Chapter 30

Sunrise House
Silver Spring, MD

"I don't know if I should thank the local gods or the Elder Kings for this." Diana said as she pulled Sin into her embrace. "I've been wanting to meet you Companion since the day I knew you were on your way." She said to Spencer's confused look. "I've been praying we could somehow find someone since he day we landed. You do not know how glad I was that you had your friend Derek working with you for so long."

"I can see it." Spencer replied. Now Sin looked confused. "Kind of my former partner. You'll meet him eventually. Mom, I cam here to ask you about something. I'm not getting a straight answer out of anyone."

"Well, whatever it is I'll tell you what I can." Diana replied as she moved to her tiny partial kitchen. "I only ever lied to keep you safe you know. And many times not even then. William just had you convince that I was crazy."

"I know. I'm still sorry about that."

"You're forgiven. You did the best you could with the information you had. And no great harm done in the end. I'm making us tea, since this feels like it will be a long one."

"It might be." Spencer sat at the small table while Sin perched on the couch nearby. "Essa told me that Commoners, Companions and Nobles are biologically different. But he said he couldn't tell me how. He said that Commoners are nearly identical to Terrans, and I found out today that Companions are shapeshifters. What makes Nobles different?"

Diana turned, a shocked look on her face. "No one has shown you?"

"Can't, Ma'am." Sin replied. "It's classified. Every Noble who came of age after the war started was militarized."

"Good thing I never signed up then."

"Um, no offense but Spencer does work for another government."

"And he's my son. If her Royal Highness doesn't like it she can come down here and tell me off personally." At that Diana lifted her shirt and peeled a small patch off her abdomen.

"Mom!" Now it was Spencer's turn to be shocked. "What are you doing?"

"If I try to tell you you won't believe me and you'll think I'm crazy. I'm going to have to show you. Right now the meds are masking my gifts. Which is fine, I don't need them and I wasn't able to control them on my own anyway. I'll put that back on in an hour, that should be long enough. Orange spice all right?"

"Sure. What do you mean gifts?" Spencer asked.

"Skills. Abilities. Not shapeshifting, that belongs to Companions alone. Do you still like toffee cookies? Well, you like any cookies."

"Not oatmeal raisin."

"Fair enough. We all have our gifts, some we share, some unique to us. I don't know if you got mine or your fathers or both, but you have them. They just haven't made an appearance yet."

"Why not?" Spencer asked.

"Because you haven't finished puberty." Diana said as she brought the tea tray to the table.

"Essa said that as well. I'm trying to figure out how that's possible since I am thirty-five."

"Tell me, do you know the definition of epigenetics?"

"Epigenetics most often denotes changes in a chromosome that affect gene activity and expression, but can also be used to describe any heritable phenotypic change that does not derive from a modification of the genome. Such effects on cellular and physiological phenotypic traits may result from external or environmental factors, or be part of normal developmental program. The standard definition of epigenetics requires these alterations to be heritable." Spencer stopped to digest this. "So you're saying our genes will change their expression in predictable ways in response to certain stimuli."

"Exactly."

"And until you're exposed to that stimuli you're not considered to have finished puberty."

"Well, a Noble isn't."

"But what stimuli haven't I been exposed to?" Wait a minute…. "Essa said something about sexual activity, specifically penetrative sexual activity, to be considered an almost sacred rite. Is that what triggers the changes?"

"The first time with another Noble, yes." Diana smiled. She smiled at Sin. "Oh good, the patch is wearing off. Cookie?"
Sin smiled back. "I noticed. Yes, thank you.

Spencer took one without looking. "So the epigenetic expression causes neurological changes, which leads to certain gifts being expressed. I haven't expressed any, well, for the obvious reasons. But whatever they are they're important enough to warrant lifelong bodyguards and to be considered military secrets."

"We couldn't have won the war without the Nobility." Sin said.

Spencer looked back at his mother. "So what are these gifts?"

Diana smiled at him. "The tea is ready." She poured a cup and handed it to him.

But before he could take it she let go.

The cup did not fall.

It floated in mid-air.