Wylda looked at her friend. “Why the blush?”
“There is something familiar about the one with dark hair and eyes.”
Delphine cocked her head. “Well, he doesn’t look like your deceased ex, so that is something.”
Lord Rez blinked. “You are a widow?”
“Yes. Sort of.”
Wylda smiled. “It’s complicated.”
Delphine chuckled. “She’s also my aunt.”
Elodie snickered. “That is so odd. Hey, where’s your mom?”
“She hates delis. She had to live on this while she was young, so she prefers hot food or sushi.” Delphine smiled. “She’s having a barbeque with Orvis down the street.”
Lord Rez looked at them. “What is on the agenda this afternoon?”
Wylda smiled. “I have to go to work at the fertility retreat.”
He frowned. “Can’t you just...”
“I could, but they approached Nessa, and she is easing their systems together. I will not interfere with her magic.”
He nodded. “I understand. No octuplets in the mix.”
Wylda grinned. “Exactly. Also, there are no pure appearances with me. It doesn’t matter if they are from species that breed along the chromosomal divide. Everything is an even blend.”
He smiled slightly. “So, your children would be starborn and kijin?”
Elodie grinned, and Delphine muttered, “Smooth.”
Wylda frowned. “They would be wild magic and kijin. Oh. I see what you did there.”
Lord Rez grinned. “Done.”
There was a binding spell that wrapped around them and echoed through the restaurant. All of the magic users looked up.
Elodie smiled. “That was clever.”
Wylda said, “What just happened?”
“You just agreed to have children with a kijin. Lord Rez is in charge of the kijin, and that means your introduction to your future spouse will go through him.”
Lord Rez smiled. “To get to you, Wylda, they will have to get through me.”
She looked at his handsome features and remembered the horns and the unearthly beauty of him. “Okay.”
“I will be attending the party, and we will speak afterward.” Lord Rez smiled and lifted her hand to his lips, complete with the pickle. The pickle was missing when he got up and left.
Wylda looked at her hand. “He stole my pickle.”
Elodie hugged her. “I am sure he is willing to replace it at a more opportune time.”
Delphine grinned and giggled. “It’s a good thing we can commute for visiting.”
Wylda blinked. “You can?”
