Page 159 of Mantle

“I really do.” I took a step back. “Speaking of that, I need to get home to them. I’m already running late.”

He brought me in for a hug. “Remember, the family is waiting on an invite to your housewarming.”

“It’s forthcoming. We’re just taking a little time to settle in.”

“Understood.”

With that, I waved at Ketheron, who beamed back at me, then I teleported out.

Back home.

When I rematerialized at Solumira,I caught sight of Nyx coming out of the Parkour Gym that we’d created recently.

“Hey,” I greeted.

He spun and lunged at me, throwing his arms around me. “You’re back already!”

I frowned as we eased apart. “Already? I’m at least an hour late.”

“Well, we called three hours.”

“What? I’m that unreliable now?”

“No. Not at all. We just know how taken you are with Haven Initiative. It’s the perfect way for you to do something good, and break the cycle that you were caught up in. Those kids you’re helping, they’ll never struggle like you had to with their powers and who they are. Because of you, Halo. And that’s an incredible thing.”

“Incredible like your Crossborn Refuge System now up and running?”

He grinned. “Something like that, yeah.”

It was a lot of work, hence him needing to blow off steam in his Parkour Gym more often than usual.

“Is Kai back?” I asked.

With us graduating from Maven Academy a couple of months ago, Kai was now with Arcanum Order fulltime. And he loved every moment of it. It was absolutely perfect for him.

He was also still helping Sylas, searching and researching.

“Yeah, he said to meet him in the hot spring.”

“And Vorzyr? Is he back from the Shifter Stabilization Unit yet?

“Yeah, he’s back from working with his new best friend in Jaxon Silver.” He chuckled. “Who would have thought? Him and your harsh, Alpha wolf dad.”

I chuckled as we walked together through the dirt path and dipped through the archway carved into the hillside.

The cavernous space glowed beautifully as we walked across the stone floor, following along until the sunken pool came into view—a hot spring with bubbling water.

I saw Vorzyr and Kai already in the water.

Naked.

A hot thrill ran through me.

“This is your welcome-home, Halo. We figured we could all do with some togetherness.”

With that, Nyx stripped off his clothes and leapt into the pool, dousing Vorzyr, who snagged him around the waist, then held him in front of him, mussing up his hair, then teasing his palm down his abs.

As I drew closer and shrugged off my jacket, the three of them stared at me, eyes absolutely blazing.

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