Chapter 30: The First Signs

Chapter: The First Signs

Winter tightened its grip on Vancouver, frosting the trees around the Thorne cabin and turning the lake behind the house into a perfect mirror of ice. Snow drifted quietly across the frozen surface, glowing silver under the moon.

Inside the cabin, however, peace lasted about five seconds at a time.

Finn sprinted—well, toddler-sprinted—across the living room floor, clutching his tiny hockey stick like it was the Stanley Cup.

Liam chased him with determined focus, dragging a foam puck across the rug.

Alex stood in the kitchen doorway holding a mug of coffee, watching the chaos.

“They’re faster every week,” he said.

Jake leaned against the counter with a faint smile.

“Good sign.”

Finn swung the toy stick dramatically and tapped the puck. It rolled three feet before hitting the wall.

Liam gasped like something amazing had happened.

Then both boys burst into giggles.

Alex shook his head.

“I swear they’re already running drills.”

Jake shrugged casually.

“Future professionals.”

---

Back on the Road

The National Hockey League season had fully recovered after the collapse of the elders’ curse network.

Games were back on schedule.

Arenas were full again.

And the Vancouver Grizzlies were suddenly the hottest team in the league.

Alex had scored eight goals in the last six games.

Every highlight reel showed him streaking down the ice inside Rogers Arena, crowd roaring as he fired the puck past stunned goalies.

But the broadcasts always included another moment too.

The camera cutting to the luxury box.

Finn and Liam bouncing excitedly in their tiny jerseys.

The internet loved it.

Clips of the twins cheering had millions of views.

Brody skated beside Alex during practice one afternoon and nudged him.

“You realize your kids are the most famous toddlers in hockey history.”

Alex smirked.

“Great. Now they’ll expect endorsement deals.”

Brody laughed.

“I’m serious. Someone made a fan account for Liam.”

“Please tell me you’re kidding.”

“I am not.”

---

Something Strange

Two nights later, Alex returned home from practice just after sunset.

The lake behind the cabin was frozen solid again, glowing under pale winter light.

Inside, Finn and Liam were building a tower out of wooden blocks.

At least that’s what it started as.

The tower quickly turned into a pile when Finn knocked it over dramatically.

Liam clapped.

Jake sat on the couch watching them with amusement.

Alex dropped his gear bag near the door.

“Quiet night?” he asked.

Jake nodded.

“For now.”

Then Liam did something strange.

He reached toward the fallen blocks.

But instead of grabbing them, he froze.

The blocks slid across the floor.

All by themselves.

Alex blinked.

“Did you see that?”

Jake straightened slowly.

Finn squealed with excitement.

Liam stared at his hands like he had no idea what just happened.

Jake stood.

“Well,” he said quietly.

“That’s new.”

---

The First Power

They tested it carefully.

Jake placed a wooden puck on the floor a few feet away.

“Okay, Liam,” he said gently. “Let’s try something.”

Liam stared at the puck.

Nothing happened.

Finn waddled over and poked it with his stick.

The puck rolled across the floor.

Liam giggled.

Then suddenly—

The puck slid back toward him.

Alex stared.

“That’s telekinesis.”

Jake nodded slowly.

“Looks like it.”

Finn, not wanting to be outdone, suddenly lifted both hands dramatically.

Nothing happened.

Finn frowned.

Then he sneezed.

The lights flickered.

Alex blinked again.

Jake laughed softly.

“Well,” he said.

“Looks like they both inherited something.”

---

The Call

Later that night, Alex sat at the kitchen table with Jake and Brody.

Finn and Liam were asleep in the nursery.

Brody leaned back in his chair.

“So… the kids have powers.”

Alex rubbed his temples.

“They’re toddlers.”

Jake crossed his arms.

“Powerful toddlers.”

Brody looked toward the hallway.

“That’s going to attract attention.”

Alex nodded grimly.

“I know.”

Before anyone could speak again, Jake’s phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

Then his expression changed.

“What is it?” Alex asked.

Jake held up the phone.

The message had no number.

Just a single line.

We know about the children.

Below it was a symbol none of them had seen before.

A black crown.

Brody leaned forward.

“That’s not the elders.”

Jake shook his head slowly.

“No.”

Alex felt the same instinctive warning he’d felt when the curse chain appeared.

Something bigger had entered the game.

---

The Hidden Watchers

Hundreds of miles away, inside a towering glass skyscraper in New York City, a group of figures stood in a dark conference room overlooking the glowing skyline.

On a massive screen, security footage from the Thorne cabin played silently.

Liam moving the puck.

Finn flickering the lights.

A tall figure stepped forward.

“The bloodline is stronger than predicted.”

Another voice spoke from the shadows.

“And the elders tried to control it with brute force.”

A third voice answered calmly.

“Which is why they failed.”

The tall figure turned toward the window.

“Prepare the envoys.”

“Already done.”

“And the hockey player?”

A faint smile appeared in the reflection of the glass.

“Let him keep playing.”

The figure turned back to the screen.

“For now.”

---

The Game Continues

The next evening, the Grizzlies returned to Rogers Arena for another sold-out game.

Fans filled the stands again.

Signs waved everywhere.

PUP POWER

FUTURE CAPTAINS

TEAM THORNE

Alex stepped onto the ice and felt the roar of the crowd ripple through the arena.

But this time something else lingered beneath the noise.

A sense that someone new was watching.

High above the rink, in a quiet private suite, a man in a dark suit observed the game calmly.

His eyes glowed faintly red for just a moment.

He smiled slightly.

“Interesting,” he murmured.

Below him, Alex streaked across the ice and fired a shot into the net.

The arena exploded.

And somewhere far away in the cabin nursery, Liam stirred in his sleep.

The toy puck beside his crib slid an inch across the floor.

The game had changed.

And the next chapter of the Thorne family story was only beginning.