Their Light

Chapter 25

Kent

I watched Zeke guide Winerva up the stairs. I could read the tension racking his body in his every movement. This was hard for him. I personally wanted to have a few words with Winerva, but it wasn't my place. Ryder followed behind them. I relaxed a bit at that. Zeke wouldn't be alone with her.

I absolutely hated asking him to call her. After so many years, it shouldn't have been him who had to reach out. I just couldn't think of another option. She would only be here a short while. I would make sure while she was here, she didn't hurt my friend more than she already had.

Hadley sat on the couch, cradling a purple pendant in her hands. It wasn't a guarantee, but the extra level of protection should be enough to keep the Tenebris away from her. It was hard leaving her alone in the house with Winerva. Waiting in the yard every second had felt like an hour. It was worth it, though. She needed the protection.

"What do you think?" I asked, approaching her. Hadley's head jerked up. I paused, feeling bad. I didn't mean to startle her. She smiled once she saw it was me, filling me with warmth.

"It's amazing," she said, looking back at the necklace.

"Are you okay?" I asked, crouching down in front of her. She nodded automatically. I could see the tears tracks on her cheeks. I knew what went into making a strong protective charm. "Are you sure?"

She took a deep breath, met my eyes, and nodded again. This time it was surer. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"I'm glad," I told her. Her eyes narrowed at me.

A flicker of mischief was all the warning I received. She reached out and pushed me backward. My arms pinwheeled as I fell onto my butt. Silence filled the room as everyone focused on us. I vaguely heard my brother and Isaac trying and failing to hold their laughter in.

"I thought we were going to be honest with each other," she stated.

"We did, we are," I replied immediately. She raised an eyebrow.

"Then why didn't you tell me Zeke's mother was coming?" I opened my mouth to answer and closed it again. I didn't have a reason. We just hadn't thought of it. Shame filled me.

"I'm sorry," I said, eyes on the floor. "We should have told you. We didn't want to worry you with it, but that wasn't our decision to make, Probus."

"Oh, don't start that Probus crap," she said, waving her hand. She looked over each of us as she continued. "Just tell me, warn me, especially if one of your parents is dropping by. I mean, Isaac's sister came, but I was unconscious. That is the only good excuse not to tell me."

"Yes, Hadley," I said, trying to hold my smile in. She was adorable when she started to ramble. She took a deep breath and focused back on me.

"Promise?" I pushed off the floor, standing back up. I bent down toward her slowly, giving her time to pull away. She didn't. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead. I heard her breath catch. Straightening, I met her eyes, noticing the color filling her cheeks.

"I promise."

"O-okay, good, great," she rambled. "We are all on the same page now."

"You okay over there, Hadley?" Finn asked from across the room.

Without even looking at him, she moved her hand. Wind swept through the room. He crashed to the floor as his legs were pushed out from under him. Isaac burst out laughing. I smirked. I felt no pity for my younger brother. He deserved it for trying to embarrass her.

"Hey!" Finn called from the floor. Hadley just shrugged in response.

"Nice one, Hadley," Isaac complimented.

"You bruised my butt!" Finn whined, getting up off the floor. He smirked and approached Hadley. "You should kiss it and make it bet-."

Caspian appeared behind Finn, hooking his arm around my brother's neck. Finn's words were cut off as Caspian drug him backwards. I shook my head. My brother just didn't know when to stop sometimes. They disappeared into the kitchen. Hadley's laugh followed them out. She looked at me, amusement clear in his eyes.

"Has he always been like that?" she asked.

"Pretty much," I replied, laughing. Finn loved to be the laughter in the room. It was hard to tell when he was using the laughter to hide his own pain. Over the years, I had gotten better at seeing it.

Hadley's laughter cut off in a yawn. She covered her mouth with her hand. Joe laid his head on her lap, staring up at her. I could almost read the worry in his eyes. I felt it too.

"You can go sleep. There's no reason to push yourself, now."

"What about you guys?" she asked, surveying the room. I winced, knowing what she was seeing. Finn was practically a zombie. If Ryder had been down here, he would have been in the same category. Caspian and Isaac were looking rough, and Peter was already passed out upstairs. Zeke was good at hiding how he was feeling, but it was hard to hide anything from an empath.

"We will rest," I told her, trying to figure out a schedule in my head. We needed to have patrols and watches still. She looked at me doubtfully. "I promise. We will probably have to work out some shifts, but we will also rest."

"Okay," she said, yawning again. "I'll just take a small nap. I want to be able to sleep tonight. Wake me up if anything happens."

I hesitated to answer, and she noticed immediately. Standing up, she fixed me with a menacing glare. I nodded immediately.

"I will," I promised, kneeling down in front of her. I bowed my head.

"Oh, don't do that," she said, pulling my arm. "Seriously, what is with you guys? I'm just a person. You guys have powers, too."

I let her pull me up. "You are a Probus."

She snorted. "I'm also a Capricorn. You never have to kneel before me."

"It is normal for Kustos to kneel before their Probus," I told her. She glared at me.

"You never have to kneel before me." She bit out each word, emphasizing them. Her glare was steady as it moved from me to the others in the room.

"But what if your shoelace is untied?" Isaac joked, breaking the silence. Laughter broke through her glare. She sent Isaac a wide smile.

"Maybe then," she relented. She sent one last knowing look at me before heading up the stairs. Joe trotted up after her.

I turned to survey my team. Caspian and Finn entered the room again. Finn pouted, looking toward the stairs. We needed a plan.

"Caspian, Isaac, run half patrol," I ordered. Peter would be down for a while. Zeke would want to be here, and Ryder would want to be here with him. "Finn and I will run the second half. I want two people on guard here. If you aren't on patrol or guard, sleep. We need to be at our best in case there is another attack."

Caspian and Isaac headed upstairs to get ready. I grabbed Finn and walked that way as well. We needed to sleep while we could. He only protested a little at being manhandled. I knew Ryder would have heard my instructions and relayed them to Zeke.

Finn entered his room, and I turned to go to mine. I walked past Hadley's door. It was open just a crack. I gently pushed it open more. She was sprawled across the bed. Her soft snores just barely reaching my enhanced hearing. Settled, I pulled her door closed and headed to my room. She was safe. I could sleep knowing that.