Obsidian nodded though she wasn’t looking up at him to see his response.
“What does he want now?”
“To reside here with us.”
Hisereswapulled back, her golden eyes locking on his face. “Here? On Earth?”
Another nod.
“Have you told your brothers?”
“Not yet.” Because he had no idea how to tell them that he had agreed to Michael’s request in an effort to save Asmia and Taayin. In the grand scheme of things, it was a decision that would ultimately change everything. The structure of their very lives now rested on how Obsidian handled this.
“Why?” Her hand shifted to his chest. “Why does Michael wish to spend his time here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Perhaps he simply wants to be part of your life.”
Obsidian peered down at Penelope. “I doubt that.”
Her smile was sweet. “I don’t. I know there’s some animosity between your brothers and Michael, but as an unbiased bystander, I see the way Michael looks at you. He doesn’t see you as his creation, something he can control.”
A disbelieving grunt was all he could respond with.
“It’s true.” Penelope patted him over his heart. “Michael looks at you as a father would a son. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
“Michael doesn’t do anything without an agenda.”
“Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean his intentions aren’t pure. At least as far as this is concerned.”
“He wants my brothers and me to train the future factions,” he told her. “I’ve requested he provide us with healers. In return, he expects us to train.”
“But that’s not what you want?”
Obsidian grunted. “I don’t know what I want.”
Aside from taking care of Penelope and their child, Obsidian was foggy about his own future.
“You’d be a great trainer, Obsidian. All of you would.”
“It’s not the training that worries me.”
“Then what does?”
Obsidian exhaled slowly. “We bring the trainees here, spend a year teaching them to fight, then what? I’m supposed to let them walk away, go off on their own? That’s Michael’s plan. He doesn’t consider what else comes along with all that time and effort.”
“You’ll worry about them,” she said, hugging him tightly. “Tell him that. Let him know that you’ll expect to have a say in their future, not merely their training.”
Obsidian didn’t know what to say to that. He wasn’t sure Michael would even care.
“It’s the dawn of a new day, Obsidian,” Penelope said, her voice laced with amusement. “And I don’t mean that literally. However, might I suggest you look deeper into Michael’s requests. Perhaps he merely wants what you have.”
Staring down at his female, Obsidian frowned. “And what do I have that he doesn’t?”
“Family. Those who care about you, who are loyal to you.”
He lifted his gaze to the mountains in the distance once more. “Michael has that. In Heaven.”
