“They’re going to be fine,” Yilan whispered, as if she’d heard my thoughts. Perhaps she had. I didn’t guard my mind from her anymore. At all.
“He’s worried about Naran being deceived the way he was. Manipulated,” I said quietly.
Yilan’s expression grew sad. “He won’t. That boy is so sweet—”
“So was Gall,” I reminded her.
“Yes, but Gall was forced to be constantly surrounded by men who urged him to be something he wasn’t. And we won’t do that,” she insisted.
I nodded. “I told him that, as well.”
“Good. Then, what are you worried about?” she asked me.
I looked back over my shoulder where the two had disappeared, but they were gone from view. “Gall is growing up,” I said. “ He’s also lost some of his innocence.”
“He’s still lovely and soft—”
“He’s gained an edge that wasn’t there.”
“True, but I think it would be impossible to go through what he’s been through without that. He’s still sweet, he’s just… more aware of the world now.”
“All of it,” I agreed grimly.
“That’s probably for the best,” she pressed. “He’ll be able to prepare Naranbetter,now that he knows what dangers really lie in wait.”
I sighed and pulled my mate in for a hug of my own. “I hope you’re right.”
“I usually am,” she quipped against my chest. I snorted. Then her tone softened. “In my experience, God will always protect the hearts that are soft—and that family has the softest hearts I know.”
“You’re right,” I said quietly, stroking her back. Yilan leaned back, craning her neck to look up at me, smiling. I touched her face tenderly. “It’s the hardasses that you have to watch.” Then I nudged up her chin.
Yilan spluttered. “What?! What are you—I am not a hardass!”
Three little gasps rose from the trees behind her, and Yilan froze. I tsked as Mael called, “Mama? You said aswear!”
As Yilan blinked and spluttered, I gave her a mock-stern look. “Look at you, such a terrible example for our soft-hearted children.”
She muttered something unkind at me, then pulled out of my arms to go to the children, and try to cover for her gaff. But Maelkeptinsisting that he’d heard her, and she’d told himthatwas a bad word.
By the time she’d apologized, and was making her way back to me, I was outright laughing because her cheeks were pink.
She came to stand next to me with her arms folded, which pressed her breasts up nicely and distracted me from the chuckling.
“I amnota hardass,” she muttered when the children were finally distracted.
“Yes, you are, my love, but you’remyhardass,” I growled, leaning down to bury my face in her neck, and nip at her skin there so she goosebumped and twitched.
However, when I’d grabbed her ass and she’d slapped me off, I realized she still wasn’t relaxed and smiling.
“What is it?” I asked her.
Yilan didn’t take her eyes from the kids, but her forehead lined. “I’ve softened agreat dealsince… everything,” she said. “For goodness sake, I letHeverwatch my son—and Jann! I learned from all of that, Melek. I thought… I thought you saw that.”
Realizing that I’d inadvertently hit a tender spot, I called for Harris and asked her if she’d mind watching the children until Gall and Istral returned.
She agreed—while Yilan frowned at me. Then I turned without another word, and swept her up.
By now she was accustomed to me suddenly flying her off, but when she realized I was taking her to the balcony of our suite—all those terrible grates and metal guards long since removed, so that we could easily fly to our chamber without walking through the palace—she eyed me.
