Page 99 of In Your Light

“Wait, there are aliens on this planet?” Dylan asked.

“Most were stranded here a long time ago,” Hadeom replied. “Before my time, even. They adapted and evolved, over time.”

Fray laughed, about to say something, but then stopped. He turned to Hadeom. “Wait. Do you mean us? Are we the aliens?” His eyes got really big, and he looked at Tobin. “The call is coming from inside our own house, babe.”

“Octopuses’ genetic makeup is so vastly different to any other species,” Sawyer said. “They can edit their own genetic coding on demand and camouflage like a dozen different ways. Scientists have been saying they’re aliens for ages. Now, I’m not saying you guys are aliens because you know I love you all,” he said with a laugh. “But⁠—”

“Don’t say it,” Ciaran said.

Sawyer laughed and kissed him. “I love you the most, but I’m thinking you guys might be it.”

Ciaran grumbled. “And what about Fyn?” he asked. “What’s he, then?”

Sawyer glanced sidelong at Fyn. “He’s hot. Saw him yesterday with the horns, and damn.”

Fyn laughed beside Hadeom, but Ciaran sighed, and then Fray laughed and laughed, and the room basically dissolved into chaos.

But then little Áine escaped Aurin’s hold and, after dodging tables and an errant arm, she got to the table closest to Hadeom and Fyn. She pulled out a chair, climbed up on it, then climbed up onto the table. Aurin stood behind her, ready to catch her should she fall, and though it took her a minute, she was determined to do it on her own.

When she faced Hadeom and put her hands out, the room fell silent, watching. Hadeom’s shadows filtered out of him, swooping in as little ravens to perch upon her hands. One landed on her head, and Áine laughed and danced, and the birds danced with her.

It was remarkable to witness.

Everyone stared, wide-eyed with wonder and maybe a little shock.

Except Aurin, who narrowed his eyes at Hadeom. “Can you not control them?”

“They like her,” he replied. “They’ve never done this with anyone else before.”

And it was ridiculously cute.

But now the three little boys, wanting to join in, climbed up on the table with their sister, vying for attention of the shadow ravens. Salem joined Aurin in closer supervision, and Ciaran clearly saw his opportunity for a private conversation.

“Thanks for the alien thing,” he said flatly. “I’m never gonna hear the end of that.”

“Gotta like how he just takes it in stride though, right?” Hadeom smiled at him. “He always was a little too good with weird.”

“True.” Ciaran half smirked at Fyn. “He talked for ages about seeing your true form yesterday.”

Fyn chuckled. “Sorry. My brother brings out my bad side.”

“I can see that,” Ciaran said.

Sawyer was suddenly beside Ciaran. “Uh, Fyn, your brother is a bit of a dick.”

That made Fyn laugh. “And not the good kind, either.”

Sawyer gasped. “Aww. Our baby’s first dick joke. Come with me. I want to hear all about it.” He put his arm around Fyn’s shoulder and led him to the table where Fray and Tobin were seated.

“Yeah, that’s not gonna end well,” Ciaran said.

Hadeom chuckled. “As long as he’s happy.”

Ciaran glanced at where the little ones were still playing with the birds. “So... shadows, huh? How does that work?”

“They’re a part of me,” Hadeom said. “But also independent of me. It’s quite hard to explain. Much like your own shadow, I guess. But mine are autonomous. I can control them, call them back to me, but sometimes they like to play.”

“Áine can control them too,” Ciaran said. “She saw them when you were... out of it. She sat on the mattress with you and waved at them. She saw you. Said you were looking for Fyn.”