Luca remembered everything as he grew in Bray’s womb. He had taken on traits from both Wes and Bray, and because Bray’s kind knew everything from the time of conception, so had he. Except he remembered his past life as well.
It had been strange for him to start all over, and although biologically they were his parents, they remained Wes and Bray to him.
He never understood what he was meant to do when Bray and Wes had told him what the Stone of Desire had prophesied. And as years went by, he had thought the Stone must have been mistaken about him.
When it came to Brenik, Luca never blamed him for what had happened. He was more upset that he didn’t find a way to save him. In the end, he knew Brenik was happier that he didn’t have to live another day with what he had turned into.
But Luca knew what he had to do now. His world was being destroyed: wars were tearing people apart and natural disasters were quickly destroying Earth.
He had gathered as many people as he could—those who believed him—and they were going to cross into Laith. The place where Bray had run from and where she would be returning to after all these years.
Bray looked up at Luca with a permanent crease in between her eyebrows. Even at forty-six, she was still beautiful. “We’re with you every step of the way,” she said as she squeezed Wes’s hand tightly.
Wes gripped Luca’s shoulder like he was afraid Luca would disappear, but he finally released him.
Luca walked toward the rose-shaped rock and placed his hand on top, while everyone behind them watched on without a word.
Closing his eyes, he spoke to the Stone. “We’re ready to leave this world and escape to the next to save however many lives we can.”
Luca’s wife brushed his fingers with hers while holding their six-month-old daughter propped on her hip, as they waited for the Stone to answer.