Page 40 of Mantle

I saw Mom frown. “You don’t care for it?”

“Of course he doesn’t,” Dad spoke.

I tensed, thinking he was making a dig at Kai because of the way things had started and him finding out about Kai’s dangerous and calculating side.

But then he grinned and said, “A different breed, aren’t you, sorcerer? A step beyond.”

For one of the very few times that was ever possible, Kai actually looked completely caught off guard.

He wasn’t the only one.

Dad was being beyond accepting. It was actual support, being in Kai’s corner.

The corner of Kai’s mouth turned up. “I see my reputation precedes me. This time, in a positive way.”

“It does,” Dad confirmed.

Mom let out a laugh.

“What’s so funny, princess?” Dad asked, as we all turned to her in surprise.

“This. History repeating itself, but this time in a highly amusing way.” She looked at me and my boys in turn then and told us, “My father absolutely abhorred both Ryker and Jaxon. He hated them being with me. He gave them crap, like Jaxon has been doing. And now they’re all the best of friends.”

“That’s an oversimplification,” Dad argued.

“Still the truth, Jax,” Pops chuckled. “A fucked-up truth, but still the truth.”

“What about Lucian?” Nyx queried.

Lucian smiled. “Who could possibly take issue with a refined and diplomatic wonder like me?”

Mom laughed again. “He fell in line.”

Lucian cleared his throat.

“Right,” Mom said. “Appearedto fall in line more than Jaxon and Ry.”

“Professional persuader indeed,” Ryker said, smirking at him.

“I love it,” Nyx said, chortling.

As we fell into a comfortable silence, eating away, I took in the moment and memorized it. It was no small thing and it really felt like the next step for our foursome, being here with my mom and dads like this, the comfortable intimacy of it. The normalcy of it.

“Very nice job on the Crossborn Refuge System proposal,” Pops told Nyx. “Off the record, I’ve already ratified it.”

“Seriously?”

Pops smiled kindly. “Seriously. I’ll be working with the Unity Council in the coming weeks to determine how best to implement it.”

“Damn, that’s amazing. Thank you, Ryker!” Nyx cried excitedly.

It had Kai beaming at him, and Vorzyr rubbing his shoulder. I planted a kiss on his cheek and his eyes sparkled at all of us.

“Warlow and I have discussed it and there’s a full-time position waiting for you when you graduate the Academy,” Pops told him.

Nyx’s eyes went wide.

“It was well-earned,” Pops added, ensuring he didn’t think it was due to his connection to me and the family. Besides, Pops wouldn’t do that. He liked and respected out-of-the-box thinkers and those who showed passion for their work. Both of which Nyx had demonstrated since joining the Crossborn team.

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