The Brightest Night (Origin #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,106

the world,” Luc said. “It was probably a minute or so after he was born that I heard Grayson.”

“That’s fine with me.” I’d told Luc about the surprise meet and greet, but I hadn’t mentioned what Daemon had told me last night about what Luc had done. “You’re amazing, you know that, right?”

“Obviously.” He squeezed my hand. “But what made you decide to finally acknowledge it?”

“I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the first time I’ve acknowledged that.” We crossed the front lawns, heading for where the curtain was already parted. “But I know what you did for their baby.”

“Oh.” He was looking up, at the sky. “I didn’t do much. Nothing to be impressed over.”

“Nothing to be impressed over? You kept the baby stable. How were you able to do that?”

He stopped just below the porch steps. “I got lucky. We all got lucky that it was a compressed umbilical cord—something physical and not something biological. If so, there would have been nothing any of us could’ve done.”

I looked up at him, keeping my voice low. “I think everyone got lucky that you were here.”

His gaze lowered to me. “All I did was do what I could. I kept the baby’s breathing steady. That’s all.”

And that kept the child alive, but to hear Luc speak, it was like he’d simply helped unload groceries or something.

Stretching up, I kissed his cheek, and when I rocked back onto my feet, he watched me. I tugged on his hand, and he followed me up the porch.

Daemon answered the door before we knocked. “Look who’s blessing us with their presence.”

Luc smiled. “I knew you were probably missing me.”

The Luxen chuckled. “Like a hole in the head.”

“That might actually be an improvement,” Luc replied.

“He’s here to see the baby,” I jumped in before the two devolved into a “who could out-snark the other” contest.

“Is he jealous that you saw him first?” Daemon asked.

I nodded.

“I’m going to start calling you Benedict Peaches Arnold,” Luc muttered.

That made me snort-laugh.

“You’re in luck.” Daemon closed the door behind us. “Adam is awake.”

“It’s because he’s eager to meet me.”

I rolled my eyes as we followed Daemon back to the bedroom. Once again, I was a little awed by the number of books in this house.

Can you hear any of Daemon’s thoughts right now? Luc’s voice made me jump, and I looked at him.

I hadn’t heard anything the night before, but it wasn’t like I’d been trying then. Focusing on Daemon’s back, I concentrated and heard nothing.

I don’t hear anything, I told Luc.

Interesting. He’s thinking about how beautiful Kat looks and—yikes, I am not repeating what I hear now. Luc’s brows lifted. Maybe it’s unique to us, because of my healing attempts and the other serums.

If it was unique to us, then could that mean the other Trojans would be unable to communicate this way or hear others’ thoughts? If so, Luc and I had a leg up on the other Trojans. Or it could mean that other Trojans could hear the thoughts of all others like Luc could, and I was somewhat defective because of the other serums.

You’re not defective.

I shot a look at Luc. Get out of my head.

He grinned.

What we needed was another Trojan. That was the only way to test many of our theories or find any answers, but that was likely not going to happen.

“I think Adam knew you were coming,” came Kat’s voice from the end of the hall. “He’s usually napping at this time of the day, but he’s been awake.”

Since Origins were all a little different, that could be possible.

“Then he must be as excited as I am,” Luc responded as he stepped into the room. I lingered back.

Kat looked up from where she sat, rocking gently in the chair, hair swept up in a knot that looked as messy as mine felt and cheeks flushed a healthy pink. The baby was nestled against Kat’s chest, looking and blinking at whatever babies looked at.

Without the little blanket hoodie, I saw that the baby boy had a lot of thick, dark hair. A head full of it!

Kat smiled as her husband crossed the room, dropping a kiss on her cheek and then the top of his son’s head. She rose from the chair, the pale blue dress gliding around her feet as she walked forward, stopping in front of Luc, who stood as if spellbound.

“Kat—”

Rising onto the tips of her toes, Kat kissed his cheek, silencing him. “Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes glimmering with