2
KIAN
Sunday morning breakfast was supposed to be relaxed.
That was the whole point of Sunday mornings—a slower pace, no meetings, no calls, no urgent decisions that could reshape the fate of the clan. Just Kian with Syssi and Allegra, eating pancakes or waffles and chatting about nothing consequential so he could pretend for a few minutes that the world wasn't a complicated mess.
But his mother had called earlier to ask if she could join them, and it wasn't like he could refuse. Not because she would be offended, although she might be, but because she never invited herself without a good reason, and this morning it was probably for emotional support because she was going through a rough time.
Okidu appeared with a coffee carafe and refilled his cup. "Should I start serving breakfast, master?"
"Not yet. We are waiting for the Clan Mother to arrive."
"Oh." His whole demeanor brightened. "I wish I had known. I would have prepared a more festive meal."
Kian smiled. "There is no need. She will be happy with whatever you serve. The Clan Mother is much less finicky about food than I am."
"Yes, master." Okidu bowed. "Indeed." He retreated into the kitchen.
Subtle nuances of social interactions were still beyond Okidu's current level of awareness, or sentience, so Kian shouldn't have been surprised that his butler hadn't tried to refute his claim and pretend that he was not at all choosy about what he ate, or a 'pain in the butt' as Amanda succinctly referred to his strict veganism.
Kian closed the news app he was scrolling through and looked out the breakfast nook window, where a purple butterfly was hovering over a flowerbed.
It was still performing its dance when Syssi walked in with Allegra, and Kian motioned for both to come over and look out the window.
"Pretty," Allegra said, pressing her little nose to the glass. "Pewpule."
"Very good," Syssi said. "It is purple." She turned to Kian. "Isn't she amazing? Most children her age can't name more than two or three colors."
"I know my princess is one of a kind." He leaned over, pulled Allegra onto his lap, and started peppering her little face with kisses.
She laughed but immediately started to wiggle out of his hold. "Stop, Daddy. Nana is coming."
As if Nana had anything to do with his kisses.
He wanted to point that out when the doorbell rang, and he and Syssi exchanged looks.
Was it a coincidence? Or was it one more manifestation of their daughter's growing precognition talent?
One day, Allegra would be a powerful seer, likely surpassing her mother. So far, her ability mostly manifested in boosting Syssi’s whenever her mother needed help to sharpen the resolution of her visions, but there had been a few occasions where Allegra had seemed to display clairvoyance.
A moment later, his mother swept into the breakfast nook wearing a purple-colored gown, and Kian shook his head.
Another coincidence? Was the universe trying to tell him something?
Annani looked regal and composed, her face as flawless as ever, but Kian knew his mother well. Her expression held a hint of tightness that no amount of composure could fully mask, and the set of her shoulders was a fraction too rigid.
She was holding herself together through sheer force of will.
Still, when she bent to scoop Allegra up, her smile was warm and genuine because she could never fake her joy in her grandchildren, though it was not as bright as it usually was.
She was worried about Khiann. She was always worried about him, but it was reaching critical levels now that they were so close to retrieving him, but not sure what they would find.
"Nana!" Allegra shrieked, wrapping her arms around Annani's neck and kissing her grandmother's cheeks the same way Kian had kissed hers only moments earlier.
"My precious girl." Annani hugged her tightly. "Did you sleep well?"
"I dreamed about Harold!"
