Mom turned back to me with a sharp look before softening her gaze back on Linna in Riley’s arms. “Darling, you had a baby? Whose babies are these?”
“They’re mine, Aunt Kathryn. I had twins eight weeks ago.”
Mom gasped, and then seemed to get her head. “Come in, everyone, come in. Please.” She scurried in the house ahead of us and herded us all into the formal living room before scooping Brookie up and taking her somewhere to keep her out of the way.
“So what brings you all here? Aren’t you going to introduce me?” she asked after making sure none of us wanted anything to drink. We all declined, and Riley put a cover over herself and shifted underneath to feed Linna. “Riley, you don’t have to cover here if you’re comfortable. I nursed Jen; I know how uncomfortable a cover can be.”
“Thank you for offering, Auntie, but we’re okay.”
I knew normally she would’ve nursed uncovered no matter who was around, but the whole point was to hide Linna’s skin color for the moment.
“Mom, we’ve got to talk. It’s important.”
“Well I’m listening,” she said, looking back and forth between me, Roan, and Alexander, too polite to question us any further.
“This is Roan, and this is Alexander. I’ve recently come into some major life changes, and they’ve been helping me cope with it.”
“What do you mean life changes? Are you ill? Are you okay?” Her voice raised an octave, worry lacing the words with panic.
“I’m okay. I’m much better than okay, but what I have to tell you is a pretty fantastical tale.”
Roan sat to my right and Alexander to my left on the small sofa. Roan put his hand on my back for support as I leaned forward. “Mom, I know you like to read.”
She nodded, perplexed.
“You usually read sweet romances, right.”
“Yes, Jenieviere, what’s that got to do with the price of tea in China?”
“Have you ever read any books about vampires or werewolves or witches?”
“Or Fae?” asked Alexander.
I smiled at him. “Or Fae?”
“I went through a phase when I was younger than you and I devoured books like those, but eventually I grew up and read books that were not so ludicrous.”
“What if I told you they weren’t so unrealistic?”
She just stared at me.
“Mom, I’m a dragon.”
Riley snorted. “Way to ease her into it,” she muttered.
My mother laughed. “You can be sometimes dear, yes. You get it from your father.”
“No, Mom. Close to a year ago, Riley stumbled on a magic portal. It took her to another land, full of humanoid dragons. Turns out, we’re descended from those same dragons. When she went through the magic portal, it activated the dormant genes in me, and we suspect it did the same for you.”
“Oh, Jenieviere, what is wrong with you? Why do you insist on such jokes? You two girls always tried to play practical jokes on us as children, but you’re far too old for that sort of thing now.”
“I can show you, mom.”
“I can too, Auntie,” Riley said.
“Show me what?”
I looked at Riley and shrugged. “You go first; you’re not as overwhelming as I am, with the wings and all.”
