Across from us, Remus shoves his plate away. “Well, this is truly sickening. All these lovey-dovey looks, everyone being sohappy.”
Hannah laughs. “What else would we be? We’re all reunited. Layden has returned.”
I look at Layden across the table, his plate full. Abaddon is still less than comfortable with him, but Layden fits in more each day. Yes, he is very changed from when we last knew him.
Instead of the bright boy he used to be, white wings flashing, now he is shadowed. Secretive. He still does not tell us all he did during his time away. He knows many spells and keeps them to himself, not telling us how he came to such knowledge. He lives a life on the internet, whatever that is. He has tried to explain it—a world in his computer where everyone in the world is able to connect? It sounds as much like magic as the rest he has somehow acquired during his time away, so I leave him to it and his room full of screens and flashing lights.
“And Kharon has a. . .” Hannah goes on, smiling widely as she pauses a little before finishing, “Aperson.”
We’ve been made aware that the word “consort” is out of date, apparently.
But I frown, not liking the idea that Ksenia is just myperson. It does not feel like enough for as tied together as I now feel with her. We arefamily. I want to be with her as Abaddon and Hannah are.
I want to be husband and wife.
“How do the most obnoxious of my brothers have females and I do not?” Remus asks in indignation, standing up from the table.
“Remus,” Hannah objects, glaring his way. “You’re being ignorant and chauvinistic again.”
“How?” Remus looks at her as if surprised. “You are a most excellent prize. My brother does not deserve you. I’m by far the most superior brother.”
Hannah’s mouth has dropped open, her cheeks reddened. It’s rare to see her so angry and I must say, a not small part of me is enjoying the show. “I’m not just a prize! Women are more than trophies.”
Remus rolls his eyes and waves a hand. “You miss my point. I would prize any female I captured.”
“No females will be captured,” Abaddon says, standing up too.
Again Remus rolls his eyes. “Who died and made you ruler? Our Father? Oh wait, he didn’t actually die. Just because I’ve been chained up in a cellar for two hundred years and you’ve been on a power trip doesn’t mean you’re the leader, brother.”
“I’m eldest,” Abaddon growls. Baby Raven giggles and flies up from her chair, landing on her father’s shoulders and grabbing his horns, bouncing up and down like she wants him to take her for a ride.
Remus smirks. “Besides, you’ve got more pressing duties at the moment.Daddy.”
Abaddon softens his voice since his daughter is so close. “Never so pressing that I can’t take time out to put you in your place.”
“Boys, boys,” my Ksenia says, rubbing her temples. “Please keep the hysterics down. Some of usweak little femalesare doing actual work like growingpeoplein our wombs. So if youcould take your machismo down a notch, you’re giving me a headache.”
At her words, I immediately leap out of my seat. “I will take you to our rooms, beloved.”
She shoots me a grateful glance as I help her to her feet. I’m amazed that though it’s only been a few months, already her belly is rounded. As we leave the dining room, I hear Abaddon and Remus continuing to argue about how no one will becapturinganyone. Remus then reminds Abaddon of how he himself came to acquire his own consort-wife, which is when Hannah jumps in to defend her husband.
The last thing I catch out the corner of my eye before turning onto the stairs is the baby leaping off her father’s shoulders, circling around the table in a whir and landing on the soup right in front of Remus, spilling it all down his front, giggling wildly the whole time.
I heft my woman into my many arms and carry her up the stairs. “Oof,” she exclaims, but doesn’t protest as I swiftly leap up the stairs and to our rooms, gently settling her on the bed.
“I am sorry for my brothers,” I say, moving to massage her calves and feet.
“Oh they aren’t that bad,” she sighs and smiles down at me. “They remind me of how my family was once upon a time.” Her smile turns a little sad before brightening again. “I don’t think I’ve told you how happy I am to be here.” She reaches down to grasp one of my upper hands with hers, squeezing. “With you. It’s been very…”
She sucks in a deep breath before releasing it and laying her head back on the pillow. “… healing.”
She has no idea what it means to me to hear her say that. Me, a healer? Death? I bow my head at her feet. And then kiss them. She has changed everything. She has changed my whole existence. I will worship at her feet for all time.
“I’m afraid I’m going to be a terrible mother,” she says suddenly, hands low on her belly.
“What?” I ask, surprised, looking up. “You are going to be amazing.”
“That’s what Mom says every time I visit. Which is,” she breathes out, “just absolutely wild that I get to spend so much time with her. But still, she won’t be here to help.Shewas a good mother. I’m just…me. I’m nothing like Hannah. She’s a natural at it. Her pregnancy was easy, you told me so. But my body knows I’m no good at this. I’m too cold inside. I’m akiller.”
