“I know, but there’s nothing you can do right now. So you’re coming with me to a Hero Society girls’ night. Guaranteed to make you feel better.” I eyed her hand before taking the offer a few seconds later. I wasn’t going home, and I knew if I lay down, I’d stay down for days. For the sake of my job, and mental health, I had to keep moving. My whole body felt like it weighed an extra hundred pounds as I stood.
“I’m not dressed for going out.”
“You’re perfect as you are. We’re going to a low-key place, with safe people.” She emphasized thesafeandlow-keyto ease the tension building in my gut. As we walked to her car, I asked who would be there, to help my nerves by eliminating the unknown.
“Hazel, Rose, Lilith, Echo, Esme, Gwen, Mina, and us. We’re grabbing Rose and Gwen from headquarters, then heading to Hazel’s estate in the woods.” All the details soothed my brain. I knew Rose and Gwen. They were the sweetest out of the heroes I’d met. Gwen’s little robots surprised me at first, but after one pizza luncheon with them, Pops and I were good friends. Cora the dragon sat beside me once, and I took that as best friend behavior too.
Phillip stood outside Pizza Pazza, with his blonde sister chatting with the white-haired petite woman to her right. A tall man stood with his arms crossed over his chest, and I’d remember the broody-looking man anytime. Draco. He watched every car that drove by, and Phillip nudged him with a laugh. I’m sure Draco was in full protective husband mode.
As we parked, Phillip ran up to the door and motioned for me to lower the window.
“Ladies. Emily, can I steal you for five minutes? Draco’s here, and we need to talk about your powers. All futures don’t make you all late for tonight. I promise.” He crossed his heart once, and I sighed. I wasn’t in the mood for this, but Draco had answers that would explain more than I could imagine.
“I’ll be right back.” I glanced at Selene before following Phillip over to the others. Rose gave me a soft smile before asking Gwen to walk with her to Selene’s SUV. My chest ached again, and I felt so heavy, like I could lie on the ground.
“Do you feel it?” Phillip asked, and I hadn’t realized I stood there staring at the ground. Great.
“It’s subtle, but something feels off,” Draco responded, and that caught my attention.
“Hi, Emily.” His face softened just a bit as our gazes met. He lifted his hand to hold it palm up in front of me.
“Can you place your hand in mine?” I nodded and did as requested. I felt nothing, but Draco’s eyes closed, and the most relaxed exhale I’d ever heard eased past his lips.
“Powerful,” he added before opening his eyes to glance at Phillip.
“I’m surprised you didn’t tell her; I know you’ve seen this.”
“It had to be you.” Phillip shrugged, and instead of feeling frustrated with them beating around the bush, I felt my shoulders sag further.
“She needs her balance. The longer without it, the harder it will be.” Draco continued to talk like I knew what they were talking about.
“Tell me,” I sighed, and Draco faced me again. This time his eyes remained focused on me, perhaps to watch for signs that I understood every word.
“Your powers come from the mother of the gods. Your very essence is that of the mother. Your presence comforts others like a mother’s hug. Makes them feel safe and warm. But that’s one side, and it feels like you’re only allowing that side to come through.”
“Mother of the gods?” I needed more clarification on that. Perhaps I could look up info in books or the internet later.
“The Titaness, Rhea. She was kind and nurturing, but also fierce. She stood against her husband, Kronos, when he wanted to eat their son Zeus. She gave him a big stone instead. Lying to the Titan of time was not a smart move, but it gave Zeus time to grow and defeat him,” he confirmed, and I played the words over in my head.
Rhea. Titaness. Mother of the gods. My power was a mother’s gifts of comfort and safety. Rhea was married to the Titan of time.
My head darted to Phillip, and he winced.
“He’s my balance, isn’t he?” The words flew out, barely above a whisper. “That’s what you were talking about. Why I feel so shitty after touching him and not being near him.” Phillip rolled his lips between his teeth, and his silence said it all.
“Please explain to me what the balance thing is.” I needed to know what happened if we weren’t balanced. Would I die? Would I be this miserable forever? Draco’s eyes switched focus from me to Phillip, then back to me.
“If you’ve met someone with Kronos’s power, then they are your balance. Everything has a balance. It’s the nature of our world. Sometimes it is emotional balance, sometimes it’s in the opposite of one’s power. Phillip has Mina, the one person in the whole world he can’t guess the future for. He can’t plan every detail of their life and nudge things to go a certain way. Mina is unpredictable. I was hard as stone from my immortal life, and Rose was the only person to soften me. We’re balanced together. Separate, we are still our own complete selves, but we are more aligned with our counterpart. Godly powers need balance, or they overtake human bodies.” He released my hand and took a step back.
“Kronos and Rhea being Titans means your powers are stronger. Needier. Especially with your dormant side. Perhaps touching your counterpart woke it a bit. Staying busy and releasing your power around others in comfort should help. But eventually you’ll burn up without balance. Those with godly powers who don’t use them go mad. Titans will end up using too much until they have nothing left.”
“Phillip,” I whimpered, needing some hope, some something, anything. I didn’t want any of that. I didn’t choose this. I thought of Vincent. He could be in pain and I didn’t know how to tell him, or what to tell him. Tears broke out onto my cheeks, and the need to crumble made me twitch. Phillip shook his head.
“I’m sorry,” he mouthed, and logically I knew this was hard for him. To not tell me everything I wanted to know.
“Whoever they are, they will be back. You are their balance, and they are yours. Your souls can’t be separated for long.” Draco gave me a nod, and I noticed Phillip do the same beside him.
“Go to girls’ night. You’ll feel better,” Phillip finally spoke, his arm coming up for me should I need assistance walking. I did.
