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Chapter 24
Harmonia
I’ve definitely found my comfort seat at the kitchen island. The seat to the right away from the stove offers a perfect view of the countryside and city if I tilt my head to the left, and if I glance to the right I can watch my mom cooking.
With a hot mug of cocoa in my hands, a smile spreads over my face as I recall my phone call with Rhea earlier and the sheer shock in her voice when I explained how I found out what my pendant could do.
During Christmas break, while Rhea was back at the Academy, softening for the Elite’s and sealing her soul to Xander’s, I went home to my mom. Given my mom’s job within the supernatural world, she was present when I touched Pandora’s Box, receiving my gift and confirmation that I had magic within me.
It’s no lie when I say I cringed at the sight of it at first, especially after seeing what other people were being gifted. Shit, Rhea has a fucking dagger, Adonis a trident, and Zen a shield. While all I got was a pendant no bigger than the palm of my hand with Medusa’s face engraved into it.
I’d been so deflated by it that I hadn’t even bothered to bring it with me to Saints Academy, and it was by complete coincidence that I stumbled across it on Christmas break. The fluke of learning it’s ability still makes my mom shake her head because I had been mindlessly rubbing the metal in my hand as I called out her name. When she didn’t respond and I had to go in search of her, that’s when I found her in the kitchen, frozen in place as she was mid-move stepping from one counter to another as she cooked for us. Only she’d been made of stone from head to toe.
“I hope you’re not still grinning at the fact you turned me into stone, honey. Otherwise I’m taking the mac and cheese home with me.” My mother’s voice breaks through my thoughts as I gape at her in horror.
“You wouldn’t dare,” I say with a gasp. “Besides, I was technically grinning at the shock from Rhea when I explained it to her earlier, not so much the event itself,” I clarify, and she shakes her head at me, a small smile on her lips.
She turns away from me, placing the last few containers in the fridge, perfectly lined up, and an overwhelming sense of contentment washes over me. Despite the madness unraveling at my feet, I can’t help but believe I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Here, in this house, with my mom helping, and my men… fuck, my men coming home soon. I hope.
Those two words somehow have the power to leave me filled with butterflies in my stomach and tingles through my veins.
My. Men.
Is that what they are now? That’s what I want them to be. My soul literally fucking feels like a magnet, tempting me nearer when I’m in close proximity to Talon or Malik now, and I love it. Alexi, as much as there’s still distance between us, was still the one who chose for me to be here, and the only way I can take that is with a pinch of hope.
Swiping my hair back off my face, I watch as my mom closes the fridge door and turns back to me, but before she utters the words on the tip of her tongue the sound of her phone ringing interrupts her.
I relax back in my seat, watching as she pats her hands dry on the apron before answering the call. “Hello…? Yes… uh-huh… yes… no. I don’t think I can be available that quickly, I—“ Her words stop suddenly and I frown, rising from my seat as I wave my hands at her.
“If you’re needed somewhere, Mom, it’s okay. I’m fine here, you’ve helped me more than I can explain, being here with me like this, but I’m good.” I keep my voice low so only she can hear me and not the person on the other end of the phone in case she really doesn’t want to go. Her lips twist as she considers my words and I know she needs a little more encouragement. “Honestly, Mom, there are people patrolling outside, I’m safe.”
I watch as her shoulders sag at my words before she offers me a wide smile and talks into her cell again. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” She ends the call as she takes the few steps needed to come to a stop in front of me before tightly wrapping me in her arms.
I’m not ashamed to admit I squeeze her back extra tight, absorbing her naturally lightening aura, before taking a step back. “Is everything okay? I probably should have led with that,” I ask as I move toward the door with her at my side.
“There’s an issue with someone who has touched Pandora’s Box without permission. I need to get down there and hopefully use my head to get some answers to help them,” she explains, sending a bolt of worry through me as I nod in understanding.
“You’ll do your best, Mom, you always do,” I murmur, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss against her temple as we reach the front door.
“Thank you, honey.” We take a moment to stare into each other's eyes, understanding the enormous changes that have happened around us lately, yet we still get to stand here with each other. Happy, loving, and caring.
I’m everything I am because of her.
“I love you, Mom. Be safe.”
“You too,” she whispers back before leaving. The door closes gently behind her, leaving me alone, but this time, these four walls don’t make me want to claw my eyeballs out.
One thing is for certain though, I need to keep myself busy, otherwise the peace my mom has helped bestow upon me will be diminished.
I hover at the bottom of the stairs, my mind flicking back and forth between taking a nice warm bubble bath or making another fresh batch of cookies. My lips twist as my gaze moves from the top of the stairs to the doorway leading into the kitchen and back again.
If the guys come home, I don’t want to be in the bathroom. I want to be able to get answers from them as soon as possible.
Cookies it is.
As I make my way back into the kitchen, I beeline for my hot cocoa first, drinking what’s left in my mug before I start to gather up the ingredients I need. Lining everything up on the center island, a shiver runs down my spine as I recall the last time I made cookies and what that led to with Talon.
I press my lips together, trying to calm myself down as need beckons me from my core. That would definitely be the most perfect distraction, but admittedly, they’ve been gone for hours and I have no idea what has happened with them. I consider giving them a call, Alexi did program their numbers into my new cell, but I refrain, not wanting to interrupt anything.
