andra's knees buckled and paul grabbed her arm.

"time to go," said angus in a booming voice. "let's give helen and lexi some time alone with their father."

the crowd cleared out, but didn't go far. not that lexi blamed them. it wasn't every day that an alien came to visit.

"tell me of your lives," asked lucien. "i would like to have bits and pieces of you to take back with me to warm my thoughts."

though it was hard at first, lexi found shining slivers of her life to share with the father she'd never known. as helen and she shared stories, they flowed out more easily, and lexi realized that her life hadn't been nearly as grim as she'd imagined. there were lots of good times, and this one, sitting around under the stars with her newfound family, was now going to be tucked among them.

slowly, the sun crept toward the horizon, signaling their time was at an end. helen and lexi bid lucien good-bye with sloppy, teary hugs all around. zach found a digital camera and took pictures of them together, printing one out for their father to take with him.

lucien held his to his heart and wept. those tears were still falling as he raised his hand and summoned a ring of shimmering light.

lexi held helen's hand as he stepped into that light and vanished.

"do you think we'll ever see him again?" asked helen.

"he said he couldn't come back."

"maybe things will change. maybe this solarc asshole will stop being a dick."

"you should have asked lucien if that was possible," said lexi.

helen blushed. "i'd never talk that way in front of my dad. are you kidding?"

lexi looked at helen and burst out in giggles.

they clung to each other, laughing and crying as the sun came up.

chapter 28

lexi couldn't stand the idea of going back inside right now. the morning air felt good on her skin-cool and clear and scented with dewy grass. and zach. he was at her side, her silent shadow, allowing her the time she needed to absorb everything that had happened to her in a short few days.

she had a father. a sister. a home.

it was more than she'd ever hoped for, and making it even sweeter was the fact that she had zach to share in her joy.

"you should go back in and rest," he said.

"in a few minutes. i just want to feel the sun on my face for a while."

he nodded and slipped his fingers through hers. his ring gave off a happy buzz, and she felt a current of energy slide up her arm, warming her.

lexi ran her hand along the stone wall surrounding dabyr, tracing it with her finger as she neared the broken section. there were a few theronai posted to guard the opening, but most of the activity had dwindled. without helen and gilda, there was little they could do. apparently, each stone could only be put in place after the women had done their magic.

lexi could feel that magic running through the rock at her fingertips. it was old and had once been powerful, but that power had grown weary over time, allowing small cracks in the armor to form. those cracks called out to her, begging to be filled. she could almost hear their creaking voices rasping at her.

a churning ribbon of power wove through her, and for the first time, lexi knew what helen meant. that power was there, flowing easily into lexi's fingertips, obeying her will.

she wanted dabyr to be a safe place for all who lived here. she wanted the children to go to sleep at night without wondering if this would be the one the monsters found them. she wanted them to play and laugh and know in their hearts that for as long as they stayed within these walls, nothing could harm them.

all that want-all that need-came sliding out of lexi, traveling through her fingers into the chunks of stone beneath them.

subtle cracks along the surface fused together and deeper ones, ones she could only see inside her mind, closed shut. a deep grating vibration spread down the wall, away from the opening. lexi watched as it moved into the trees, casting resting birds into the air. she saw ripples form on the surface of the lake, heard the frightened cry of people near the main building.

"lexi?" said zach in a low, questioning tone. "what are you doing?"

"fixing the wall."

she kept pouring power into the task, feeling it flow through her like water, liquid and easy. molecules of rock shifted, locking tighter together until the surface of the stone gleamed like a hard shell.

armed men came running their way and the few guards posted here turned to gawk at her.

"am i doing something wrong?" she asked zach.

"no, it's just . . . amazing. that's all. you're doing in seconds what others have been trying to do for days."

"should i stop? i don't want to hurt any feelings."

he grinned down at her, his green eyes glowing with love and pride. "don't stop. this is a good thing, lexi. very good."

after a brief explanation by zach, men started hauling rock into the jagged opening. lexi touched each stone as it was laid, lacing it with a living power that would survive long after she was dead and gone. it got harder as she went along, but she never once broke her stride or felt the need to stop.

she and zach were covered in dust and sweat when helen found them. "wow, lexi! you rock."

lexi groaned at the bad pun.

helen surveyed the work, which was nearly complete. "how did you do this?"

lexi shrugged. "don't know."

"it's her gift," said zach. "protection is lexi's gift the way fire is yours, helen. it's how she survived that bomb. i just didn't figure it out until i saw this."

"cool," said helen. "i wonder what our other sister's gift will be."

zach grinned. "i don't know, but if she's out there, our men will find her and bring her back. you won't have to wait long."

"and then we can be a family," said lexi as she grabbed zach's arm to gain his undivided attention. "all of us."

zach's grin widened and he looped his arms around her waist. "you think i want to be a part of a crazy family like yours?"

"i know you do."

"how do you know?" he taunted.

lexi let him have it. she opened up the floodgates that had stood between them for far too long, letting him experience everything she felt for him. she played it through her mind in fast motion, from her initial fear, through the mistrust, to hesitant hope, to the very end. a bright, shiny love she was sure would never fade or tarnish.

zach's fingers clenched against her waist and his eyes fell shut. a deep groan of pleasure rose from his chest and became a soft sigh of joy.

when he opened his eyes they were shining with happiness. "god, i love you, lexi."

"you're just saying that because my dad's a prince."

he let out a booming laugh and tipped her chin up with his finger. "tell me you love me, too. here. in front of witnesses."

"why?" she asked, sensing how important this was to him.

"because i want them all to know how lucky i am."

lexi went up on her tiptoes and kissed him, not caring that they had an audience who had now begun to cheer. helen's shouts of joy were the loudest.

sisters. sheesh.

"i love you," she told him, grinning. "and you'd better not make me regret it."

zach grinned right back. "no promises."