Statera *Chosen At Birth*

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Daniel woke up with Isabel's head resting on his bicep. He watched her sleep peacefully as her hand was wrapped around his forearm. He sighed heavily and shifted so that he was looking at the ceiling. Nothing had prepared him for the satisfaction that he was feeling in the moment. A girlfriend that will hopefully become his wife one day, a baby boy on the way, and a house to call is own. What more could he want? Everything felt natural and he felt like he was supposed to be there, but three people were missing from the equation. His parents and younger brother, David.

"What's wrong?" Isabel startled him. He looked over at her green eyes searching his eyes for his emotions. He could tell that she was concerned by the way her brows were creased.

"Nothing, it's just that everything feels so perfect and natural, but not everyone is here. My brother and parents are still on Earth. I just wish I knew that they were fine." She put her hand on his cheek to get his undivided attention.

"Look. If your younger brother is anything like you and your brothers, then they'll be fine on Earth." Her reassurance helped a little bit. Even on Earth, without magic, it was still dangerous. Especially if things are still the same as when he left.

"How did you know I was thinking about something?" He asked with a coy smile.

"Your aura smells sweet when you're emotional." He forgot that auras had scents here. He had never really had to use the scent thing before, except for the one time at that camp. She was about to say something else, but the doorbell rang, and she groaned, "For once I would like to sleep in." She complained, shoving her face into the pillow.

Daniel laughed and quickly got up from the bed. Clothes like his hospital clothes wrapped around his body and he yawned with a dramatic stretch, "You can stay here, I'll go see who it is." He shook his head and chuckled when she didn't respond. Only light snores already.

He looked down at the front door from the railing and noticed the number of dark figures standing on the other side of the blue frosted window. He rose a pillar of water in the middle of the foyer and walked down the stairs on the side of the wall. He opened the door to almost everyone in the group, and none of them looked happy.

"What happened?" He asked as the water turned into light that his aura absorbed back into it. Bestienna was the first to enter the room and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We need to talk." Was all that she said before leading everyone else into the other room, where all the couches and chairs were.

"Kat, can you go get Isabel for me?" Daniel asked gently. She nodded and went right up the stair silently followed by Alise.

He walked into the living room and watched as everyone chose a place to dwell. Sydney, Kristen, and Tyler filled up one couch all to themselves while Santiago sat on the other one by himself. Justice chose to stand with his back on the doorway between the foyer and living room. Bestienna paced in the middle of the spacious room with her heels clicking on the bright oakwood floor.

Daniel decided to wait for Isabel to come in before deciding where he would go, "What's going on?" Isabel came in sleepily but awake enough to know to be worried. Kat stood in front of Justice and he wrapped his arms around her. Isabel sat on the couch next to her brother, So Daniel sat on the floor next to the end of the coffee table. Bestienna was still pacing, which didn't help the anxiety.

"So, I don't know how to say this exactly. But I'm just going to come right out with it... The southern kingdoms are launching an all-out attack on Atlantic City tomorrow." She started, but Tyler leaned back and groaned.

"And by the looks of it, their planes will be here tonight while their ships will be here around midnight or one in the morning." Daniel was confused and looked at Bestienna.

"Yes, there are planes here too. Like ones back at home, but more advanced and deadly." A chill ran up his spine and all he could smell is spearmint flooding the room. He went numb, he didn't know what to think. He had to get up and sit on the coffee table. He faced away from everyone and leaned forward with his index fingers on his lips. The room was silent.

"Ok." Everyone was surprised by the calmness that was in his voice as he spoke. It took a great deal for him to control his emotions to make it sound like that. It also helped him think everything through, "We don't have much time, so I want all the schools on lockdown and evacuated in the next few hours. Notify the parents to follow of join the evacuation to willow cove. They cannot take their children home, unless it's life or death. After that everyone else can go while help hopefully gets here in time." He was shocked at his own behavior and stood next to Bestienna with his hands in his back pockets.

Looking at everyone, he felt odd. Is this what is was like to be in charge. He was always used to following orders, never giving them. Is this what it was like to be a king? He would have enjoyed it under different circumstances, but not today. He looked at Isabel, who looked like she was ready to break down in tears. He didn't want to give his next order, because he knew neither one of them were prepared for it.

Tyler got up quickly, repeating everything that Daniel had said on a sleek device that was held up to his ear. Daniel could feel his eyes get watery knowing Isabel's reaction to the next order.

"Daniel? What's wrong?" Justice noticed the emotion Daniel was trying to hide. Daniel looked to Isabel. She already knew it was coming.

"Kat and Kristen, I want you two to take Isabel to Pyrocan for the time being." No one said anything, only looked at the shocked Isabel. She was frozen to her seat.