The Toupins

Three

"This is Mom, Jia En and Chan Lin all over again," Calla sighed.

Kenric grinned, "Hopefully Mina falls in love with the right guy..." Mina choked, "Uh, what?" Jolie elbowed her brother, "Don't, Kenric!" Annabeth silenced everyone as a figure stepped forward.

Julius brushed his chocolate brown hair out of his sky-blue eyes and looked at Mina gently. Mina felt a sob rising in her chest: Julius looked so solid, so trustworthy, so... fatherly.

Mina had always wanted a father.

Placing a warm, reassuring hand on Mina's shoulder, Julius began to explain.

Mina summed up, "So Sophie is an elf hidden by the Black Swan, and Jia En and Chan Lin are humans with abilities created by the Neverseen? And now Sophie and the others are old and in the Lost Cities?" Julius nodded.

"There's more," Kyle grimly said.

Holly took up the story. "This is why we moved here: it is secluded, and if we show ourselves to humans, no word can get out. Hardly anybody knows about it too. You see, there is a new group of villains-" "Of course," Sesler muttered- "they are called the Shadowelves," Holly continued. "We were scouting them, when we heard that they were coming after us. With your strength in being a Shade, a very, very, powerful one at that, you might be able to help us with the Shadowelves a lot. Especially because we need as many elves as possible to protect Lavina..." Lavina blushed, putting a hand on her belly, which was just starting to swell. Loki looked protectively at Lavina and his soon-to-be child, and Leo looked extra worried for his sister. Xanthous held Lavina's hand, squeezing it gently. 

Mina swallowed as Annabeth looked at her expectantly, awaiting her answer.

"Uh... I'll do it? I mean, I'm an elf anyway right? Or a human with an ability, whatever... But anyways, the Lost Cities will be my home soon, after we defeat the Shadowelves, so..."

Shocked, Mina stared at everyone's faces as they were filled with gratitude. Even Annabeth, who was such a powerful, beautiful elf, could be grateful for a human joining in... Mina was touched.

Annabeth spoke for everyone. "Thank you, Mina. It means a lot. Truly."

Lavina stepped forward, "I presume you will not want to be adopted by a strange couple in the Lost Cities? Loki and I think you are a very good kid... When the danger is over, you will have a home in the Lost Cities. I dare say little Reyna will love having you as a sister!"

Mina couldn't breathe.

"You... want to adopt... me?!!!"

Loki hastily replied, "Only if you want to! Of course, we were wrong to assume..."

But Mina's face held a gigantic smile. "Staying with you guys would be the best thing ever! Thank you so much!!"

Lavina grinned, pulling Mina in for a hug after a slight hesitation. Loki joined in too, and Mina felt blissful.

She had a family.

She stayed in that state of extreme happiness until...

Julius coughed. "Yeah... you'll need Shade training too."