Page 62 of Battling Bright
“Uh, Mom adopted the four of us seven years ago.Uncle Neek helped us get a house, but then we had to go into hiding because the guy Mom saved us from came after us.So, we left, but when Kori finished high school last year, we came back.We heard he woke up, but he has a fiancée and a new life, so we are just happy that he’s moving along.”
Krys blinked.“You...who else is in your family?”
“Winnie, but you know her, and Akra.”
“Winnie’s mom, what’s her name?”
Miika took her hand and walked her through the hall to a wall of retired agents.“That’s Mom.”
A woman in the formal XIA uniform stood with her hair twisted into a tight bun, her white hair with a black streak very distinct, her eyes black and red.And very familiar.
“Elida Danforth.Siberian tiger shifter.”Krys paused.“I remember something from a few years ago.”
“Eight years ago.An enormous tiger carried four teen girls to the only hospital that had the blood to save them.”Miika cocked her head.“She hates that picture.She says it belongs in a comic book.”
“I am going to ask Neekil if he wants you five at the wedding.Are you all adults?”
“Yup.”
“Nice.We should be able to make room without any trouble.”
“This is his day, and a number of mages worked to expunge us from memory.We ceased to exist in Redbird for the last seven years.”
Krys quickly typed a text to Neekil.She expected a response late at night, but he got back to her immediately with one question,Where are they?
Here in Redbird.
I mean now.
Miika is here with me.She’s an XIA recruit.
She looked to Miika.“Where would your mother be right now?”
Miika laughed.“She’s at the house.Same house he helped us set up.”
I am grabbing Hannah and going there now.
Krys blinked.“Huh.He is grabbing Hannah and going there now.”
Miika checked her watch.“I am heading home for lunch.Wanna come watch the fireworks?”
“No.This is family stuff.I just needed to know if I needed an extra table and if any of you needed plus ones.”
Miika nodded.“Oh, you will know by the end of the day.”
Miika went and spoke to her supervisor about a family emergency and then ran out of the building.
Krys looked at her phone.Reynal had asked her to lunch.That seemed like fun.
* * * *
Hannah was staringat Neekil’s expression.Hopeful and eager, he was driving as fast as was socially appropriate.“Sweetie, where are we going, and why are we awake and dressed?”
“Because I just learned that my cousin is back in town, with all of her kids.I want to see them and invite them to the wedding.I haven’t seen them in so long,” he said softly.
“Five years?”
“Seven.They had to leave town.They were being hunted, and it was causing issues with the locals.They were put into a witness protection until the girls were all adults, and I am guessing the youngest just crossed that threshold.”
