Page 79 of Bright Soul

Someone had to teach this man to text all his thoughts in one message.

Wait, Lucas was awake? I gasped and reread that particular message. “We have to go!” I exclaimed.

“What? What’s wrong?” Geo asked, sitting up at full alert.

I grinned and showed him the message. “We have to say hello to Ben’s brother.”

His silvery eyes widened. “That is quite remarkable,” he murmured.

I stood to get dressed, reaching out for Braza in my head while I tugged on my clothes and attempted to text Ben back all at the same time.“Good morning, brightest of souls.”

“Guess what,”we said at nearly the same time.

She already knew my news, that some miracle had occurred to wake Lucas from his coma. There was a playful jolt to her energy today, as if she knew exactly how it happened and was looking forward to me figuring it out.

“I’ve spent the greater part of the early morning with my father,”she said.

I didn’t miss the change in title. My jaw dropped, then a delighted smile formed on my lips.“You two made up.”

“We did. I’ll let him know where you are Geo are going. But for now, we’re catching up.”

I knew all he had to do was set his pride aside and apologize. She’d wanted to repair their familial relationship so badly.

“I’m happy for you,”I said while humming an upbeat tune out the door and to the elevator. Geo was just a step behind me, resting an arm around me while we waited.

“Thank you. By the way, did you feel the anomaly last night?”

“The what now?”I asked.

“Myuna’s power surged for a short time last night. Perhaps if we were merged, you would’ve noticed it.”She sounded troubled.“I’m hoping you can speak with the seers to see if they know what she did.”

“Of course.”I had a question for Hana, which meant I’d probably be pestering her with several of them to get a halfwaydecent understanding of her answer. Though I hadn’t forgotten the very literal hint she’d given me about Phaeron’s “slumber,” which I’d completely overthought.

Without the convenience of shadow travel, Geo had to take his gargoyle form to fly us to the hospital. There were no signs of unnaturals on the streets, nor any white-eyed birds staring from signposts and rooftops. I rubbed my arms, more unnerved by the lack of Myuna’s monsters with the knowledge that she’d done something big last night.

We could’ve had a leisurely late winter stroll free of threats and kept Geo out of his stone form. He shed it upon landing and took a moment to breathe and pinch the bridge of his nose. Once he’d recovered, he jerked his chin in hello to the bored-looking defenders on duty around the hospital’s perimeter on our way inside. Several hellos were called back to him.

I hesitated between seeking out Hana or Ben first. The decision was made for me, though, as the dark-haired woman was sitting primly on a couch in the foyer, her signature secretive smile in place when we made eye contact.

“You have questions,” she said.

“I do.” I turned to Geo, brow raised curiously.

“Tell me if you figure out anything concrete,” he rumbled. I wasn’t too surprised, since he cared more about actions than possibilities. He took Wren’s phone to return to her, and I slid onto the couch next to Hana.

She gestured for me to speak and stacked her hands patiently. Though she’d mastered the mysterious air of an augur, I wasn’t sure if she knew the faces of the demons I wrestled with: the first time I’d come face-to-face with death. Her daughter Lanie’s unseeing eyes, sprawled in a pool of her own blood. And in the aftermath, Hana had gazed into the future for me…

“You told me once.” I took a ragged breath, feeling myself get choked up. “You told me that I’d avenge Lanie.”

“And so you have,” she said. The knowing look hadn’t left her face yet.

“But I didn’t kill the Hungering Darkness. That was Phaeron,” I said in a small voice.

“Ah. Didn’t I tell you that I saw you vanquish a creature, standing over it with three men who adore you? Thatdidhappen.” Her aura lit with gray, centered around her head. “I see it, even, but the monster you four watched die was the vampire, not the Hungering Darkness. Fairly accurate as far as a gaze into the gray is concerned.”

I felt the chill of goosebumps. What she’d told me and what happened still didn’t quite match up. How often had her augury been a shade off from reality?

“I see,” I said neutrally.

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