Page 49

49

KYRA

S unlight streamed through the bedroom window, casting dappled patterns across the rumpled sheets. Kyra stretched, yawned, and then cuddled back into Max's warm body.

Memories of the night brought a smile to her lips.

She'd blacked out after his venom bite, soaring on the clouds of euphoria over psychedelic landscapes, but she didn't spend too long there and came back for more. They'd made love two more times before falling asleep.

Max's arm was draped over her, and his hand caressed her as she lay curled against him.

"We should get up," she murmured, even as she pressed a kiss to his chest. "The welcome party will be starting soon."

"Mmm." His hand slid lower to close over her bottom. "We have time."

His lips found hers again, and Kyra melted into the kiss, savoring the warm, solid feel of him against her. She just couldn't get enough of him. He was like cool water after a lifetime of thirst.

"Max," she half-protested as his kisses trailed lower and his fingers feathered over her moist petals. "We don't have time for this. We're going to be late."

"They can't start without us," he reasoned, his voice muffled against her skin. "You're one of the guests of honor."

A glance at the bedside clock finally spurred her to action. "It's almost eleven-thirty, and we still need to shower and get dressed."

Suddenly remembering that she hadn't applied conditioner or combed her hair after washing it, Kyra gasped. "I'm a complete mess. How am I going to meet the Clan Mother for the first time with my hair sticking out in all directions?"

"You're beautiful." Max kept lazily stroking her back.

"Yeah, I can just imagine." She pulled out of his arms and rushed to the bathroom, completely unperturbed by her nudity.

After he'd kissed and licked every inch of her body, it would have been absurd to suddenly feel modest.

The mirror confirmed her suspicions, and she groaned, reaching for the hairbrush. "I look like a wild cavewoman who's never heard of a brush, let alone used one."

Max stood behind her, smiling at her through the mirror. "I love cavewomen." He encircled her waist and pulled her back against him. "Just this one." He started kissing her neck.

"That's right." She waved the brush in mock threat.

"Give me one more kiss," he murmured, turning her around. "For good luck."

One kiss became several more before Kyra finally broke away. "You're incorrigible. Get the shower going. We have minutes to be out of here."

They managed to shower and dress in record time, though not without a couple more delays involving wandering hands and a few kisses.

By the time they stepped outside, Kyra's hair was gathered in a chignon because she hadn't had time to tame it, and the only makeup she'd bothered with was some mascara to curl her lashes.

"You look beautiful," Max said for the umpteenth time. "You don't need fancy dresses or makeup."

She shook her head. "Maybe I don't need that, but I sure would have liked to look more put together as I'm being introduced to every resident of this village."

Her sisters and their children were already waiting outside for them, together with Jasmine and Ell-rom.

"Sorry we're late," Kyra said. "We overslept."

"I bet." Soraya gave her a thorough once-over, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You look good, Kyra. A good night's sleep did wonders for you. "

"Aunt Kyra," one of the girls said. "Look at my new dress."

All the children were dressed in new clothing—nice button-down shirts and trousers for the boys, and pretty dresses for the girls.

"Jasmine has a good eye," Yasmin said.

She was also dressed in a new outfit, a long flowing skirt and a loose blouse that skimmed her plump body without clinging or making her look fuller than she was.

"Thank you," Jasmine said. "We should hurry up, or you will be late for your own party."

"Shall we?" Max suggested, offering Kyra his arm with exaggerated formality that made the younger children giggle.

As their family began walking toward the village center, Kyra felt the warm sun on her face and smiled, feeling contented in a way she had never felt before. It was a beautiful day, warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers and the distant ocean.

"This place is like paradise," Parisa remarked, her usual pragmatic manner softened by wonder. "I keep expecting to wake up and find we're still in Tehran."

"It's so strange," Rana said. "Having our big sister look younger than all of us. Though I suppose we'll get used to it, especially if we all transition at some point and turn back the clock." She chuckled. "I wouldn't mind losing the wrinkles and the gray hairs. "

Kyra looked closer at her sister's head. "You don't have gray hair."

"They are there. I've been plucking them out."

It suddenly dawned on her that Rana had said those things in front of the children.

"Have you told the kids?" she asked quietly.

Yasmin nodded. "Arezoo prepared three different versions of the story according to their genders and ages. She made it much easier for us."

Kyra shot her niece an appreciative glance. "Thank you."

Arezoo nodded. "I figured Aunt Yasmin and Aunt Parisa would need help with that. It's much easier to explain it to the boys. I had more trouble making a good story for the girls."

"How did they take it?" Max asked.

Arezoo chuckled. "Kids are much more accepting of fantastic stories than adults. They are now convinced that all the superheroes are immortals and therefore real people."

That actually made sense.

As they neared the village center, the sounds of music and laughter grew louder, and when they turned a final corner, they found the village green transformed.

Tables draped in white cloths were arranged in rows, surrounding a large area that was clear save for a small podium. The music was coming from loudspeakers, and buffet tables laden with food were arranged on one side of the green .

"Wow," breathed one of Parisa's sons, his eyes wide at the spectacle. "Is this all for us?"

"It is," Jasmine said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "To welcome you and your family to the village."

"Awesome," said Parisa's eldest.

"This way, everyone." Jasmine led them toward the center.

When people rose to their feet and walked over to introduce themselves, Kyra rushed to translate, but Jasmine stopped her.

"They all got earpieces and the newly designed teardrop that is now a pin the size of a quarter. They were delivered this morning."

Kyra let out a breath. "That was very thoughtful. Who should I thank for that?"

Jasmine laughed. "William, of course. It could have been done by one of his teams, but he was the one who gave the instructions."

Kyra looked around the large assembly of people. "Point him out to me when you see him, will you?"

"I will," Jasmine promised.

As more people approached Kyra and introduced themselves, she could barely keep track of the names and faces, and she waited for a particular two. William and Eva. She needed to thank both of them, and she needed another favor from Eva.

Jasmine nudged her arm, drawing her attention to a striking couple. "I would like to introduce you to Morelle and Brandon."

Morelle was unmistakably Ell-rom's twin—the same otherworldly beauty, the same towering height and striking blue eyes, and the same black hair. Morelle's was slightly longer, but not by much. The short hairstyle suited her well. She radiated a vibrant energy that seemed barely contained in her statuesque form. Beside her, Brandon appeared almost ordinary by comparison, although he was very handsome in his own right.

"Finally!" Morelle exclaimed, clasping Kyra's hands. "I've heard so much about you from Jasmine and Ell-rom."

Kyra returned the female's warm smile. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"The pleasure is ours," Brandon assured her. "Having so many youngsters join our community at once is a boon from the Fates."

When a hush suddenly fell over the crowd, Kyra turned to see people parting to make way for a small, glowing figure.

There was no mistaking who she was.

Annani, the Clan Mother, the goddess, was a vision of ethereal beauty that was blinding in its perfection.

She looked so young and slight that one could mistake her for a teenage girl of seventeen or eighteen, with skin that was visibly glowing even in the bright light of day and fiery red hair that cascaded past her hips in big, luxurious waves. The goddess couldn't have been more than five feet tall, slim, and delicate, yet her presence was enormous, filling the space around her with a tangible energy.

"Breathe," Max whispered in her ear, his hand finding the small of her back to steady her.

Kyra realized she had indeed been holding her breath, and as she exhaled, she glanced at her sisters and saw the same stunned amazement on their faces. Even the children were silent, watching wide-eyed as the goddess glided up the steps to the podium.

The Clan Mother raised her hands. "I would like to extend my warmest welcome to Kyra and her beautiful family." Her voice was unexpectedly rich and resonant for such a small form, carrying effortlessly across the gathering without the need for amplification.

Her gaze swept over each of Kyra's sisters in turn and then the children. "You enrich our community with a new maternal line of strong, smart, and beautiful ladies and your equally strong, smart, and beautiful daughters and sons. Your journey to us has been marked by suffering, loss, and courage. Today, we celebrate not only your safe arrival but also the beginning of a new chapter in your lives—one of freedom rather than oppression, of choice rather than constraint."

Soraya was tearing up and dabbing at her eyes, Rana was clutching Azadeh's hand so tightly that her knuckles were white, and Yasmin had her arms wrapped around her five children, pressing them to her sides .

"In this village, you will find safety," the Clan Mother promised. "You will find purpose. You will find community. And most importantly, you will find the freedom to become your truest selves, without the artificial limitations imposed by those who fear feminine power."

The goddess's gaze found Kyra then, seeming to see through her to the core of her being. "Kyra, daughter of Shiraz, sister, and mother—you have traveled the longest road to return to your family. Your courage in the face of darkness has lit the way for others. Know that you are valued, you are seen, and you are home at last."

Tears flowed down Kyra's face now. Max's arm tightened around her waist, anchoring her as emotions threatened to overwhelm her defenses.

"The bonds of family—both blood and chosen—are sacred," the goddess continued, addressing the entire gathering. "When darkness comes, as it inevitably will, remember that together, we are stronger than the forces that seek to divide us."

With that, she stepped down from the podium, and the spell of silence that had held the crowd spellbound broke into enthusiastic applause.

"The Clan Mother is incredible," Kyra whispered to Max, hastily wiping away tears.

"She is," he agreed, his own voice rough with emotion.

This was everything Kyra could have hoped for—a beginning filled with promise and possibility. Yet amidst the joy, she felt a nagging sense of incompletion, a loose thread that needed tying before she could fully embrace this new chapter.

"Max," she said, turning to him. "I need to talk to Eva."

He frowned. "Now? Why?"

"I need closure with Boris," she explained. "He deserves to know that I'm alive, even if I can't tell him everything. But I can't see him looking like this." She gestured to her face. "I need Eva to make me look much older."