“I’m lucky I have such great support.” I leaned tiredly against Xerxes, who shifted and wrapped an arm around me.
“And I will be an awesome aunt,” Vanya offered. “Aunts!Times two!”
Blythe gave her a look, one that had Orion chuckling. “Good luck with that.”
Vanya glared at her mate and shook her head. “We’re the coolchildless by choiceaunts! Come on, when else are we going to spoil kids?”
Blythe sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly, though she did congratulate me telepathically.
I’m so tired,I said to no one in particular.And I need to have this skull removed from my hands as soon as possible.
“I see my dad,” Adrian sighed, his relief potent. “And he’s walking with someone who…looks like him?”
I frowned, glanced at my mate, then followed his line of sight. He wasn’t wrong. Sir Theon, as well as all of Greer’smates, were heading towards us, looking like they’d aged a decade since the grand escape. But walking alongside Theon was almost a direct copy of him, minus glasses and with darker hair.
“Who do you think that is?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
Rowan moved to my other side, suddenly tense. “You don’t think that’s…” His words hung in the air, the end of his question not needing to be said.
His dad. Looking exactly like Theon…
Does this make you and Adrian cousins?I asked silently, unable to tear my eyes off the group of males walking towards us.
The longer I stared, the more obvious it became. Rowan’s hazel eyes were from the approaching male. The only thing Rowan really shared at all with his mother was her vibrant red hair and power. Otherwise, Rowan and Adriancouldlook alike.
“Well, this was unexpected,” Damon murmured.
“I didn’t have any money on this,” Hawk whispered.
“Neither did I,” Maeve replied.
Hush, I said down the bond, silencing them all.
“Well.” Theon cleared his throat, stopping in front of Adrian. “There are some things you should know.”
Beside me, Rowan made a sound in the back of his throat. “You think?”
Theon’s eyes darted to Rowan before finding mine. “We have a case for that—if you want it.”
“It’ll dampen the magical pull of the skull,” Theon’s twin said, nodding to Sir Otto, who carried a small, square trunk. “I’ve imbued it with God Runes, but certainly accept help from the witches to ensure only you have access to it from now on.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, pulling out of Xerxes’s hold. As I took a step forward, my mates closed in around me. Maeve made a move for the trunk, taking it from Otto without a word as Hawk opened the lid.
Inside was empty, other than thin cushions at the bottom and on the walls. Despite seeming powerless, I could feel the runes etched into it, hidden beneath the material. As I pulled the skull from my chest, my arms prickled with the intensity of the power within.
Gently, I set the skull inside, watching as Hawk quickly flipped the lid on it. Almost like it’d held us in a force field of tension, as soon as the lock clicked into place, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Maeve took over protecting the trunk with a single nod to me before moving back into the circle surrounding me.
“So…” I glanced up at Rowan, then at the male gazing at him hopefully. “There’s something else that needs to be explained.” Now that my hands were free, I took hold of Rowan’s trembling fingers and pushed love and understanding down the bond.
Rowan gave my hand a squeeze, though he didn’t look at me. He did, however, accept the strength I could offer him.
Theon sighed, glanced at the male beside him, and said, “Do you want to explain it, or should I?”
The male in question shook his head. “No, he’s my son. He should hear it from me. Would you…like to take a walk with me?”
“Not yet,” Rowan said, his voice tight. “And I’m not in the position to leave my mate. Not after everything that just happened. And none of them would leave her, either.”
