“Dad, do you….” Ben hesitated to continue.
“Koios is a complicated case, son. But if anyone can help him, you can. I know how much work you’ve put into this, and I’m not blind as to why.”
Ben nodded as Papa carried out the tray of steaks. “Koios is determined to stop the manticore.”
“Of course, he is,” Papa said. “Now, leave your dad to the steaks. Come see what furniture we picked out. If I make Vaughn look at the fabric samples again, he’s going to upholster me instead of the new sofas.”
Ben laughed and put his arm around Papa’s shoulders. “No problem. You’d better send Bayu out to keep him company, though. You’ll be your favorite tiger son-in-law’s hero if you let him escape decorating talk.”
“Oh, good idea. Plus, more grandbabies for me.”
Sam hurried back inside, and Ben looked back at his dad. “I’m not blind either, Dad. I’ll be careful, though.”
“I know you will. I don’t want to see you get hurt, but I know you care too deeply about Koios to not give him all the help he needs. Just remember, you have backup if it gets to be too much. Pop-pop and I can take a day on occasion.”
The thought made Ben’s stomach twist into a knot, but he nodded his agreement. He went back inside to find Ollie and Bayu in the kitchen while his Papa sat on the couch with the twins on his lap.
“How did you manage to steal them both so quickly?” Ben asked.
“Pfft. I’m their grandpa. I get dibs.”
“Is that how it works?”
“There were threats involved,” Papa said.
“Evil threats,” Ollie yelled from the kitchen. “No dessert threats.”
Ben laughed and sat down on the couch beside Papa. He tickled Liam’s cheek and got a little coo from his nephew for his trouble.
“They’re so cute.”
He’d never seen Papa so happy. Ben bumped their shoulders together before leaning back and putting his arm over his Papa’s shoulders. “They really are.”
Life always returned to normal. Ben had witnessed it over and over again. The circle of life, birth and death, sickness and health. Months of recovery for Jack and Koios after near-death experiences, followed by cuddles with the newest members of their family. They’d lost Grandpa William, but learned Emily was expecting her first child.
Bayu went outside a few minutes later carrying a bottle of beer in each hand. Ollie joined them on the couch with brochures from the furniture store in his hand. Ben shook his head at Papa and Ollie’s in-depth discussion. The sample fabrics looked exactly the same to him. Ollie would probably say they were completely different, like beige and sand.
He left them to their discussion and went upstairs to change. After his brothers and sisters moved out, Ben had taken over a couple of the rooms as his own. Pausing in front of his desk, Ben bit his lip and stared at the ever-present book of anatomy he’d had since he was a teenager. Dad had given it to him when he’d first shown an interest in medicine.
Ben opened it and removed the feather he’d hidden between the first few pages.
He brushed his finger over the soft black keratin and shivered.
“Stop it, Ben.”
He put the feather back in place and went to take a cold shower. It was going to be a long night, and he had no doubt what—and who—would fill his dreams.
5
KOIOS
Koios looked up from his monitor when the door opened. Logan nodded a greeting before walking into the room and closing the door behind him.
With the click of a few buttons, Koios minimized the windows explaining anterior pelvic tilt. He didn’t need anyone else asking questions, he had enough of his own.
“How did it go?” Koios asked.
“Good. The cameras are all online and connected to the network. We’re ready for you to test.”
