Six Branches

by Jeanne Allen

I’m too tall to be called dainty most days, but Lyle’s muscles and height work together to pull me away from the Harley and onto the sidewalk. He shoots me a warm smile before pulling off my helmet and shoving it at Sebastian.

  “What the hell, mate?” Menace fills Lyle’s voice. A second glance reveals his clenched fists and gritted teeth. Despite his welcoming smile, he’s furious.

  “She was perfectly safe.” Sebastian calmly puts away the helmets.

  I blink at him, confused. Didn’t he say I wasn’t safe? Isn’t that why I’m at their house?

  I’m about to call Sebastian out when Lyle interrupts, “Not with you driving! Especially not on that death trap!” He points an accusing finger at the offending motorcycle.

  Sebastian shrugs and turns to me. “Lyle’s convinced I tried to kill you by bringing you back on the bike. It wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  My own anger dissipates, and too dumbfounded by the conversation to say anything, I blink at both of them for a moment.

  Lyle interrupts again before Sebastian can force me to choose sides. “She’s not your sister, Seb! She won’t put herself together again if you break her.”

  Sebastian’s placid amusement slips, his eyes flashing ice. “You don’t think I know that? She’s my Agora, too, Lyle. I’d sooner break my own arm than allow her to experience any pain.”

  His sharp words break through Lyle’s anger. He nods and holds up his hands in surrender. “I know, I know. Sorry, I just… She’s got five years left and every time I think what can happen—”

  Lyle stops himself and looks at me, his chocolate eyes warm with worry and affection. “I don’t want to lose her.”

  A gasp escapes, unbidden, as I fall into the depth of emotion in those eyes. I’m not used to people caring. I don’t know why or how Lyle feels so strongly for me so quickly, but I soak it up, allowing the knowledge of it to seep into my tired, bitter muscles.

  Sebastian breaks our moment with a forced laugh. “You worry too much, Lyle. She’s fine, see?” He grabs one of my arms to demonstrate that it is, indeed, still intact. “Nothing’s broken. If I promise to drive more carefully next time I’m with Rose on the bike, will you relax?”

  Lyle’s gaze turns thoughtful for a moment before he begrudgingly concedes. “Yeah, okay. If there’s a next time, I’ll try not to freak.”

  Sebastian smiles and turns toward the house, not catching the words Lyle mumbles after him. “At least he remembered a helmet this time. Progress.”

  I try to contain my giggle as I follow both men into the house.

  Once inside, they head to the first door on the right, which turns out to be the kitchen. It’s huge, with rows of beautiful walnut cabinets and stainless-steel appliances. A small table, surrounded by seven chairs, sits in the middle. Several pizzas and a couple liters of pop wait there. Lucas sets plates and napkins on it as we walk in.

  He cheerfully waves us over in greeting. “We have a bigger table in the dining room, but since it’s just us tonight, I thought the kitchen table would be more comfortable.”

  Tired to the bone from work plus my long commute this morning, I’m grateful for the food. I usually eat at work if I remember, but we were busy today, so I haven’t had anything since breakfast.

  The boys sit and fall on the food in silence, putting away an impressive amount in minutes. My stints in group homes taught me how to fight for my share. I pile my plate with slices of pepperoni and cheese and don’t come up until my stomach is bursting.

  After stuffing ourselves, Sebastian and Lyle do the dishes. I try to help but they ignore me, so I walk over to where Lucas puts away the leftovers in the fridge.

  “Jackson will eat it after work,” he says quietly.

  After cleaning up, they shoo me into the living room down the hall. This time, we settle in a few of the leather armchairs around the fireplace, which Lucas lights to ward off the chill in the big room.

  A few moments of companionable silence pass, before I’m unable to hold back any longer. “What did you mean when you said I can’t put myself together like Sebastian’s sister?”

  I ask the question to Lyle, but Sebastian answers for him. “My sister is a bit of a daredevil because—”

  “Your sister is a menace,” Lyle says with an empathetic look on his face.

  Lucas chuckles, and Sebastian surprises me by grinning at Lyle, a rare, childish expression from him. “I’ll tell her you said that.”

  Lyle’s ebony skin turns several shades lighter. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  I don’t know whether to laugh or be worried about his distress. I take my cue from Lucas whose chuckles turn into roars of laughter.

  “Great idea, Seb, Sarah loves compliments,” he chokes out between fits.

  Sebastian makes a show of getting out his cell phone, which Lyle snatches away. Though Lyle’s face is almost feral, Lucas and Sebastian double over in laughter and even I allow myself a small chuckle at his expense.

  When Lyle turns to me, I worry I offended him. Instead, he scrunches up his face and rolls his eyes, relaxing into a smile at his own behavior.

  “Not funny,” he growls at Sebastian when he gives back the phone. His tone loses most of its bite now that he’s in on the joke.

  “Is Sarah a Phósopoi?” I question.

  Sebastian tucks his phone away. “You mean is she a Kladí or Agora. We are all Phósopoi. We distinguish ourselves differently after we Awaken.”

  I cringe, embarrassed. I should have known mutant genetics would be hereditary.

  He continues. “But, yes, she’s a Kladí. My sister Sarah, whom Lyle is terrified of, has the Gift of Regeneration. She can heal herself from any wound.”

  My eyes widen. That’s a pretty useful Gift to have. “I hope to meet her someday.”

  Sebastian’s eyes warm to a clear cerulean blue. “You will. She’ll love you,”

  It’s obvious he loves his sister. She can’t be as bad as Lyle seems to believe.

  “You said you distinguish between Kladí and Agora after Awakening. How can you be sure I’m an Agora? Maybe I’m a Kladí like you.” I’ve completely given up denying my mutant genetics and am ready to discuss logistics. It occurred to me during Sebastian’s explanation that my freaky Willpower thing could be a Gift, not the Agora power.

  The guys exchange glances before Lucas speaks up. “We know you’re going to Awaken as an Agora because we’re your Omás, your Kladí. The Kladí of an Omás always Awaken before their Agora so they can find him or her before the Agora’s Awakening. We’re built that way so we can protect our Agora.”

  Protect me from what? I want to ask, but I have an inkling they won’t tell me. At least, not before Jackson arrives.

  “What is an Awakening?” I ask instead.

  More glances volley around the fireplace before Sebastian takes a breath and leans forward. His eyes look like Mary’s did when she was trying to find the best way to explain a complicated subject. I lean forward as well, eager to get some answers.

  “Phósopoi have three stages of puberty. Our physical puberty looks and feels the same as ordinary humans and happens in our adolescence. Our Awakening is when we come into our Gift or Willpower. This happens between the ages of fifteen to twenty-four. And then finally, Maturation, when we reach the pinnacle level of our Gift or Willpower when we turn twenty-five.”

  “But I’ve already got my Agora power. I know I’ve used it before.” I leave out how often. They don’t need to know that.

  “Agoras have access to some of their power before Awakening. Usually, it’s not enough to influence the decisions of others, even normal humans, but you’re a very powerful Agora. Your Power of Will is strong even in its infant form.”

  My heart stutters at the thought of more freaky power. I struggle to keep a leash on the amount I have now. “You mean I’ll get more powerful?” My voice cracks.

  Lyle reaches over from his seat on my left to grab my hand, calming me by drawing circles with his thumb li
ke he did before.

  Sebastian nods. “Yes. Don’t worry, we’ll be with you to help you control it. That’s what the Bond is for.”

  Now I’m confused. “I thought the Bond was so I can help you control your Gifts?”

  “It works both ways, especially for abnormally strong Omás like ours.”

  Abnormally strong. I file that tidbit away to analyze later. Instead, I press on to the next issue. “Will it hurt?”

  I’m not a wimp by any measure, but I’ve read enough books to figure coming into power might be painful. It is in fiction, anyway.

  Sebastian contemplates my inquiry before responding. “No. It doesn’t hurt, it’s more… uncomfortable. Your body has to get used to your new Power and make room for the Bond. You might feel pretty achy for a while until it settles. Similar to how you feel the day after a particularly grueling workout.”

  I smirk because I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had that particular feeling. Exercise and I are not friends, but I know what he’s talking about at least.

  “You probably won’t even notice it. You’ll be too busy,” Lucas adds.

  I can’t decipher the look on his face, but the twinkle in his eyes is a good indication he’s messing with me.

  “Busy doing what?”

  “Well—”

  “Lucas.” Lyle interrupts his brother, shooting him a look that screams, Shut up now.

  Lucas shrugs and winks at me. “You’ll know in time, Sweet Pea.”

  Realizing I won’t get any more out of this line of questioning, I sigh and move on. “How will I tell when I am, or am about to, Awaken? Will I know or will it just happen?”

  I’m not usually this chatty, but I’m determined to glean as much as possible from the guys until they clam up.

  Lucas’s grin takes on a leering quality. “You’ll know. We’ll all know,” he singsongs.

  I’m about to question him further when Jackson bursts into the room still in his lab coat and scrubs, his face red like he overexerted himself running here from the hospital. Except he didn’t since Gift of Speed and all that.

  “Are you okay?” He kneels in front of my chair.

  I mutely nod.

  He grunts and runs his eyes over my body, not in an appreciative way like the twins or Sebastian, but clinical, like he’s checking for injuries. I have a feeling his worry stems from the situation at the bar. He confirms my suspicions when he stands and turns to Sebastian.

  His deep-green eyes glint in the firelight as he clips out, “Why did you allow them to get so close?”

  The stern authority in his voice makes him seem even taller.

  I sink into my chair to ward myself from his anger, but Sebastian stays ramrod straight, his eyes meeting Jackson’s squarely. “Without the Bond, my range is limited. You know this.”

  I’m surprised by the hint of admonishment in Sebastian’s reply.

  Lyle and Lucas seem shocked as well as they warily glance between Sebastian and Jackson.

  “You should have been able to feel them before they were almost in the building! They could have—” Jackson stops abruptly, and I watch him take deep breaths to calm himself.

  No one says anything.

  Finally, Sebastian explains softly, “They were trained. They must have known about my Gift and were hiding their intentions with innocuous decisions. I wouldn’t have been able to pick up on the danger until they acted on it. As it was, we were lucky one slipped up enough to show me a glimmer of their plan.”

  Jackson pales as he falls into the last empty chair in front of the fireplace. His hands tremble as he runs them through his hair.

  “That means…” Lucas trails off.

  He and Lyle pale at the same time as the professor.

  Sebastian nods solemnly. His eyes and posture remain serene and relaxed, but the clenched corners of his mouth betray his tension.

  “Means what?” My words come out sharper than I intend, but I’m growing tired of being kept in the dark.

  Jackson flinches and lifts his eyes to me. I’m taken aback to find them full of remorse. “It means someone found out who you are. Word must have gotten out we found our Agora.”

  More confused now than before, I blow out a frustrated sigh. “What do you mean? Please explain more clearly.”

  Jackson closes his eyes for a moment before opening them and straightening himself. His voice grows stronger as he answers, “Our world, the Phósopoi world, is relatively organized and peaceful, but it is not by any means safe, especially in the last few years.”

  Safe. There’s that word again. When did that word become so important among the thousands that could be applied in a description of my life? It doesn’t seem applicable now, and I wonder when it will be, if ever.

  Jackson continues, his words rolling over my inner epiphany. “For a particularly powerful Agora such as yourself, there’s great danger. Add to that the notoriety and individual power of your Omás and you’re like a sacrificial lamb wandering around the altar.”

  I shudder at the image Jackson’s words conjure. It’s hard to imagine someone would care enough about me to intend me that much harm, but the grim faces of all four men cause me to relent. I might be in more trouble than I thought.

  “What should we do? Can I do the Bond thing? Will that help?” I offer, grasping at straws.

  Really, who likes being compared to a sacrificial lamb? I lived the first ten years of my life in fear. I refuse to do so again without at least trying to fight back. All four men look at me in what can only be described as pure astonishment.

  “What?” I ask defensively, a little paranoid they don’t want to Bond with me now.

  “No, it’s not that, Sweet Pea,” Lucas reassures me. “We want nothing more than to Bond with you, but you can’t until you’ve Awoken. We don’t want to wait around for your Awakening, not with you so vulnerable.”

  I stare at Lucas in a daze. Did he just read my thoughts? My skin grows hot and itchy as I remember other, less PG thoughts I had in his presence.

  He laughs. “Sorry, it’s my Gift. I can read and influence emotions. I picked up on your insecurity and figured out what it was about. Don’t worry, none of us can read your thoughts. Though Sebastian might pick up on your intentions.”

  I sigh in relief. My skin cools as my embarrassment melts away. I turn to Sebastian for affirmation.

  “Lucas is right. I’ll add that I won’t try to read your intentions on purpose unless it’s necessary,” he promises gently.

  I incline my head in appreciation.

  Jackson clears his throat. “To answer your earlier question, what we should do now is move you to Phóspolis. It’s a hidden city for those of our kind and the safest place for you right now.”

  I jump to my feet in protest. “I’m not moving anywhere! I don’t even know if I trust you all—” I flinch at the four identical flashes of hurt that runs over their faces before they can hide it “—yet. There’s no way I’m moving to some hidden city with five guys I just met! That’s crazy!” My voice becomes emotional and shrill by the end.

  The guys give each other meaningful eyebrow raises as I pace in front of my chair, wringing my hands in agitation.

  Jackson speaks first. “We understand your concerns—”

  I roll my eyes.

  “We do. Let’s compromise. You’ll move in with us and stay until Forrest returns with Jin. Jin has to close out his apartment and hand off a few things to his employees. They won’t be here for at least another week. During that time, we’ll tutor you in some of what you need to know about being Phósopoi and our Agora. When they arrive, we’ll broach the subject of moving to Phóspolis again. Does that seem fair?”

  I run over Jackson’s suggestion in my mind. The need for more information on being a mutant wars with my sense of propriety and safety. It’d be easier to learn if I stayed in the same house as my tutors. But before I make my decision, there’s one problem I need to share.

  “
I have nightmares,” I blurt out, my skin growing hot again.

  I avoid looking at Lucas; he can probably sense my embarrassment. I avoid Sebastian, too, just in case. Thankfully, the guys don’t comment or offer me the platitudes I’ve heard so often since the nightmares began.

  Instead, Jackson simply nods as if night terrors are to be expected.

  Maybe it’s a mutant thing.

  “We have plenty of empty rooms,” Jackson offers. “The only one sleeping on the third floor is Sebastian, and he sleeps like the dead.”

  “You would, too, if you lived with my sisters,” Sebastian mumbles.

  I manage a quick smile in his direction before sitting back down in my chair. Exhaling as I sink into the leather cushions, I silently admit there are no more reasons to avoid the inevitable.

  “I’ll need to tell my RA and pack some stuff,” I say glumly. Facing Danika again was not on my to do list for today.

  “We’ll go with you to help bring stuff over,” Lucas offers, indicating himself and Lyle as they both stand.

  I choke and scramble for a way to tell him he misread my emotions. There’s no way I’m going to introduce the twins to my RA.

  Before I can protest though, Lyle grabs my hand, pulls me from my cozy seat, and we head out of the room.

  Tingles of premonition work their way up my spine. This is not going to be pleasant.

  By the time we reach my dorm, it’s nearly one in the morning. My previous confidence has waned. My decision to stay with four strangers in what could very well be the most elaborate kidnapping ruse ever might not be the right call.

  “You know I need to apply for off-campus housing first, right?” I side-eye Lucas as we approach my building entrance, looking for what I don’t know. But something about his open expression helps calm my nerves, as does the soft feeling of Lyle’s hand in mine.

  Lyle squeezes gently, directing me towards him. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.”

  “I’m not going to move my stuff until it’s approved,” I counter.

  Lyle smiles, and I feel the smirk on Lucas’s face even before I turn to see it. Neither of them offers anything else to the conversation, and neither do I. Anxious jitters make their way through my shaking hands as I heave open the heavy front door. Inwardly, I’m banking on administration taking a long, long time to process the switch. I’m also hoping the front desk girl denies my request to sign out.