39. Syssi

39

SYSSI

S yssi walked into Amanda's office and pulled out a chair. "Cheryl Bastia called to cancel."

Amanda looked up. "That's the third one today. What's going on? Is there a football game everyone is watching, or is there a super sale somewhere?"

"I don't know." Syssi sat down. "People used to love volunteering for the testing. Everyone wanted to find out whether they had paranormal abilities. Nowadays, I have a difficult time getting anyone to come, even when we promise to pay them."

Their paranormal research used to draw in the most people, and it had been harder to get volunteers or even paid subjects for regular brain research. Now, it was the other way around. They had no trouble filling the two fMRI stations but couldn't get enough people for simple precognition and telepathy tests.

Even though the procedure was completely noninvasive, Syssi was surprised that people didn't mind a tech using a machine to peek inside their heads and watch how their brains worked in real-time.

Perhaps it was the allure of the sleek, cylindrical devices gleaming under the lab's fluorescent lights, or maybe the students were fascinated by the mysteries of the human brain. Or what was more likely was that they preferred to get paid for taking a long nap. Amanda was currently focusing her official neuroscience research on brain activity during different sleep states.

"Do you want to grab a coffee now that we have an unexpected break?" Amanda asked.

Syssi smiled. "I'd rather visit the girls."

She missed the days when the daycare was in Amanda's old office, and they could just pop in to see their daughters whenever they wanted. But she had to admit that it had been far from ideal for their babies to be cooped up in that windowless room, especially with all the toys that Amanda had kept buying. The new space on the first floor was much better for the children as well as for their mothers, who managed much more work without the constant distractions.

Amanda shook her head. "We were just there less than an hour ago. It's not good for them to see us so often. It undermines the nanny's authority."

As if on cue, Syssi's phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced at the screen to see a photo of Allegra and Evie playing in the sandbox outside, with Karen's boys a few feet behind them.

"Look at what Jenna sent right now." Syssi showed the photo to Amanda.

Her boss's expression softened. "Oh, how adorable. And look at this. Allegra is posing for the camera. She's just like me."

Like Amanda, Allegra was an extrovert who liked dressing up and had very firm opinions about most things. But she also had a lot of Syssi in her, most notably her precognition talent.

"I am still having a hard time with Allegra exhibiting foreknowledge at such a young age," Syssi admitted. "I shouldn't be surprised though. She communicated telepathically with me from the womb."

Amanda's eyebrows drew together, forming a slight furrow above her nose. "It could be a coincidence that she said the initials of Alena's baby name before any of us knew what it was going to be. She might have meant Ethan."

Her sister-in-law hadn't said that Syssi might have hallucinated the communication with Allegra while she was still in the womb, but Syssi knew that Amanda thought that. Some paranormal abilities were easier to accept than others.

"That's always possible." Syssi sighed. "I don't know what to do."

Amanda tilted her head. "About what?"

"The vision I promised your mother I would court after the twins were found. She hasn't mentioned it yet, but I'm sure she will remind me soon."

Amanda arched a brow. "And the problem with that is?"

"The problem is that I'm scared of what I'm going to see—or rather, what I might not see." Syssi ran a hand through her hair. "As long as I don't attempt it, hope remains. But if the Fates show me that Khiann is dead..." She trailed off, unable to say it out loud.

"I don't think you have a choice." Amanda pursed her lips. "She has not forgotten, and she is probably waiting for you to bring it up. When you don't, she will remind you, and you will have to come up with some lame excuse for why you didn't do it right after the twins were found as you had promised."

Amanda's directness helped crystallize things for Syssi. "Maybe you can help me find an excuse that wouldn't be lame?"

Amanda just arched a brow. "Really?"

"Ugh." Syssi groaned. "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news. Besides, my visions are not always clear, and deciphering them often happens after the event occurred."

Amanda reached out, placing a comforting hand on Syssi's arm. "The Fates will show you what you need to see. You might once again be granted a vision that has nothing to do with my mother, and she will understand that the Fates don't want her to know what happened to Khiann."

That was a comforting thought. Maybe the Fates would spare her the pain of having to tell Annani that her mate had been dead for the past five thousand years.

Syssi took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll do it. But I need either you or Kian to be there when I induce the vision. I promised Kian I would never do that without someone watching over me."

"I know, darling. Of course, I will be there for you." Amanda patted her arm. "Do you want me to come over this weekend?"

"I have to check with Kian and see what his plans are. If he is home, he can watch over me."

"Even if he can, call me. I want to be there."

It dawned on her then that Amanda was just as anxious about what the vision would show as she was.

Her mother's well-being was on the line.

"You know what? I think now is the perfect time to do it. Even if the results are not what your mother hoped for, she won't sink into depression because she just got a new grandson and a new pair of siblings. There won't be a better time for this than now."

"True," Amanda said. "That's a very valid argument. I'll pray to the Fates that you find he is alive."

Syssi nodded. "Perhaps we should ask Alena, Sari, and Kian to pray along with you. Khiann needs all the help we can provide."