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“Well,” Adam bounced on the balls of his feet, “I guess while we consider that, we should pack and decide what we’re doing.”
“We can’t go to Cambria.” Drew now burped the baby he held. “Mom’s there, and Life wants us far from her. Not that I disagree with that plan at all. I can’t believe she kept that from us.”
Sophie raised her hand. “Do you think there’s a way to destroy the Mindolin but save your father? I mean, the man he used to be before he turned bad.”
Jeff was already shaking his head. “His lust for power is a part of him now. The Mindolin is just a fancy name for Aaron Simmons. I mean, our father isn’t buried inside the body of the Mindolin, and no outside entity took over. Our dad has been making all these decisions. He’s even made the decisions that have nearly killed and completely damaged us. You saw what he did to Chris, Sophie. What he allowed to happen.”
Dalton kicked at the fireplace’s bricking in anger. “He wants us on his side, but he’s lost the heart and sense of how to go about doing that. To him, we are the power he needs to take over the world. If he can win us over, well, he’ll win. Together, we can defeat the Elementals without a problem.”
“To all of them,” Chris took over, “we have to pick a side. It’s either the Elementals or the Mindolin. My vote is, we don’t take a side. Both parties have abused us and aren’t worthy of our allegiance.”
Drew spoke up. “So, what, we go rogue?”
“We fight for the people,” Adam said. “We fight for their freedom from oppressive power, and we bring back the peace this world hasn’t known in thousands of years. We stick to the Accords while destroying any power who thinks to rule outside of those Accords. Even if that power includes the Elementals.”
“Oh boy.” Jazz looked overwhelmed on the couch. “What is Life going to think about this?”
Adam considered the question before he answered. “I think that’s what she intended us to do. I believe it’s the other reason she made the Elementals leave. The Mindolin isn’t the only one who’s lost a deep part of himself. You heard Lightning. He hates us. The others, they probably feel the same.”
“Not to mention our mother,” Carmon grumbled from the couch where he’d stayed silent longer than I’d thought. While he said he felt better, his face was still lined with tension.
“Then there’s Mom,” Adam agreed.
The mood in the room fell. Adam had never kept it a secret that their mom didn’t care for her sons, but knowing how much she despised them, it had to hurt. My own mother wasn’t the best, or hadn’t been, but we’d had a few good memories.
These guys didn’t have that. They probably never would. However, as everyone settled down to make a plan, anyone could see that there was enough love in this room to make up for the lack of love outside of this little group.
Brynn’s sudden ability to block her emotions was not to my liking. What was she thinking over there on the couch where she sat off to the side of everyone else? Drew joining me didn’t mean she had to leave my side, but I could understand why she did.
My wife, my mate, had been told over and over that she was Neutral and not as good as the Light. Her experience with military strategy—or anything like this at all—was zero. That didn’t mean she was useless to our team. Jazz was a good indication of that. The small girl still couldn’t throw a decent punch, but when she did, it hurt.
No one needed to feel Brynn’s emotions, though. She sat on the furthest section of the couch she could reach, like Tessa would bite her if Brynn moved closer. Her eyes were hesitant but watchful. While she appeared reserved and nervous, Brynn was taking everything in. Her size didn’t help. My brothers and I could understand that. Being the largest person in the room already brought you to everyone’s attention, even when you didn’t want it.
The air began to feel light with an electric charge. All eyes popped to Chris and Sophie, whose own eyes were large with concern and fear.
“What the—" Drew’s words were cut short from a punch to the face.
Zhaine grabbed at the bundle in Drew’s arms. I beat him to Taylee and pulled her from my brother’s arms.
“Give me the child!” Spit flew from Lord Lightning’s mouth as he lunged at me and my niece.
“Never!” I backed away as the others made a defense around the two remaining babies.
Drew advanced behind Lightning, but Cal placed a hand on our brother’s arm.Wait, Drew.Cal’s eyes became unfocused.
What do you mean, wait?Drew’s volume in my head made me flinch. Zhaine took advantage of my distraction and rushed forward.
The air charged up again. He meant to grab the baby and jump like Chris did with his Lightning element.
Catch!I yelled at my brothers as I tossed the baby into the air a half breath before Zhaine hit me and we were gone in a flash of light.
The brightness of the flash blinded me, unlike the Elementals who traveled by lightning bolt. A fist to my gut crumpled me to the floor of the dark cavern. My groan was met by a hateful growl.
“You stupid child!” Zhaine’s boot smashed into my nose, breaking it.
“Argh!” Instead of covering my nose with my hands, I pushed myself to my feet. My vision blurred from the pain in my nose, but a few blinks cleared my view while blood ran down my face.
Five fireballs exploded around the room. I’d been here before. Onyx stood by her pool in a cavern of Demon’s Ridge looking like the ever-patient mate while her other half swung at me again.
