Page 21 of Third Offense

Novak and I shared another look.

He’d been bored and borderline annoyed by Layla’s father.

But he seemed intrigued now.

As was I.

BecausePrince Ketoshad just handed us our asses without so much as breaking a sweat. And we were both very interested inhowhe’d accomplished that.

Son of two gods.

New era.

Keeping going,I thought, my focus returning to Layla’s mom.

But it was Layla who said, “Okay… So the gods started a new generation?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Her mother fell silent for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. “Power has a way of re-creating itself. And in this case, it’s happening with the newer generation.”

“Ketos’s generation,” Layla translated.

She nodded. “Yes. Certain Noir have been born within the last few decades with inexplicable power. And the remaining elders of our kind have confirmed the bloodlines are similar to the ancient gods.”

Hmm.That was interesting, and also something Kyril had failed to mention.

Of course, there seemed to be a lot of missing information.

Like certain details about a Noir prince who happens to be the son of two gods. And oh yeah, betrothed to Layla.

Novak’s icy irises flashed, his wings ruffling.There are more versions of Ketos,he seemed to be saying.More children of gods with immense telekinetic powers.

Or perhaps that was my own thought prompted by his razor like feathers snapping behind him. Because the notion of there being more Noir like Ketos made me murderous.

And not just because they all might be compatible with Layla.

But because they werethreats.

“Okay,” Layla said slowly, her focus on her mother. “You said his powers directly correspond to their lines. As in the gods?” It came out as a question, one I very much approved of her voicing.

Yes. Tell us more about these mysterious lines and Ketos’s powers.

“Yes. Ketos showed signs of having been blessed by Bia and Chryus in his younger years, and he’s grown into that power, perfecting it in ways that confirm his heritage.”

“Blessed,” Layla repeated. “By his parents?”

Her mother considered her for a moment, her blue eyes searching. “We say blessed because his origin is unknown.”

My eyebrow arched upward.Unknown in my world isn’t considered a positive trait.

“The godlike Noir of the new era just sort of appear to certain mate circles. In Ketos’s case, he appeared to Ariel’s mate circle in Ireland. They took him in as their own, and he considers them to be his parents, not the gods who blessed him,” she continued.

“And… and me?” Layla asked. “Did I appear…?”

Her mother smiled. “No, darling. You grew inside me, which technically makes you a member of the old era as your father is a direct descendant. The last of his kind.”

“Because the gods are dead…?” Layla sounded uncertain. It was an uncertainty I shared.

“They no longer walk this earth,” her mother replied. “But the souls live on. Which Ketos and the others of his era have proved.”