∞ The Tethered Ones ∞

Chapter 51

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• Luna •

The next day, Luna was on her way home after checking out the house Davenport had arranged for her family. Amir noticed her as he stepped off the Hale's porch. He caught her around the waist from behind and lifted her three steps from the door and spun her around so fast that her legs looked like miniature windmills.

She swayed uncontrollably through the door after he set her on her feet and let go. He laughed. "You don't look so hot."

"That's what happens when you sweep me off my feet."

He slid his arm over her shoulder, clearly amused. They stopped near a collection of boxes brought over by neighbors, containing clothing and books. A lot of books.

Amir snatched a brown package from her grasp. "Ooh! More books! I guess we don't have enough entertainment?"

She laughed as she set them on the counter. "There will never be enough."

He clutched a book to his chest, his eyes moony. "Our lives are now complete."

"My life would be complete once Sarah and my parents are here."

Amir kissed her cheek as he shifted the remaining boxes. "How does their house look?"

She smiled. "I think they'll like it. It has three bedrooms and a large wrap-around porch. My parents adored those porches."

"That sounds nice." He exhaled and stood against the wall. "Once we've finished settling your family in, we'll find a place for mine."

As she walked in front of the window, a warm breeze blew a strand of her hair across her face. "I wonder about that."

"About what?" He moved a few boxes from one end of the house to the other.

She took a deep breath and returned his gaze. "I can't get Titus's words out of my head."

"He said a lot of things. And I mean a lot."

"He did." Luna walked up to the front door and propped it open. Everything was so quiet that it almost scared her. "Titus mentioned that he is ten times older than your grandparents. That's even older than mine. Doesn't that freak you out a little?"

Amir shrugged. "No. I just think he knows more than the rest of us."

When she walked into the kitchen, he was running the back of his hand over his mouth, his hair a tangle of waves, and his eyes the color of Autumn leaves. The movement drew his shirt taut over his biceps and chest.

She sighed, biting her lower lip. Water did the body good.

His grin was devilish. He moved so quickly putting the bottle on the counter that she didn't notice him until he was standing in front of her, taking her cheeks in his hands. She loved how unpredictable he was and could surprise her at any moment. She used to despise it, but she'd grown accustomed to it.

Then he leaned in and kissed her, and the sweat tasted richer, lusher, and smoother. She didn't realize he was guiding her backward or that they were getting close to the corridor until he lifted her without breaking the kiss.

He didn't stop in the doorway but continued kissing her, and her heart was racing. He turned and gently kicked open the bedroom door, and her heart skipped a beat because they were in the room and the air felt calm. She was overcome with nervous excitement.

He raised his brow. His lips formed a lopsided grin, and she slid down, breathing rapidly. In a daze, she watched as he moved back and sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers slowly releasing her and trailing across her palm. The tingles spread up her arm.

Then he knocked his head toward the bathroom.

She blinked, thinking a mirage had appeared in the bathroom because she couldn't be seeing what she was seeing.

Her parents and Sarah were standing in the doorway.

"What!" Luna gasped in surprise. She was at a loss for words. Her brain was unable to function properly. Was she in the right community? "You guys are really here?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Of course, baby."

Luna immediately wrapped her arms around Sarah, followed by her parents. "I don't get it. I thought you were staying at Mera's. There's electricity there."

Lawrence stepped back and looked down at her. "Electricity doesn't mean anything if we're not together."

"Daddy . . ." She held him close before scooting down her precious little girl. "And Sarah . . . You've grown on me."

"And your hair is longer, Mommy."

Luna laughed as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She took a step back and turned to face Amir. "You . . . you brought them here?"

A slow, beautiful smile crept across his face, filling his eyes. "Well, yeah."

Elizabeth and Lawrence approached him and took his hand in theirs. "We don't have magic, honey, so we didn't appear here," her mother explained. "But, yes, Amir brought us into the house."

"How . . . how . . . ?

"See, there's this thing called a gate in the front, and Vikram and I saw your family coming in." He paused as if checking to see if she was following him, and all she could do was glance around the room. "So we both walked to them and went from there."

Luna watched as Sarah clutched her papa's leg, his hand caressing the top of her scalp. "You and Vikram planned this?"

He laughed softly. "Your cheeks are flushed. Like cherry-red. I wish you could see your face." He continued, gazing at her trembling lips. "We've been talking a little since he arrived. We were trying to think of a way to surprise you."

Her brother-in-law and her husband had been planning this for who knows how long. "When did you guys come in?"

Amir responded, "About fifteen minutes before you started walking down the street." He winked. "I was keeping watch."

Luna took a deep breath. She was five seconds away from losing her mind. "Why are you meeting me in the house? I could have met you guys out front."

"And where's the fun in that?" Elizabeth said, laughing at Luna's stunned expression. "I am so proud of both of my daughters for how you both have turned out."

"Where are Liberty and Colin?" she asked, smiling and looking around the room.

"Liberty is meeting with Vikram at General Davenport's house," Amir explained. "And Colin is at Ethan's."

"Really? Those two have a bad history with one another."

"They do, but they also have some unfinished business to talk about." Amir smiled as he took her hand in his. "Surprise?"

Her attention was drawn back to her parents and daughter as if they were photographs. How many times has she wished to hold them again?

And after everything she'd been through . . .

She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. "I can't believe you guys planned this."

Amir shrugged a shoulder. "Anything for you, Moon."

Something deep within her snapped. She tackled Amir, and he laughed, sweeping his arms around her waist. "Thank you. Thank you very much," she repeated herself, in between quick kisses all over his face.

He laughed as he leaned back on the comforter. "I know exactly what I need to do to get brownie points."

Luna sat up, smiling down at him and then at her family. Their faces became slightly blurred. "I can't believe you did this."

Amir's face was smug. "You had no idea, did you?"

"Of course not. What about before we met Titus? You led me to believe we'd go to Mera's after our meeting, but that didn't happen. We returned to the community because you said your stomach felt icky."

Luna's arms wrapped around Sarah's as she fluffed her hair. Her parents sat in the recliner.

"That was the plan, but Vikram came up with the idea of surprising you in our house."

"You're both incredible." She leaned forward and kissed him again. "You're wonderful."

"That's what Faisal has been saying about me for years."

She laughed against Sarah's head. "Have you eaten?"

Lawrence nodded. "Sarah ate thirty minutes ago, and neither I nor your mother were hungry."

"Okay, then. Everyone helps out with food and supplies. Connor—" Because of Sarah, Luna paused what she was about to say.

She returned her gaze to Amir and asked, "Has anyone explained to them who Connor is?"

He nodded. "They're aware."

"Oh." She looked down for a second and kissed the top of her daughter's hair. "What about Sam?"

Amir nodded once more, and she thanked him.

Returning her attention to her parents, Luna said, "It seems that you two are aware of some of the major developments."

"Honey, we'll get through this together," Elizabeth said. "You have all of us."

"Can we go to the park, Mommy?" Sarah asked, looking up from her embrace.

Luna smiled. "We will shortly."

"Hello?" Cami's voice came from the front door.

"Back here!" Luna yelled.

"Miss Cami!" exclaimed Sarah.

"Hi, sweetheart. Are you having a good time with your mommy and papa?"

She nodded, returning her gaze to her parents.

Cami's gaze shifted to Luna. "I was checking in on you all. Faisal and Owen are about to bring some furniture to their home. Did you want to come help?"

Luna looked around the room as everyone nodded in response. "Yeah, why don't you all go down there with her, and Amir and I will be there in a minute, okay?"

Elizabeth chuckled and reached for Luna's hand. "Sure. We'll meet you there."

"I love you," Luna said as she hugged her family again.

She twisted her body toward Amir and kissed him again after they'd left the room. "This is the best surprise ever."

He grinned. "You needed it, Moon. We both did."

She looked down at the boxes and then back at him.

He lowered his lashes. "It's all right. I'll organize everything. Go ahead."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you here with a room full of clothes, books, and whatever else is inside them." Her fingers ached to check the boxes, but her family was there. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

"Of course."

Squealing, she kissed her husband again and moved over to the edge of the bed. She spotted the string from her sneakers under the mattress.

They were in the middle. She sat down and stretched, smacking the floor.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"I'm getting my shoes."

"But you're wearing shoes."

"I'm wearing flip-flops. A big difference."

Luna focused her attention on the shoes and willed them to come to her. A second later, one hit her elbow, and something warm and smooth-feeling bounced off her palm.

"What the . . ."

She tossed the sneakers aside and felt around until her hand came across the object. She wiggled out from under the bed and sat up, her palm open.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed.

"What?" Amir knelt beside her and took a deep breath. "Is that what I think it is?"

A gleaming blue stone with white and red streaks running through the center, resembling a blazing red flame, rested in her palm. It had to have fallen out of one of the boxes in the room. Luna had never seen it before, but she recognized it.

She was holding tanzanite.

• • •

They exchanged blank stares before springing into action. They went into the living room with the stone, which was about the size of a quarter. Their heart rates began to rise.

Luna handed him the stone. "Try something. Let's see if you become invisible."

Amir, who'd been eyeing the same kind of stone around Titus's wrist, didn't refuse. He wrapped his palm around it, and concentration tightened the line of his mouth.

At first, nothing happened, and then a faint shimmer surrounded the outline of his body. Like when Titus showed them his example and his arm would glimmer and fade, but then the shine spread over Amir's body and he disappeared.

Completely disappeared.

"Amir?" A soft chuckle came from the vicinity of the kitchen counter. Her eyes narrowed. "I can't see you at all. I didn't even hear you walk over there."

"Nothing?"

Luna shook her head. Weird. He was here, but she couldn't see him. Stepping back, she forced herself to focus on the door. Then she noticed the difference. In front of the middle window and behind the coffee table, the space was distorted. Sort of wavy, like looking at water through glass, and she knew he had to be standing there, blending in like a chameleon.

"Oh my God, you're totally like the Invisible Man."

There was a pause and then, "This is so cool. I'm going to use this all the time. Especially when you don't know when I'm around." Moments later he reappeared, grinning like a kid who just got his first video game. "God, I know what I want to do when I have this stone."

Luna rolled her eyes. "There's no time for that."

Laughing, he handed it over to her. The stone had his body temperature, which she thought was strange. "Want to hear something crazier than me being completely invisible? It barely took any energy away. I feel fine."

"I'm giddy about this." Luna turned the stone over. "We should test this out."

"What about your family?"

"I'll meet up with them right after this. We need to see what this can do."

Taking the stone, Amir and Luna headed to the marsh. They had about five minutes before anyone else showed.

"Why don't you try it?" he insisted.

Holding the stone in her palm, she wasn't sure what to try. The hardest thing and the one that took the most strength was using her abilities as a weapon. So she decided to go with that. She concentrated on the rush and it felt different this time—potent and consuming. Tapping into it came faster, easier, and within seconds, a ball of whitish-blue light appeared over her free hand.

"This is amazing," she said, smiling. "I feel different. More . . . powerful."

Amir laughed. "Does it make you tired or drowsy?"

"No." And usually, this wiped her out pretty darn quickly, so the tanzanite really did have an impact. Then she got an idea. Letting her energy fizzle out, she searched the ground and found a small branch.

Taking it to the bank of the swamp, she squeezed the stone in one hand. "Since I can freeze time, I wonder if I could freeze the water?"

"Should you be trying that now?"

Ah, good point. "You're here to get me if something happens."

Amir frowned. "Worst logic ever, Moon."

She smiled as she fixed her gaze on the water. The ripples came to a halt as blue electricity flared, traveling along the shimmering, murky surface. A split second later, the entire bayou froze, causing the fish and ducks to stop moving. Sunlight pierced the area.

"Uh," Luna said.

"Whoa! Did I just walk into a Frozen scene?"

Luna chuckled. "I can't believe it. Imagine all the things I could do with this rock."

She'd never done anything like that before. It had to be the tanzanite-enhanced supernatural coolness because she had just turned the water into ice.

"Let me try it," Amir said. "It might affect the hisyl."

She handed it over and followed him to the pile of shards, wiping the water off her fingers. Holding the tanzanite in one hand, he uncovered the stones and, jaw clenched, picked one up.

Nothing happened. They'd all grown accustomed to the rocks, but there was still the occasional gasp or flinch of pain.

"What's going on?" Luna asked.

Amir brought his chin up. "I'm not feeling anything."

"What if this stone can work on Liberty? Like, what if that's a way she can be around us without activating her ability?"

He inhaled a breath. "Possibly. We'll have to see how this works first."

"Let me see it." Amir handed her the stone, and Hisyl's sting was not there. They locked their gazes on each other. "Oh my God. That means . . ."

Voices and footsteps carried into the clearing. Amir snatched the stone and slipped it into his pocket. "We don't need to tell Ethan or the others about this. Not yet."

"I agree," she said. "I just hope the stone works for my sister. I want to hug her again."

"I know."

Luna quickly walked over to the water and used her hand to unfreeze it. The last thing they needed was anyone asking questions.

Owen, Dominique, and Ethan appeared at the edge of the forest, and they turned. Luna wondered if the stone had any effect in Amir's pocket or if they had to physically touch it.

"I talked to Titus," Ethan said as they gathered around the hisyl. "He's good for this Sunday, and I think we'll be ready by then."

"You think?" Amir asked.

He nodded. "Many of us are practically immune to it now. Titus will also dismantle the Chemnisol."

There was no room for error. "So, after date night on Sunday?"

"You're going on yet another date night," Ethan grumbled.

"Why not?"

Ethan's eyes darkened. "It just seems like a dumb thing to do. We should train on Saturday. That is in three days."

"No one asked for your opinion," Owen said, his fists clenched.

Dominique moved closer to Ethan. "One night won't hurt anything."

"And I have another surprise for my wife," Amir said, completely disgusted by Ethan's rebuttal.

Outnumbered, he muttered angrily. "All right. We'll be fine as long as we do this and get them out."

Everyone began with tolerance, and Luna kept her eyes fixed on Amir when it was his turn. He flinched when he touched the hisyl but held on. Unless he was acting, the stone had to be in contact with flesh. That was helpful to know.

The group continued with the practice for a couple of hours. Luna was beginning to believe that her fingers and muscle control would never be the same. Ethan maintained the ten-foot distance Amir had set and did not approach her.

"It didn't work in your pocket, did it?" Luna asked as the group parted for the evening.

"No." Amir dug it out. "And I couldn't tell you without Ethan around. I don't mind the other two, but he gets on my nerves. He wants to boss us around."

"Yeah . . ."

He paused and looked her in the eyes. "I'm going to hide this somewhere in our house. Right now, I don't think we need anyone fighting over it or it falling into the wrong hands. Especially Ethan's."

Luna nodded. "Do you believe we'll be ready for Sunday?" Her stomach dropped even though she'd known it was coming for a long time.

Amir slid the stone back into his pocket before taking her in his arms. Every time he held her, it felt unbelievably right, and he could do it all the time.

"We'll be as prepared as we've ever been." He brushed his cheek against hers, and she shivered as she closed her eyes. "And I don't think we'll be able to keep anyone else off for much longer. Even I am getting impatient to get my family out of there."

She smiled and embraced him. It was now or never. Even though they'd been practicing for days, she felt like they didn't have enough time. Perhaps that wasn't it.

Maybe she just didn't think they had enough time altogether.

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