“No. The grandpas were going to tell me, but so much has happened we haven’t gotten around to it.”
He smiles and takes me by the hand as my mother catches up to us. “Get the shuttle running, General. We will only be ten minutes,” he tells Saxon, and the two of them hurry me to the elevators.
“Where are we going?” I ask them when Mom pushes the button to the top deck, which has my family suite and the bridge.
“You took over your grandpas’ rooms with all their stuff, right?” my father asks me as the doors open and we walk out.
“I mean, kind of, but it’s all been refurbished since then,” I reply as they lead the way to our front door.
“But you have all of their circus things? Their costumes and everything?” he asks as I let us in the front door.
“Well, sort of. I have my own set that they made for me. I’m not sure what happened to Eric’s and William’s. I think theyprobably took them home or maybe kept them in their smaller suite downstairs.” I’m so confused, but I answer his question.
“But you have the cane? The one that will change into a whip for the cats, with the pretty glowing gem on top?” Mom asks urgently.
“Yeah, it’s in my closet, I’ve been having trouble managing the whip. Heck, I didn’t even know it was one until Eric showed me how to use it. It’s pretty clever,” I tell them, feeling a little embarrassed that I still can’t get a handle on the whip. I keep tearing holes in my pants, and my ass has a permanent scorch mark.
I lead the way into my bedroom, open the door to my walk-in closet, and grab the cane. There is a button on the side, which will transform it to a whip. I hold it out, showing my parents.
“Cronus created that for your grandpas, infusing magic into it so it would switch between both things. He overheard Eric grumbling about ruined costume lines when he had to carry both things and came up with that solution.” My mom smiles fondly at the memory as my dad takes it from my hand. The beautiful gem at the end pulses like it has life in it. I always marveled at the way it did that, but I never thought anything of it. Dad gives it a twist, and there’s a click, and it falls into his open hand. He holds it out to me.
“Behold the orb of power.”
I stare at it, blinking in surprise. “You have got to be shitting me. They hid it in plain sight?” I screech so loudly they both wince. “And they didn’t fucking warn me?”
“What can I say? My fathers are interesting men.” My dad shrugs like it’s no big deal. I snatch it out of his hand and storm out of my bedroom and back through our home, muttering under my breath the whole way. Thank goodness the kids are down in the pool, going for a swim. Chloe was dying to see the big pool. Xavier promised he would find a way for her to swimwith her brothers and sisters when he returned, and I bet he will be able to as well.
“When I see those damn men, they are going to get my foot up their asses so hard, and I swear if Eric even thinks about snickering at me, I’ll make his damn face flat like that damn dog Muttley,” I mutter under my breath, but obviously not quietly enough.
“Oh dear, I think maybe we should warn my fathers,” I hear my dad say.
“Oh no, dear, I’m pretty sure they are going to get exactly what they deserve.” My mom doesn’t sound worried in the least.
“It is so nice not being the only female in the family now,” I call back to her. “I missed you, Mom. I’m glad you’re here,” I tell her, and there’s silence before I hear a sob. I stop and turn around, and she’s wrapped in Dad’s arms, crying.
“Oh shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset her,” I apologize, but Dad just shakes his head and smiles.
“She’s not upset, baby. She’s just super happy we’re back together and equally sad that we missed so many years. Luckily for us, we have many, many more to enjoy to make up for it.”
I give them a quick group hug before I continue on my way. “Especially after Gigi teaches you to shove some of your essence into Mom and Bubby, and they become immortal like you.”
Again, there is silence, but this time, I don’t stop. Note to self—I have to pick more appropriate times to announce such major things like immortality.
We get to the elevator, and as we move to the shuttle bay, I take a moment to shove the orb into my interdimensional safe space. Mom and Dad gape at me in surprise. “Having a warlock husband is handy,” I tell them.
“I’ll say. Do you think he could teach me that?” my dad asks. “It would be a great place to store some weapons and a snack.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I said,” I say, and he holds up his hand for a high five. “An emergency snack is always a necessity.”
My mom just rolls her eyes at us.
The hangar is empty, and the engines on the shuttle are glowing blue. The three of us run up the gangplank. “Hit the hyperdrive, Chewie,” I shout as the door closes behind us.
“Huh?” Everyone looks at me strangely.
“Did she hit her head wherever you went?” Saxon asks, looking at my dad.
“NiceStar Warsreference.” He holds up his hand for another high five, and I indulge him while beaming at him.
