Thank you. Your god is a little trouble,Ianswer.
“Sorry,” he says with an apologetic smile.
“Yeah, fuckers,” Grandpa Alejandro growls. I feel bad for Royce.
He is handsome. I realise now I’ve always leaned towards preferring men with lighter hair. Interesting. Stupid, dumb Westwood.
I swear I’m going to curse him. I should hex him.
“Aldona. I’d say you have truly stepped into that name,” Dante says as he looks down at me. I resist the urge to tiptoe to gain some height on him and instead toss my hair over my shoulder.
Of course, however, it’s been a while since I have, try to keep up,I reply haughtily, the words dancing before him. He grins before he leans down and lifts me off the ground as he gives me a tight, crushing hug.
His biceps are bloody bigger than my waist.
“Damn proud of you.” He chuckles before he turns to Allie and reaches out to her. She crosses her arms instead and cocks a brow.
“We need to talk,” she says quietly.
“Sure thing – tonight, deal?”
“You better not disappear,” she warns, her eyes hard.
Dante nods. “I won’t. I plan to stay the night. I heard it’s going to be a long one. By the way, did no one manage to get Jayce to come?”
I think you already know the answer to that. He isn’t here, is he?I write. Dante nods.
“Yeah, I guess not.” He’s wearing his glasses, so his expression is hard to read, but there’s a slight frown on his face.
“So, this is Katriona, and this is Elena,” Azura says, holding up the twins, who are a couple of weeks old. They both have warm brown hair and hazel eyes; they are almost identical but not quite. “My cute, little baby girls.”
They are so cute! Welcome to the family, little ones,I write, although the girls don’t even look at me. I guess since I’m not speaking… I twiddle my fingers, creating a sprinkle of glitter, and that makes them both look at me. I smile as they stare, entranced.
Azura laughs. “I remember Raihana doing something similar. She would keep the kids occupied for ages.”
“I still can,” Mama says as she flicks her finger and whispers a spell, creating bubbles. Jackie and Leona both get super excited.
“And this is Nash,” Corrado says, holding the hands of a boy who might be around one. “He’s my baby brother.”
I look at the boy who has dark curls and large, chocolate brown eyes.
I smile at him, and he hides his face. Corrado grins, clearly a proud older brother.
Aww, he’s so adorable, too,I write.
“Why aren’t you talking?” Corrado asks.
The chatter quietens from around me before Grandma Red speaks.
“Because she gave her voice as the price to make sure everyone came back safely from the Gods’ Realm. She is a true warrior.” She smiles at me, and I return it with one of appreciation.
“Oh, sorry for asking, it’s no biggie, you’re awesome without a voice, too.” He shrugs, but even as he smiles, I see the glint of sadness in his eyes.
He’s a good kid, although now at thirteen, he doesn’t look like a kid anymore; he’s taller than me, which is crazy.
Thanks,I write as he picks up Nash.
“Well, let’s all go inside. There’s a lot happening tonight,” Aunty Delsanra says with a smile.
