Page 108 of Mage Massacres

“And you’re one of my parents?” I tilted my head. “Another species to add to my list.”

“I was part of your conception, if that’s what you're asking,” Rig replied, a humorous smirk lifting the left side of his mouth. “I could explain how we did it—”

“No,” I interrupted. “No. You answered my question. I don’t want or need those details. Thank you.”

“Are you sure? I could censor—”

“Positive,” I called over my shoulder. “Just… Gross.”

I smiled to myself as the sounds of grown men giggling like school girls followed us down the hall.

22

Vaughn

Sunday, June 14th

Mid Day

I couldn’t decide if that talk with Sloane’s parents was helpful or not. Raguel’s knowledge had clashed with what we’d come to know in the last month, and straightening the facts out was giving me a headache.

Of all the information we’d learned, one thing stuck out more than the rest for me.

He knew I was the prince of the winter realm.

Instead of my usual paranoia, relief flowed through me.

My father had been friends with Nate King, and I was willing to bet that friendship extended to his mate and co-mates as well. But that left me with another set of questions clinging to my lips.

How many of our parents were or had been friends?

Had they known we were all destined to become mates, or had the Kings chosen us when the Fates intervened?

How much of our lives had been altered by a third party?

I stood motionless in the hall, wondering if I should turn back and ask Sloane’s parents or keep moving forward. Of course, the answers wouldn’t change the feelings I’d been developing for my mate, so maybe they were best left unknown.

Before I picked which direction to go in, I heard Sloane’s raised voice filter through the quiet estate.

“If they found her, then we need to go.”

My hand was poised to knock on the Kings’ door, but I let it drop to my side as I followed the one-sided conversation. I couldn’t hear whoever responded.

“We can’t keep playing hide and seek with her,” she argued. “We’re getting nowhere fast.”

I reached the corner of the hall, heading toward the kitchen, when Miller’s voice changed my destination. Her agreement shut everyone up.

“She’s right. Annette has stopped using her magic, which means Lo hasn't felt her. This is the only time we’ve been able to find her successfully. If we don’t take this chance, then we might not get another.”

Sloane sighed. “It’s not like I’m going on my own. I’m not even sure why you guys are arguing with us.”

They had all piled into the dining room, filling each seat as if they were a council of supes converging to solve the world’s problems. Everyone wore thoughtful expressions as they observed the girls strategizing.

Palmer was leaned over a map on the table that was being held down by amethyst and moonstones. His face was mere inches from the black crystal floating across the innermost portion of Northern Ireland.

“Should the Kyanite be moving, Millie?” he inquired.

“If she’s moving, yes,” Murphy answered, standing on Palmer's right side. “Uhm, Mills? Where are we again?”