TOMORROW the month resets and the privilege tiers are rebooting COMPLETELY. Over the course of the day, 23 new chapters will be released to fulfill the new Top Tier (25 Chapters.) so by this time tomorrow, you can either drop privilege completely and still be caught up, or you can buy privilege for 100% new content! THANK YOU for all your support of this book. I am so grateful for you! (Added after publication so you aren’t charged for the words)

*****

GAHRYE

Gar made an inappropriate joke about needing a mate, and Gahrye and Aaryn both rolled their eyes. Gahrye looked around for Reece, but he must have stayed inside, he was nowhere to be seen or smelled.

He rushed to reassure the males before they left. “I’ll be there soon. I’ll stay only as long as it takes to make sure all her questions are answered, then I’ll return. We’ll have to bring the anima through before… before.”

Aaryn nodded, then as they reached the portal, clasped arms with Gahrye. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” Gahrye said easily. “And seriously, amazing work with the tribe. That’s… that’s an answer to prayer. A lifelong prayer,” he said, almost choking on the words.

“You laid the foundation, Gahrye,” Aaryn said, looking a little emotional himself. “Elreth just finished the job.”

“Praise the Creator for that,” Gahrye breathed.

Then he stood still, watching, while the male drew out his blade, slid it under the skin of his other arm, then tipped his head to Gar and the two disappeared inside with a rush of the swirling white-blue light of the portal.

When they were gone, he turned to Kalle who stared at him with liquid eyes, all sign of her former happiness gone.

“Why didn’t you tell them?”

Gahrye held her gaze, frozen in those eyes that were so precious to him. How to explain? He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, his son’s voice appeared, low and dark, behind him.

“Tell them what?”

Gahrye whirled, and Kalle’s hand went to her chest as she startled.

“Reece!” she growled. “I told you to stop doing that!”

“What, it’s not my fault everyone’s nose was to the wind,” he grumbled. Then he looked back and forth between them. “So what is that you didn’t tell them, Dad?”

When Gahrye didn’t answer, but shared a look with Kalle, Reece’s jaw went tight. “I knew it.”

Gahrye’s brows popped up and he forced himself to turn to his son. “Knew what, exactly?” Reece was gifted in reading the winds as well. It was entirely possible that he’d learned something from the Creator… but wouldn’t he have said something?

But his son shook his head. “No, no, it’s not true. You aren’t going over there. You aren’t staying. You promised.”

Back to this again? Gahrye frowned. “I don’t know where you’re getting this son, but no, you don’t have to worry. I’m visiting Anima to take some news, then I’m coming back and, honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever return after that. I believe… I believe Elreth will arrange for the portals to close and that will be the end of it. Is that what you’re worried about? Did you think I was going to stay on that side?”

But Reece, shoulders hunched, just shook his head, staring blackly between him and Kalle.

“It doesn’t matter. It isn’t true.”

“What’s not true? Did you see something?” his heart raced, if Reece had figured out—

“It doesn’t matter, because it isn’t true. I know it’s not true. The Creator’s just messing with me.”

“No, Reece,” Gahrye said, stepping forward to face his son. “The Creator never lies and he never deceives. If you heard something you don’t like, either it wasn’t from Him, or it’s true. Those are the only options. Did you cross? Did the voices say something? You don’t have to worry about telling us, you’re old enough to make those choices for yourself—”

“No! Stop! I haven’t been across. I’m never going back across again, I told you! I’m here to stay, and so are both of you, right? Right?”

Gahrye’s eyes narrowed. “Reece… the Creator—”

“I don’t want to hear what the Creator has to say, I’m asking you, Dad. Fuck!”

Kalle tsked. Their son might be almost twenty, but he was still her baby and she hated hearing him swear.

“And I’m telling you that I’m going over to visit, but that will be the end of it.”

Reece nodded, his shoulders hunched, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Good. Good. Then that’s it. There’s nothing to worry about,” he muttered.

Gahrye wanted to leave it there, to let Reece go find his peace again, while Gahrye talked to his mate and held her. But his own gifts were swirling to the fore. “Reece,” he said softly, “Please don’t resist the Creator. I did it for years. It only ever brings misery. You’re so much better off asking Him to help you find your way through whatever it is He’s showing you, than to try to fight it happening. Denying His truth doesn’t make it untrue, it just makes you fight the inevitable. And take it from me, that’s exhausting. So, tell us… what did you see?”

His son stared at him and for a moment, every emotion imaginable chasing itself across his face. His eyes latched on Gahrye’s and he almost wept to see the heart in his son—a heart for protection, for strength, and for love.

He hadn’t found his mate yet. Gahrye prayed every day that he would, and that the female that the Creator designed for him would appreciate what she’d received.

But as his son’s gaze darkened, all Gahrye could see was himself at the same age. He’d been barely twenty when he crossed the traverse the first time—and despite finding Kalle, he’d hated almost everything that was asked of him.

He knew how it felt to be at war in your soul, and he prayed that his son’s set jaw and heavy brows were just a mood. A passing storm.

But then Reece’s face went cold and he turned away from them to start back up the path to the house. “Nothing,” he said. “Nothing. It was nothing.”

“Reece,” Kalle said, starting after him, but their son shook his head and started jogging, his long legs eating up the space far faster than Kalle ever would.

She let herself slow and stop, watching his back as he fled back to the house.

“Let him go,” Gahrye said quietly, walking to stand next to her and take her hand. “I’ll talk to him later. He’s going to have to come with me, anyway. Don’t worry about him.”

Kalle just turned, buried her face in his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist, and cried.