Those closest to us laughed, and Asher even chuckled as he stepped back and wrapped an arm around me.
Out of nowhere, Jessa’s daughter shot into the air and straight into his free arm. He caught her on instinct, blinking down as she smiled up into his face. He released his hold on me to adjust her more securely against him.
“Hello, little one,” he said, blinking down at her.
“That’s Evie,” Jessa said. “She doesn’t really speak, but she understands everything.”
Evie looked three or four, with a heart-shaped face like her mother. Her white-blond hair was long and wavy down her back, and I wondered at how she was so fair when both of her parents had near black hair.
“She’ll talk when she’s ready,” I said, brushing a hand over her hair. “Won’t you, sweet baby.”
Her eyes locked on mine and an understanding traveled between us. Her eye color was unusual and hard to classify, a mix of blue and green and gray, and when it hazed over I knew she was using her powers. I just didn’t know what for.
She beckoned me closer, and when I was in touching distance again, her little hand landed on my shoulder.
Your future is bright.
At the childlike voice in my mind, I somehow managed not to jerk away, even though I kind of wanted to.
“You can see the future?” I asked her, sounding a little breathless.
Her mother’s brows furrowed as she took a step closer, her son still held tightly in her arms.
Evie nodded, lips turning up in a beautiful smile. She patted me on the shoulder one more time, before turning and floating back to her mother.
Jessa coughed. “Well … fuck. Should be easy to keep her out of trouble, what with her seeing the future and knowing everything before it happens.” She looked a little shell shocked, then her natural resilience kicked in and she returned Evie’s smile. With a rueful chuckle, she leaned over and planted a few kisses on her daughter's cheeks. “When you’re a teenager, mommy is going to need a lot of girl-gang vacations. Daddy can deal with his superpowered children.” Her voice lowered. “Overachiever.”
“I heard that, Jessa babe,” Braxton said, pushing through the crowd with Maximus at his side. I wasn’t surprised; mates were never far apart. They’d probably been following their babies as they ran for their moms.
Maximus waved to all the supes lingering around. “Go on, you’ve met the gods. Now you can scurry back and return to keeping this town functioning.” The vamp hybrid had a twinkle in his eye, but also power in his voice.
Ah, now I understood why we’d had this level of welcoming committee. Everyone wanted to meet a god. Our reputations were already proceeding us. Personally, I was eternally grateful that everyone was treating me just like a normal supe still. No one showed any fear. No one seemed angry at me for what I’d done.
It was a lot more than I expected … or deserved.
“Come on,” Jessa said, “we’ve prepared a meal for you all. Hope you can stay.”
I nodded and found myself being pulled along by Ilia.
“I swear,” she said in a rush, “ever since becoming a god I’ve been starving. Which is insane. I don’t even need to eat.”
Asher called after us. “It’s your new powers. You’re adjusting, and that’s taking a lot of control. You’re refueling in the only way you know how.”
“I’m glad you can still enjoy food,” Jessa said, keeping up with ease. Her children were zooming through the air in their way of travelling. “No amount of power would be worth giving up cake.”
Braxton laughed, perfect white teeth flashing. “Jessa’s worst nightmare.”
She nodded, clearly not at all joking.
They led us across their picturesque town, supes peeking out of the windows as we moved past, but for the most part leaving us alone. When we reached a gorgeous log cabin, built on the edge of the forest, everyone slowed.
Mischa’s daughter, her mop of dark curls bouncing across her shoulders, led the way in under the thick canopy. The natural light was cut off, the scent of earth, nature, moss, and flowers surrounding us as we pushed through. It was peaceful here, the contrast almost immediate from the noisy, bustling town. Calen sighed, and despite his recent protests about nature pissing him off, he looked happier now that we were surrounded by greenery.
He might be coming around to his new godhood.
The table came into sight first, as did a sorcerer, child held in his arms, standing at the side of the long bench.
“Louis!” I cried, lowering my voice when I saw his son was sleeping.
