In an old pair of shorts and a t-shirt that he had worn to bed, Aiden sat at his kitchen table with a mug in hand. He glowered at the counter, trying to decide what to do. Finally, he shook his head and said, “Multi-tool active. Play message. Holographic display.”
An image of his mother coalesced, floating just a few inches above the floor. Liah Shandi was a tall woman with copper skin, long, dark hair that she wore in a braid and glasses that made her look far too serious. “Aiden,” she said. “Please call me back. I'm worried about you.”
Lifting the mug to his lips, Aiden slurped as he sipped his coffee. “I bet you are,” he muttered under his breath. “Let up, Mom.”
“Sweetie,” Liah went on. “You don't have to be a Justice Keeper to make us happy. There are many career paths for you. You
