Weaver. I’m still going through the books and journals, though I did skip to the end of the journals. There’s not much there.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his empty mug. “It would be so much easier if they’d left better instructions.”
“So, they’re basically flying blind. Good to know.”
“All I know is, I fell in love with one of them, and now I’m a part of this.” Wiley picked up Gio’s muffin and pinched off a bite. “I also find it all extremely exciting. Most of my life I only dreamed this sort of thing was possible. Magic. To know it truly exists is awe-inspiring.”
Gio nodded. Awe was certainly part of this. But there was also fear of the unknown. The crux was, he was too attached to Lucien and Calder not to move ahead with all this. Even if he lost everything at the end of this fight, at least he would know that he stood beside them, that he stole as much time as he could with them. “I think I want to bond with them.”
Wiley instantly sat up, a smile spreading across his face. “Good. We need you. And the soul-mate bond is something else. Nothing feels like it. You think you’re in love now. Everything feels bigger, more complete with the bond.”
“I’ve been giving it a lot of thought since yesterday. I’ve never fit with anyone quite like I fit with Lucien and Calder. I don’t want to let them go. I want to fight with them—to keep them safe.”
“Being soul mates is unlike having a regular relationship. Sure, you’ll fight like normal couples, but you know that no one will ever love you or understand you like your mate. Or in your case, mates.” Wiley looked over his shoulder and waved. “They’re here. I doubt Clay and the others will get here until later, and I’m starving now.”
