Fionn Mór was every inch the hulking warrior, his broad shoulders almost impossible. Right now, he used his strength to gently cradle their baby son.
Their son who had come quickly after Saoirse. A miracle upon a miracle.
Ardal, at only nine months old, was proving to be a sleeper. While Saoirse had woken them all through the night with her cries for at least the first year, Ardal slept like a dream. Rose hoped long would it continue. Right now, he was safe and content in his father’s big arms.
Fionn looked up at her, and her heart crashed against her ribs. So much pain and worry in his beautiful green eyes. He was terrified of losing their children. Centuries before when he’d been a Celtic king, the Faerie Queen had stolen Fionn into Faerie to punish him for killing a fae prince. In doing so, she took him from his children and his then wife. His wife ultimately betrayed him when he returned as fae. He never saw his son and daughter again.
“They’re not going anywhere,” Rose whispered, giving him a sympathetic smile of reassurance.
An Caomhnóir was wrapped in powerful spells that hid their estate from the human and supernatural world. There was nowhere safer for their family. Having grown up human, Rose worried for the kids’ socialization, but as two of the rarest beings in the world, it wasn’t safe for them to attend a human school.
Their kids were pure fae.
While five years ago they’d eliminated the greatest threats against them and the world, it didn’t mean there weren’t supernaturals and humans alike who wouldn’t kill to have fae powers at their disposal.
It meant keeping them close until they were grown and strong enough to protect themselves.
Fionn was the most well-read being Rose had ever known, and together they were homeschooling Saoirse. To socialize her, they took regular trips to Scotland to spend time with Thea and Conall and their hybrid fae children. It was a relief to know Saoirse and Ardal would have a community of other fae to turn to. Visits with their friends’ kids were enough for now.
Fionn glanced down at their son. “He’s so small.”
“He is. But it’s temporary. One day he’ll be as tall and powerful as his father.” Rose couldn’t quite imagine that day yet, but she knew it would come far too quickly.
Her words seemed to upset her mate more. “True. They won’t need us soon. Eighteen years is nothing when you’re immortal. The years are pulled out from under you like quicksand.”
Crossing the room, Rose slid a comforting hand over Fionn’s broad shoulder as she trailed a gentle fingertip down her son’s chubby cheek. His lashes flickered in his sleep. She lowered her voice so as not to wake him. “They will always need us. Perhaps not like they need us now, but they will always need us. And we won’t make the mistake that some parents do of thinking our grown children don’t have need of us. We’re gifted eternity with them, Fionn. We’ll always be their family because the likelihood of them finding a fae mate is slim.” She squeezed his shoulder. “Whatever choices they make to foster a happy eternity, we’ll be right by their side, reminding them that they are never alone.”
Fionn glanced up at her, something like awe and pride in his expression. “You always say the right thing,mo chroí.”
She smiled softly. “That’s because I’m always right.” Rose leaned down, whispering her lips across his ear. “Let me put our son back in his cot so you can take your wife to bed.”
His breath hitched, and Rose pulled back to find that heated look in his eyes she adored. Body already thrumming with anticipation, Rose eased Ardal from his father’s arms. She grinned fondly at the way his nose scrunched up in his sleep, and yet he didn’t wake. Lowering him into his cot, she pulled his blanket over him and brushed her fingers down his soft baby cheek.
“We should have named youSuanach,” Rose murmured with amusement.
“Your Old Irish is coming along.” Fionn stood at her back, his hand resting on her hip. Suanach meant sleepy or dormant. “But I think we named him just right.”
Ardal meant high king.
Like his father.
“Me too.” Rose turned and held out her hand to Fionn.
With one last look at his son, he took her invitation and led her out of the room and back to their bedchamber.
Rose expected an immediate and thorough ravishing, but before Fionn did just that, he clasped her face between his large palms and bent low to hold her gaze. Her breath caught at the roiling emotions in his.
“Never think because of this fear I hold that I am not beyond grateful and elated with my existence. Rose Mór, you have given me more than I could ever have wished for myself.”
She curled her hands around his wrists, eyes bright with joyful tears. “I know. And I wouldn’t change a single step of our journey. Not when it brought us right here.”
“Mo chroí…” He growled the endearment as he rested his forehead to hers. “I once told you nothing should last forever. What a fool I was. Because I need you and our children to last until the final star falls out of the sky.”
Rose pulled him closer at his beautiful words. “Then that’s what’s going to happen,” she vowed.
With a groan of need, Fionn crushed his mouth to hers and they stumbled toward the bed, falling upon it with a passion that had never faded. Rose knew it never would.
Not even when the final star fell from the sky.
