Oh, my gods. I’m running out of breath just listening to her.
When I awkwardly reach up to pat her head as a sign of comfort, Kenzie’s flurry of frantic panic slows.
“Whoa.Okay, total meltdown averted. Whatever you just did, it helps. I’m going to make you hold my baby all the time when it’s crying because you’ll soothe it, and I have no idea how to soothe a baby. Or change a diaper. Or deal with other baby things. Oh my gods, I’m going to have to read so many parenting books, and I hate reading. Maybe I’ll just skip the books, and then my crotch goblin will grow up all undisciplined and feral and?—”
Felix gently pries Kenzie away from me, since he knows I’m pretty much the worst possible person to comfort anyone, ever, for any reason. The caster wraps his arm around Kenzie and kisses her cheek, smiling at her. I haven’t seen him smile much, or maybe ever, but it’s just a reminder of how much he’s changed in the mortal realm.
“Ourcrotch goblin, as you put it, will be perfect. Especially if they take after you.”
That only makes the lioness shifter cry harder. Her quintet gathers around as they try to comfort their pregnant keeper.
It’s absolute hell to have you out of sight, Snowdrop,Everett says to only me through the bond.Tell Kenzie to take a ticket and stand in line and then get your ass next to me so I can breathe again.
So needy,I tease.
You have no fucking idea.
Deciding I’ll talk to Kenzie later, I give the Baird quintet some space and move quietly away. Crypt quickly re-materializes beside me, grinning.
“Have I mentioned how entertaining it is to watch you around anyone in tears, darling?”
“Their faces are leaking. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?” I point out, shuddering.
He laughs at me before extending something in his hands. They’re gloves, I realize. A pair of my favorite gloves that I thought I lost while on the run. And even though the chances are low of anyone being stupid enough to lay a finger on me, wearing gloves just makes me feel secure.
It’s a psychological comfort that I didn’t realize I was missing so much until this instant.
I look at him, accepting the thoughtful gesture.As if I wasn’t already obsessed enough with you,I tease only him through the bond.
His humor fades as he gives me the most intense look.Forgive me now?
No. I don’t.
If anything, each time I remember that his time here is limited, it gets more painful.
I slip on my gloves as we finally move toward the double doors.
“I’m so fucking excited for them,” Baelfire says, falling into step beside us. “That baby’s going to be so damn spoiled—especially because it’ll have the most badass aunt in the entire world.”
“I don’t think Kenzie has siblings.”
“You, Boo,” he grins. “I’m talking about you.”
“Oh.”
There’s a thought.
I wasn’t there when Kenzie was bonded with her quintet and her curse was broken, but if I manage to bring down Amadeus and right the world, there’s no way in hell I’m missing this. Pretty much all I know about babies is how they’re made, the fact that they’re bizarrely fragile, and that they cry a lot.
But still. I’m a quick learner. Baelfire is right—as long as I don’t drop the baby, maybe Kenzie will let me be part of her kid’s life.
As we step through the double doors, I realize just how crowded this long, spacious room has gotten with the Reformists who have gathered. They’re all chattering and talking loudly with each other. Everett stands at the end of the room beside Silas as they both talk quietly with Brigid Decimus and a couple of other Reformists.
There are also quite a few ghosts in the mix. I watch the blue-haired young woman ghost pretend to kiss one of the unwitting female legacies.
I’m surprised by how many people I recognize here.
Monica, the asscaster empath, is here with a couple of her quintet members. So is Professor Crowley, one of my former professors who apparently survived Everbound University’s chaotic fall into ruin. On the other side of the room, Amelia Lykoudis chats with Harlow Carter and a few serious-looking ex-mercenaries whom I’m positive I’ve seen before.
