Star Gods, стр. 31
“What do you mean by ‘who you think we are’?” I question.
“Legend states half-breeds will be born, more powerful than anyone has ever seen. They will possess abilities no others have and will become powerful leaders of the Star God Planet.”
“So someone’s feelings got hurt and are basing having Sage and me killed on a legend? Are you kidding me?”
“Legends are based on a Luminary Oracle seeing into the future. It’s accepted as fact.”
“Apparently, they don’t know or understand the meaning of legend,” Sage states. “A legend is a story passed down from generation to generation. It can be based on a factual event but becomes deeply exaggerated through the years. It isn’t factual unless it’s proven so.”
Abby shrugs. “Well, now it’s proven.”
“How?”
Abby looks between the two of us.
“Oh, hell no. I have no interest in leading anyone,” I say. “I’m a teenager for the gods’ sake!”
“And if you don’t have a choice?”
“See, that’s how this legend will fail,” I answer. “I don’t like being told what I should or shouldn’t do. Our parents have always told us to be who we want to be, not what someone else wants us to be.”
“This isn’t some schoolyard fight, Zeke,” Abby responds. “This is a real planet that has to have leadership. You’re meant to rule.”
I scoff. “No, thanks. I’m only sixteen. I plan to finish my teenage years with parties and girls.”
“Me too,” Sage agrees. “Only with boys.”
“We can’t be the only fraternal twin half-breed Star Gods,” I argue.
Abby leans back on her hands. “You are the only ones.”
“There could be others,” Sage says. “You just don’t know about it yet.”
“That’s the thing with being a Luminary Star God on planet,” Abby answers. “We know where everyone is.”
“You’re saying you’re a Luminary?” Ashe asks.
“Yes.”
“Hold on a minute,” Tyce interjects. “You said earlier you’re a fraternal twin—but, your twin is female. Female twins have no abilities.”
She reaches out with a hand and the remote on the coffee table flies into it.
“Then everything you just said is a lie.”
“No, you weren’t listening. Identical female twins have no abilities,” Abby corrects. “My sister and I are fraternal twins—the only female fraternal twins in existence. Like male and female fraternal twins, I possess the extractor ability. I can only extract what I can see. You, Sage, can extract from anywhere, or so it is said.”
Sage exchanges a surprised look with me.
“What are your other abilities?” Tyce asks.
“I have dead aim.”
“That’s why you’re in the Luminary Guard,” Ashe states.
“Yes.”
“And your sister?” Claire asks. “Where is she?”
“I joined Luminary Guard and am under training to lead. My sister, Ally, was taken by the Assassins and forced to be one.”
Claire shudders. “That’s horrible.”
“Ally is part of the group here hunting Zeke and Sage. I’m going to need your help getting her back.”
“What if she isn’t the same anymore, Abby?”
“I can still feel her through our connection, Ashe. I can feel her reluctance, her fear, her want to come home. She’s still in there. Please, I want my sister back.”
Ashe reaches down a hand and yanks Abby to him. “Then we’ll work on a plan to do just that.”
“Thank you.”
I yawn and stretch. “What do we do now? We can’t sit around waiting for something to happen.”
Abby turns in my brother’s arms. “We work with Sage and get her comfortable with her abilities. They’re not going to play around anymore, they’re going to come hard and fast and we all need to be prepared.”
“I’ve asked my brothers this before—are Assassins shapeshifters?”
I swear Abby’s head turns toward me in slow motion, her eyes elongating and her expression going slack. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m pretty certain one came as Neil.”
“You said Neil came to you three times.”
“Yeah, but I’m wondering if once it was the Assassin, not Neil.”
“Here, as in this house?”
“Yeah, here in the living room right next to the recliner.”
“Ashe, I need to speak with you in private.” She pulls on his arm.
“Wait a minute, Abby, what gives?”
“Give us a few minutes, Zeke,” Ashe answers leading her to his bedroom and shutting the door.
“Was it the word shapeshifter or Neil that caused her alarm?” Sage asks next to me.
“I’m going with both,” Tyce responds.
“Whatever it is it can’t be that bad,” Sage remarks.
“What the hell, Abby?” Ashe shouts from his bedroom.
“Or maybe it is,” Sage reiterates.
“You should’ve told me who you were when we first met!” Ashe shouts.
Abby’s reply is indecipherable.
I look to Sage most likely seeing the same expression on my face on hers. “This doesn’t sound good.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”
“Dammit, Abby, if you would’ve told me to begin with, Zeke wouldn’t be walking around with a target on his back!”
“I couldn’t tell you yet,” Abby yells as the bedroom door yanks open.
“You came here two months before Zeke got attacked the first time.” Ashe’s face is beet red as he walks past the kitchen with a scowl. “If you would’ve told me, we could’ve at least tried to keep him from getting hurt. But instead, you kept everything to yourself and he nearly gets killed.”
“You said he was attacked at school, Ashe. He looked fine when I saw him. Why would I think any different?”
Ashe glares at her, his teeth clenched. “When he went to go save Sage,” his voice is drenched in an icy softness. “Zeke