“And those other places will wait until you're ready,” I added.
“Yes, they will.” Brev got a faraway look.
I did mention that Brev gets visions, right? The poor kid.
“Brev?” Rian tugged on his hand.
Brevyn blinked and looked over at Rian. “I'm fine.” He grinned, then looked at me. “We'll all be fine.”
I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Every time Brev had a vision, it was a gamble. Sometimes it was just a glimpse of the future to reassure him. But sometimes it was a warning. And sometimes, his visions came in strange codes that had to be worked out. Although, that hadn't happened in a while. With age, Brevyn had learned to decipher them better. And what a relief that had been. It's hard enough to know that something terrible is coming without having to work out a riddle to find out what specifically the terrible thing was.
“And you don't have to leave, Rian,” Brev went on. “Stay and watch if you want.”
“Fine.” Rian huffed and went to plop on their couch.
Yes, they were old enough to have a couch in their room now. Of course, they were still kids so Rian had to push aside stacks of Brevyn's books and a pile of play weapons to sit down. But the couch was there if they wanted to use it.
“All right.” I sat down on a thick, green rug before the couch and the scent of fresh grass wafted up from it. “Where were we?”
Brevyn sat down across from me. “Last time, you taught me how to control Love when it rose, so I didn't bind someone to me accidentally.”
“Right,” I said. “The butterflies of Love Magic will rise whenever they sense someone worthy of Love. But if you bind them to you with magic, you take away their free will and create a connection that will weigh on your own heart.”
“But I can help them find love,” Brevyn said.
“You can bless them with Love and ensure they will meet their true love one day.”
“That's what we were supposed to do next. You were going to show me how to bless someone with Love.”
“Ah! Yes, that's right.” I looked at Rian. “How fortunate it is that we have someone to bless.”
“Oh, nuh-uh!” Rian jumped up. “I'm too young to commit to one girl.”
I gaped at him. Then grimaced. “You're too young to have a girl, much less to be playing the field.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Rian fancies himself a gangsta,” Brevyn said.
“Agangsta?” I repeated.
“Not a gangsta, a playa,” Rian corrected his brother, then realized what he said, and widened his eyes at me.
I jumped to my feet. “You are seven years old!”
“I'm a Dragon-Sidhe, Mom. It's different with us.”
“Yes, young man, I know that. I happen to be the Dragon-Sidhe who birthed you.”
“But you think like a human, Mom,” Rian huffed. “I'm nearly full grown. It's normal for me to be interested in girls. In a few years, I should have a few lovers—”
“A few lovers!” I roared. “In a few years?!”
“Don't be gross, Rian,” Brevyn said.
“You tell him, Brev!” I said. Then I faced my pervert of a son. “I don't want to hear any more talk about lovers from you.”
“What in all of Fire is going on in here?” Arach growled as he stormed into the room with Samara in his arms. He'd been playing with her in her bedroom, keeping her busy while I taught Brevyn.
