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Michael sat with me as I pored over the journals, tossing each one on the floor as I found nothing to help us. Frustrated, I tossed the last one on top of the others and reached out to tug Michael toward me, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him a few times on the side of the head before he playfully swatted me away.
Things had changed so incredibly much over the last year of our journey. The stiff, proper boy I'd fallen in love with was still very much that same boy, and yet different. It was as if the pregnancy changed him, softened him just a little where I was concerned.
"What are you two up to?" Grace asked as she walked into the room.
"We were just talking about the strength of three." Michael laughed, pointed to himself, me and then the baby in my belly.
Grace sat down and shook her head. “You really think that’s the secret?”
I shook my head and sat up, forcing Michael to sit as well. “I’m trying to figure out what happened yesterday and how I’m going to harness this supposedly hidden power inside of me.”
Grace nodded. "Seems like the dark angel's power was part of what Rouge needed to unlock the strength, but now we're still at a loss."
"I'm not so sure it's not me, the baby and you." I glanced over at him, still grasping at straws, because in all actuality, nothing made sense. There were too many of us to group some of us in the scenario and not others. However, Michael’s joking around kind of did make sense.
"What if it's twins?" Michael smirked and it was my turn to swat at him.
"Ha-ha. You’re a funny man, Michael.” I poked him in the ribs and then stopped when Grace cleared her throat impatiently.
"Maybe it's not three people. Maybe it's three things inside of someone that make them the weapon all by themselves?" Grace offered.
The door opened and Rob walked in, taking a seat on the arm of Grace's chair. She reached up and scratched at his back as he closed his eyes and pushed against her touch.
It was nice to know that if something happened to me, Grace would love my brother.
"Where have you been?" I asked my brother.
"Outside talking to Sarah. She's really a nice lady. Throws a great hook, but still a nice lady." He gave me a goofy grin.
"Did she hit you?" I stiffened at the thought.
"No. She was working out by the outhouse. Guess she found a punching bag. We were just talking about the upcoming fight. She had a good idea, but I'm not sure if I'm down with trying it." He shrugged and adverted his gaze toward the ground.
"What was the idea?" Michael moved closer to me and reached out, taking my hand.
"That I should call Joshua's old pack to my side and invoke alpha rights." He looked up and focused on me. "Not sure I get the point of all that though. I'd have no rights at all once dad showed up."
I bit on my lip, thinking through the situation. It would be nice to have Rob as the leader of a group of Grollics that could join our side of the fray, but he was right. If Bentos wanted to take control of them, he could. Unless...
"Do you remember back at the beach in Florida when we had that huge fight with Bentos?" I released Michael's hand and moved up to the edge of my seat.
"Um, yeah. How could we forget?" Grace laughed and got an eye roll from me for her efforts.
"Bentos didn't take control of the Grollics that were under my control. Remember that?"
"I do." Michael moved to the edge of the couch too before standing. "Do you think it was because you took control of Joshua? You made him subordinate to you?"
"I don't know, but whatever we did... it worked, right?"
Rob stood and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yes. It did."
"So let Rouge take ownership of you and then call the wolves to you and take ownership of them." Grace reached up and tugged at his hand.
"You think that would work?" He turned his attention to me while grasping onto Grace's extended hand.
"I think it’s damn well worth a try. We need more fighters on our side. If I know Bentos, I know without a doubt that he'll be bringing everything he has at his disposal." I shrugged and moved closer to Michael.
"Especially since he knows that Caleb and Sarah are here with us." Michael pulled me into a quick hug and released me, heading toward the back door. "Speaking of... I need to see if they're willing to call the remaining hunters to join us. When and where is this battle going to happen?"
"Tonight. Here." I forced a calm facade in place as the room exploded with concerns and questions.
Everyone had an opinion, but the truth was that it was time. Inside me, I had no doubt at all that it was time to end the war. The strength of three would be revealed to me. I just knew it. I needed to find a few minutes that I could spend by myself with my journal in solitude.
"This isn't open for discussion. I'm following my instincts. You can back me up, or pack up. I'm tired of running and losing. Tonight's our night. I'm more than sure of it." I lifted my hands to get everyone’s attention as I spoke over them. "Stop bitching and get up. Let's get busy doing everything we can to prepare. It's happening tonight."
Michael nodded and walked from the house.
Rob let out a long sigh and glanced down at Grace. "I'm going to go call the other Grollics in the area. You wanna come or do you need to do something too?"
"I'll come with you." She got up and glanced over her shoulder at me with a weary look on her pretty face. "You haven't even figured out how to save Rob."
"I will. I promise."
The doubt in her eyes hurt me, but I knew where she was coming from. She had fallen in love with my brother. If it was Michael whose life was on the line, I would be fighting tooth and nail to keep everything constant until we were assured that he would be with us forever.
I walked back down the hall to the bedroom and pulled out my journal, making a pact to myself that I wouldn't call on Bentos until everyone was in position and I understood my part. Turning back down the hall, I walked to the front door as I held the warming journal to my chest.
A glimmer of light caught my attention as it fluttered above the dark lake just a few feet from the front door. It almost looked like a firefly, but those never came out during the day. I walked toward the water and squinted as the small insect danced along the top of the water and moved downstream.
Untying the boat, I got in and ignored the fear that tried to permeate my soul over the waters below me. I shoved off the dock hard and sat down, trying to keep my balance so that the boat wouldn't flip.
The paddles on the floor of the canoe would help me steer, but I had no clue where I was going, so it seemed a waste of physical energy.
My Sioghra warmed against my chest and I tugged it out, both mine and Michael's laying in my hand. His was unchanged, the brilliant garnet red blood sparkling as it moved around in its casing. Mine was dark as midnight and the shimmery essence of goodness in it made the liquid look like the stars in the sky might.
I brushed my finger over the top of mine and let out a long sigh. The dark angel was part of me, but what did that really mean? Was I in danger of becoming something evil like he was? I was already fighting against my father's blood flowing through my veins. Now this?
The firefly fluttered before me, its little wings making the sound of a thousand violins as it passed me.
I picked up the oar beside me and paddled hard to force the boat to a rickety dock that sat to my left. The bug had gone that way, and where some part of me knew I was being silly, the other parts knew that nothing was to be left up to chance anymore.
After tying the boat to the dock, I leapt out onto the rotting wood and jogged up the path that led to an opening in the forest. The weather was chilly and I found myself wishing I'd put on a jacket. My t-shirt and jeans weren't doing much to keep me warm. A shiver ran through me and I slipped the journal under my shirt, pressing it to the skin of my chest for warmth.
"Rouge." The feminine voice was soft and too ethereal to figure out who it was.
I jerked around to find my mother standing in front of me again. "Mom?"
She smiled in a way that let me know my response to her meant something.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. I can't be in the presence of evil in this form."
Her dress was white and large white wings fluttered frantically behind her. I glanced down and noticed her feet hovered just above the ground. Peace radiated from her and I found myself wanting to draw nearer, but something told me that it would be inappropriate.
"What can we do to get you into heaven?" I pulled the journal out and laid it at my feet. "Surely there's something we can do, right?"
"I've been granted ascension because of my sacrifice for you and Rob. It will happen sometime soon. I've come to say goodbye and to give you a gift." She smiled as tears filled her pretty sapphire eyes.
"Oh thank goodness." I let out the breath I'd been holding. "I don't want you to go, but knowing that you're going to make it into heaven... that means everything."
Her smile was kind and the air around her warm as she moved to stand in front of me.
"What you did yesterday was so brave." She reached out and touched my face, warming me to the center of my soul. "I love you and Rob so much. Tell him for me?"
"Of course." I tried to hold back my tears, but with my vision blurring quickly, I knew it was no use.
She moved her hand down to my Sioghra and picked it up as a smile slipped over her lips. Tears dripped slowly down her cheeks as she smiled, giving up a soft chuckle as she examined the trinket.
"Incredible." She looked up at me and I swear I'd never seen a more beautiful woman before. "The power of three is you, Rouge. Just you."
"What?" Shock raced through me, quickly followed by terror.
"All of the players in our story have found a stage inside of you." She released the Sioghra and stepped back. "Your father made you a Grollic. I made you a hunter, and Malaz made you a dark angel. We are the key elements in this play that has swept humanity away for all of time. Now we all reside within you in some way or another."
"Me? I don't want it to be me." I shook my head and reached for her.
"But it is, and I believe that you already knew that." She pressed her palm to my chest and ran her hand over my cheek as tears began to drip faster down her pale face. "Everything you need to win this war is inside of you."
"And what about saving Rob?" My voice was tight and gave credence to the hysteria bubbling up inside of me.
"When the time comes, you'll know what to do. Don't hesitate. Rob and every other Grollic will survive this. I have every confidence in you. You should too." She leaned down and kissed my cheek, the sensation like the fluttering of butterfly wings against my face.
"Don't go. I'm scared." I let out a soft sob, but she simply smiled and moved back toward the forest.
"I love you. Be who you were made to be just one more time and then... rest." She faded from my vision and the soft exhale of a woman filled the air around me. Her essence lifted to the sky and I dropped to my knees, alone. Confused. Scared.
––––––––
"There you are." Michael walked toward me with a huge smile on his face, which was quite out of place for what we had coming our way soon.
"What's going on?" I reached for him, pulling him to me and tucking my face against his chest. I breathed in deeply and worked to find my centering.
"I have a surprise for you, but first, what's wrong?" He moved back and slipped his strong hands around my face, forcing me to look up at him. "Have you been crying?"
"I watched my mother ascend. That was her Sioghra in the stuff we found. The empty one." I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath, trying hard not to lose myself again.
"Wow, but you saw her ascend? How?" His thumbs brushed rhythmically over my cheeks, the sensation soothing.
"Her sacrifice for me and Rob gave her entrance to heaven." I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. "All of the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place."
"Agreed. Let me show you what we've been up to. We got everything together for later tonight, but I want you to relax and come with me for the next little bit."
"Okay." I slipped my hand into his as we walked around the house and toward the dense forest that surrounded the back half of the property. "Did Caleb get a hold of any other hunters?"
"Yes. They will be here by nightfall, or those that can make it in time will. Most of them are hopping on jets and planes as we speak."
I turned to look up at him as we continued to walk. "That's great news."
"Agreed, and Rob said that the Grollics should start piling in any minute." He squeezed my hand. "You need to claim lordship over him when I'm done with you."
"I can do that." I turned and narrowed my eyes as various colors danced just beyond the tree line. "Michael, what's going on?"
"You'll see." His smile was radiant and I honestly didn't care what we were up to. To see that kind of joy and excitement on his handsome face was worth any slight detour from the day.
We walked up to the opening of the forest and my breath caught in my chest. I jolted to a standstill and Michael released me, jogging toward a beautiful display of white flowers and candles that hung from the trees. Caleb stood at the end of the path with a book in his hands, Grace beside him and Sara on the other side. Michael took his place beside Grace as Rob walked toward me with his eyebrow raised.
"You couldn't tell your only brother that you were getting married?"
I balked and slipped my arm into Rob's. "I didn't know I was."
"What? He said he asked you." Rob moved us down the path toward Michael as overwhelming joy and anxiety tore up the center of my chest.
"He did, but I didn't think it would be this fast." I stilled my thoughts and focused on Michael, realizing why he was forcing this to go so quickly. He wanted us together now in case something happened later that night. I was grateful for his decision. It would be the strengthening chord between us and perhaps the saving grace should one of us fall in the battle.
I blinked past my tears and stopped beside my love, my heart.
Rob handed me over, but squeezed in a quick hug while whispering that he loved me.
I choked on a sob and nodded. "I love you too. So much."
"My turn." Michael tugged at me and I laughed, turning to him as Caleb worked through the marriage ceremony.
I repeated my vows as I stared into the beautiful eyes of the boy who had so quickly become a man. Bentos could take away my freedom, my choices, my life, but he would never take away love. It rested deep in the center of me and soon it would be born to a peaceful existence that Michael and I were about to create.
"You're mine. Forever, Rouge. Got it?" He leaned in as his lip lifted in a cocky smirk.
"I would have it no other way." I lifted to my toes, meeting him halfway as he sealed our vows with a kiss. I was his wife now, but a time for celebrating would be later.
