enjoying the taste of food, but she’d managed to cook plenty from the moment Tristan and I had set foot through the door. None of them had expected me to arrive as a living creature. Blood had been the only dish on the original menu, yet the roasted meal was cooked to perfection, bathed in a savory sauce and sprinkled with herbs. The mini quiches were premade and dwellers of the freezer for quite a while before hitting the oven—nevertheless, they were delicious. For dessert, Ariana had sent Julian outside to the small orchard behind their redwood treehouse to fetch some fresh plums and peaches. They smelled amazing, and I kept brushing my fingers over the peach skin, relishing the feel of its soft fuzz.
Everything about this evening was incredible. Esme was all smiles as she couldn’t take her eyes off me. We spoke for hours, going over the events that had led to this moment, both positive and negative. “I’d like to see some of that footage, if possible,” I ultimately said. “I’m genuinely curious about what Isabelle’s clone recorded from that beyond world.” We hadn’t been able to think of a better name for it, but Tristan had agreed it sounded accurate enough.
“Time had no idea who the leader was, or what she was,” Esme sighed, pouring herself another glass of spiced blood. “Phoenix is analyzing the footage, but I’m sure you could pop by tomorrow and have a look for yourself.”
“What about the beyond world?” Tristan asked. “Were there any elements in the videos that might provide clues about the location?”
Ariana raised both eyebrows in an expression I could only interpret as befuddlement. “Honestly? No. We only saw trees and a white villa-style building behind the alleged leader. Redwoods, most likely. At first, we thought that particular piece of footage had been shot in The Shade, but I’m sure we would’ve heard a horde of clones loudly rooting for our demise.”
“Plus, there’s no such white villa anywhere in The Shade,” Julian added.
“We considered California too, but the sky looked weird,” Esme said. “We sent a couple of witches to comb through the entire state with their ample magic anyway, just in case. Hopefully they’ll have something to tell us. Otherwise, we’re stumped.”
Tristan’s brow furrowed. “The technology the clones have is odd. Like nothing I’ve seen before.” Derek and Sofia had shown us one of the silvery boxes, though Phoenix hadn’t been around to connect it and make it project its recorded data. “I look forward to checking that stuff out again, ideally with Phoenix around, and anyone else who might help us figure out what those boxes are made of.”
Julian gave us a cool smile. “You two are supposed to relax and make the most of this new and incredible stage in your lives. The entire island is working on the clone issue. It’s not demanding the attention of the entire federation, so don’t concern yourselves. I’m serious. Take it easy. It’s not your responsibility, and Unending is going through something strange and wonderful.”
“Yeah, but—”
“They’re right,” Tristan said, cutting me off with an awkward smile. “The Shade’s got its brightest minds handling the situation. And you—you’re all I can think about right now.”
Esme laughed lightly. “It’s been an annoying stalemate here for days. We cannot exist in a perpetual state of anguish in light of what happened either, so I’m glad you two are here.”
“How long will you be with us?” Ariana asked. For the briefest of moments, I saw her stealing a glance at Julian, but he didn’t seem to notice. His attention was fixed on Tristan and me, and quite lovingly, too. “Do you wish to take one of our guest rooms, or will you be making use of your own treehouse?”
“Mom, I think they’ll need some privacy,” Esme replied, then pressed her lips into a thin line. A thought crossed her mind as she glanced at her brother. “You’ll be taking the cure, then?”
Tristan nodded once. “As soon as things settle down here,” he said. “Unending and I agreed not to rush with our baby-making plans until the situation with the clones reaches a satisfactory resolution.”
“Satisfactory resolution?” Kalon chuckled, finishing his glass of blood.
“My words, not his,” I shot back with a grin. “You see, I can shed this body and become a Reaper again. I would not be able to return to it afterward, however, so I would only make that choice if absolutely necessary. Therefore, Tristan and I agreed not to rush