“That’s right. There will be no Games, so there’s no need for contestants.”
Muzo tilted his head at me. “Then Poppy’s the only contestant?”
“If you want to think of it that way, yes,” Jade confirmed. “Although he won’t be competing in any challenges.”
“So, he’s just here for fun?”
Jade sipped his tea. He deliberately avoided the glare Viol shot in his direction. “In a manner of speaking.”
“Huh. Okay.” Muzo scratched his curly hair. “Seriously, there’s no leftover pancakes?”
After Crimson whippedup a second round of pancakes for Muzo and other late-rising stragglers, I moved across the kitchen to the ‘babysitting zone’. That was the name for the spacious area behind the breakfast bar full of couches and toys. Apparently, those who weren’t actively cooking or eating gathered there to watch the kids so their parents could prepare food or dine in peace. It was noisy, but fun. I’d never seen so many adorable little ones at once.
Ruby, Heather, Lazuli, Kiara, and Desiree—who weren’t dragonets, but ferret kits with wings—then Mint. It was a lot of new faces and names to learn, but I did my best to memorize them. The only two missing were Rorik’s twin boys, but myfriend hadn’t come downstairs for breakfast yet. I imagined he was still curled up with Saffron in bed.
“Yo, Poppy,” Aurum called from the breakfast bar. Mylo sat beside him, close enough for their thighs to touch. “Are you sure you’re okay watching the horde?”
I smiled. “Don’t worry about me. Enjoy your meal.”
“All right, suit yourself,” Aurum said with a shrug before diving back into his shared stack of pancakes.
“Oh, Poppy’s fine, he loves kids,” Muzo declared. He paused as Cobalt wiped a trickle of syrup from his cheek, then continued, “Besides, he’s not alone, Viol’s watching, too.”
Viol’s eyebrow twitched at the mention of his name. He sat on the opposite couch, never taking his watchful gaze off the kids as they played. I got the sense he didn’t want to be mentioned at all. He just wanted to do his duty in peace. I wondered if the crowd and noise of the busy kitchen overwhelmed him.
I glanced at the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door that led to the garden. The fresh air and grass beneath our feet would do us good, and the kids would probably enjoy it more than the boring kitchen floor.
“Hey,” I said to Viol, “why don’t we take them outside for a while?”
His brows rose slightly, then he nodded. “Good idea.” When he leapt off the couch, it commanded all the kids’ attention. It was obvious how much they all adored and respected him. “All right, kiddos. We’re going outside.”
A symphony of “YAY” followed. The colorful horde streamed behind Viol as he pushed the door open. He led the kids in front, while I capped the rear.
When we reached the garden, I gasped in wonder. It was so beautiful and well-maintained. Exotic flowers bloomed everywhere, their petals bright and vivid. A clean, sweet scent tickled my nose, and I inhaled a deep breath of it. Comparedto the car exhaust and odor of garbage in the city, this was paradise.
“You coming?” Viol asked.
I realized I’d been zoning out. I shook my head to clear it and followed Viol as he led our little group through the garden. The pathway was lined with whimsical cobblestones. Kiara and Desiree made a game out of skipping to each one without touching the soil in between. Their tiny wings flapped as they jumped.
“Nice job,” I praised.
The girls beamed. “Thanks, mistew.”
“Not mister,” Viol corrected. “That’s Uncle Poppy.”
A surprised flutter ran through me. “Uncle?”
Viol shrugged. “You’re close with the omegas, right? That makes you an uncle.”
A warm feeling surged across my skin. That was far more familiar than I would’ve dared to assume. I knew about the kids from what their parents told me, but this was my first time meeting all of them individually.
“I—I couldn’t possibly overstep like that,” I blurted.
Viol snorted. “Don’t be so modest.”
“I’m not!”
“Hey kids,” Viol announced. “Who wants to play with Uncle Poppy?”
