While George and Evander had formed a plan if the humans wanted to fight, their hope was to go peacefully. All my warriors wanted was the last of our fae back, while the shifters wanted to give the humans a chance at survival.
The people at the last compound had understood and surrendered. I only hoped those at this final compound did the same.
“Yes,” Teddy said, resting her head on my chest. “Would you mind if Bon came over with her kids? I like the noise.”
She missed the noise Javier and his friends had brought to our home. Although Kieren was staying with us for the weekend while his father was away, Javier stayed at Alastor’s. It was the one weekend a month the warriors-in-training had off, and I knew it pained Teddy that Javier had stayed away. To make things easier for him, she’d told Alastor she’d drop the girls off at his home the following morning, but now I wasn’t sure I wanted them gone to leave Teddy with an almost empty house.
“Of course.” I brushed my lips across her silky hair.
She shivered against a cool wind that whipped her hair back.
“Let’s go inside,” I said.
“What happened to all those blankets you kept in your magical pocket?” she asked.
“My magical pocket?” I pursed my lips. “Do you know how dirty that sounds?”
On a laugh, she slapped my shoulder. It died too quickly, and I already started thinking of other ways to make her laugh again.
When we still lived in Colina, it seemed to please her whenever I pulled out a blanket when she was cold, so I always made plenty and kept them in the inner pocket of my magic while her small cottage had contained even more. Since returning to my realm, I hadn’t had as much time to sew as I’d like. It wasn’t so much a fun hobby as it was a relaxing one.
“I guess I lost them all,” I said. “I’ll make you more. Come on.” With my arm around her shoulders, I turned us around to head back toward the house.
As we went inside, I searched for the threads of Kieren’s mind-speak magic to see if he was here or still waiting to be released from the military school. Just as his magic brushed against my mind, I found him walking out of the kitchen with a cup of water in hand.
He looked at Teddy, narrowing his eyes at her.“Is something wrong?”
Teddy smiled, giving him a hug before she passed him to go to the kitchen.
“It’s so good to see you,” she said.
Although she meant it, I still felt her sorrow.
Assuming he hadn’t opened his connection with her, I said,“There’s a problem with one of our son’s hearts.”
Kieren nodded, his brows drawing together in concern as he watched Teddy closely.
When I saw Teddy open the cupboard where we kept our mugs, I went to the herbal plant we kept and plucked a flower.
“Do you want tea?” Iasked her.
Biting her bottom lip, she nodded. “I think it’ll help me relax a little.”
“Go. Sit,” I told her. “I’ll make your tea.”
She kissed my chest, and I held her for a few beats, wanting her to linger, before she stepped away.
“Your Majesty,”Kieren said.
Where so many magics were stalling, Kieren’s and Alastor’s mind-speak remained strong.
“Do you wish for me to leave? I can go to the orphanage or see if Alastor would let me stay with him.”
“You’re staying with us as I promised your father,”I answered, my tone gruff.“Teddy wouldn’t want you to leave anyway. She likes having you here. When Alastor and our human friends arrive, we’ll tell everyone what’s going on. After that, it’s up to you what, if anything, you tell Javier.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Girls,” I shouted, and from behind their bedroom door, I heard Hee-haw’s braying reply. “Bon.”
