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“You all make me sound lame.” Grace scowled. “All I did was lower the temperature of Demon’s Ridge so Air Boy and I wouldn’t die.” She shrugged. “Almost didn’t make it, but we did okay, didn’t we?”
Dalton kissed his mate’s forehead as those of us who’d witnessed their condition at Bard’s house cringed.
“I’m not sure who came back to us worse, Dalton and Grace or Chris.” Jeff’s voice shook a little, and Tessa squeezed his hand.
“This has been quite the journey for you boys, hasn’t it?” the witch asked.
My brothers and I nodded.
“It’s a journey we needed to take, and at least we have you Ladies at the end of it.” Carmon, whose eyes were still dark from exhaustion, smiled at all the women in our circle. Then his gaze fell on the babies Drew, Jazz, and Sophie held. “And we have three little babies in the family now.”
“Where is everyone?” I couldn’t hold off my question any longer.
Carmon sighed. “Everyone who came with us from the academy, Sylee’s family, Connor, and Hazel have all been sent on to Cambria. Apparently, that’s where our large army is congregating.”
My brows drew low. “What about Bard’s Forest?”
Jeff answered. “According to Life, Bard’s Forest is no longer inhabited by the Mindolin. Once he came through to this dimension, he no longer either needed the power from the forest or he couldn’t connect to it anymore.”
“And Bard?”
Jeff shrugged. “No one knows yet. If they do, they’re keeping it to themselves.”
“And our mother?”
“Right here.” Lady Water bustled into the room from the gym, followed by her siblings. “I’m sorry, but you’ve had all the time you can be allowed to catch up with each other.”
If she’d expected to be greeted with smiles and love, she would’ve been sorely disappointed by the scowls sent in her direction from her sons. Our girls kept blank faces, unsure of how they should act in front of our mother.
The furniture began to move. Couches moved back and the chairs from the dining room table came to form a circle. Lord Earth settled himself on a chair after rearranging the floorplan while Drew glared at him.
While everyone else took seats, my brothers and their mates all congregating close together near Brynn and me, I pulled Brynn up to sit in front of the fireplace, on the brick, with me. It still seemed unreal that she was here with me surrounded by my family.
Shame washed over me again. One day I’d forgive myself for keeping her a secret. Today was not that day.
Adam, what’s wrong?Brynn looked around the room while she spoke to me. Her tensions were rising with all the Elementals around. She was one now, but she would struggle to think of herself like that, just as the other girls had.
I’m okay.
You are not. What’s wrong?
Everyone was still settling into their spots, so I nuzzled my nose against Brynn’s temple. She laughed in my head.
The guy in the red and the one in the orange both rolled their eyes.Her voice was humored.
Red is Alex. Healing Elemental with a bad attitude. Orange is Leo, the Fire Elemental. Also bad attitude. You know what, just go with the fact all male Elementals have a bad attitude. It will save you time.
Brynn’s brows drew down.Is that why you’re sometimes a grump?
Yes. I was taught by the best in that regard.Mom had better have some answers for us on that as well.
“Lords and Ladies,” Lady Life stood before her siblings, nephews, and nieces-in-law. “We are at the end, either ours or the Mindolin’s.”
“Nice pep talk, sister,” Leo, the Fire Elemental grumbled.
“Enough.” Life’s eyes blazed bright. Leo took his leg off the arm of the couch where he’d been slouching and sat up straight. Her eyes then rested on our mother. “For twenty-one years I’ve allowed you to govern your family how you saw fit. Even when it went against my better judgment. They are your children—"
“Ye—"
