“I wish I could talk to my dad. I have so many questions.”
“I know, beloved.”
I shushed her, held her, and vowed to fix it all, even go to war with Heaven itself, if it meant she’d be safe once and for all.
Aside from vowing my loyalty and love for her, I’d never meant anything more seriously in my life.
Chapter 37
Phin
Aquick peek showed that the three Nephilim were out cold, all cuddled together in my bed. I’d been worried that it would be too small, but clearly that fear was unfounded. Harmon and James each hand an arm and a leg over Brinda, who was sandwiched between them.
Ramsey had curled up in front of my bedroom door to guard. She was sleeping, too, but I had no doubt she’d be up the moment she heard them stir.
Seir went into the first library almost immediately and closed the door behind himself, confusing me terribly. After a beat, he opened it a crack.
“Sorry, Phin!” he called, which almost made me laugh.
“What’s he up to?” I asked as I followed behind Tap, who first went to the great hall and shuttered at least half the gates and then went into the kitchen and started stacking ingredients on the counter.
“He’s using my larger scrying mirror I assume. A friend of his is the King of Everwood, in the fae realm. We may be able to send your cousins to him for temporary safekeeping.”
What Tap had said was all real words, certainly, and most of them sensical. But it took me several tries to really grasp what he’d said. “Cousins? Fae king?”
“Yes. Ris is Greta’s father, actually. And in a manner of speaking, they are cousin to you, are they not? All Nephilim?”
“Oh.” I blinked, taking this additional information in. “I suppose that’s correct enough, yes.”
Tap’s mouth twitched as he started chopping and sautéing what appeared to be a very large pot of hearty stew.
“Thank you,” I said, emotions still riding me heavily. “For this.”
He shook his head, bumping his glasses back up his nose with his wrist as they started to slip. “You owe me no thanks for this, Feather. This is simply the decent thing to do.”
“And yet you’re ignoring how rare it is to be so.” I squeezed his arm and moved to chop or stir, whichever was more helpful. “Do you think it would be okay to eat in the first library? The table in there would be better to seat everyone.”
“Yes, that should be fine. There’s nothing so secretive in there they couldn’t see it. And they wouldn’t be able to do much with it anyhow.”
Seir came in as I was stacking up bowls. “Ris is quite agreeable to our request,” he said proudly. “His palace has plenty of open rooms, and there’s always work for people to do. His soldiers are well trained and likely bored. They’ve been very efficient at clearing out all the disloyal since I was there last.”
“That’s good news, all of it.” Tap sprinkled spices over the simmering pot of stew, the aroma already mouthwatering.
Seir came to peer over Tap’s shoulder and added another couple dashes of spice, earning him a stunned glare from his brother. “I also checked in with the others. Rylan says things are odd, but aside from the sun beginning to disappear a little, there’s been nothing else to worry over. Magnus and his teamsexplored the gates that signaled the energy surges, but they also found nothing unusual. Seems it’s just the eclipse making things go a little… off.”
Tap nodded, but the pensive look on his face told me he didn’t want to dismiss anything yet. “Won’t be long then, if Rylan noted the sun is going dark.”
They went off to check as many gates as they could while the soup cooked, and I took the opportunity to make some quick bread to have with it. That didn’t occupy quite enough time, so I left all the doors between the living area and the deals library wide open and made myself sort for a while.
Ramsey finally alerted me that everyone was awake a few hours later, and I walked out the libraries to find her leading the three Nephilim back to the couch. They all sat, clearly still groggy and looking both as though they had slept well and like they needed to do the same thing for a week.
“I trust you slept well?” I asked.
“Very much so, thank you.” Brinda smiled. “We haven’t been in a bed like that in ages.”
Years, I’d wager.Ramsey chuffed in my head.They’ve endured much, mistress. Comfort is not something they’ve had much of.
My heart squeezed, and I felt terrible for having ever complained about my circumstances at the church. It was not a competition, but I’d had it easy, compared to them. “I’m glad to hear that. Are you hungry?” They glanced between themselves, clearly embarrassed to say they were after having already eaten. “There’s stew and bread. Get you full and warm before you go.”
