“Don’t worry, I am okay.” He turns to Celine. “Just go ahead, I will catch up with you later, my luscious beauty.”
At that, Celine snorts. “You just had to say the last part out loud, didn’t you? Be careful, please, and don’t over-exhaust yourself.”
“Promise,” Marius says.
Meanwhile, Celine puts an arm around my shoulder and pulls me with her. “Come, Gwen, they are right. Let them do their thing, and we can return to the others. There is also an idea I have that we could try later.”
“What kind of idea?”
“Felix’s gift is to make others feel relaxed, isn’t it?”
“Yes, something like that. He can make everyone feel positive and happy.” I pause, suddenly realizing what she is hinting at. “He could maybe do that for Marina. So that she won’t need to leave this world with her final memories being focused on what she experienced.” I pause. “That would be… yes… it would be... it would be…”
“It would be something only you and Felix can give her,” Celine says. “I am not sure what you and Annie talked about, but I guess this is what she meant by saying ‘This is me stepping up now‘. We all have our strengths. And Felix’s is to give Marina an ounce of comfort, and from experience, I know that these types of gifts work the best with their mates‘ present. Which means if you are with Felix, I am sure it will work the best.”
She is right. This is something I can do for Marina. Well, Felix will do it, but I can support him. A final gift for my best friend.
thirty-four
Self-Doubts
*FELIX*
It seems that when face-to-face with a bunch of adorable pets, everyone finds their inner child again. Dalila is head over heels for the capybara, while Marcellus and Tony seem to have taken a liking to the alpaca. Meanwhile, Henry pretends not to be interested in the Pallas’s cat, but whenever it meows grumpily, he can’t help but grin.
Even Liam is amused. “You were not kidding when you said it’s a zoo,” he says.
“I think we have an addition almost daily,” I chuckle. “The alpaca was a surprise, though. I have no idea where it came from.”
“And the bird?” Mom asks.
“Which one?” I ask. “We have three now.”
“The black one.” Her gaze is pinned on Tiger, who sits at his usual spot, overseeing everything.
“Oh, she was the first,” I explain. “Gwen saved her while she was still in her old pack, and then she never left her side.” I pause. “Why?”
“Nothing,” she says, smiling brightly. “I was just asking.”
Liam and I exchange a glance. “Definitely keep an eye on the bird,” Liam mutters after Mom has skipped off to find Dad. “When Mom says she wasjustasking, she certainly wasn’t just asking.”
“Yeah, I know.” I frown. “It didn’t do anything weird, though.”
“I don’t think it’s dangerous,” Liam says. “Mom certainly wouldn’t let anyone hurt her family. But I think it might be…” he pauses, “special.”
“What? Like Titan?” My sister’s cat is a demon pet, but so far, there are only two of them we know about. My parents weren’t able to find any more. “Wouldn’t that be a lot of coincidence that all the demons are somehow around us?”
He shrugs. “You never know.”
Seeing how both of us are alone for a moment, I decide to grasp the chance. “Liam, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, anytime.”
“I am not sure how to voice it…”
At this, I have his full attention. He frowns before grabbing two bottles of beer and steering me outside. “Let’s sit on the terrace for a moment. Everyone else is distracted by your zoo anyway.”
“Okay.” I take the beer, sitting down on one of our garden chairs. Liam sits opposite me, not saying anything. “It’s probably stupid,” I finally say.
