Shift by Raine Thomas Page B

but nodded. As she turned to leave, she wondered how he would react to the knowledge that she intended to kill him first.
     
    Quincy’s contributions resulted in Sophia and Zachariah developing a formula for an inoculation to Nyx’s toxin for both full and part-Estilorians. It only took them a few hours of brainstorming, after which Zachariah ended up carrying Tate from the lab. She had been bored into sleep.
    Sophia, however, was energized. It had been a long time since she worked with Quincy on something so deeply intellectual. She remembered now how attractive she had always found him when he was engaged in something that stimulated the mind.
    Okay, she had always found him attractive regardless. But this… wow .
    She was sure her smile radiated from her face after she bathed and changed and made her way downstairs to find out what her family was having for supper. When she heard a host of voices—including those of beings who weren’t related to her—coming from the dining room, she took it in stride. Having impromptu guests was very common with the three family homes being so close together.
    “The issue has definitely become more paramount in recent weeks,” she heard Sebastian say. “Tate was stranded without the benefit of a paired Lekwuesti to provide her with sustenance or clothing. Fortunately, she has learned the skills needed to stay alive on her own, but if she had been injured to the point of immobility…”
    Sophia walked into the room as the elder trailed off. All eyes shifted briefly to her. She realized that her parents and aunts and uncles were also there, along with Quincy, Ini-herit and Jabari. She knew that Zayna and Uriel had gone to Hoygul the Scultresti, while Malukali and Knorbis had traveled to the home of Kanika.
    “Should I come back?” she asked, trying to ignore her grumbling stomach and the platters of sandwiches and fruit on the table.
    “No, Sophia,” her father said. “This topic relates to you. We’d appreciate your input.”
    As she nodded and took a seat next to her dad, she wondered about Quincy’s presence. Then her mother made a pained face and Quincy’s sharp gaze quickly assessed her. Sophia understood. With the baby due any time, he wouldn’t go far.
    “We’re talking about the need to pair you and the other firstborn Kynzesti with Lekwuesti,” her mother said as Sophia took half of a sandwich and some cantaloupe.
    That made sense. Sebastian’s example was valid. Tate had been stranded thousands of miles from home without the ability to connect with a Lekwuesti for food, shelter or clothing. Yes, she had drawn on important skills that she learned from her parents and aunts and uncles to survive, but her ordeal would have been far less difficult if she had already been paired with a Lekwuesti.
    “I think it’s a great idea,” Sophia said. “We’re all mature enough now to appreciate the weight of the exchange of vows that a Lekwuesti pairing entails, and to honor the once-a-day limit on hospitality requests.”
    There were nods around the table.
    “I think that the pairings should take place at Central,” Jabari said, surprising Sophia.
    “Agreed,” Sebastian said. “We should allow the Kynzesti to pick their paired Lekwuesti, much as we allowed their mothers to do. It would be too much of a security risk to have so many Lekwuesti brought within the protections around your homes.”
    Sophia took a sip of water to wash down the bite of sandwich she had just eaten and tried not to gape. She would be traveling to Central? Holy crap.
    “Zachariah won’t let Tate travel to Central without him,” Aunt Skye mused.
    “It would only be for a couple of days,” Sebastian said. “She would have protection.”
    Aunt Skye’s eyebrows rose. “Zachariah will only sleep if he’s on Tate’s bedroom floor and blocking the door,” she pointed out. “His latent Gloresti instincts have been fully awakened by their pairing.”
    “A Mercesti can’t travel to