From Deities by Mary Ting Page B

bro?” When Mason didn’t answer, Nick smacked his back softly, just enough to snap him out of it. “Wake up.”
    Mason jerked forward, then turned to give Nick an evil eye and a growl. “I got it. I was just thinking.”
    “About what?”
    “Sky.” Mason turned to me.
    “What about Sky? You think of her all the time.” Nick chuckled. “You don’t have to think of her. She’s standing right in front of you. This isn’t a dream.”
    Mason’s eyes met mine, but the way he looked at me was different this time. Not in the loving usual way, but as if he’d had an epiphany. “She’s evolving.”
    The room grew deadly silent. It felt like Mason had dropped a bomb on us.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    I hardly slept that night, thinking about Sky. When I rushed back from searching to find the smell that had caused me to go on alert, Sky was on the other side of the dance floor, looking scared, but also stunned. Next thing I knew, lightning bolts flashed out of her hands. For a second, I froze in place, amazed by her ability that I never thought would happen. Just as it had happened with me, her eyes lit up, but it was dim, indicating the intensity of her voltage was minimal.
    Knowing every second mattered, I dashed to her and so did the rest of my family. It bothered me seeing Noah and Tim. I was sure we didn’t just happen to go to the same nightclub by chance. What troubled me most were the vultures. Being in human form was normal, but fighting in human form wasn’t. Some even had swords, and I had never seen vultures fight with swords. And to top that off, they just took off. Surely we did not intimidate them. Their mission was to capture or kill.
    “Mason, you okay?” Everett asked, bringing me what looked like a cup of coffee and sitting across from me. Was I that readable?
    “Thanks. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” I took a sip. The warmth soothed me, giving me a little bit of comfort. Unfortunately, it only lasted as it went down my throat.
    “Thinking of Sky?”
    “Yes.” I paused to take another sip. “I’m trying to figure out what’s happening to her.”
    “I understand your frustration. The only answer I have for you is that you already know she’s different…special. Her body is changing, so maybe her powers were meant to grow and change with her. Does that even make sense?” Everett chuckled lightly, almost nervously.
    “Yes.” I nodded to agree. If it made sense or not, I didn’t care. Nothing about it made sense…we didn’t make sense.
    Everett cleared his throat lightly, as if he was either uncomfortable about what he wanted to tell me, or perhaps he worried how I would react to what he was about to say. “I want you to know that…I’m sorry I tried to kill Skylar. It’s just, I was so worried about our safety that I wasn’t thinking.”
    I wanted bygones to be bygones. Whatever his reasons were, I understood them. And I also didn’t want to dwell on the past. He had tried to tell me he was sorry in his own way, by helping Sky through this. “It’s okay, Everett. You can stop saying you’re sorry. I get it. I understand why you did it. You could have walked away, but you didn’t. You’ve put your life on the line for Sky and this family time and time again. I appreciate that.”
    A huge smile appeared on Everett’s face. “Okay, thanks.”
    Approaching footsteps ended our conversation.
    “Having a meeting without me?” Nick, who was heading down the stairs, asked.
    “Just something we don’t want you to hear,” Everett joked.
    Nick plopped right next to me, almost knocking the coffee out of the mug from the force of his strength. “Sorry.” He sat up straight.
    “Do you want some?” Everett asked Nick.
    “I’m good, thanks. So, were you talking about Sky, or is this a private meeting?” Nick asked, getting ready to get off the couch.
    “You can stay.” I pushed him down. “I’m worried as usual.”
    “That’s what I figured. I think it’s pretty