Roni didn’t seem surprised by her words. “Then follow me.” He walked out of the open kitchen, untying his apron.
She got up, and along with Alek, they followed him out of the restaurant. The minute they stepped out, Lanias held back a gasp of pleasure. While she’d always played the role of a well-traveled, socialite. She’d never really had time to travel as extensively as she wished. The home she’d carved out for herself and her girls, needed for her to stay in the city.
The idea that such beauty existed just a jump away, made her realize just how much of her life she’d dedicated to others. The bright blue sky was now an orangish purple color as the sun was slowly setting. The ocean below the high mountain side with its plethora of blue ceilings made the picturesque view even more romantic as each house had what looked like Christmas lights hanging from the porch façade or maybe they were more like lanterns.
They continued down the cobblestone steps. Roni led them down the steps, only to sharply turn left. He came to stop at a plain white wall. Lanias gave a questioning glance over what also seemed embedded with glass and seashells.
He reached out, tapping the green pebble and blue pebble—both flashed twice—before the wall fell with a tinkling sound of an unseen windchime. “The four we are currently housing, arestill learning to control their powers. So, excuse them if they overstep. I am accustomed to their sudden outburst, but it’s still touch and go whether they can keep from blowing something up.”
He said this just as he stepped forward.
Lanias and Alek shared a look.
“Are you sure about this?” Alek asked her as he took her hand in his.
“I am. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more. Wait, I wanted a pair of Foulard Cheville satin metallic wrap red sole sandals once,” she said, thoughtfully tapping her bottom lip with her free hand.
“Did you get them?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“Of course, and it was worth every penny.” Her tone was smug. She moved forward. “Let’s go.”
Without a bit of hesitation, he followed her across the threshold.
Roni waited for them at the top of what looked like a duplicate of the cobblestoned staircase they’d just come down. Only when they looked down, it wasn’t the picturesque blue roofed, white walled houses below but a manor. On what appeared to be a vast expanse of land. Red-maple trees and flowers followed along the path down to the manor. There were a few houses that covered the vast land below a bit further from it.
Lanias asked. “We’re not in Santorini anymore, are we?”
“Nope, we’re in North Carolina.” Roni said as he began descending the steps. “I work at a restaurant there, but here is where I live.”
“Mr. Worldwide, huh.” Chuckling at that, he sent a look over his shoulder. “Well, we Beings are creatures of our own making. It wouldn’t make sense to limit myself to one land.”
“Hmm, you have a point there,” Lanias said. “How long has this been here?”
“It’s been a while. Your mother established this place once she realized how dangerous the world was for half-breeds. Her husband, your father, agreed.”
Lanias tensed at the mention of her father, luckily Roni didn’t say his name. Though something told her she wasn’t going to be able to keep the truth from Alek for much longer. Especially with the fact the two of them were about to visit what would have been her home she assumed before her mother had been killed.
“After a few years of roaming, they learned that the half-breeds between Surrem and others weren’t faring well. Some were treated as demons or Witches by the humans and hunted down. While others were doing misdeeds that would no doubt draw the eyes of the True Ones, who as you might have learned, aren’t eager to have their blood running amok on this plane.” He said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “At some point, your father began to fear the time the True Ones would come and attempt to cleanse the world of us.”
“He wasn’t more worried about them killing him?” Lanias knew she was being nasty when she asked the question. She reserved a part of herself that couldn’t accept her father as the hero Roni was obviously setting him up to be. She was grown, but she still needed more time to come to terms with just who and what her father had been.
Roni paused, just before they hit the main sidewalk and looked up at her. Lanias was taken aback by his serious expression. “You’re upset, and you have every right to be. Please know that your father was never one of the Banished. He voluntarily came here and your father was a True One, who thought that the Surrem here deserved a second chance. So, he offered to come here as a judge of sorts. He was here trying to convince his brother to consider understanding that change. It was here that he met your mother.”
Giving her his back,Roni added, “But that story is best left for later. I’ll take you down, then you two can rest and recuperate before I introduce you to the others.”
The two followed him to the front door. He stepped aside. “You can enter, the door will open to the room that is needed.”
Not completely understanding his words, Lanias opened the front door only to find a bedroom.
Alek seeing it lightly pushed her without a word. “Perfect.”
“Wha—Wait, Alek,” Lanias screamed, as he shut the door behind them.
Roni shook his head as he left. “Young ones are all the same.”
Claiming
ALEK
