Chapter 29
It had beenseveral hours since Týr went on patrol. And Kira hadn’t left their quarters. She paced the length of the living room and dropped her cell on the coffee table, her gaze drifting back to the TV and to the old yuletide movie playing there. Christmas was in two days.
Being an Oracle, Gran didn’t celebrate the holidays—or rather herotherworldlymother didn’t. It all made sense now.
But she still gave you Christmas,a tiny voice inside her head whispered.
Her chest compressed as if a giant fist squeezed it when Kira realized Gran wouldn’t be with her this year. Even though her rational mind understood that her mother had been the one to give her happy memories of the holidays, her heart overruled. She wanted the person she’d grown up with.
At the light rap on the door, Kira inhaled a shuddering breath, squared her shoulders, and went to open it. Echo beamed at her. “There you are. I finally finished with Lore. Gah, that angel has too much time on his hands. He probably invented the slave-driver label.
“At least he’s a good-looking taskmaster,” Kira deflected, heading back into the living room.
“Hmm…yeah. Anyway, I thought we should continue our Christmas traditions here. What do you think? Like we used to do with you, me, and Gran. I loved those times. Darci and Shae are in. With all of us women living here now, it will be so much fun. And, let’s face it, the guys could learn a thing or two about the joys of mortal traditions…”
Kira stared out through the window into the night at the snow-covered grounds, but hearing Echo reminisce about the past had tears burning her eyes.
“Kira?” Echo grasped both of her arms and turned her. “What is it? Is it Týr? Oh, God! The destined mate, did he—?”
Kira hurriedly shook her head, unable to stop her sniffles. “N-no.”
“For godsakes, tell me what’s wrong!”
Kira pulled a tissue from her jacket pocket and dabbed her wet eyes.
How did she tell her best friend that the grandmother she adored like her own was no more? Compared to her, Echo had had a difficult childhood. After escaping the cruelty of her foster family, she’d lived on the street for years. And her parents truly were dead.
“I don’t know where to start…” Kira lowered to the couch, doubting that her legs would hold her up much longer. “Týr and I went to see Gran this afternoon. I wanted to tell her about my father…” She shredded the damp tissues in her hand as she filled Echo in on what had happened, and about Luceré’s disclosure.
Her friend’s tan face paled. “No—” Echo started shaking her head as Kira finally revealed the truth about Gran. “No!” She jumped up, her bi-colored eyes darkening in pain and shock. “It can’t be. It’s not true.”
Swallowing hard, Kira nodded. “It is. My…mother is the one who raised us. She took on Gran’s appearance because she didn’t want to disrupt my life with a new caregiver…”
At the tears gleaming in Echo’s eyes, Kira reached for her hand. Her friend dropped beside her and wrapped her arms around Kira. There were no words at the sorrow consuming them both. After several long minutes with only the soft voices from the TV and the crackling flames filling the silence, Echo eased back. Her expression determined. “I want to see her, Ki. She helped me through so much. She was there for me when Damon first brought me to your house as a child.”
“I know…” Kira rubbed her damp face with the back of her hands. “Hey…I forgot to mention, I met Damon’s brother in Stygia.”
Echo blinked in confusion. “What? I didn’t know Damon had family.” Hope brightened her eyes. “And, Damon?”
Kira shook her head. “I’m sorry. Dare apparently hasn’t seen Damon in years.”
Echo’s expression dimmed. Understanding her friend’s sadness, Kira grasped her hand. Damon had been the one to rescue Echo from her horrid life on the streets. He’d saved her. He’d been the older brother they both always wanted. Now, Kira had one to fill that loss, but Echo didn’t.
Kira’s skin suddenly started to prickle as if something approached. Inside the castle, this was unusual since powerful wards kept out any supernatural danger. Still, she snatched her jambiya from the table, unease skittering through her.
Echo jumped up. “What is that?”
Kira shook her head. With everything that had happened over the last few days, she refused to be unprepared. In the next instant, a flicker in the living room had them both freezing as a ghostly image appeared. At the familiar and much smaller figure of the older woman with steel-gray hair in front of them, Kira’s gasped, “Gran?”
Her grandmother smiled, her brown—notebony—eyes, warmed. “Yes, Kira.”
Her weapon clattered to the floor, and she rushed to her gran, as did Echo. Except they swept straight through the old woman, distorting the image. Kira’s throat swelled with grief.
“H-how are you here?”
“Even on the astral plane, I felt your pain. It’s where I watch over you both and linger to make sure you are okay. I’ve been waiting for this day. I’m so happy I get to see you both one last time. Don’t grieve for me.” Gran’s eyes softened with tenderness. “Luceré shared you with me. It was a gift I never expected since I’d chosen to be alone. Your mother is compassionate and gentle. Give her a chance. Nothing is what it seems…” Lila broke off, her image wavering, agitation flickering through her ethereal form. Energy like electricity prickled Kira. “Cabin,now,Kira—Be strong.” Her words resonated in the silence as she vanished, but the urgency of her command rebounded in Kira’s head. She spun to Echo. “What did she mean by that?”
Echo shook her head, looking equally confused. “I don’t know.”
