Authors: Maya DeLeina
“What?” Anya and Steffan said together.
“Anya. Your mother and father went through a radical in vitro process to conceive you and Anise.”
“They did? They never said anything to us about that.”
“Your father was a scientist, right?”
“Yes. He worked for the CDC.”
“When your mother and father found out they had infertility issues, they turned to in vitro. Your father was able to convince your mother that they would be the perfect candidate to test the new process in development, creating an embryo from your mother, father, and a third person. The process would reduce the chances for infectious diseases or inherited genetic defects. Anya, your DNA makeup is not dictated by natural law.” Chariana paused and shook her head. “Something inside of me is telling me the person that has a connection with you has something to do with the DNA anomaly. That’s all I can get at this point. Is this making any sense to either of you?”
“Steffan, its Brynne! She has to be the third person! She is the only one with an altered DNA like me!” Anya turned to Chariana. “But how is Brynne going to help?”
“I don’t know. I only sensed the three of you, but I don’t know how everything plays in together.”
“All right. You are coming home with us, to meet Brynne and see what you can sense from her. Then we can get you ready for the council meeting,” Steffan commanded as he slung the backpack over his shoulder and reached down to lift Anya back to the boat.
“We need Aleksanteri, too. The council already took him as proof consideration. We need to break his spell, reveal his true form and the events that actually happened so they can dismiss him as a credible evidence source,” Chariana stated.
“Wait! Aleksanteri is Alex? Our Alex?” Steffan asked.
“Yes. And from what I learned over the years, especially with the two of you, Aleksanteri and I are fated mates. Anya, I will need your help. I can break his spell, but I want you to restore his body like you did with me. And, I need your help with this.” Chariana reached for Anya and cupped her face with her hands to transfer an image that had plagued her mind ever since being restored by Anya.
* * * *
Steffan rummaged through Anya’s backpack.
“Would you happen to know what time it is? Anya and I don’t have our watches on and being underground is clouding my perception of time,” Steffan asked Chariana.
“It’s just past noon, why?” Chariana responded.
“We’ve been down here for almost eight hours. Anya, we need Defender.”
“Oh yeah, sunlight. That’s right,” Chariana said as she watched Anya kneel next to Steffan.
Steffan retrieved two syringes and placed them on the backpack.
“May I?” Steffan asked Anya as he pushed up on her sleeve.
Anya nodded in confirmation and Steffan injected a dose of Defender into her vein.
“What is the fastest way out of here?” Steffan asked Chariana as he injected himself in the arm.
“We can take the boat down to the end of the of this natural cave system. The man-made tunnels start there and can lead us all the way down to Old Colorado City.”
“Steffan, when we can get a signal from the cell, call Rhys and tell him to meet us with the Hummer at the old pottery warehouse on Highway 24. We need to head up to the Fossil Beds.”
“We’re headed to Florissant? Why?”
“Chariana projected the image of an old homestead. I remember seeing exactly what she projected in my mind out there. Madeline hid Alex there. I am sure of it.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Anya sat with the family, dividing her time between watching Eilian’s panic and Chloe’s reaction to him.
“Steffan, it’s almost midnight, where are they?” Eilian asked, pacing the living room of Steffan’s home. “I’ll have to escort you down in a few minutes.”
Chloe sat on Michelle’s lap in the chair, her stare buried in examination of Eilian when she suddenly jumped off.
“Here. Mommy said this helps you when you’re scared. You can hold it.” Chloe extended her hand to Eilian’s and placed the quartz crystal in his palm.
Eilian smiled. “
Ddiolch.”
“Huh?” Chloe crinkled her nose at Eilian then turned to Michelle, climbing back up onto her lap. “He talks funny.”
“Honey, he said ‘thank you’ in a different language,” Michelle said, smiling at her daughter.
Steffan stood in front of the mirror and smiled as he watched Chloe in the reflection. “Eilian, they will be here. Chariana had to take Alex down to the cavern. He wasn’t doing too well after Anya restored him.”
Anya stood up and reached for Steffan’s sport jacket that hung on the back of a chair. She moved behind Steffan at the mirror, slipping the jacket over his T-shirt and jeans.
Steffan had asked Anya to select his attire for this evening, something she would like to see him in. While she would’ve rather seen him without a single stitch of clothing on, she’d settled for an outfit that she could easily slip him out of as soon as everything was over. If it wasn’t for the hope of reversing the council’s decision, however, selecting his death attire wouldn’t have been a task she would be delighted to partake in.
“Giggle monster!” Steffan said as he turned around, bent down on one knee, and spread his arms wide open. Chloe jumped from Michelle’s lap and giggled as she ran to Steffan. He scooped her up and lifted her in the air. Chloe’s laughter was contagious.
Anya stood there and smiled at their exchange.
Since earlier that day in the cave, she couldn’t shake the thought of having a baby with Steffan. Among everything else she was trying to deal with, the desire to be impregnated by the man she loved had begun to tear at her heart. And it wasn’t until this moment, seeing Steffan and Chloe together, that she saw him in a different light.
She saw him as a father.
Her heart ached, knowing this would never be in their future. Steffan caught Anya’s sadness, looked up and fixed on her gaze. He gave her a knowing look and smiled.
“Okay, kiddo, it is way past your bedtime. Let’s get you upstairs,” Michelle said. She stood up and walked over to Chloe who clung to Steffan’s neck. Steffan kissed Chloe on the forehead and placed her in Michelle’s arms. Anya followed up with a kiss on her cheek.
“Uncle Steffan, I’m gonna see you tomorrow, right?” Chloe asked. Her eyes were innocent but expressive.
Everyone silenced and turned to look at Steffan, awaiting his response.
After a brief pause, Steffan answered confidently, “Of course, honey, why do you ask?”
“I want to play Superman again.”
Steffan laughed. “We will play Superman tomorrow, and the next day and the next.” Steffan smiled as he tapped his finger on her nose. Anya and Steffan darted glances at each other as Michelle headed upstairs with Chloe in hand.
“Night, Chloe,” everyone said in unison.
Chloe kissed her hand and blew the kiss across the room.
Steffan turned to Anya and embraced her tightly.
I know, my love. I know. I imagine it, too.
He kissed her gently on the forehead and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he guided them toward the window.
“So, Anya, biokinesis huh?” Eilian said, shaking his head in amazement. “That is simply remarkable. You and I need to work in the lab together, maybe you can help me with extending Defender.”
“I would like that,” Anya replied.
“She can help, after,” Steffan added.
“After what?” Anya asked.
“Later. You’ll see.”
Eilian sat back down on the couch next to Catrin. “You know, I would feel a lot better if Rhys were here right now. Was it really necessary to have him and Brynne stay with Chariana and Alex? Madeline doesn’t even have a clue that she’s here.”
“I’m not leaving anything to chance. Besides, Chariana wanted to meet Brynne, to see how she fits into the picture,” Steffan said, gazing down at the sparkling lights of the city.
“Steffan, are you sure it’s not too late? Will the council be willing to listen? Should we have not called a meeting prior to this?” Catrin asked.
Releasing Anya, Steffan turned to Catrin. “With the evidence we have, they’ll have no choice but to listen. Remember, Chariana’s sense of the future right now is hazy.”
“She used the term
in limbo
to be exact,” Anya interjected
“Yes, in limbo. Because of this, we need the element of surprise on our side. I couldn’t risk Madeline getting wind of Chariana’s presence. One wrong move and I could be gone in a matter of hours.”
Steffan sat on the daybed and patted his knee for Anya. Anya sat on his lap sideways wrapping one arm around this neck.
They rested their foreheads on one another. “No wrong moves. None. You can’t be taken from me,” Anya whispered.
Michelle made her way down the stairs and entered the living room. “She went down quick.”
“How did you manage that?” Anya asked.
“I told her the faster she fell asleep, the sooner she could see Uncle Steffan and play Superman.” Michelle winked at Steffan and leaned in to hug him and Anya. “How are you guys holding up?”
“We’re managing,” Steffan whispered softly.
“Oracle!” Griffin said with enthusiasm and ran to Chariana as she entered the room.
Rhys, Alex, and Brynne entered the room and maneuvered around Griffin as he hugged Chariana. “Uoy era gnuoy! Uoy era lufituaeb! Rouy seye, did Ayna od taht?”
“Yes, Griffin. I’m young. I’m beautiful, and Anya fixed my eyes. She fixed my speech pattern as well. You don’t have to speak backward. By the way, my name is Chariana.”
“Anya! My lady, you are good!” Griffin exclaimed.
“Good is an understatement. Come look what she did to my Aleksanteri!” Chariana grabbed Griffin’s hand and led him into the living room.
“Everyone, I would like you to officially meet Aleksanteri,” Chariana said as she wrapped her hands around Alex’s waist.
“Feeling better?” Steffan stood and shook Alex’s hand.
“Yes. I couldn’t manage to say much when you guys found me. It’s good to see you again after all this time,” Alex said as he held Steffan’s firm handshake. “And I am sorry for the predicament I’ve left you in. I was incapacitated for quite a long time.”
“I understand, Alex. We’ll get this sorted out,” Steffan said as he nudged Anya closer to Alex. “I believe someone else was worried about you, too.”
Anya moved slowly up to Alex, reaching for his face. She remembered the handsome man who had first walked through the door that day in Madeleine’s office. But what stood before her now was as close to perfection there was, just like all the men of Ambrose Heights.
He would make a good Mr. October for that calendar of hers.
“Alex, I can’t believe this is really you. I wasn’t too sure of what I was doing. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“Anya, I feel great. I have so much to thank you for.” He hugged Anya tightly. “I don’t know of any words that could even begin to express my gratitude for bringing me and Chariana back together,” Alex whispered in her ear.
Chariana shook her head as she spoke. “Steffan, I still can’t figure out how Brynne is involved in all of this, but she is definitely the one. I can feel it.”