Page 90 of The Alpha's Mates

"If it wasn't, it would be too easy to destroy one another," Lyas admitted. "We were made interconnected so that couldn't happen. So that the inhabitants of Elaria who we're responsible for can live their lives in the best way possible."

"How did Arune know what to do?" I asked. "To imprison Celinda, and nearly kill you?"

Lyas shook her head. "That I don't know. Once I'm back to my full powers, I plan on asking." Her grin implied it wouldn't be a very gentle conversation.

"What do you need from us?" Soren asked.

Lyas looked over at him. "Your protection."

"Done."

"Her protection, most of all," she nodded toward me.

"I'd give my life for you all over again, Goddess."

My mates growled inside our minds, but didn't protest outright. They knew how important this was. That each of us was a tiny speck of sand in the greater design and the loss of one of us, while devastating to our cadre, didn't matter in the overall scheme of things.

"Thank you, Reese. It's going to take some time before my powers return. Thankfully, we should have that time thanks to the poison Drea gave to you in that dart. Arune has gone to ground. She'll be healing, same as me."

"I have one more question," I told her. "You said to me before that Celinda wasn't gone. What did you mean?"

She sighed. "That, I'll explain later. But it’s not your journey, not your problem."

As much as I wanted to argue and tell her it was better to tell everything now, I knew she wasn't going to budge. When I’d been dead, and stuck in limbo, Shroul and Drea had both only ever told me exactly what they wanted me to know. No amount of badgering could get them to impart any additional information. And I tried. To the point where Shroul had turned me into a badger. He soon realized his mistake, as I'd been a mean little creature, and turned me back after only a few days.

"So, what now?" Calder asked.

"Day after tomorrow, we'll head back to your home," Lyas answered.

"Shouldn't take too long with Katashi's handy skill," Atlas replied with a shrug.

"We're not coming." That had us all looking over at the God pair once more.

"Why not?" I asked.

"We need to continue recruiting from those who've tried to remain neutral," Calix explained. His gaze slid over to Lyas's and she nodded for him to continue. "A war is coming."

"One that we can't hope to win alone," Katashi said. "Arune's plans may have been derailed this time, but she's not going to stop."

"Why is she doing this?" I asked.

Lyas gave me a sad look. "There is good and evil, even amongst gods. She's always been...difficult. I'm just surprised it took this long for her to make a move." She shook her head, as though to dispel the dark thoughts from her mind. "Take today and tomorrow. Rest. Replenish your strength. Then we'll start the journey home."

The others got up and scattered around. Soren went to speak with Katashi and Calix. Mom and Maria—who had remained quiet, along with George—were speaking quietly together. Atlas and Calder were both talking to the golem who had first attacked us and was now our ally.

"You have another question."

I nodded. "Why do we amplify each other's strength when we're near each other?"

Lyas smiled. "There were reasons you needed to grow up under the thumb of Haron Silvest." Sadness entered her eyes. "I'm sorry for that. The same way I'm sorry I had to ask Tenala to stay with that horrible male. He raised you, telling you that no one would ever want you. You know now, of course, that he was wrong. I had your fated mates all picked out long before you were ever born. Once I was bound and couldn't do anythingfurther to help you, Destiny took it upon herself to give you the gifts I'd been planning to. Only she can't grant a fated mate status. But she was able to give you just enough that the four of you found one another, recognized each other as mates, and were able to boost one another's abilities. It'll be stronger now that you're official."

"Sounds like we owe Destiny big time."

"By the time this is all over, there are going to be too many favors that have been exchanged to count. We'll have to chalk it up to we’re all on the same side, fighting for the same goal."

With those words ringing in my ears, I went to go stand with the others. As much as I wanted to keep talking with Lyas, my brain needed a break. I was trying to learn centuries of knowledge in a short time and I was afraid it would implode.

CHAPTER 40