Page 68 of Between Imminent Fates

“I love you, Zak, my sweet boy. Always remember that, okay?”

“’Kay momma.”

His dark eyes blinked up at her, guileless, as she pressed another series of kisses to his baby-soft cheek. Turning to Eve, a pit opened up in her chest. She held her daughter tight against her as Zeke did the same with their son.

“Be brave, Eve.” She brushed a hand down the downy-fine blonde hair. “Take care of your daddy and brother, okay? Mommy loves you very much.”

A wet kiss pressed into her cheek, Eve’s little hands clutching at her as if to never let go. She gave Zeke a single nod, the anxiety of the situation thrumming through her veins.

Nina heard the telepathic call from her mate to Tzuriel in Ontario, signaling the end of their time together.

And then, their twins, barely more than a year and a half old, were teleported away.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jeremiah

Saying goodbye to Mykowas far harder than Jeremiah thought. Having officially claimed the nine-year-old as his son, they had become as thick as thieves in the year they’d known each other.

For the foreseeable future, Myko was going to stay with Luna on Oahu—at least until the end of the conflict. And it would be a victorious end; Jeremiah was sure of it.

The other parents—Zeke and Nina, Isaiah and Rukia—had cherished the last moments with their children as well, knowing they may not live to see the next dawn. When they reconvened in the living room, it was to find everyone else dutifully attempting to maintain their composure.

Jeremiah finally understood the challenge.

“As you’ve read, Jeremiah and Zia will head off the attack,” Key explained, inclining her chin as those eerie amber eyes met his. “They’ll conceal the mercenaries’ movements from the moment they set off to their arrival on campus. Everyone needs to be aware that Jeremiah won’t be able to assist with any offensive move while he renders the battle invisible.”

He appreciated the warning.

“For those of you who Shield, hold your shields no matter the course of events that follow.Allof our lives depend on it.”

Then, the foreseer turned to Circe. “You will manifest a new gift while we’re on the field of battle. You’re a Shield, and you need to support Remmus and the Elementals as much as you possibly can. There’s no learning curve, I’m afraid.”

Circe looked incredulous, which Key seemed to have anticipated, as she continued without even pausing. “Trust yourself, and seek comfort in knowing you’ll save lives today.”

Jeremiah fell back on his usual gallows humor.

“Anything else you’d like to share, Key? Perhaps a giant eagle who flies above the field of battle and picks off our enemies with screeches of fury? Or no, let me guess, somebody gains the ability to turn them all to stone like Medusa?”

“Tragically, no,” Key chuckled, “but points for creativity.”

The lighthearted exchange seemed to break up the tension in the room until Zeke asked the question Jeremiah himself had been trying to put off.

“Key, there is one point I didn’t find within your strategy,” Zeke asked. “How do we conceal the bodies after we’ve won?”

Unflinching, Key merely said, “That’s a question for after our victory, Ezekiel, not before.”

Puzzlement tracked across the faces of those present, but the foreseer was moving on, her focus on Jeremiah. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Taking to the skies with his mate managed to both add to his anxiety and soothe it. Ever since his Elemental abilities had awoken, the sky had been his domain. In the air, Jeremiah was king. His mate soared beside him while his abilities camouflaged them against the cloudless sky.

Key had given them the coordinates of theCitizensforce and an assurance that the aligned Raeth, Rayn, wouldn’t show up until much later. Activity had just begun to pick up on the ground when Jeremiah and Zia first hovered overhead, safe for the time being.

The army below them was an eclectic mix of people wearing the latest merc gear, sitting next to those in beat-up camo fatigues, and a few that seemed to have a private militia uniform.

As soon as the sun began to set, movement below alerted them to the impending escalation. In one swift move, Jeremiah’s ability stretched across the dusky sky.

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