Page 7 of Scarred Resolve

“In this case, you’re not. We know she’s duty-bound to something in her territory, something she guards and won’t leave. That’s why she’s always lived there and rarely makes trips away, and never long ones. As to what that is, I’ve certainly never been told. I don’t think any of us really know. The twins might have a better guess than any of us, but that’s for multiple reasons.”

“They’re witches like her, and they’ve been alive for so long.” It was pretty obvious.

“And they are her biological children. She says she loves us all equally, and I believe that, but I know there’s something… unique between her and the twins. You can’t say you haven’t seen it.”

“I have, but it never bothered me. I don’t even know if I would classify it as favoritism.”

“I wouldn’t either, but it’s different from us. It doesn’t help that they stayed in Africa, where they were born and raised by her and Hasan, and we all spread out all over the world. They needed magic lessons, and we didn’t. But I think, in terms of their relationship, they might have heard more hints from Subira or could have uncovered it without her needing to tell them if they tried. I’m not going to ask them, and neither are you.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. Considering the sorts of secrets everyone else in this family is keeping, I am scared to know what Subira must be hiding, not just from us but the world.”

“Now you’re getting it,” Niko teased a little, and the mood lightened in a heartbeat.

Until we both jumped high enough to hit our heads as my phone started to ring. I answered without looking at the caller ID, just trying to make the loud noise stop.

“Jacky speaking,” I said quickly.

“I sneezed and wondered what my youngest was up to.”

Based on her own amusement and once again impeccable timing, I laughed, which caused Subira to chuckle as well.

“Niko and I were out to dinner, and you might have come up,” I explained. “How are you?”

“Oh, I’m good. I’m taking a break from trying to convince Jabari what my house does and doesn’t need. Amir is taking a nap, Makalo is off running around with Kushim, and Zuri is plotting with Aisha about how to make sure Jabari doesn’t build some awful mansion in my untouched and pristine territory.”

“He’s not really trying to build a mansion, is he?” I rolled my eyes and saw Niko shaking his head at our eldest brother’s foolishness.

“Oh, he is, but?—”

“Mother, I have figured it out!” Zuri’s voice came through as if she had the phone. “We’re going to build down. Up here, the only thing people will see is a small, single-bedroom home for the lonely little woman who lives out here. We’ll build a large living space underground.”

“Like the vampires?” Subira seemed amused by this.

“Yeah, but it’s not a bad idea. We could also build into that cliffside?—”

“Not the cliff. If we build underground, make sure there are several ways out as well. Might as well make it as safe as the vampires do. Do it, but still only the necessities.”

“Can do! I’ll tell Jabari.”

“Is she gone?” I asked.

“She is. Now, back to you and Niko.”

“He’s in the car with me still. He’s dropping me off at home, then heading home himself.”

“Oh, wonderful. I really only called to say I love you. I love you both.”

“Love you, too,” Niko said, his voice a bit rough.

“Yeah, love you, too,” I said, smiling at her kindness. She had promised to be more attentive, and it seemed like she was trying to keep it.

“Has there been any word from…” Niko trailed off, and I saw his hands squeeze his steering wheel a bit too hard.

“No, Niko, I’m sorry. He hasn’t sent me word.”

“When is he moving to your territory?” I asked, moving quickly off the topic of how Hasan wasn’t sending any word to us, not privately or through Subira. What Iwaswilling to talk about was how Hasan was in timeout on his island when he was supposed to be living with Subira now. Like all things, though, change takes time, and everything was easier said than done.

“Once we have a Tribunal space for him. No longer than a few more weeks. We’ve already decided that no matter what is built, his and my spaces must be first and finished before anything else so we can move in properly.”

---