“That’s a good question.” Kieran laughed. “But to be honest, I think… well, being back here has awakened a lot of memories in me. And my parents and I have always meant to do up Great Uncle Henry’s house. Maybe… maybe it’s time I started seriously looking at a new direction in life.”
Natasha nodded, chewing his words over in her mind. “A new direction, huh?”
Is that what I should be thinking about too?
These last few days had been a revelation for her. And even if she still didn’t fully understand what it meant, she knew being a griffin’s matedefinitelyhadn’t been in the life plan she’d drawn up when she was fifteen years old and had been religiously sticking to ever since.
But is that such a bad thing?
Shaking her head, Natasha put the thought from her mind. There would be time for that later. Right now, it was time for Sieval to go home.
“So,” she said, taking its rock from her pocket, “should I just put this down by the pond?”
“I guess so – hopefully this is the right place,” Kieran replied.
Together, they made their way to the edge of the pond, before Natasha leaned down, placing the pitch-black rock down gently at the water’s edge.
“There you go, Sieval,” she murmured, hoping it was a comfy place for it. “You’re home.”
The rock shimmered again, just as it had back at the house – a flash of blue passing over its surface. And then, Sieval was standing beside them, looking around, its enormous eyes wide with joy.
“My pond,” it murmured, voice suffused with happiness. “I never thought I’d see it again.”
A lump rose in Natasha’s throat as she watched Sieval wandering around its pond, a look of wonder and joy on its face.
“My home,” it murmured, bending down to touch the drooping ferns and run the tips of its fingers over the soft moss that covered the rocks by the pond. “I enjoyed my time with Henry, but… this is where I belong. I cannot thank you both enough for finally returning me here.”
“I’m just sorry that it took so long for us to figure out what was happening,” Kieran said ruefully. “It can’t have been nice, being trapped alone in the attic for so long.”
“It matters not,” Sieval said, turning to them with a smile. “A sprite’s lifetime is very long – I still have plenty of time.” It paused, seeming almost to hesitate. “But I admit… during my time with Henry, I came to appreciate company perhaps more than I thought I would. In limited amounts, anyway. Would it be too much to ask that… that occasionally you come to visit me here? Would it be something you might do?”
“Of course.” The words were out of Natasha’s mouth before she could stop them. But as soon as they were, she realized it was a promise she couldn’t really keep – not unless she were to make some big changes in her life.
Big changes. Bigger than the ones I’ve already made?
Perhaps these were questions for another time. Right now, she thought, she still had a month of vacation time – and a griffin shifter, who was also her fated mate, to get to know.
“I’d like that too, Sieval,” Kieran said, nodding. “Now that I’m back here, I realize how much I’ve missed it. It’d be a pleasure to come and visit you.”
Happy gratefulness flickered across Sieval’s face. “Then I will thank you for that. And for returning me to where I belong. And now… I’m afraid it has been a while since I experienced sunshine. I feel that I must bask.”
And with that, it shimmered once more, before, Natasha assumed, it returned to its rock in order to bask in the sunlight that filtered through the trees.
“Well. This definitely isn’t where I saw today going when I woke up this morning in a really, really foul mood,” Natasha said, shaking her head. “I don’t know when all of this is going to hit me but… well, I’m going to make the most of it before it does.”
“It’s not bad news though, is it?” Kieran asked, turning to her with concern.
“No, no. It’s just… a lot,” Natasha said, laughing. “And to be honest, I think I’m kind of hungry, too. Maybe I’ll be able to think more clearly on a full stomach.”
“Sounds reasonable.” Kieran flashed her a grin. “Luckily I know a place – I didn’t get to go yesterday, I had to cancel at the last minute. So maybe I should go grab something there. Maybe we could even go together.”
Natasha laughed at the mischievous tone in his voice. “Hey, are you asking me out on a date?”
“Maybe so.” Kieran joined in on her laugh. “I mean, if you’re interested.”
“You know, I just might be,” Natasha replied, raising an eyebrow. “And you know, after that, I think I have some apple pie back at my place that a very generous person gave me – but after a chili dog and fries, I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat it all by myself.”
“You don’t say,” Kieran said softly, raising an eyebrow. “Well, in that case, lead the way.”
