It was too much of a risk—for me and for the child I carried.
Caleb smoothed his thumbs over the thin bands. I held my breath. Nothing happened at first. I glanced up at him, and he gave a little shrug. One side of his lips curled down. “It should—”
A soft click interrupted him, and a second later the bands slipped off my wrists. Caleb let go of my hands, quickly catching them as a jolt of what felt like electricity shot through my veins.
Gasping, I took a step back as I lifted my hands. A white tint filled the veins of my hands and flowed up my arms. I could feel the warmth under my skin, washing over me. My attention shot to Seth.
His eyes were luminous as he stared at me. He could see this—the aether following the network of vessels, pumping my body full of light and power. And I could feel it.
It was like stepping under cold water first thing in the morning. My body was thrust into shock, kicking my pulse and heart rate up. A rush of pins and needles started at my feet and hit every inch of my body. A final pulse of heat invaded my insides, centering around the scar Apollo had left behind on the center of my chest.
And then it was all gone, except . . .
Except I could feel the aether in me. Sucking in a sharp breath, I turned to Seth. “Do I . . . Can you see it now?”
“Yeah.” Amber eyes glowed as he stared at me—at my stomach. He looked like he might tip over and fall on his ass again. “Yeah, I can see it. Can you use it?”
There was only one more way to make sure that I was back to, well, what the new normal was. Focusing on the can of soda on my tray, I lifted my hand.
Luke backed up. “Oh jeez.”
Ignoring him, I tapped into the air element. The can shook and then lifted straight up. I snatched it out of the air, sloshing brown liquid over my hand. My gaze flew to Seth’s. “I’m back.”
Seth reached over, taking my free hand. He tugged me toward him. I was careful to not spill my drink on him. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he tilted his head toward Caleb. “Thank you, man.”
“Yes. Thank you,” I said to him.
“No problem.” Holding the bands in his hands, he grinned. “Not often I get to actually be helpful. Kind of like old times.”
My heart tugged as I saw Alex’s face crumple a little. She made a sound that sounded like a squeal and then grabbed the blond boy, pulling him in for a hug. Within seconds, Caleb was surrounded by her, Deacon and Luke. Aiden joined them, too.
I guessed Alex and Aiden got to see Caleb when they were in the Underworld, but I supposed it was different to see each other here, where everyone was actually . . . sort of alive.
As the happy reunion took place, Seth pressed his cheek to mine. When he spoke, he did so in a low enough voice that only I could hear him. “How are you feeling?”
“Good.” I knew what he was asking. “I feel the same, but just not as . . . as tired, if that makes sense.”
“It does.” He kissed the space below my ear. “I now understand what I saw flickering when I looked at you.”
I turned my cheek to his. “What do you mean?”
The breath Seth took, I felt. “Remember when I said the aether looked like it was flickering in you? It wasn’t your aether I’d been seeing. You must’ve been nearly depleted, because I can still see the part that’s flickering. I think . . . no, I know it’s the baby.”
“What?” I drew back, gaping.
His eyes were soft as he kept his voice low. “I can still see it. I see your aether and I see the . . . I see the baby’s.”
My lips parted, but I didn’t have the words. Emotion crawled up my throat. He could see the aether in our child? That was . . . Wow. I really didn’t know how to process that. “Does it . . . does it look good? Like, okay?”
“I think so.” He placed his forehead against mine. “I mean, it has to be.”
And I suddenly wanted to cry—cry happy tears.
So I face-planted his shoulder.
Somehow Seth got the can of Coke out of my hand and it went somewhere, who knew where, and then both of his arms were around me. “I’m not usually this emotional,” I said into his chest, repeating the same thing Alex had said mere minutes before.
“What?” he asked.
My voice was still muffled but I continued anyway. “It’s just that . . . you can see it and that just makes it all the more real.”
His hand pressed into my back as he whispered my name into my ear. “Sometimes I have no idea how your brain words, but I love you,” he said, his grip tightening. “I love you with every ounce of my being.”
There was no stopping my smile. No matter what, this was a beginning.