Crucible of Fate

call me from places where you’ll be and I’ll meet you.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah, I’d love to.”
    “There’s going to be more… I sort of signed you up for the deep end with me. I don’t know if when I was out you talked to Kabore at all, but—”
    “I did, we did,” he assured me, taking his son from Jin and then passing Ilia to me. “So I’ll be with you when you start your newest adventure. Thank you for wanting me along.”
    “Wouldn’t be real if you weren’t with me,” I sighed, staring down at Ilia, noticing again how beautiful he was before I looked back up at Logan. “Why am I holding this kid again?”
    “You need to kiss him good-bye.”
    “You know you’re not supposed to demand that people give your child attention.”
    “No?”
    Ilia was so small and soft, and his little hand closed on my finger the same instant it felt as though a tuning fork had been struck inside my chest.
    “What was that?” I was startled.
    “Oh, did you feel it?” Logan asked, his eyes warm as he held my gaze. “That’s what he does. It’s like he checks the strength of whoever’s got him. There’s a ping, almost, that he sends out, and it resonates back. If it doesn’t come back, he’ll cry. But with you, he got pinged back and so… he’s good.”
    Ilia yawned big, there was a quick back-and-forth twist, and then sleep.
    “He likes you.”
    I scowled at him. “Stop. He’s a baby.”
    “Still.” Logan was very pleased with me—I could tell. “He’s good with you, that’s why.”
    “That’s why what?”
    “You know.”
    I was afraid to ask. “Logan?”
    He inhaled deeply. “Who else would you have raise the son of the semel-netjer and the nekhene cat? Who else could even attempt it?”
    I was completely floored. “You’re not serious.”
    “I am deadly serious. When have you known me to joke?”
    He didn’t. In fact, Logan was not much for jokes of any kind. He laughed, not often, but he did. I had seen him do more of it since he found Jin than at any other time in his life. But still, words like reserved, serious, and intense described him best. So I knew he was not pulling my leg. If he and Jin died, Ilia would come to live with me.
    “Is it wise to make me his guardian?” I swallowed hard. “I mean––what will your parents say and Koren and––”
    “I decided,” Logan said as his mate moved to my other side and put his hand on my arm. “And Jin agreed. I have faith in you, and so does he. And then, there’s Yuri to consider as well. I trust Yuri with my life and Jin’s. Of course I would put my child in his care.”
    My vision blurred, and for a moment I couldn’t speak.
    “Aww.” Jin nuzzled his face against me shoulder. “You have such a soft heart, Domin.”
    I ignored him, tried to chicken wing him off me.
    “You do,” Jin said softly, still fawning all over me, not intimidated in the least. “I know you and Yuri are the ones to watch over Ilia.”
    I cleared my throat. “I’m absolutely certain that Yuri would make a wonderful father.”
    “So would you Domin,” Logan assured me.
    My eyes dropped to Ilia, asleep in my arms. “Did Yuri see him? Hold him?”
    “Of course,” Logan said softly as I passed Ilia back.
    “And you all said good-bye to him?”
    “Yes,” Jin assured me. “I love that you wanted to make certain.”
    I scowled.
    “Oh, Domin—” His voice broke, and he tried again. “You really love him.”
    “Could you just go now?” I snapped.
    Logan was laughing as he kissed my cheek and then wrapped a tight arm around my neck. “I’ll always be right beside you.”
    It was a greater comfort than he could imagine.
    I put my hands on his sides and breathed in his earthy scent a second before pushing him away. He grabbed Jin’s hand and headed down the stairs without another word.
    Koren and Crane were still standing there with their intended mates, staring at me.
    “Better catch him,” I suggested.
    “Yes.” Koren agreed before he, too, turned away.
    “Domin,” Crane began. “I—”
    “I know,” I soothed. “Hurry up; you know Logan hates to wait.”
    He hurried then and led Yusuke down the marble stairs from the second floor to the first.
    After several minutes deep in my own thoughts, I became aware of people staring up at me from the main floor, where the others had just walked through. There was the typical number of people milling around the many bookshelves, sitting at tables, and walking in and out from