“Ah, she has exposed herself. The wild magic must have been in extreme danger.”
“An entire coven.”
“I will get back to you.”
Stovos looked at the dead call. “I think that is it. Lord Rez had a conversational audience when we spoke to him last night. He’s off to find out what they heard.”
Orvis stopped going through her phone. “Ohhh. That makes sense. So, Delphine knows that this is going to push Bethany into a choosing, right?”
“I am sure she knows. What did she call me?”
“Pointy-eared harpy-fucker.”
He grinned. “I should live up to that name, shouldn’t I?”
“We have to be dressed and out of the house in ninety minutes.”
“That should be enough time.” He grinned and put their phones on the charger next to the bed. He kissed her neck, and Orvis chuckled. “You are going to put that on a t-shirt, aren’t you?”
“You know me so well, love.”
She wrapped a leg around his hips and pulled him down to her. “So, how does one go about living up to a name?”
“Allow me to show you.” Stovos slid home again, back where he had been when the phone had interrupted their pre-dawn play.
Orvis gasped and twisted against him. “You sure you are going to be done in ninety minutes?”
“Time me.”
She laughed and moved with him, wondering what kind of father he would be. They would probably need a nanny. This pointy-eared harpy-fucker had a full-time hobby.
* * * *
Delphine spoke to Mara and got a hot breakfast worked up for Bethany for about ten in the morning. They were still missing one component for their gathering, but Delphine had never seen her after the night that they joined their families.
She looked at the trusts that she had set up for the stars that had danced with her. They had been together, playing and dancing to her song, when rituals had pulled them toward the earth and locked them into a life of mortality. The wild magic had found a space in a human, and the dark star was just lost. Delphine could still feel her in the world, but she had never met or heard of her.
When she got a call from Stovos, she exhaled. “So, it has been contained?”
“An angry kijin is dealing with it. He was overheard on a phone call and is taking steps to tie up loose ends. No one will bother her again.”
Delphine blinked. “Really? She has a champion?”
“I don’t know if that is the situation, but he mentioned that they have unfinished business.”
“She doesn’t leave unfinished business. That’s her whole thing. She just is the unfinished business.”
“Well, he is looking forward to seeing her at my party.”
“Oh. She’s the entertainment for a portion of it. Right.” Delphine smiled. “It looks to be a lovely party. Congratulationson getting older with a mate who wants to celebrate you. Orvis is a blessing to you.”
Stovos smiled, and she could hear it through the phone. “Yes. She is. I look forward to seeing you there.”
“Oh, I will be there. I am hoping that the last of our little group can find her way to the event or before then.”
“What do you mean?”
“Two stars danced with me. Two stars fell when those morons summoned us. Only one is known.”
