Mal’s mind flashed to moments ago when Elena was bathing in the blood of the last person who crossed her. Maybe they could go hunting together one day.
It could be a family bonding experience. He’d heard people talk about family bonding before. It sounded dull and irritating, but family bonding with Clayton’s parents could be fun.
Hell, the whole family could get involved. Mal could get Tommy a Glock, and he could craft Merry an item that would help her focus her magic. He could even give her a few training spells to practice with to make monster killing more fun.
As for Holly… “Hey, Holly,” Mal shouted at the shell-shocked teen to get her attention. “What’s your favorite way to kill people?”
At first, Holly looked at him like he’d lost his mind, but then she surveyed the bloodsplattered cave and gave a rueful laugh. “Anything long range,” she finally answered.
“Holly, you don’t need to fight to stay in the family. Right, Mal?” Clayton said with an edge to his voice.
“No, but she’s going to feel really stupid standing there the next time we get attacked.”
“There won’t be a next time,” Clayton said in a scandalized tone.
“Red, I hate to break it to you, but there’s always a next time.”
“He’s right, son,” Naerith said. “I wish it weren’t true, but powerful people always attract bad guys. You get lulls between fights, but there’s always another one.”
Clayton’s face paled, and his voice was shaky as he asked, “How do I keep my family safe?”
“You’re asking the wrong person. I failed miserably.” Naerith couldn’t meet his eyes. Elena took his broken hand gently and began to mend it with magic, looking equally miserable.
Clayton couldn’t look at them either, and Mal didn’t blame him. Clayton couldn’t tell them it was okay because it wasn’t. It would probably never be okay. All three of them would bear the scars of the past, but they could make a new future together.
“Then we’ll figure it out together,” Mal announced. “You have me now.”
“Uppies,” Tommy announced, but he didn’t wait for Mal to pick him up. He just climbed him like a tree. Mal supported him with an arm once the boy got settled. Getting climbed was a more efficient method than having Tommy ask to be picked up every five minutes, so Mal allowed it.
“And the magical bazooka Mal’s going to make for me,” Holly said, sounding a little less traumatized and more like her snarky self.
“I like the way you think, kid. I’ll get right on it.” It would be tricky. Making magic act like norm tech was always a challenge, but this would be a fun one.
“Yes!” Holly pumped her fist and spun around.
“What the fuck, Mal?” Eira stormed up to him and drew herself to her full and imposing height of not quite reaching Mal’s waist. “You can’t give children weapons.”
“I don’t see any children here, Eira. I only see warriors,” He replied. Merry and Tommy had gone through two battles and come out the other side safe, and Holly had held back an army almost entirely on her own.
“They shouldn’thaveto be warriors,” Eira snarled. She was a fighter, too. Yet another excellent addition to their family.
“I agree with Eira, but—” Clayton covered Mal’s mouth as he tried to argue. “But speaking as the youngest member of the group who got his first battle experience as a toddler, I feel like we might need to find some kind of middle ground.”
“My son is so smart,” Elena said, hooking an arm around Clayton’s neck and giving him a huge kiss on the cheek.
Clayton flushed and said, “R-right. Thanks, m-mum.” He steadied himself and continued. “I don’t think that’s our biggest problem right now, though. We need to decide where to live. I can’t live in the fae realm because, according to Astraea, I’ll de-age if I do.
“However, Tommy and Merry can’t live in the Real because they’ll start to age rapidly like I did. Merry has grown an inch in the six weeks I’ve had her, and Tommy has gotten visibly taller, too. I’d just passed it off as a growth spurt, but looking back, I don’t think children from the Real grow that fast.
“If so, that means they’re already being affected. They can’t stay with me—” Clayton’s voice broke off, and he reached out to grab Mal’s hand.
“No! We’re staying with Wynwyn!” Merry cried out, and Tommy flailed in Mal’s arms, trying to reach Clayton.
Merry clung to Clayton, and Mal transferred Tommy to the deck so he could cling to Clayton as well. “I don’t think they’re having it, Red.”
Clayton’s eyes reddened. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that to you guys. I love you, but I can’t.”
“Come and live with us then. Would being a child be that bad?” Naerith asked.
