Page 13 of Eternal Mate

They all owed him for years worth of work, but who was counting? While the worry that my brother would be usurped at his weakest moment made me sick, it was a real one. People did crazy things when they were backed into a corner, and I didn’t know how else one would describe our situation.

People were scared. The complete silence in most of the hallways was telling enough. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen someone outside of our circle wandering the building.

Zuzanna’s gaze met mine, her eyes conveying a deep understanding. “We’re a resilient bunch, aren’t we?”

A wry smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “Oh, you have no idea. The amount of chaos we’ve managed to navigate is nothing short of miraculous.”

She chuckled, the sound laced with both weariness and a touch of amusement. “Tell me about it. Sometimes I wonder if we were all born with an extra dose of stubbornness to keep going against all odds.”

I let out a laugh, grateful for the brief moment of levity amidst the weight of our responsibilities. “Stubbornness, determination, call it what you will. It’s what keeps us going. That and a healthy dose of questionable decision-making skills.”

Zuzanna raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk. “Ah, yes. Our special talent for making things up as we go along. Truly remarkable.”

We shared a knowing glance, our silent agreement acknowledging the unspoken truth.

In this fight against the forces of darkness, we had no choice but to adapt and improvise. Plans rarely went according to, well, plan. Flexibility was our ally, and quick thinking was our survival instinct. It was what had carried us this far—and I was hoping it could take us a little further.

As we approached our meeting spot, the weight of leadership settled back onto our shoulders. There were so many questions and not enough answers at this point.

“Where’s Atlan?” she asked with a frown, glancing around as she pushed the door open and flipped on the lights. The interior office space was in better shape than the last time we’d been there, with less clutter and more places to sit.

I shrugged, looking back down the hallway curiously. “Let’s give him a few minutes, and then I’ll go hunting for him.”

Giving him some time to show up seemed reasonable enough. After all, he had a knack for disappearing when you least expected it.

I took a seat at the conference table, glancing around the room. “So, any updates on Azazel?” I asked as I leaned forward, bracing my elbows.

Zuzanna joined me at the table, shaking her head. “I wish. He remains elusive. We’ve been trying to find any leads, but he’s like a ghost.”

I clenched my fists, frustration boiling within me. We were so close, yet so far from the truth. “We can’t let him get away with this. He’s caused enough pain and destruction.”

I knew she agreed, but that didn’t make any of this any easier.

“I’m going to find Atlan,” I eventually sighed out, pushing back up. “I already talked with Ashe and Jack about it, but I had another vision—this time about Lucifer.”

Zuzanna cringed, and I felt a tingling sensation behind my eyes. Normally, I would snap at her for using magic on me, but it was easier for her to flick through my memory than tote the canvas down for her.

I was sure I’d find Aria leaning over it later, scowling and trying to decipher it, too.

“I’ll be here,” she said absently when the feeling faded, and I nodded.

Taking off back down the hall, I tried not to be frustrated. Atlan and Zuzanna were what was left of Auren’s original council, and with my friends only just recently returned, trying to get anything done was complicated.

Or Auren was just better at coordinating with everyone than I was.

Whatever the reason, I found myself having to drag people along more often than he did, it seemed.

I rounded the corner and grinned to find Atlan standing in the hallway, getting accosted by two little girls.

Upon closer inspection, it was Mia and Caiya; I wondered how Rebecca had talked him into babysitting when he’d been so absorbed in his quest for vengeance. It was heartwarming to see him crouch down to speak to them with a small smile. They made him seem so much more alive than he had been since Kiran died.

A wave of bittersweet longing washed over me, reminding me of my own family.

Shaking off those thoughts for now, I approached him, another grin spreading across my face when the twins looped around each leg, forcing him to walk with them clinging to him.

“You seem to be struggling,” I teased, and the older hybrid gave me a look. “Well, hello there, Mia and Caiya,” I added when they gave me curious looks of their own.

The twins giggled and chorused a quick, “Hi, Sariel!”

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