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“I’m proud of you. With Crossborn, with how you fight to be yourself despite everything, your positivity and light in the face of it all, and how you crack yourself open for us in such a courageous and beautiful way. It’s awe-inspiring, Nyx.”

“Thanks, Halo. Courage becomes you, too. In a staggering way. And coming here today is gonna be another step in that direction.” He stroked the arm of my fancy coat. “You didn’t need any of this, by the way. We just saw you wanting something to ground you for when you came up here. I can feel your nerves through the courageous determination, because there’s a lot of weight that comes from being called here, especially after all this time. But it’s not a test, Ariana. The way you told us that Ryker asked you up here, and the timing of it as well, it’s about inclusivity, about them finally passingtheirtest on how to treat and viewyou.So use it as a fact-finding mission while you’re up here today, to take everything in, and start thinking about whereyouwant to fit into the supernatural world, whatyouwant to do and become. Not where anybody else does. And let the rest go, especially the bargain and Cassius. Just take it all in and enjoy, okay?”

I grasped his hand on mine and held it between us, brushing my lips over his knuckles, then turning it and kissing his palm. “Thank you, cutie pie.”

He moved to lean in and kiss me, but a sudden ice-cold chill permeating the air around us pulled him up short, and had the both of us tensing.

I caught sight of a slight shimmer disturbing our surroundings.

And then a young woman materialized before us, her ombre hair flowing about her. It wasn’t windy, so the movement of it was borne from magic. It was both eerie and ethereal.

Amethyst eyes burned into mine as we took one another in. A black corset top was molded to her toned form, giving way to a pair of deep purple leather pants, silver and gold chains and charms adorning both. Her smoky eye makeup and black lipstick added to her intensity.

And then that tension was smoothly dissipated as she offered a restrained smile and held out her hand to me. As she spoke, her breath frosted the air between us. “Nice to meet the infamous Ariana Martel. I’m Velra.”

I clasped her hand. “Nyx has told me a lot about you and the work you’re doing. It’s impressive.”

“Thanks. He’s been gushing about you and the boys, too.”

I eyed Nyx and he grinned. “I wouldn’t say gushing.”

“Sure,” Velra said.

“Ready to get to work, little sis?” he asked her.

Little sis.That was adorable. And most definitely him.

“Ready, willing, and able.”

Movement by the entrance doors caught my attention, and I saw Pops stepping out, obviously having sensed my arrival.

I wasn’t surprised. Me teleporting in would have been felt by all powerful beings within the walls of the Guardian Compound. When we’d first materialized, I’d seen some of the robed guards still and spin our way on high alert. At least until they registered my identity rather than just my power. The daughter of the Head of the Guardian Movement. Cornelius Martel’s granddaughter. That sort of thing.

Nyx and I said our goodbyes and I watched him bound off excitedly with Velra. She was far less bouncy beside him and more serious as she took the tablet from him and examined it intently in a focused state that kind of reminded me of Kai.

And then I focused on whyI’dcome here.

On Pops standing there waiting for me.

I sucked in a breath and started over to him.

Here goes nothing.

Today had beena lot more than an introduction or a mere overview of the Guardian Movement and its role in the supernatural world.

It had been an immersion.

I’d learned a lot more about the Lupan Stabilization Unit that Dad operated. It was geared toward the maintenance of the reconstruction of the wolf pack system that Pops had informed me had been needed in the wake of the chaos and destruction that Draco had inflicted when he’d risen. Dad worked on cultural restoration, territory protection and I already knew about the New Pack Registry initiative, but it had been great viewing it in connection to everything else.

There was also the Coven Unity Division office that worked with my mom’s Arcane Ascendancy Council. That was the thing that I knew most about, because my mom wasn’t actually directly a part of the Guardian Movement with that—not like she had been years ago. She did her own thing and only liaised with the Guardian Movement. Kai’s mom, Louise Hunter, was actually a member of the Arcane Ascendancy Council. And because I’d attended MavenCovenbefore going to the Academy, I also had firsthand knowledge of that sort of thing. And I knew how much Kai didn’t want to be pulled into any of it. He’d always seen his true path as being far beyond that, bigger than that. I’d actually been surprised that he hadn’t mentioned anything about that, or his interest in the Guardian Movement when I’d told the boys that I’d been invited up here by Pops. Maybe he just hadn’t wanted to step on my moment or sour it. AndIhadn’t called it out because of his meeting with Grandfather. He neededto be on the top of his game and bringing up something like that could have pulled his focus.

But we did need to discuss it once that was done.

And I couldn’t deny the urge for me to fix it for him, to use my familial pull to give him a place in the Guardian Movement. Unfortunately, I also knew how much he would detest that. His quest for knowledge meant that he believed power was obtained from work, from merit—not from nepotism. If I acted on his behalf, it would undercut that. Still, it didn’t mean there was nothing at all that I could do.

I might have reached out to Grandfather a couple of days ago concerning his meeting with Kai and Vorzyr, and talked Kai up, especially his impressive knowledge and his conscientiousness when it came to his magic and bettering himself.

I focused back on the moment as Pops pointed to a large wall display that had a series of glowing symbols etched into crystal panels.