“Don’t be mean,” Hikaru scolded. “They flew all the way across the country so they could be here. I wasn’t sure they could come when I invited them.”
Erasmus had the gall to laugh. I gave him a withering stare that did not intimidate my son in the least. “Go on, Pops. Be a good host and greet your guests.”
“You knew about this,” I accused.
“Yup.” Erasmus rocked on his heels, a mischievous grin crinkling his eyes.
“Traitors, the lot of you.”
“Don’t look at me,” Franklin said, holding up his hands. “By the way, Captain Cicely sends her regards and congrats as well.”
That was very kind of the witch. I’d rather her here than the grinning warlock a few feet away. Doing as Erasmus suggested,I sucked it up and closed the distance, holding out my hand in greeting. “Vander, it is…interesting, seeing you here.”
Head thrown back, Vander Kines laughed like a loon. His pixie flew nearby, smacking Vander on the shoulder. “Be nice, Vander. This is a big day for Nikodemus.”
“Of course.” Vander sobered, his smile turning genuine. “I really am happy for you, and a kitsune no less.” That thought seemed to make Vander exceedingly pleased. “Maybe Hikaru can finally find a way to pull that stick out of your ass.”
I stiffened. “Now listen here, Kines, I?—”
“Oh, I definitely reoriented that stick.” Hikaru beamed. “Now Niki uses it to fill my a?—”
Erasmus cleared his throat, violently coughing. “Oh, Gaia, I do not need to hear about Pops’s sex life. Franklin, please tell me that’s not what Hikaru was talking about.”
“Sorry, can’t really do that,” Franklin answered, not sounding the least bit sorry.
“Ugh. I’m gonna have nightmares.”
“You are being terribly juvenile and ridiculous right now.” I crossed my arms while staring at my son, doubled over and gagging. Franklin stood behind his husband, rubbing his back.
“It’ll be okay,” Franklin soothed.
“It will never be okay again,” Erasmus argued.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I seriously considered activating that pain charm. A headache was definitely on the horizon. Kines didn’t have that problem and was laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. Parsnip had joined in, his wings spreading pixie dust all over my yard. Thankfully, Parsnip was downwind.
“Oh, that’s rich.” Vander’s chuckles faded as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “I love seeing you, Holland.”
“If you’re waiting for me to reciprocate that feeling, you should know it is wasted time.”
Vander’s grin softened to something oddly affectionate. “I know you love me, Niki.” Hikaru growled and Vander waved off my kitsune. “Not like that. It’s a familial type of love. Kind of like bickering brothers, or maybe cousins.”
Reluctantly, I found it difficult to disagree. The smile slipped from Vander’s face as he turned and whispered something in Parsnip’s ear. The pixie frowned before kissing Vander on the cheek. “Hikaru, would you mind showing me your home? I’ve always wondered what Nikodemus’s home looks like. Erasmus, Franklin, maybe you could come along. Tell me what kind of a father Nikodemus really was when you were growing up.”
Hikaru bounced off. I could hear him regaling Parsnip with all the ways he’d rearranged (disorganized) my house, turning it into our home. Erasmus was more hesitant. He knew a distraction when he saw one.
“You okay, Pops?”
“I’ll be fine.” I kept my gaze fixed on Vander.
“Okay. Let me know if you need me.” Erasmus squeezed my hand before heading inside, following Parsnip and Hikaru, keeping just enough distance that Parsnip’s pixie dust dissipated before it could cause a sneezing fit.
Once they were out of earshot, I asked, “What’s this about, Kines?”
Reaching inside a shirt pocket, Vander pulled out an envelope. I recognized the gaudy swans against a dark black background and immediately stiffened. “What does the Warlock Council want with me now?” If they were coming after me regarding what happened to Danzig, Bailor, and Raiden, then they would have a fight on their hands.
“Currently not much of a council left, or, at least not much of a leadership left,” Kines answered as he handed me the envelope. “Open it. I promise there’s no magical timebomb attached.”
I held the envelope between two fingers as if it were poison. Most likely, it was the verbal variety.
