The Solace house felt too quiet without parents in it.
Richard Solace, seventeen, stood in the doorway of the kitchen, listening to the soft hum of the refrigerator and wondering how long it would take before Devon caused trouble. Their parents had left for a four-day vacation that morning—just long enough for Richard to feel responsible for the entire world, and long enough for Devon to feel completely free.
He didn't have to wait long.
The Principal's Office
"Why am I here?" Richard muttered as he hurried across the school courtyard, backpack bouncing against his shoulders. I'm supposed to be the responsible one. I shouldn't be on a first-name basis with the principal.
Devon sat in the office with his best I-did-nothing face, a bruise darkening on his cheekbone. Across from him, the principal sighed into a stack of paperwork.
"Richard," she said, "your brother got into a fight. Again."
"He started it," Devon snapped. "He called our family name stupid."
Richard pinched the bridge of his nose. The Solace name was old, strange, easy for schoolyard jokes. Devon had always been more sensitive about it than he let on.
"Devon," Richard said, "you can't just punch someone because—"
"I didn't punch him," Devon interrupted. "I beat him up."
Richard closed his eyes. Great. So much better.
The principal cleared her throat. "Devon is suspended for the rest of the day. You're responsible for him until your parents return."
Richard nodded, because what else could he do? "I'll take him home."
As they walked out of the office, Devon nudged him. "You didn't have to come all the way here, you know."
"I got called," Richard said. "And someone has to stop you from burning the world down."
Devon smirked. "That's your job, Omega."
Richard stiffened slightly at the codename, but said nothing. Only a few people in the group used it—mostly as a tease. Richard didn't mind. Not really.
The Sleepover Chaos
By evening, Devon had already invited his friends over.
Tango arrived first, nearly tripping over his own excitement as he barged into the living room. "Solace House! Sleepover! Let's go!"
Tim followed, wearing a grin that suggested he had brought a backpack full of snacks and bad decisions. "We're watching horror movies, right? And maybe summoning demons?"
"Not in my house," Richard said automatically.
"You mean our house," Devon corrected with a smirk.
Richard rolled his eyes but let them have their fun. He had his own distraction arriving.
A knock on the front door.
Richard opened it to find Siara, her hair tied in a loose ponytail, her smile soft and familiar.
"Hey, Omega," she teased.
He felt the warmth creep up his neck. "Just Richard is fine."
She stepped inside, brushing past him lightly. She always smelled like lemon shampoo and something floral, something gentle. Richard tried not to stare too long, but he failed, as usual.
The twins—Siara and Tanya—were both sixteen and a half, and while Tanya was sharp edges and analysis, Siara was all softness, intuition, and unexpectedly strong opinions. And somehow, Richard had ended up falling for her, piece by piece, without ever admitting it out loud.
"You okay babysitting the zoo tonight?" Siara asked, nodding toward the chaos already happening in the living room.
Richard sighed. "I've survived worse."
They walked out to the porch to get some air. The evening breeze felt calm—rare calm. Siara leaned against the railing, watching him the way only she did.
"You worry too much," she said.
"Someone has to," he replied.
She nudged his arm. "I like that you do."
He didn't trust his voice enough to answer.
夜
Later that night, Richard finally came back inside after walking Siara home. Devon, Tango, and Tim were already asleep in the living room beside a half-finished bag of chips and a paused movie screen stuck on a monster's face.
Richard shook his head. Idiots.
My idiots.
He checked the door locks, turned off the kitchen light, then headed upstairs to bed.
He barely had time to lie down before Devon's voice came from the hallway.
"Hey, Richard?"
Richard groaned softly. "What now?"
Devon pushed open the door, grinning. "We're going camping tomorrow."
Richard sat up. "What? Who decided that?"
"Me," Devon said proudly. "Tango and Tim are in. You should come too."
"No."
"Come on," Devon insisted. "It'll be fun. Brothers' trip."
Richard tried to glare, but Devon's enthusiasm was hard to deny.
"You already planned this, didn't you?" Richard said.
"Already packed," Devon replied. "We leave late morning."
Richard stared at him, defeated. "Why do I even try to be in charge?"
"Because you love me," Devon said, already backing out of the room.
Richard lay back, exhaling the kind of sigh only an older brother could produce.
Camping.
Devon's idea.
Without parents.
With Tim and Tango.
What could possibly go wrong?
Richard closed his eyes, unaware that the next day's trip would be the beginning of everything—
the Plagued creatures,
the government secrets,
the Collector,
and the unraveling of everything they thought they knew about their world.
And it all started with one night, one fight, and one decision.
Tomorrow, they would go camping.
And nothing would ever be the same again.