“I thought I'd tag along,” Star said as he strode forward in his black tactical gear, so similar to an extinguisher's uniform.
“Tag along?” I looked him over. “In that? Are you looking for a fight, Your Majesty?”
“I—”
“Please, don't go, Your Majesty.” Long, red nails curled around Star's biceps, looking garish against the black.
So Fartbreath. I mean Fucktard—nope, that wasn't it. Ugh, now I was pulling a Raza! Whatever F-word was that woman's name, she was still there too. And I hadn't noticed her. That, in itself, was a bad thing. Add it to the fact that I had mommy-brain and PTSD or whatever they call it for women who have just given birth, and Star's attendance on this mission was a recipe for disaster.
“We've got a huge group as it is, Star,” I said, slashing a look at his girlfriend. “And it seems that you're wanted at home.”
Star's face twitched as if he were trying to restrain himself. His stunning gold-green eyes flicked to the side, toward . . . oh, what was her name? Fedra? Faylana? No, free-something. He looked in her direction but not at her.
“This isn't your fight,” she said.
“That's it,” he muttered and swung to face his girlfriend. “You are a companion, not a soldier, and certainly not an adviser. If I've given you any reason to think that your opinion on such important matters holds weight with me, I apologize. Let me be clear now. It does not.”
The woman gasped and stepped back.
“I'm sorry to be gruff with you, but this is about humans attacking fairies and my alliance with the Fey. It does not concern you. Go home, Frelada.”
Ah! Frelada! That's her name.
Star motioned at Sallales, and poor Sal grimaced as she trudged over.
“See Frelada back to the rath,” King Astaroth commanded. “Nassar and Apitron. With me. The rest of you, return to Hell and watch over things for me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The entire King's Guard said, but only two men stepped forward.
“Sal, you're in charge,” Star added.
Sal's demeanor brightened at that. She grabbed Frelada's upper arm with a grin and winked at me. “Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Hold on,” I said. “We haven't agreed to let you attend.”
“Seren.” Star swung back to me. “I brought you this intel and with things so fucked up on Earth right now, I'm not about to just hand it over and walk away. Now, I'm going with or without you. Do you want to combine our efforts or not?”
“Son of a stupid Demon!” I hissed.
A giggle from my right announced the arrival of my children.
“I'll deal with you later,” I hissed at Star, then swung toward my kids with a smile in place. “My babies!”
As I crouched to catch my running children, I heard Frelada sniffing and Sal muttering to her. I ignored it and the odd feelings it was giving me to embrace my kids—first, together, and then, one at a time.
“Oh, I love you. I love you. I love you,” I said as I hugged and kissed them. “Look after your sister and Uncle Sever for me, okay?”
“Okay,” they said. Then they broke away to say goodbye to their fathers.
As the kids did that, I stood up and went to Sever, who had come downstairs with me. He held Mirielle, who was waving her arms about as if she wanted attention or perhaps she was just excited. She was swaddled in pink cashmere, the fuzzy bits clinging to her fair skin, and she smelled of the lavender soap we used to bathe her that morning.
I leaned in and breathed in deeply before kissing her soft cheek. “I'll see you later tonight.”
“Tonight?” Sever asked hopefully.
“Yes. I'm going to try to come twice a day if I can. I'll need to—” I waved a hand at my boobs.
“Express milk?” he supplied.
