Page 91 of Above Cursed Winds

Instantly transforming his face with an open-mouthed grin, Myko jumped up and down before vaulting into Zia’s arms. From inside her embrace, he asked, “Does that mean you’re gonna stay with us, Jeremiah?”

He nodded. “You’re never gonna get rid of me now, little man.”

That was when the tears came. Softening, Jeremiah closed the distance between them, pulling both Zia and Myko into his chest. As Myko cried softly, his happiness a near-tangible thing, Jeremiah’s lips found hers once more.

She was the missing piece of the puzzle, the second part of his soul he’d longed for without knowing it.

And now, cradling her and their son in his arms, Jeremiah had never been happier. Pressing another kiss into Zia’s vibrant hair, he gently cupped Myko’s cheek.

“We love you, Myko.”

Myko grinned enthusiastically, then sobered, asking, “Is Father okay, mommy? He feels different in my head. Like he’s put on a new coat or something.”

Or, perhaps, taken one off.

“Your daddy might need a bit of time to adjust, little man. He’s had a hard day and lost a couple of things he’ll miss terribly.”

“But he’s okay?”

“Yeah, Boo,” Zia lovingly smoothed Myko’s curls. “Your father will be okay. I’m sure he’ll come see you when he’s feeling more himself.”

A childlike determination filled Myko’s face, followed by a workmanlike nod. “Yep. And then he’ll have to find somewhere else to sleep. Since my best friend is taking his spot.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Eight days of clean-up efforts held Zia and Jeremiah back from venturing to Paracel. In addition to storm debris, broken glass and bullet holes spotted buildings. Fortunately, the clan had a matter welder, a Raeth capable of curing what’d been broken. Broken glass had reformed perfectly, and Zia had happily observed Jeremiah’s awestruck fixation with the talent.

It’d been the topic of conversation around the dinner table several times, about as much as Myko pondered the significance of Jeremiah’s altered eye color.

When he’d discovered the change to his eyes, her mate had stared mutely at the bathroom mirror for an hour, cocking his head to each side and blinking at himself. The Elemental had called Zia and Myko in to confirm the change, as if he couldn’t believe his own eyes—literally.

Then he’d called Gideon and they’d spent two hours on the phone talking about it. Zia, of course, had shamelessly eavesdropped, then finally joined their conversation when Jeremiah put the monarch on speakerphone.

They’d all agreed not to test the theory that Jeremiah was now mostly immune to death.

The breach that had brought them together had been solved. Once they had discovered that the Citizens Raeth was a technopath—and not a hacker—it had changed things. Remmus had used the same ability to re-engineer all of their technology to resist intrusion. Moreover, he’d gone through all of the devices the Accords-signing dignitaries possessed, pulling what scraps of information he'd found out of each before compiling the complete picture of how the hack had been possible.

Initially, there’d been a mention of the address list in a text conversation between Kane and Drake, with the latter responding that ‘Zia has it’. From there, Remmus was able to put together what little he’d found to bridge the gaps.

It was how the Citizens had known about the Search and Rescue operation that the Elementals ran. Why the Citizens had always been one step ahead of them.

That was about to change.

With the knowledge they now held, Remmus could trick the other technopath into believing they were speaking about anything—and thereby lay a trap in which they’d come out on top.

There were very few good things that’d come from the intrusion, but having a better understanding of their enemy was one silver lining.

What remained unsolved was the matter of the photographs. No one could remember being tailed when they had been taken. The apartment, too, had been a bust—the Raeth who owned it never returned, and the little they did have on him was a dead end. For the time being, they’d wait. The enemy would show themselves, and when they did, the immortals would be ready.

The day before, Zia had tested her wings. Luna had repaired the damage Sehrin had caused, but the residual ache of the bitter memory hadn’t left her.

After a brief flight to confirm she’d been left with no permanent damage, she returned home. For the first time in ages, she simply couldn’t stand being alone. It’d been her constant throughout the years: solitude. Myko’s arrival had changed the status quo, but the feeling had never left her.

Gideon and Rona, having been assured by Key that their part in the play was ‘over’, had returned to Paracel only a day after Jeremiah and Zia’s mating. While they hadn’t had a chance to celebrate, Zia had assured them there’d be time for that soon.

She couldn’t wait.

After so long without companionship, Zia’s soul had almost become a dried husk. Jeremiah, with his infectious positivity finally returning, had gone a long way to restoring balance.

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