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“At least take this one with you,” Lucienne said. “Like his fish, Orlando doesn’t require a lot of sleep.”

“I sleep. I just do it with one eye open,” Orlando said.

“I prefer you sleep with both eyes open,” Kian said.

“Working on it. One on Lucia and one on my fish,” Orland said.

Vladimir approached them, regarding Kian coolly. “McQuillen,” he acknowledged.

“Blazek,” Kian said flatly.

Both men’s expressions turned neutral.

Lucienne sighed. She recalled someone saying you can’t have two alpha tigers in the same family. But at least they managed to be civil to each other. Three of them shared power in Sphinxes, but she could override their decisions when she had to.

Kian returned his attention to Lucienne. “We’ve smoothed out New York operation.”

“Which means we’ll have to renovate the Illinois station next,” Lucienne said.

“The Red Mansion,” Kian said with a nod. “I’ll be there to prepare for your arrival.” He eyed Vladimir as they all headed toward a high-powered black van with darkly tinted windows. “Blazek can manage to stay behind for once.”

“I go where Lucia goes,” Vladimir said. “She’ll need more protection in the enemies’ oldest stronghold.”

“You’ll only distract her in her home base,” Kian said. “Anyway, it’s purely family business.”

Before the two could get into an argument, Lucienne cut in, “Family business has to wait. I’m returning to Alaska at first light tomorrow. We’re taking three choppers.”

After the van dropped everyone outside the stone castle, Kian drove Lucienne back to her pristine white mansion that stood out atop the cliff above the ocean.

The house sparkled like a diamond in a small forest of flaming red maple trees. When they were alone, Lucienne pulled the necklace out from around her neck and opened the locket. “The Eye of Time,” she said, waiting for Kian’s reaction.

Lucienne watched his eyes rivet on the shining chip lying inertly on the Twilight Water. The apple in his throat bobbed up and down as he said in a proud, choked voice, “The prophetic dream you had ten years ago came true today, Siren.”

Lucienne’s eyes moistened.

“Trouble is,” she said, “what I harvested is merely a shell of what the Eye of Time should be. Someone else got to it first and initiated it and then left it behind.”

“The Eye of Time is the ladder to the unlimited sky. With every step, you’re moving closer to the stars,” Kian said softly. “And you have it in your possession. That’s what matters.”

Lucienne nodded.

“One step at a time, Lucia. I couldn’t be any prouder. As for that someone—”

“We’ll take back what he’s taken from us.”

“Look at that thing. I still can’t believe it isthe Eye of Time.” Kian’s eyes shone softly. “After a million years, it fell into our hands.”

“I only wish Jed was here to see it.”

“I do, too, kid.”

Together, Kian and Lucienne gazed at the Eye of Time that reflected the lust red maple leaves overhead for a very long time.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Inside Laboratory SX1 in Sphinxes, scientists and technicians linked testing equipment to three beta computers. Lucienne unchained the charm from her necklace and pushed a pin on the side of the locket. The Eye of Time rose half an inch above the translucent substance. Free from the Twilight Water, the Eye glowed with immense power.

Placing it under the microscope, Lucienne peered through the lenses. Numerous wires marked the surface of the Eye. Everyone else looked at the beta computers that streamed the visual she was seeing through the lenses.