“I agree,” Aunty Maria says with a nod.
“If we didn’t, there was a high chance you guys would have deterred us,” Jayce says quietly. “Regardless, everyone is back safe. And before anyone begins with the ‘what if something happened’, it didn’t.”
We’re all currently in one of the Academy conference rooms. It’s huge, but the tension makes it suffocating.
“Aunty Ri, mind if you replay the scene from one of their minds? I wasn’t allowed in, so I want to see what happened, too,” Ahren asks from where he’s sitting, eating cookies that I have no idea where he found them.
I sit forward. “It was damn epic, man, like that shit was fucking amazing,” I tell him.
“Ideally, from one of the girls’ minds, since they were just watching it all and probably saw it all better,” Carter adds.
“Whose mind then?” Raihana asks, looking at the girls. “Heaven?”
She shakes her head, and Raihana frowns slightly but nods. “Mine is fine,” Sienna says, stepping forward.
Raihana performs the spell, touching her finger to Sienna’s forehead, and once again, I’m back in that arena. A couple of us collectively groan.
“Too soon,” I say, and the others nod.
Everyone is silent, and even I fall silent as the duel begins. Being there was one thing, but seeing it from Sienna’s eyes is another. The sheer power, the calibre of the attacks, man, even I’m impressed we managed that, but of course I don’t say that. Instead, I lean back with a cocky smile as we fight against a god.
“See, the Westwood men spar off against a god, now that’s something no one else can say they’ve ever done,” I say. The sound of the arena is loud around us. Everywhere around us, power clashes against power.
From up here, the attacks are far stronger and more intense. Our remarks and shouts can also be heard. Although I have to admit, I bring the entertainment. I’ve lost count of how many times the women gasped, or everyone shouted. Ma even screams a few times before clamping her hand over her mouth.
Even Katara looks impressed.
When Allie screams, I snicker. “Aww, look at you caring for me.”
“I don’t care about you,” she throws at me scornfully.
The final attack happens, and everyone is on the edge of their seats: Dad, Gramps, and Grandma, who, by the way, is wide-eyed. I don’t see that expression on her face much, and Uncle Rayhan, too.
They do realise it’s over, right? That they’re just watchinga replay.
Ma jumps again, as does Aunty Kiara. I’m tempted to scare them from here, but maybe it’s too soon.
Yeah, they seem to have forgotten.
Sienna pulls away the moment Helios falls to his knees, and we are back in the room.
Dad looks at us, and I’m not sure if he’s impressed or proud, maybe both.
“Three boys favoured by the gods,” Grandma says, stunned. The others nod, clearly still shocked from the replay.
Ma is shaking as she clings to Dad’s arm. Aunty Maria looks shocked, too. Raihana is smiling, and Delsanra looks worried, her eyes running over our bodies.
“Thank you for everything you did to bring her back. I truly appreciate it,” she whispers, looking at all of us.
Uncle Al is wearing a proud smirk on his face, whilst Leo is already calculating strategies of how he can use us. Trust me, I know the dude.
“Well, Liam, you must be proud. I fucking am. You raised some strong boys there,” Uncle Al says.
“I cannot take credit,” Dad says, ever so humble.
“Dad, just say: Obviously, they’re my sons, init?” I say.
“We made it out alive thanks to Heaven,” Jayce adds. “She traded her voice, so no one died while we were there.”
