“Will he leave me?”
The longma snorts a puff of warm air and his rough snout nuzzles against the back of my hand.
“Doubtful. They like companionship. There aren’t many longmas. They’re rare. Other horses don’t accept them. They’re … man’s best friend in a way. All they want is a place to belong.”
Hmm how alike Nefarious and I are.
Ryder slips his hand into mine and pulls me away from my new friend.
“Come on. Bekka and the others are dying to meet you. They’ve been squabbling through my mind for the last ten minutes.”
I peek back at the creature once more as it lies down in the thick wheat. The coarse grass brushes against my arms as Ryder leads me to the house. A towering swing set takes up the front yard. Stairs upon stairs lead up to the tallest slide I’ve ever seen. Tunnels made of wood and a bridge that swings in the breeze makes the play set look more like a training center than a child’s toy.
“Prepare yourself for kid overload,” Ryder whispers under his breath just as he turns the knob of the front door.
“Uncle Ryder, Uncle Ryder.” A chant begins the moment he steps inside.
A small horde of kids storm though the room, their little feet pattering across the floorboards.
“Uncle Ryder, Uncle Ryder,” his adoring, tiny fans screech.
I can’t help but smile at all of them. A few are older and don’t rush us. They wave shyly as half a dozen kids tear Ryder down right there in the doorway. He spirals out on the floor as they begin to overtake him.
Small limbs pull at his arms as screeching laughter consumes the household.
A quiet child who barely meets my hip stares up at me with curious silver eyes. A small hand reaches for mine and I kneel down next to her. Her hair is wild and long just like Darrio’s and the resemblance is so strong it makes my heart full.
“Hi,” I whisper.
The tiniest of smiles is all her chubby cheeks give me.
“I’m Kara,” I tell her in a soft voice.
“I know.” Smoke wafts through her pretty eyes and I start to wonder just how much she does know.
The giggles and chatter grow louder and I can’t take my eyes off of how happy Ryder is right now. How happy they all are.
It’s then that I realize these little children haven’t seen this man in a year.
I’d tackle him to the ground if I hadn’t seen him in that long either.
“Alright, alright, heathens. Let him breathe.” A teasing voice commands the children. At once, they scurry like mice out of the room as if they’ve been instructed by the voice of the gods themselves.
My attention lands on a small woman with dark hair and beautiful, shining gray eyes. A man wraps his arms around her from behind, hugging her very pregnant belly with his big palm.
He kisses her flushed cheek softly but her attention is held entirely on me.
“This is Kara. Kara, that’s Bekka and her husband Rahston.” Ryder nods to both of them.
A dimple kisses Rahston’s smooth skin as he smiles at me.
“You’re the gift from the gods,” Bekka whispers.
I shift my weight, slowly standing.
What am I supposed to say to that?
The sound of Daxdyn’s carefree laughter carries into the room just before he and Darrio walk in. Smiles consume their features from ear to ear. I want to smile back at them but Bekka’s still staring at me as if I’m the unicorn I still believe is out there in this world.
