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After that revelation, I wanted to go back to my cell—ironic, I know—to get back on the tablet and send the answer. Even though I wasn't entirely sure that hopper was the right answer, I decided it made more fuckin' sense than anything else I had thought of.
Back at Hydrent, Hannah and I went our separate ways to class with a promise to call each other when school was out. All throughout my afternoon classes my thoughts stayed on that one word. Hopper. Was Ivan's child alive as he had claimed weeks before his death?
Was his death even a suicide as the guys were saying? Did someone plan this? All of it?
Did Nox really lie? Could this all be the master plan of one Eric Frost? I shuddered. Just thinking of his name reminded me of his voice and his filthy hands all over me. Then my breath stalled. He’d said I was unexpected. The guys had said that relatives inherited the light from family who pass to the other side. They’d said Eric wanted Ivan's light. How did they all know that Ivan was going to die?
These thoughts filled my head until I was shimmed—back to my Lydent cell, I thought—but that wasn't where I went. It was Caleb's office.
Hoax, a very pregnant woman I had yet to meet, and Caleb were there.
Caleb rounded his desk and approached me, putting a hand at my back and leaning in. "Hey, sweetheart. You have a good day at Hydrent?"
His voice was soft and sweet with a hint of huskiness. Shit. I was mad at him, right? I wasn't going to fuckin' melt. I wasn't going to–
He lifted my chin so I'd look at him. His gaze was worried. "Honey?"
I averted my eyes. Ah, shit. I was going to melt. "Good. What am I doing here, Gen?"
His hand dropped from my chin but not without a caress along my jawline. "They have a few questions for you. I thought this would be a better place than the gray box, as you call it."
My lips tilted upward at that comment, and I turned from him to the others in the room. "Hey."
"Hello, Ms. Dolton," Hoax greeted with a head nod. "This is Carly Phillips."
My gaze zeroed in on Carly. So, this was the artist who could draw the future?
She gave me a warm smile. "Hello, Trace. Hannah has nothing but nice things to say about you."
I grinned. "I bet."
Caleb led me to the high back chair I had once sat in and explained, "Trace, all we want you to do is talk about when you first met your contact up until when you met us." Caleb dropped down on his knees to peer into my eyes. "I know some of that might be hard for you to relive again, but it's important."
I swallowed. "So, for clarification, you want me to talk about what Eric did to me."
He squeezed my hand. "Yes."
"Okay."
I did, and as I spoke, Carly drew.
When we were finished, I sat back with a sigh. "So, am I done?" I turned my gaze over to Gen. "Do I have to go back to Lydent jail?"
"No," he answered, coming back over to me. "All your stuff has been taken back to my home. You and I are going somewhere else."
"Where?"
"You'll see in a minute." He bid Carly and Hoax good day before the two of them shimmed out.
Caleb carefully folded me into his arms, as if he thought I might not be willing, and I let him.
"I know this isn't—hasn't been easy, and I'm sorry I didn't come last night. The boys came home from my mother's and..." He sighed and gave me a squeeze. "Family is important; I above all people know that. I wanted to give you yours back." He drew away, giving me a smile. "Come with me."
We shimmed back to the council estate, and he led me past the ceremonial place Nox had shown me, to the front, and through the large iron gate where my parents stood beside an idling car.
They recognized me right away as my mother broke into a big smile and hurried over to me. I broke away from Caleb as my mother folded her arms around me. "It's so good to see you," she said, relieved. It made me wonder what Caleb had told them.
"You too."
Mom let me go as Dad also gave me a side hug. "Good to see you, kiddo."
I pushed down the emotions that seemed to have flooded my senses and cleared my throat.
"It's good to see you too."
"How do you like going to school here?"
My lips curved into a small smile, realizing that that's how he was playing this.
"I like it.”
My dad reached forward to take Caleb's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Gibbs. We're sorry we weren't able to get here sooner, but we're glad that Trace is here now. It's awful to hear about the New York building being flooded, but we're glad to have her somewhere safe."
Gen gave Dad a warm smile. "It's always a pleasure. We take care of our students here. Would you like to come in for a tour?"
My eyebrows rose at that. What in the world was he thinking, letting them go inside?
Mom curved an arm around my shoulders and nodded. "Of course!"
Gen nodded, and we followed him past the gate and inside. Once we went through the front door it was like we were transported back to Hydrent. My mouth popped open. What trickery was this? Was this more Lydent magic or someone's talent? Illusions and such. I wasn't sure, but I was just glad that there was a solution as we toured the place I’d just spent the whole day in. That reminded me; I really needed to do my homework.
While we toured each classroom, which all seemed to be conveniently empty, Gen explained it was after hours, and the students were most likely in their dorm rooms. We came to a set of steps that looked a lot like the ones at Warrior Camp and ended up on the second floor of the lodge hallway. He showed them the room I stayed in, and my parents made small talk, then we went back down. Caleb showed them the dining hall and talked about how much they take care of their students here, and Mom made the comment that she was glad I was closer. That I could possibly come home for a few days or maybe a weekend. “But when you go to college, maybe we should look for somewhere a bit closer."
"They do offer college classes here. If students keep their grades up, we also offer grants."
Caleb gave me a sideways stare, and I wondered if that was true. Or maybe this was just his way of keeping me with him. Dad and Caleb talked as my mom took me aside and gave me a hug.
"It looks like you are settling in here okay. I worried when I received the call that the school had been flooded and you guys had to be relocated. It was quite a tale! What bad luck to have a severe snow storm followed by all the snow melting and flooding the area, causing the building to lose its footing and drop into a sinkhole. It was on the news almost for a whole day. When I asked others about it, they had no idea. Apparently, not enough people watch the news, and the school wanted to keep it a little hush hush, which I understand," she said. "I'm just grateful you're okay. Your sisters are worried about you. Even Daisy-dog seems to be moping. You do look healthier, more relaxed than you have been. Maybe you'll get time off, and you and Hannah can visit. She is here too, right?"
She looked around. "I didn't see her."
I froze. That's right. Supposedly Hannah and I were together at the school, which was very convenient. I shook my head. "No, Mom. She's visiting her dad right now."
"Oh well, maybe another time. It's really good to see you. How are you doing with the school being coed? Have you found anyone that interests you?"
A blush stole up my cheeks. "Mom, is that a question you should be asking?"
"Oh, honey," she dismissed my embarrassment. "All moms have the right to ask such a question." She had a little twinkle in her eye and nodded to Caleb. "Your teacher over there, he's very handsome, and I worry," she said frowning. She looked back over to me. "Don't you get yourself into trouble," she warned, noticing that Caleb was indeed memorable. "I don't want you getting kicked out because you took an interest in your teacher."
I almost rolled my eyes but instead gave Mom a pat on the arm. "Don't worry, Mom. Anything I do will be legal, I promise.” I drew her in for a hug, and she squeezed me.
"Somehow I doubt that," she said wryly, knowing her oldest child.
***
I was free. I didn't have to be in that Lydent jail anymore, and Caleb took me to his home. He mentioned that his mom had picked up the kids so he could be with me this afternoon.
"I'm not sure how they will react to you, but I'm sure we will all get through it." He led me over to the couch facing a TV and sat down, bringing me down with him. An arm curled around my shoulders as he took my closest hand in his. "I want to spend some time with you, but I don't think that's going to happen as easily as we think. I'm at the warrior camp a lot and sometimes out in the field with the Team Apex, but I'll make sure to slip in some moments with you."
I settled more comfortably into his side and curled my feet up on to the couch beneath me. "Honestly, I want to go slow," I confessed. "What happened with Evil Eric–"
He chuckled and then held tight when I went to move away, hurt by his laughter. "No-no, sweetheart, I wasn't laughing at you. I was chuckling at the name you gave that monster. Evil Eric." He sobered as I settled into his side once again, now understanding. "It's a fitting name. I'm sorry I interrupted you. Will you continue?"
My head slid to his shoulder while his hand behind me started to play with my long-forgotten poof of Annie hair, and I eased back into what I had been saying. "He broke something in me, Gen. Made me feel helpless while he did what he wanted. I need time to adjust and... feel comfortable."
"You're here with me, curled up into my side. And you were making out with Nox the other night," he reasoned.
I pulled away, and this time he let me as I sat up so I wasn't leaning on him anymore. My gaze flashed to his gray ones. "Okay, yes. But it doesn’t mean I didn't have hesitations. I have to admit, with you guys it seems to be easier, but I still want to go slow."
His eyes warmed, and he lifted a hand to brush back a curl from my cheek. "Okay," he relented. "I'll let the guys know. On another subject, you will be staying here. Upstairs in the master bedroom." He put his hand up when I started to protest. "Wait, let me finish. The master bedroom hasn't ever been slept in. Not by me or anyone else. It was designed for when we found a mate. Since that is you, you will sleep in there, and you won't sleep alone. No bathtub, Trace."
A smile crept up my lips. "Okay. So, who will sleep with me?"
His hand curled around my shoulder and gently pulled me back into his chest. "I'm going to make a sleeping chart. Two of us at a time, with one being able to sleep a third time every five weeks on a rotating shift."
This time I did laugh. "Wow, you have it all fuc- worked out, don't you?"
"You caught yourself again. Thank you. But I don't want you to change who you are. If you must use such language, keep it to a minimum around the boys, but other times be yourself. Sometimes, cussing is warranted." He kissed my forehead. "Can I have a kiss?"
I lifted my chin as his lips neared mine. "Is that a yes?" he questioned.
"You never asked the first time."
His lips twitched, and his eyes danced. "It was supposed to be a distraction."
"Well, it was a good one. Distract me, Gen. Please."
He didn't need any more prompting as he met me in the middle. Well, I could have been further from his lips than he was to mine—you know what? Nevermind. Gen was kissing the shit out of me. He reached for my waist, lifting me over to his thighs and settling my legs on either side of his hips. I felt an urgent need to draw him close and never let him go.
"Damn," he whispered against my lips. "I wasn't planning on it going this far." He kissed me again, his hand traveling underneath my shirt and up the side of my ribs, holding me there. My arms naturally drew around his neck as I slowly kissed him back. How could I have ever thought that he wasn't mine? That we weren't destined? In the few stolen moments I'd had with Gen Caleb, he’d stolen his own piece of my heart. There was just enough room for all of them.