“Daddy, I hope you don’t mind that I’ve been practicing a bit with Pax recently,” Amara said, taking a deep breath. “May I ask you a few questions about devas?”
“Go ahead, Amara.”
The blonde woman daintily used her knife to carve a morsel out of her soufflé as she considered how to phrase her question. Her father was not an easy man to address. “Well… is telepathy common?”
“Of course,” answered Vincent Kalgren. He did not look up from his newspaper to respond. “Almost anyone can project their thoughts into the mind of another.”
“What about hearing the thoughts of another?” Pax asked between sips of coffee.
Vincent did look up from his newspaper then, so that he could scowl at the girls. “Doesn’t it seem obvious that if one can project thoughts, the receiver should be able to hear them?”
Amara and Pax glanced at each other.
“Something is obviously troubling you both,” observed Vincent. When his wife placed a huge plate of food before him, he smiled at her appreciatively. He touched the plate and all the food on it disappeared, instantly absorbed by his body.
Amara’s mother smiled. “Don’t you girls worry too much about this deva stuff,” said Rose Kalgren, wiping her hands on her apron. “In my research on my husband’s blood, we found an extremely high concentration of certain particles that aren’t present in the purely human body. There are trace amounts in half-breeds like you girls, of course. I figure the particles generate and store what you call ‘prana’— they seem to react and connect with the Earth’s magnetic field. It’s like your bodies are filled with these little lightning rods that can literally draw energy from the…”
“She’s oversimplifying things,” Vincent said, waving his hand in dismissal. “Our powers are much more mystical and ancient than your mother’s inadequate science can define. Now what was it you girls were curious about?”
“Daddy,” Amara began again. “Is it possible to hear the thoughts of others if they don’t intend for you to hear them?”
Vincent frowned. “Yes, it's possible for a true telepath. There were a few children of devas, usually females, who had perfected that skill. They liked to use it to control their husbands since they could tell his every desire and every wish.”
“That sounds handy, Vince,” said Rose playfully.
“They also were expert tacticians, completely invaluable in battle.” Vincent had returned to his newspaper. “It was a very rare trait though, and usually only the strongest warriors could use their minds that way.”
“Is it one of those special hereditary things?” asked Pax. Realizing that her coffee had grown cold, she waved her hand over the mug, causing it to instantly boil. “Can anyone with power learn the technique?”
"I believe it’s a rare trait in certain families, but I haven’t seen enough of it to judge. Why all the questions? Have you discovered this skill, Pax?” Vincent’s voice sounded mildly interested, which was a great feat.
Pax chewed on her lip. I think it’s probably yours, Amara. Maybe you need to have access to my power in order for it to work.
Amara nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, Daddy. I think I have something of the sort developing.”
“Impossible,” Vincent responded instantly. The newspaper disappeared from his hands as he leaned forward. “You would need to be at least ten times stronger than you are to use something like that, Mara. It would take a lot of energy to manage.”
“It’s just the beginning stages,” Amara said, smiling. Wow, so Para is at least ten times stronger than I am! Well, that’s not surprising—I’m not very strong, and you are. But at least I have something to offer to our union, right? This mind-reading thing could really help things along.
I agree. But we’re going to hear things we don’t want to hear. Like last night, but worse.
The advantages outweigh the costs! I want to get stronger.
“Paxie,” said Rose with worry. “I trust you, darling, but I need to ask. Are you sure it’s safe for Mara to be practicing these dangerous arts? I know you’ve had issues in the past, and I know that your family…”
“I may have issues with control, but Mara is very responsible with her powers,” Pax answered. “She isn’t greedy and indulgent like I am sometimes.”
“It’s my choice, mom,” Amara added. “I want to do this to learn more about where I come from.”
Rose reached out to touch her daughter’s hand. “You come from Kalgren Tech, darling. A long line of inventers and tinkerers who struck it big. We’re the people who move the world forward. Forget the ancient powers that your dad goes on and on about.”
“But mom…”
“Other than a few neat tricks in the bedroom, what good is it being a god anymore? The bloodlines are diluted and the powers become weaker and weaker with time. The modern world is about technology. It’s about the race to find the ultimate source of green, renewable energy for everyone to use! Who cares if you have excessive amounts of energy inside of you? You’re just one person. Who cares if you can make fireworks with your hands, lightning with your eyes, or tornados with your ass…”
“You infuriating woman!” Vincent said angrily. “How dare you insult my heritage like this? My power has always protected my family from harm.”
“And my power uses sunlight to keep the television on at night so you can watch your sports channels, Vince! My power keeps the fridge running so you can grab a cold one during the commercials!”
Vincent clamped his lips together tightly. For someone possessing untold supernatural abilities, he did excessively enjoy the sports channels. “Fine. But I, for one, think it’s prudent that our daughter should pursue this new path. I am pleased that Mara has finally shown an interest in learning to protect herself—she has already proven that she can tinker with gadgets enough to satisfy you, Rose.”
“She’s safer that way,” Rose said firmly. “When she’s in her lab playing with her toys, she’s safe!”
“No, mom,” Amara said gently, although she would have completely agreed just a few weeks ago. “Life is never safe. As long as I’m living there will be always be multitudes of danger—and they will inevitably attack just when I feel the most secure.”
“This is true,” said Vincent sternly. He turned to the dark-haired woman, fixing her with a harsh glare. “Pax Burnson, can I trust you to be extremely careful with Amara? You grew up practicing. Hell, I recall your parents demonstrating that you could fly before you could walk. I recognize that you have never been patient, but you will need to be patient with my daughter.”
“I will, sir,” Pax vowed.
“You need to recognize that it will take Amara longer to pick up even the most basic of techniques since she is beginning so late in her life…"
“Twenty-eight isn’t old…” Amara began to protest.
“There is another option,” said Vincent Kalgren. The massive blonde man drummed his fingers heavily on the table. “We do have a… rite of passage of sorts which the girls could endure.”
“No!” Rose insisted. “Vince! Not my little girl. It’s bad enough that you forced Thorn and Ash to go to that place…”
“Our daughter has goddess in her blood. All this potential, yet she lives like a helpless human. If she wants to grow stronger (and thank the gods she finally does) there is no better option to test and condition her skill than the Pseudosphere.”
“She could be seriously injured or killed,” Rose said softly. The older woman tightly gripped a serving spoon.
“Relax, mom. I hadn’t even considered going that far.” Amara shuddered and wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know if I can handle… that place.”
“I can,” said Pax, beginning to tap her toes on the ground rapidly in excitement. “I can! I have wanted to go to the vector zone forever.”
“Well, you definitely should, Pax,” Vincent said, nodding. “You have been far too volatile lately. You need to work on your self-control.”
“I will, sir.”
“I can’t believe you would endanger the girls this way, Vincent!” Rose was scratching erratic patterns into the tablecloth with her fingernails. “Goodness me, I never thought I’d hear the name of that place again. The Pseudosphere—it makes me shudder.”
“You would shudder more if you had actually ever been there,” Vincent informed her.
“Well, if the girls must go, I will gather plenty of electronic literature for them to read in case they get bored.” Rose tried to make this offer casually as she kneaded the tablecloth.
Vincent rolled his eyes. “They’re not going to be bored enough to read while they’re trying to survive having their bodies being brutalized by the harshest of elements.”
Amara hesitated, pushing Parisian potatoes around in circles on her plate. “Mom, I wouldn’t worry too much. I wish I could make the trip, but… don’t you need to die to enter that realm? I don’t think death agrees with my complexion.”
“Life and death are one,” Vincent said, echoing the words Pax had spoken when they first joined their bodies together. “There’s nothing to it—I’ve been dead plenty of times.”
Amara made a hesitant face. “Yeah, I’ll have to give it some thought…”
Pax’s head turned sharply to the south and she frowned. “Vince—is there something coming this way?”
“Yes,” Vincent answered. “It’s my son.”
Pax stood up abruptly. “Why is he coming here? I have to go.”
“He does live here, Pax. Maybe he forgot something,” Rose said with a shrug.
“You said he’d be in meetings all day!” Pax looked around frantically for an exit. I think this was a set-up, Amara. He knew you and I were waiting for a day he wouldn’t be home to visit. Pax weighed her options. Her car was parked in the garage beneath the building, and if she exited that way there might be confrontation. Hiding elsewhere in the building would be pathetic, even though the Kalgren Compound was a very large building.
“Mom, he didn’t call to say he was coming back?” asked Amara anxiously. She dotted her lips with a napkin, preparing to bolt if necessary. Damn it, Pax, what are we going to do? He can’t see either of us, especially not both of us together. He might figure it out. I don't want to deal with this now.
“No,” Rose responded. “When he left this morning he said he wouldn't be home until dinner, maybe later.”
“I should leave,” said Pax, knocking over her chair as she clumsily moved from the table.
“Why?” asked Vincent, raising an eyebrow. “Are you afraid of him?”
“I'm afraid of what I might do to him. Or are you going to step in and fight for him like you did last time? Because your mighty son can’t defend himself from a weak little quasi-deva female?” These were the words Vincent had often used to taunt Pax when they were training together.
“Pax, please,” begged Rose. “No talking of killing my son at the breakfast table.”
“She’s right! I thought you knew this family better than that.” Vincent’s voice was a low growl. “Save it for lunch and dinner.”
“Aw, Daddy. I love you,” said Amara with a giggle while Rose glared at her husband.
“Speaking of which,” Pax said quickly, “I miss my own father! I'm going to go and visit him immediately.” She was already moving to the windows.
“In India?” Amara yelled. “Are you mad?”
“It’s only the Pacific Ocean,” Pax said with a gulp as she levitated off the ground. “Thanks for having me over for breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Kalgren. I’ll see you again soon.”
“See if you can bring back some vials of water,” Vincent said. “My supplies have been running low since my son started getting himself repeatedly mortally wounded.”
“Will do.”
With that, Pax disappeared. A burst of windy energy was left in her wake, rattling the window as it slammed shut. Amara wiped her hands with a napkin and stood up to make a formal announcement. “I have a stomach ache, headache, menstrual cramps, or something of the sort. I’ll be in my old room and I don’t want to be disturbed by any of your other children.”
She turned to leave, but Vincent stopped her. “Wait, Mara. You don’t have to leave yet. He’s not coming here."
“What? But I thought you and Pax said…”
“It seems he’s parked his car in the front lawn, but he completely bypassed the house and is now flying in that direction.” Vincent jabbed his thumb west. “Towards India.”
“Oh shit… he’s going after Pax!”
“Language, sweetie,” cautioned Rose.
“I’m not interfering in their business again. If they want to fight until they kill each other, it’s none of my concern,” said Vincent. He materialized a new newspaper in order to better act like he cared far less than he actually did.
“What’s going on between those two anyway?” asked Rose. “I miss Pax around the office—she always used to help out around quarter-end and bring us loads of Chinese food. The last I heard, things were fine between Thorn and Pax.”
“It’s a long story,” Amara said. “I didn’t find out until recently either.”
“Well, at least you and Ash aren’t being immature,” Rose said with a smile. “It makes me so happy to know I can count on one of my children to do things the right way. You had better tell me the moment he proposes, because we are going to plan the wedding of the century!”
Amara stared at her parents, feeling the immense love that only a youngest child could feel after being away from home for a while. She wanted to tell them everything. They still didn’t know about her breakup, although she was sure her dad had some sort of idea. Vincent always seemed to know everything about everyone—it was like he had a map in his head that always tracked his daughter’s whereabouts. Godly powers were not just useful in the bedroom; they were indispensible when one needed to spy on their children. Surely he had noticed that Asher’s life force was no longer in her house at night. How could she tell her parents that she’d lost the love of her life? How could she tell them that they were right; she’d been hurt by the man they had warned her about?
“Oh, mom… everything’s gone horribly wrong.” This was all she could muster before turning and running up the stairs to her old room. When she entered, she was relieved to see that every inch of the décor was exactly as it always had been. She threw herself down on the bed and closed her eyes at the familiar feel of this mattress and these sheets. Somehow, being in her childhood bed made her feel much more protected and secure.