Chapter 433


    Chapter 433


    Lanie


    My heart ached at the way we’d had to treat Xander’s mother, but there was no other way for it to


    go. We’d had to dance a careful ballet of the truth interwoven with half-truths and semi-truths. Our


    choreography skirted outright lies, but just barely.


    She had to know where we were going so the High Council would follow, and she had to be


    convinced that staying was the best protection for the twins. We also had to convince her that we


    couldn’t tell Mchi or anyone else.


    “He wouldn’t let us go,” I told her. “Not alone. And Ste was very clear. It has to be the five of us


    only. Nobody else.”


    Gabri had put the twins to bed while we finished quickly packing. Ste had not returned, and


    although I suspected Gabri didn’t really believe she was paying homage to the Moon Goddess in


    her temple, she also didn’t keep pressing us for more details. Now, Xander’s mother finished


    spreading peanut butter and jelly on some bread to make sandwiches we could take with us. I


    hadn’t had the heart to tell her we didn’t need them.


    “If he doesn’t stop you from leaving before you get out the front gates, he’ll figure out you’ve gone


    before you make it to the portal town,” she said.


    Her knife moved over the bread, adding moreyers. Her hands were steady. They’d been shaking


    a few minutes ago.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    “We have a safe route through Standard,” I told her carefully. “Through the maintenance tunnels.”


    There was no way for us to know if she was transmitting our words to the High Council through the


    scrying device. Every word we said and every item we chose to take with us had to be specific and


    purposeful. We wanted them to know where we were going, what route we were taking, and what


    time we nned to leave. Like everything else, some of what we said was true. The rest of it…we


    didn’t even fully know.


    The Moon Goddess had convinced me to ce my trust in Ste and also my own instincts, and so


    that’s what I was determined to do. It wasn’t easy. I had to keep taking slow, deep breaths while at


    the same time keep my expression from giving away my anxiety to Gabri. I also had to show


    some nervousness, because there was no way I’d be able to convince her that I wasn’t worried at


    all.


    This dance had so many steps, and I hadn’t practiced them nearly enough. I felt way too clumsy to


    be performing it. All I could do was keep stepping, even if it was over an abyss.


    “How will you stop the enve’s security systems from alerting your grandfather that you’re


    leaving?” Gabri asked. She folded waxed paper around the stack of sandwiches and tucked


    them into a tote bag. She lifted it, hefting its weight, and put it on the table with augh. “I haven’t


    made this many PB&Js since Xander was going through puberty. He and Zane ate me out of house


    and home. My two boys.”


    Her voice cracked, and I went to her. I didn’t think she’d let me hug her, but she did. I held her


    tightly, hoping we were doing the right thing.


    Gabri extricated herself from me. She cleared her throat and wiped at her eyes. “The twins will


    be safe here. I’ll take care of them.”


    “I know you will. And when wee back—”


    “Don’t,” she said firmly around a tremor in her voice. “Just don’t, Lanie. I can’t bear to hear a


    promise you can’t make. Not in good conscience. epting that promise means I’m letting you lie


    to me, and I can’t have that.”


    I nodded after a moment. She was right. We both hated it, but looking into her eyes, I saw that she


    also understood it.


    “Lanie,” Xander said from the doorway. “Mom. We have to get going. Ste will be waiting.”


    We hadn’t told his mother that Ste could speak to us through a new mind link. That was one piece


    of information we didn’t want the High Council to suspect. We did, however, want them to be on


    alert that we were heading out.


    “Take these,” Gabri said, handing him the tote.


    When he peeked inside, surprise and pleasure wreathed themselves across his face in a broad


    smile. I’d never seen my Alpha smile that way before. It lifted my heart and broke it at the same


    time. It was the grin of a boy whose mother had made sure he had everything he could possibly


    want or need.


    It faded quickly, reced with a sterner expression. He hugged his mother and kissed her cheek.


    “Thanks, Ma.”


    Mason and Zane bustled through the doorway. Each had a backpack slung over one shoulder. That


    was all we were taking with us—one small bag each. ording to Ste, we would find whatever


    else we needed along the way.


    ording to Gabri, it might be all we needed for the rest of our lives.