by Eve, Jaymin
His humor faded. “I’m the lucky one, love. And now I think there’s time for one last swim before we head back.”
There was no avoiding it any longer. My escape here in paradise was coming to an end.
But before it did, one more swim was exactly what I needed.
I mean, we’d eventually get around to swimming.
Chapter 39
Stratford, Connecticut, was a gorgeous town. Bordered by forest, it was filled with supernaturals, who for some reason were crowding around us. We were in what felt like the center of their town, near a hall and huge fountains.
When Asher and I got back from the island, I’d gone straight to the Academy, finding myself part of multiple tearful reunions. Jesse in particular had been a fucking mess, holding me tightly, making me promise I’d never leave again.
He was on my left side today, Asher on my right, Calen, Axl, Rone, Larissa, and Ilia behind me. The eight of us had been inseparable since I returned, and at no point did I ever feel anything but love from them. No judgment. No anger. No accusations.
They just loved me. More than I deserved.
Now it was time to see Louis … and my girl gang. I needed to make amends.
“Maddison!” Jessa screamed, sprinting in the graceful way of supernaturals as she ran for me. “You’re finally here!”
Slamming against me, she hugged me hard and I tried not to bawl again at how fucking good it felt to see her. Pulling back, she cupped my face, before shaking her head. “Bitch, you took too long to get here. I was fucking worried something happened to you again.”
I choked out some laughter. “No, sorry. I just … I’m sorry for almost killing you all.”
Jessa scoffed, waving her hand at me. “Dude, that’s fucking nothing. Don’t think you’re the only one that almost killed everybody. Mischa and I are the OG’s of that.”
Her twin snorted from the crowd, stepping through to our side. “I really wish she was kidding.”
She hugged me tightly and I returned it. I felt like I’d been through so much with these supes. The sound of little footsteps had us pulling apart, and I blinked as three of the most perfect toddlers I’d ever seen raced to their mothers, the twins to Jessa and a doll of a girl to Mischa. Neither had to touch their parents before they were flying through the air and into their mother’s arms.
I blinked. Asher stepped forward, his face soft as he stared at the little girl in Jessa’s right arm. “They already have access to their powers?” he asked.
Axl looked even more fascinated as he moved closer too. Brother might be the god of the seas now, but no one could take the genius out of him.
Jessa let out a derisive laugh. “Oh yeah. They basically have no limits. One day they’ll either save or destroy the world.”
I rubbed at my face. “Feeling an urge to fist bump them in solidarity right now,” I muttered.
Those closest to us laughed, and Asher even chuckled as he stepped back and wrapped an arm around me.
Out of nowhere, Jessa’s daughter shot into the air and straight into his free arm. He caught her on instinct, blinking down as she smiled up into his face. He released his hold on me to adjust her more securely against him.
“Hello, little one,” he said, blinking down at her.
“That’s Evie,” Jessa said. “She doesn’t really speak, but she understands everything.”
Evie looked three or four, with a heart-shaped face like her mother. Her white-blond hair was long and wavy down her back, and I wondered at how she was so fair when both of her parents had near black hair.
“She’ll talk when she’s ready,” I said, brushing a hand over her hair. “Won’t you, sweet baby.”
Her eyes locked on mine and an understanding traveled between us. Her eye color was unusual and hard to classify, a mix of blue and green and gray, and when it hazed over I knew she was using her powers. I just didn’t know what for.
She beckoned me closer, and when I was in touching distance again, her little hand landed on my shoulder.
Your future is bright.
At the childlike voice in my mind, I somehow managed not to jerk away, even though I kind of wanted to.
“You can see the future?” I asked her, sounding a little breathless.
Her mother’s brows furrowed as she took a step closer, her son still held tightly in her arms.
Evie nodded, lips turning up in a beautiful smile. She patted me on the shoulder one more time, before turning and floating back to her mother.
Jessa coughed. “Well … fuck. Should be easy to keep her out of trouble, what with her seeing the future and knowing everything before it happens.” She looked a little shell shocked, then her natural resilience kicked in and she returned Evie’s smile. With a rueful chuckle, she leaned over and planted a few kisses on her daughter's cheeks. “When you’re a teenager, mommy is going to need a lot of girl-gang vacations. Daddy can deal with his superpowered children.” Her voice lowered. “Overachiever.”
“I heard that, Jessa babe,” Braxton said, pushing through the crowd with Maximus at his side. I wasn’t surprised; mates were never far apart. They’d probably been following their babies as they ran for their moms.
Maximus waved to all the supes lingering around. “Go on, you’ve met the gods. Now you can scurry back and return to keeping this town functioning.” The vamp hybrid had a twinkle in his eye, but also power in his voice.
Ah, now I understood why we’d had this level of welcoming committee. Everyone wanted to meet a god. Our reputations were already proceeding us. Personally, I was eternally grateful that everyone was treating me just like a normal supe still. No one showed any fear. No one seemed angry at me for what I’d done.
It was a lot more than I expected … or deserved.
“Come on,” Jessa said, “we’ve prepared a meal for you all. Hope you can stay.”
I nodded and found myself being pulled along by Ilia.
“I swear,” she said in a rush, “ever since becoming a god I’ve been starving. Which is insane. I don’t even need to eat.”
Asher called after us. “It’s your new powers. You’re adjusting, and that’s taking a lot of control. You’re refueling in the only way you know how.”
“I’m glad you can still enjoy food,” Jessa said, keeping up with ease. Her children were zooming through the air in their way of travelling. “No amount of power would be worth giving up cake.”
Braxton laughed, perfect white teeth flashing. “Jessa’s worst nightmare.”
She nodded, clearly not at all joking.
They led us across their picturesque town, supes peeking out of the windows as we moved past, but for the most part leaving us alone. When we reached a gorgeous log cabin, built on the edge of the forest, everyone slowed.
Mischa’s daughter, her mop of dark curls bouncing across her shoulders, led the way in under the thick canopy. The natural light was cut off, the scent of earth, nature, moss, and flowers surrounding us as we pushed through. It was peaceful here, the contrast almost immediate from the noisy, bustling town. Calen sighed, and despite his recent protests about nature pissing him off, he looked happier now that we were surrounded by greenery.
He might be coming around to his new godhood.
The table came into sight first, as did a sorcerer, child held in his arms, standing at the side of the long bench.
“Louis!” I cried, lowering my voice when I saw his son was sleeping.
Moving toward him, I let him wrap his spare arm around me, and when I sank against him the final part of my fractured guilt surged up.
Louis … I respected him more than almost anybody else, and I’d let him down. This apology was a long time coming. “I’m so, so, sorry—”
His hand wrapped around my mouth, stopping me before I could get another word out. The child in his arms stirred, and both of us were distracted as James opened his eyes. His very purple, ancient beyond his years, eyes.
“Oh wow,” I choked out, muf
fled behind the hand still holding my mouth hostage. “He’s so perfect.”
Louis released me, and before I could say another word, slid James right into my hands. “Only family touches my child,” he murmured, face close to mine. “You are my family. You do not need to apologize for anything. And…” He cleared his throat. “Thank you … for saving the worlds … for allowing me the gift of holding my child. I will owe you for the rest of my long life. And beyond that.”
Tears ran down my face, the sort of tears that turned me into a snotty mess, but I didn’t care. Forgiving myself was apparently the hardest thing I’d have to do, because these people who meant so much to me … they were never mad.
“You spent weeks creating a dark void to hide in,” Louis said, voice low, “fearing what we might say and do when you returned. Your guilt over Connor … over it all … that wasn’t yours to hold on to. I’m glad you finally returned to us, because our lives are better with you in them.”
I swallowed more tears, squeezing my eyes shut tightly.
“I like your hair.”
His words surprised me, and my eyes flew open again as I shifted some of the hair back behind me. “This is my natural color,” I said with a shrug. “It’s been so long, I almost forgot how white blond it was.”
Louis reached out and brushed some of it back, in such a caring gesture that it had me blubbering again. “I think this is the best color yet,” he said softly. “You don’t need to change your fate any longer. You are finally where you were always meant to be.”
Well, fuck. Dude was legit trying to kill me. “I’m so glad you came into my life,” I choked out. “You saved me in more ways than one, Louis. I’m grateful for you.”
Thankfully, before we could spill out our emotions further, Elizabeth, his mate, walked up to the table, her arms full of trays, with more magically following. The delicious smell of food had everyone moving.
When the platters landed on the table, we all sat.
“Let’s eat!” Jessa and Ilia said at the same time, and the morose mood faded as laughter rang out.
Neither Louis nor Elizabeth made a move to take their child back, and I found myself somewhat content to sit, cradling him against me. The little one was still awake, staring up at me, and I smiled down at him, unable to look away.
“You’re sort of perfect, you know,” I whispered, brushing a hand over his cheek. He wasn't swaddled. It wasn’t cold, and he wore a onesie in blue, so his arms were free to reach out, tiny fingers wrapping around mine.
I didn’t question if that was normal for a child of his age. This was Louis and Tee’s child. He was going to be extraordinary.
Asher shifted his chair closer to mine, his arm behind me so I could rest my body against his, the baby content on my chest. It was the perfect balance, and there was this odd ache in my heart.
“I’m not ready right now,” I said to Asher, tilting my head so I could see his face, “but one day I could see this as part of our life.”
He leaned over and kissed me, briefly, pulling back with blazing golden eyes. “One day, baby.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent eating, drinking, and playing with the Compass babies. James spent most of the time sleeping, content in his parents’ arms. And occasionally in mine.
Little guy already owned my heart. All of them did.
“Bye, Aunty Maddi,” Jackson called, his baby voice ripping through my body and puncturing my heart.
“Awww…” Ilia pressed a hand to her chest. “He called you Aunty Maddi. That’s so freaking cute.”
Jessa laughed. “You are all family. You’re welcome here anytime.”
Thank the gods … well, thank someone anyway, that I hadn’t achieved the end goal of those spirits. If I’d remade the world, I would have missed all of this.
Today was going down as one of the best days of my life, and I was eternally grateful to be here.
Chapter 40
“You have one month, Maddison,” Princeps Jones said, stern but with a sparkle in his eyes that sort of indicated he might be laughing at me. “Think you’re up to the challenge?”
My lips twitched. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
His laughter rang out and I let my own go free as well. “I mean, I might be a fully-fledged god now, able to access all of my powers, but … I still gotta study.”
He shook his head. “I know. And with that in mind, you’ll have a modified syllabus. But it won’t be easy. One month until final exams, and if you can pass the third and fourth years, you’re free to graduate.”
Graduation. It was important to me, and maybe a lot of supes wouldn’t understand, what with who I was and my power now, but coming to the Academy had changed my entire life. This was the full circle of this journey. If I wanted to move on to whatever was next, this was the path I had to take.
Another fucking path. This time, though, I had a good feeling about it.
Leaving Princeps Jones’ office, I made my way directly to the library. I was going to be there for the next month straight, trying to catch up.
I was ready.
I could do this.
And I would not be alone.
Mab was the first one to greet me, the tiny fairy flying over to embrace me in magic and a finger hug, wrapping around my hand. “I am so proud of you,” she said, pulling away, chiming bells in my ear. “I’ve known the destructive energy of original magic, and I don’t have to imagine the strength you showed. You’ve always been the hero on this journey. Always.”
“That was why you couldn’t be there to help me?” I asked her.
She nodded. “Yes. The risk was too great, but I always knew you wouldn’t need me. It ended as I expected it would.”
She was a mystery wrapped in a quandary, filled with super special magic. There was so much we didn’t know about her, the eternity of years she had walked this world … and that was okay. I didn’t have to know everything to know when someone was a good friend.
“Maddi!” Axl exclaimed, jumping to his feet when I made it into the main part of the library. “What did the princeps say?”
I smiled, taking a deep, fortifying breath. “I have one month. One month to finish the modified coursework he assigned and take the final exams.”
His jaw twitched, but not a single negative word left his mouth. “We’ve got this, sister. Don’t even stress on it.”
I hugged him hard. “Oh, I know. If there’s one thing I trust, it’s that with your help I can do anything.”
“You helped me stop the erratic weather,” he returned.
That was true. Ilia and me to be exact. The goddess of storms was handy to have around when you were trying to incinerate a weather spell gone awry. She didn’t have full control still, but with my help we’d gotten the energy exactly where Axl needed it, and then he’d set his spell in motion.
It had been blue skies since that day.
Grabbing my hand, he dragged me across to an empty table. It hadn’t been there the last time I entered the Atlantean library, and something told me this was specifically here for me to study on for the next month.
“I’ll bring you the books and coursework,” Axl said, pushing me into the soft chair. “You start now, because you don’t have a second to waste.”
He wasn't kidding, and before he’d even walked away, I reached for the book on top. History.
Oh yeah. Let’s do this.
* * *
One month later…
As the last firebolt burst to life, incinerating the multiple targets, the teacher dropped his hand and I all but collapsed on the floor. For the past month—thirty-two days—seven hundred and fifty hours—forty-four thousand minutes—I’d slaved over the Academy textbooks.
My final exam had just ended, and despite the range and strength of my powers now, I wasn’t sure I could get to my feet.
“You did very well, Ms. James,” my professor said, standing over my head. “Your official grades will be posted on the wa
ll in the next thirty minutes. Good luck.”
Thirty minutes. That was all the time left to find out if all my hard work had been in vain, if I was going to graduate this year. No matter what happened, I wouldn’t be back to the Academy next year. None of us would be.
We had jobs to do … roles that we had to play to keep the supernatural world functioning. Turned out, being a god was more than just zipping around on a cloud of golden energy.
Even Asher and me, with our new roles in Atlantis, had a lot more going on than most.
Despite my hectic study load, I’d managed to get back a few times to find a group of thriving and bustling people, all of whom were adjusting better than I could have dreamed of.
It helped that we’d banned all supernaturals, outside of the Atlanteans, from disturbing them while they adjusted. Right now, the supe world wanted to study our ancient and powerful race, but the last thing they needed was to be a sideshow attraction.
Everyone would just have to wait, just like they did when they wanted some attention from the gods.
Us. We were gods. It was fucking weird.
A heavy body landed next to mine on the floor of the classroom and I laughed as Asher traced his fingers across my side, right in the most ticklish spot.
“I will smite you, asshole,” I gasped.
My threat did not deter him at all, so I used my power to send him shooting across the room, taking out a bunch of tables and chairs as he went.
He was back at my side in seconds, hand held out to help me up. “Come on, Maddison James. It’s time for you to check the list.”
“It’s up?” I asked him when I was on my feet. My energy wrapped around his like it had been days since we’d seen each other rather than hours. Our powers were almost fluid now, shifting between each of us.
He nodded. “Yep, but I didn’t look yet. I wanted to wait for you.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. What if I failed though?”
Lacing our fingers together, he led me out. “I doubt you did, but I’m proud of you either way.”