Page 107 of Storm Echo

“Alive and aware—though it appears at least two of the other four As on the island have Scarab Syndrome.”

It was the worst kind of news, Designation A already critical in terms of numbers.

“Ager Lii isn’t suffering from the syndrome,” Kaleb clarified. “They’ve confirmed that the new network is stable, and that its link to the main part of the Substrate appears to be opening up. So while the island remains separated from the rest of the PsyNet on the upper level, it stands atop the same foundations. It won’t starve of anchor energy.”

Ivan exhaled slowly at the realization that the island’s psychic network was more than functioning. It was functioningwell. “I can’t explain the mechanics of it to you.”

“It’s simple,” Soleil said from beside him. “You have the capacity to create and maintain pack bonds, just like Lucas. You can feel every packmate in the back of your mind, can’t you, Luc?”

Lucas inclined his head. “Talking of which—there are a lot more heartbeats in my consciousness as of thirty-two hours ago. Nothing near as strong an awareness as I have of the members of the pack, but I know they’re there. An entire network of people at the far periphery of my view.”

Soleil’s mouth made a rounded O, while Ivan just stared at the alpha.

“Looks like our blood bond has linked the two groups.” Lucas folded his arms, legs spread.

“Psy, human, changeling,” Sascha murmured. “That’s what’s always been needed in the PsyNet, a trinity of energy. Soleil, Yariela mentioned your mother was human?”

Soleil nodded.

“Pack energy, too, has to be feeding into the Psy network through Soleil. We have members from all three races.” Sascha frowned. “But Lucas darling, you don’t feel any drain?”

“No.”

“Might be that all that’s needed for the stabilization of a psychic network is the merepresenceof changeling and human energies.” Sascha’s smile was a thing of warmth. “It’s going to be a fascinating puzzle to work out. Later. Right now, you two must be starving—Tammy finally agreed to go rest an hour ago, when she felt you start to surface, but she left us with strict instructions to feed you.”

“So.” Ena’s soft voice as Lucas shifted to reveal a large basket of food. “You’ve succeeded in creating an island that is perfectly balanced within the trinity.” A tone in her voice that Ivan knew was pride.

Her next words were telepathic, only for him:You were never the spider, Ivan. You were born to be the heart of a network. I regret that I didn’t understand this at the very beginning.

The words rang in Ivan’s head as Krychek slid his hands into the pockets of his pants. “It’s too bad your brain is one of a kind.” His eyes gleamed black with stars. “This would be the perfect solution to our problem, erase all our issues with the prior plans to fragment the PsyNet.”

“There’s at least one more mind like mine,” Ivan pointed out, an image of a bloated black carapace in mind. “The original spider who created the island.”

“No,” Kaleb said. “It’s analogous but not the same—it siphoned power, correct? You, however, act as a redistribution center.”

Ena stirred. “We can still learn from what Ivan has done. It’s possible we could create a network based on the framework.”

Kaleb murmured back a response, Ena replied, but Ivan was no longer listening.

All his life, Ivan had believed his ability a curse. To hear it being spoken of as an advantage … yes, it was going to take a lot of getting used to, but when he looked over to see Soleil grinning as Sascha handed her a huge chocolate chip muffin, he knew nothing was impossible.

He loved and was loved, words he’d never thought he’d ever think.

“The embers are so warm I can feel them,” Arwen murmured from beside him. “She loves you with all her being.”

“I know,” Ivan said as Soleil turned and waved the muffin at him with a laugh. “I know.”

Chapter 52

Ivan, I just got a hit on your DNA. Uncle Rufus and I maintained the automatic background search as you asked—this is the first time it’s had a hit. I’m sending you the details, but it looks like a full match—this man is likely your father.

He’s human, showed up in the system when he was processed as a suspect in a murder case in the vicinity of his residence. Enforcement tested all adult males within a certain radius. He was cleared straight-away and his DNA is already being wiped from the records, but the automation caught it before the wipe.

I’ve backed up the record and am attaching it here so you can run your own comparison search to confirm.

—Canto Mercant to Ivan Mercant (9 October 2083)

“HAPPY ENDINGS ARE for human and changeling fairy tales.”

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