“No such thing,” he disagreed, and she rolled her eyes at him.
“Now, Lady Serafina—”
“Just Seri, please.”
“Seri, then,” Doria conceded with a gracious nod. “Let’s go inside. I want to hear everything about how you met, and how you’ve managed to keep all three in line.”
With a gesture from Caelyr, the sky wyrms settled into comfortable coils at the edge of the lawn, beginning to blend with the landscape as their scales shifted to match the surrounding colors.
As we walked, Doria slipped her arm through mine.
“I heard you escaped a Dark witch. That you were brave enough to run, smart enough to outwit her, and strong enough to build a new life. I admire that.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I mumbled, my cheeks growing hot. “I just survived her.”
“That’s all anyone ever does, child.” Doria leaned in as if sharing a secret. “The ones who think otherwise usually end up dead.”
Behind us, I could hear Zane whispering to his brothers, something about “going better than expected” and “actually being nice.” Caelyr walked a few paces behind, Brummy still cradled in his arms, head lolling. It was possibly the cutest thing I’d ever seen, and I wanted to draw it in my sketchbook as soon as possible.
As we walked, though, I noticed the way Zane kept stealing glances at his mother when he thought no one was looking and the protective stance Casimir and Koa adopted around him. For all his jokes and irreverence, there was something raw in Zane’s eyes that made my heart hurt. This wasn’t my carefree, devil-may-care Zoodle. This was someone wearing his skin, but holding its breath.
“Thank you for coming,” I whispered to Doria. “He doesn’t say it, but he wants you here. Even if it’s just for dinner.”
“Then I’ll have dinner,” she replied, her voice equally quiet, “but I won’t pretend I know how to be what he needs.”
“You don’t have to.” I met her eyes without hesitation. “Just don’t leave him emptier than you found him.”
She stopped dead still and studied me with a focus that made my skin tingle. For a moment, I feared I’d overstepped, but, since it was for my Zoodle, I didn’t care if I had.
Then she inclined her head, just a little.
“You have steel under those curls.” After a pause, her mouth curved into an edged smile. “Good. You’ll need it.”
Before I could respond, Casimir cleared his throat.
“Perhaps we could show you the library? Seri has been working on some fascinating magical theory.”
“Has she now?” Doria’s eyebrows arched with interest. “Lead on, then.”
#
Doria wasted no time in claiming one of the leather couches, legs crossed at the ankle and perfectly posed. Caelyr stood behind her, still holding Brummy, who had begun a gentle, thunderous snore.
I fished out my phone, snapped a photo of Brummy and Caelyr, and showed it to Koa, who instantly texted it to himself andmade it his lock screen. Zane prowled around the room while Casimir set up the tea service with his usual terrifying efficiency.
And Doria watched it all with the air of someone studying a new, fascinating animal in her menagerie.
“So, what is the magical theory you’ve been working on in here, Seri?”
With equal parts excitement and anxiety, I showed her my cobbled-together ward against siphoning, and she actually listened to every stumbling word.
“Caelyr, look at this,” she commanded when I rambled to a stop.
He set Brumous down, much to the wolf’s vocal disappointment, and examined my work with surprising interest, then nodded in slow, thoughtful approval.
“A beautiful first attempt.” His star eyes met mine, and I felt myself glow, somehow knowing he didn’t dole out compliments often. “This has a flaw.” He pointed to the focusing array, then to the same spot Kaori had. “Perhaps a reflective barrier here.”
“Queen Kaori also suggested turning it into something like a magical mirror. Redirect it back upon the attacker,” I admitted, wondering if he’d explain the flaw and somehow knowing he wouldn’t. Papa was like that, too, always wanting me to figure it out for myself.
