Dark Awakening: Echoes of Destiny (The Children Of The Gods #88)

3. Kian

3

KIAN

K ian stared at the ceiling, sleep eluding him despite the early hour. The numbers of the digital clock on his nightstand glowed in the dark, mocking him with their slow progression.

5:37 a.m.

He sighed, his mind too heavy with disturbing thoughts to go back to sleep.

The large assembly he had called for this evening loomed over him like a dark cloud. He dreaded what he needed to do, and he was angry at the saboteurs who had forced his hand.

Was this their intention all along? To sow discord in the village by stirring things up?

Unable to keep lying still, he quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Syssi. He padded to the bathroom, the cool tiles a welcome contrast to the warmth of the bed he'd left behind. As he splashed water on his face, he caught his reflection in the mirror and did not like what he saw.

No wonder people thought he was intimidating. He looked like a killer for hire when he was angry.

When he returned to the bedroom, he found Syssi awake.

She looked at him with concern and a hint of accusation. "Why are you up already?"

A long time ago, he had promised her never to get up before her because she hated to wake up alone, and unless there was an emergency, Kian did his best to make good on his promise.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep."

Syssi sat up, the blanket pooling around her waist. "Intruding thoughts?"

He sank onto the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. "This evening, I need to inform the adult residents of the village that they're all going to be interrogated, and so will the teenagers. Children ten years old and up will be questioned too, using the same compulsion as the adults to ensure that we get truthful answers." He shook his head. "I feel like a banana republic dictator."

Syssi took his hand. "You are not a dictator, and the village is not a banana republic. Let's talk over cappuccinos." She threw the blanket off, reached for her robe, and pushed her feet into her slippers.

He hated to drag her out of bed so early, but he needed her calming influence and sage advice. In matters of emotional intelligence and diplomacy, no one was better than his wife.

As Syssi walked over to her coffee station by the bar, Kian settled onto the couch. Listening to the familiar sounds of Syssi preparing their cappuccinos, he already felt calmer than when he had woken up.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee soon filled the air, a familiar comfort, and then Syssi returned, two steaming cups in hand.

"You are not a dictator." She settled beside him on the couch and handed him his cup. "You discussed this with the council, and all the members agreed that questioning everyone was necessary."

Kian took a sip of his coffee, savoring the rich flavor. "I didn't put it to a vote."

"But no one objected." Syssi tucked her legs underneath her. "Perhaps I should help you to write a speech. We could work on making your delivery more...how should I say it…mellow?" Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "Something that will sound a little more diplomatic than your usual style."

"Don't make me sound too mellow." He took another sip before putting the cup down. "Leaders need to be decisive and unapologetic, or they're perceived as weak, and what follows is usually a disaster because without respect, there is no compliance, and without compliance, lawlessness rules."

Syssi nodded sagely. "When the cat's away, the mice will play."

A chuckle escaped Kian despite his somber mood. "That's not the right idiom for the occasion."

Syssi shrugged. "It's the best I can come up with at five in the morning."

"Fair enough." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I need to prepare a speech that will sound resolute but won't alienate the community."

Syssi pulled her phone out of her robe pocket and activated the speech-to-text feature.

"I stand before you today with a heavy heart and a solemn duty," she started and glanced at him. "Recent events have forced me to take actions that I wish were unnecessary, but which I believe are crucial for the safety and stability of our community."

Kian shook his head. "Too wordy. That's not how I talk."

"Yeah, you are right." Syssi erased what she'd dictated and activated the speech-to-text feature again. "Recent acts of sabotage are threatening our security and unity. After consulting with the council, I've decided on a necessary but difficult course of action. Every village resident—immortal, Kra-ell, and human—will be questioned."

Kian nodded. "That's good, and it sounds like me, but it's not really diplomatic, is it?"

Syssi rolled her eyes. "Do you want me to go back to the first version?"

"Can't you come up with something in the middle?"

"I can try."

It took another hour for them to agree on a speech they were both happy with.

"I'm texting it to you." Syssi typed on the screen of her phone.

"Thank you." He leaned forward and picked up his cup.

There wasn't much left, and it was cold, but it was still good.

"Do you want me to make you another one?" Syssi asked.

"Yeah." He sighed. "I need it."

She looked at him with a raised brow. "You still sound troubled. Are you still unhappy with the speech we've come up with?"

"It's not that." He gave her a sad smile. "There is more on my mind than the assembly tonight. I'm also worried about the search for Khiann. I don't want to disappoint my mother, and I don't have much faith in Jasmine's tarot reading. They predicted the prince when he was meant for her, but I doubt they will do that to predict someone else's prince."

"What about the ruins? If we find them, we will have a good starting point for Jasmine's scrying efforts. I don't think that part of her talent is limited to things pertaining only to her own love life."

Kian didn't think so either but locating the ruins wouldn't be easy. Hell, it might be impossible.

"Did you sketch another picture of what you saw in your vision?"

Kian preferred using the sketch to search for archeological findings in obscure texts to having Syssi summon another vision so soon after her last one.

Syssi nodded. "I'm still refining the details. Have you talked with Kalugal? If anyone knows where to look for mentions of obscure archeological finds, it would be him."

"I haven't. But I will."

A crackling noise came through the baby monitor, halting their discussion, and then the unmistakable demanding voice of their daughter, "Mama!"

Kian and Syssi exchanged surprised glances.

Allegra loved to sleep, and she hated being woken up. It was very unusual for her to be up so early.

Syssi smiled. "She must have sensed we were awake and wanted to join the party." She pushed to her feet and offered him a hand up. "Come, let's greet her together. Our baby girl loves it when Mommy and Daddy come to her room in the morning."

Allegra was standing in her crib when they entered, her eyes alit with joy. "Mama! Dada!"

She knew how to say Mommy and Daddy, but most of the time, she still stuck to the earlier Mama and Dada.

Kian didn't mind. In fact, he preferred it.

Scooping Allegra up, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Good morning, my little princess."

"Dada," she said, reaching out to pat his face. "Mama."

Syssi leaned in, kissing Allegra's other chubby cheek. "Did you have good dreams, sweetheart?"

As their daughter winced and wiggled in Kian's arms, Syssi smiled. "Do you need to go potty?"

Kian thought it was too early to start potty training their baby, but Syssi was convinced that Allegra was ready.

"Potty! Book!"

Kian stifled a chuckle. "I'll get the book."

As Syssi set Allegra down on her potty, Kian picked out one of the cardboard books and handed it to her. "Is this one good?"

Allegra shifted, making herself more comfortable before reaching for the book.

Was there a cuter sight than that?

As their daughter started 'reading,' the first true rays of sunlight streamed through the nursery's window, painting the room in warm hues.

They waited patiently until Allegra was done and headed to the kitchen with her.

"Are you in the mood for pancakes, sweetie?" Syssi asked.

Allegra's eyes lit with excitement, and she clapped her hands. "Cakes!"

Kian smiled. It was so easy to love and please a small child, but would it still be so easy when she got older and needed more than a hug and a tasty treat to be happy?