Page 105 of Premonition of Peace

Ann and Bad Nat fought on ninety percent of issues. The Warden was often the tiebreaker. And Rage, well she was going by a new name these days.

Passion.

In the wake of the destruction of the memory loci, she and I had sat down and had a heart-to-heart. That was when she first broached the subject of a name change. I’d been more than happy to agree if it would help ease some of the underlying tension between us.

Over the past six months, she’d matured a lot, finally growing up to meet the age that the rest of my loci, minus the embodiment of my childhood innocence, was at. She still had time to grow, and I knew that was partially my fault considering I was still unlearning years of repressing myself. But alreadyshe’d hit young adulthood, looking very similar to how I did around twenty years old.

“Cookies are ready,” Caretaker called out from the kitchen. Little ran into the room carrying a plate of seasonal sugar cookies with colored eggs on them while Caretaker followed behind with seven small cups of milk.

The lack of an eighth still hurt, but I didn’t dwell on that.

Bad Nat sneered in disgust at the wholesome sight, dropping her boots from the tabletop to the floor one at a time. “You have shitty Easter cookies, and we don’t even celebrate Easter—but no whiskey?” she grumbled.

Just as Caretaker started to respond, the atmosphere shifted. Lucifer materialized in the room. He’d gotten really good at slipping in and out of loci, but we had learned that he couldn’t access it if I wasn’t mentally inside. His eyes swept across the scene, and a mischievous grin spread across his face.

“I’m with Bad Nat, whiskey would be an excellent addition?—”

I groaned, rubbing my temple. “Lucifer, we've talked about this.”

“What? I’m just saying?—”

“Nothing, you were saying nothing.”

He pressed his lips together in a pout, but it wasn’t very effective when his eyes twinkled with mirth. “Very well. Is my favorite Nat back yet?”

The sudden shift in energy took the playful atmosphere away as we all exchanged glances. So much for ignoring that pang in my chest.

“Peace hasn’t returned,” I said quietly.

“Give it time, Prime,” Bad Nat said, moving to stand. She snatched a cookie off the plate while they were still hot and bit into it. She was still chewing when she added, “Of all the things that you lost, peace takes the longest to return.”

“I know,” I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face.

“I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure . . .” Caretaker began, shifting side to side, her fuzzy slippers squeaking slightly. “I check the greenhouse every day. Keep the plants watered. Talk to them. You know . . . It’s what Peace would want. When I went out there this morning, the door was locked.”

Everyone at the table stilled.

That could only mean one thing.

“Well, well, my little witch has healed from the events last winter, after all. We should celebrate. The six of us,” he said, smirking and waggling his eyebrows.

Bad Nat swatted him on the back of the head as she walked by.

“Hey! What was that for?”

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” she called over her shoulder as she rounded the corner.

The Warden sighed. “I’m with her on this one.”

“Me too,” Caretaker added.

“Oh, come on,” Lucifer said. “Ann, what about you? I know you’re secretly in love with me?—”

“Nope,” Ann pushed away from the table. “I’m opting out of this escapade. He’s all yours, Prime.”

I laughed lightly under my breath while Lucifer stood there looking put out at the rejection of my others. “How many times do I have to tell you, we’re not having an org—group activities?” I switched last second with a glance at Little. “These are all me. That’s weird.”

“Oh come on,” he said. “It’ll be like touching yourself while I watch. Nothing we haven’t done before?—”

---