“Not now, Mom,” Caelum hissed under his breath, then grinned at the women. “Mothers.” He shrugged.
The Kumihos broke into a fresh round of giggling.
“What a little heartbreaker,” one of the Kumihos said. “You'd better watch that one, Your Majesty.”
“I intend to.” I steered Caelum away from the women and over to a buffet table laden with food. I kept going until we reached the desserts. “Look, they have cream cake.”
“Mom! I was making friends,” Caelum whined.
“Baby, you are just like your daddy—easy to read when it comes to women,” I said. “And those women are out of your league.”
“How do you know that?” He crossed his arms.
“Because they're grownwomen.” I lifted my brows at him.
“Dad said fairies don't have to worry about being a similar age to their lovers.”
I blinked. “First, don't say lover to me like that.”
“Like what?”
“In reference to yourself,” I said sternly and took him aside, away from the buffet. Setting him against the wall, Ileaned in. “You have no idea what it takes to be a lover, and that's a good thing, Caelum. As a fairy, you have all the time in the world to grow up. You will spend most of your life as an adult, and it's not as fun as being a kid. Baby, these are the good days. The days you don't have to worry about a thing. The days when lovers aren't an issue. You can have as many of them as you want when you grow up. That's what your dad meant. That when you become a man, age won't matter as long as your lover is an adult too. But for now, your age is very important and wonderful! Enjoy every second, Caelum. Suck up the sun and the smiles and the freedom.”
“Is being an adult that bad?” Caelum went serious, something that looked alien on him.
“No, not at all. But, as I said, you will have far more time as an adult. Thousands of years, hopefully. But your childhood will be over in less than a decade. Do you understand? This is all you get, Caelum. Live it up. Seize every season of your life.”
Caelum thought about this. Then he frowned. “Can't I flirt with girls at least?”
Daxon, who'd been sidling up on us slowly, burst into laughter. “That's my boy!”
“Great, Dax.” I rolled my eyes as he high-fived our son. “Undo all the work I've just done.”
“I haven't undone anything,” Dax said. “He gets it. And he enjoys his childhood. Don't you, Caelum?”
“I do,” Caelum said firmly. “I have loads of fun.”
“No more flirting with grown women,” I said.
“Okay, Mom,” Caelum said.
“But I like your spunk, kid,” Dax added with a wink.
Caelum beamed at his dad. “Thanks, Dad!”
“Go on then.” Dax waved him off. “I see you eyeing that cake.”
“Woo-hoo!” Caelum ran back to the desserts.
“Come with me, my Queen.” Daxon escorted me across the room and down a hallway.
“Dax, you'd better not be taking me into a bedroom for some nookie. I'm not having sex with you while everyone else is less than ten feet away.”
“How about a planet away?” Dax smirked.
“What?”
“The others are already in Fairy, waiting for you.”
