Page 18 of Twilight Echoes
“Perhaps we should get started,” her father said.
But her mind kept playing Jackson’s words over and over again.
“Why does it have to be me next?” she asked, staring at Darrell. “And why babies right away?”
Her father coughed.
Darrell pounded his chest.
Jackson and Trask just laughed, like it was funny.
Which it wasn’t.
“Are you honestly opposed to having children right away?” Trask asked, wiping his hand over his face, as if to remove the smile. “I only ask because I do understand and respect your feelings. When I met Hollie, the last thing I wanted was for my mate to find me. If that happened, it meant Tara had been awakened and I might have to do the unthinkable and destroy my mate like I did my mother, which isn’t exactly what happened.”
“Not in reality,” her father said.
“Well, no. But my that’s because everyone in those bubbles lie.” Trask rubbed the back of his neck. “Except my wife. But no one could know the truth about my mother. Or my father. Or me for that matter. Even Hollie had no idea who I was. But the point is, I never intended to have children. Now I have Ali and another one on the way. What’s happening now is something that has been predetermined for centuries.” He clasped his hands together and a green ball appeared. “The only thing I know for certain is that the wolfairies were the key to freeing all the fairies and restoring a balance that had been destroyed. It leveled the playing field for the good side of magic.”
Avery peered inside the ball. A vision of two worlds appeared. One with the wolfairies and one without.
The one without was riddled with chaos and anger.
“The first pairing of Fated Moons and now twins of a witch fairy and wizard fairy is tipping us into something else.” He spun his fingers. “A cosmic energy of some kind. Watchers have always believed there are two universes, each with different realms. I understand realms because I can transport myself from one place to the other. It’s not easy. It hurts. And if I do it too much, too often, or for the wrong reason, it will kill me.”
“Then why do it?” Darrell asked.
“I generally don’t. Last time I did it was right before I killed Tara.” Trask clapped his hands, destroying the ball. “Our research at the farm tells us that long before history was ever recorded, an evil spirit similar to me cast the world into two universes. The Legend of the Fated Moons, if completed, has the power to pull them back together, unlocking a more stable core. But more importantly, pulling those trapped in a dark universe where other witch and wizard fairies have been trapped.”
“That is a lot to take in,” Avery mumbled.
“I know.” Trask rested his strong, powerful hand on her shoulder. “And I’m sorry the weight of it all is coming down onyou. But the universe wouldn’t call to you if she didn’t think you could handle it. Just like pairing a Havernite with an alpha wolf who had an attitude problem. Or me with a watcher who knew nothing of the outside world except what she observed living inside a bubble.” He arched a brow. “I’ve learned not to question these things, even when they don’t make much sense at the time.”
“I suppose it’s no weirder than Jackson over there imprinting on a one-month-old.”
“Yeah, that was strange, all right,” her father said. “We know there is a purpose to your mating. Nothing you can do to stop it.”
“And that brings us back to why I’m here. We won’t have any kind of a future if I’m dead,” Darrell said.
She covered her mouth, hoping to muffle the gasp. It did, but it didn’t stop the fairy dust. She sighed.
“Avery, I think it’s best if you go to another room. Your mother is in the kitchen,” her father said.
“Nope. No way. I’m staying since this does affect me.”
“No, you’re not.” Her father pointed toward the hallway. “If I need you, I’ll call you. Got it?”
“Dad, we just went five rounds about him being my mate. I’m?—”
“Can I have a minute with Avery, please?” Darrell stood, resting his hand on the small of her back. The familiarity of it melted the anger into tiny pieces of forgettable angst.
“Sure,” her father said.
She took Darrell by the hand and led him into the main dining room, closing the door. The fairy dust followed her into the space, wrapping its warm particles around their bodies.
Resting her hip against the table, she folded her arms, even though she wanted to wrap them around him, pressing her lips on his, feeling his velvet tongue twirl around in her mouth.
He was hers.
