“Guys, is it ready then? You told me it would be by now. Do you need help or?” I offer.
“No, sis. It’s done, come on!” Phoebe exclaims, hooking her arm in mine and dragging me down the beach to the new pathway leading to a man-made island with several large structures in the middle. This is part of our new additions to the island to help us mix better with the human race that we now share the world with. This island is outside the barrier and stretches to half the size of our island. We have spent seven years building it, and the human governments actually reached out to offer us peace in exchange for taking new familiars in.
After Bethany took out the cities around the world, we were all that was left. After a long peace agreement that took seven months—and I’m sure gave my guys quite a few grey hairs that they claim aren’t there—we all came to an agreement. This island is called Peaceway. Right in the centre is a three-hundred-room hotel that Phoebe and Skye have been made the managers of. Their jobs are to run the hotel, make us aware of any serious issues, and overall to help humans understand what it means to be a familiar.
After a ten-minute walk, we step through the hole in the barrier, comprised of bricks which were made with my blood mixed into them. The blue stones make a perfect arch, and it can be easily knocked down if we want to close the barrier up for any reason. Right now? It means humans can come into the city and my people can leave, explore the world, and come back if they want to.
It’s not going to be an easy adjustment, we all know that, but it is the right way for our people, and we all know that.
Passing several restaurants, I spot Dorothy, the head chef for this particular continental restaurant, waving at us. I wave back with the girls, and we get to the hotel not long after.
“The flooding issues with floors A and B have been fixed. Turns out something was wrong with the plumbing. We have stripped the walls and floors, and we are starting over,” Skye starts to explain as we get to the big glass double doors, and they stop me.
“But the reason we have taken longer is we have a gift for you from us all,” Phoebe fills in, making me stop. Above the glass is something hidden with a white sheet, and I look down to see Alex and Liam on one side, and Mason on the other, holding the string to pull it down.
“What is this?” I softly ask, feeling confused and excited all at the same time.
The glass doors open, and Greyson walks out, holding his little sisters’ hands. Isabelle Noble is eight, and Jessie Noble is seven, born only just over a year apart. They might be close in age, but in looks and personality, no. Isabelle is sweet-natured with long black hair that is so wavy it’s hard to run a brush through. Whereas Jessie is strong-willed and stubborn, with hair that looks like honey. They both have bright blue eyes that remind me of Bethany at times, and I used to think it would hurt to see some of her in them, but it doesn’t anymore. I only see the good parts she hid away. Jessie tugs her hand from Greyson’s, who tries to snatch it back, so she kicks him.
“Mum! Did you see that?!” Greyson exclaims. Well, whines. But hey, kids, who’d have them?
“Jessie!” Liam shouts. “Behave or no more surfing.”
“Fine,” she mutters and puts on a fake as anything smile.
“This is for you,” Alex says with a long sigh, trying to get back into the moment, but I can’t stop smiling and trying not to laugh. They pull the sheet down and reveal a brand new silver shining plaque in a long rectangular shape. On the plaque it says:
“In honour of the Noble Family.”
“Guys,” I whisper, feeling the sobs of joy about to sneak out of my mouth. I run to my husbands, and they all manage to hold me in a bubble, and our kids all sneak in after a moment, even Jessie. I kiss her cheek, and she smiles with a sheepish grin.
“So I still get to go surfing now?” Jessie asks with big innocent eyes like she didn’t just kick her brother.
“Fine, go on then,” Mason says, giving into his little girl. He is a sucker for them all, and they know it.
“No fair! If I kicked her, I’d be grounded,” Greyson complains, crossing his arms and stomping his foot.
“How about we get our familiars and go for a run around the island before stopping at auntie Raine’s for dinner tonight?” I ask them. Greyson’s frown turns into a big grin, and he is running down the path before I can get another word in. I look over as Jessie’s familiar, a dolphin called Spark, jumps over the bridge, and she jumps into the water after him. It used to terrify me when she did that, but now? Not so much. Spark might be a dolphin most of the time, but all our children inherited our gifts and can change their familiars into other animals. Isabelle has a gold fox called Lovely, who sneaks out from nowhere and sits next to Isabelle. She isn’t old enough to ride on her own yet, and Alex picks her up, carrying her across the beach as she laughs.
Shadow doesn’t need me to call him. He jumps out of the sea, soaking wet, and shakes right in front of me. “Thanks, buddy,” I laugh. “Let’s go for a run?”
Not caring that he is wet, I jump onto his back, and we catch up with my children in no time.
This is our ending.
This is our
