I blinked in surprise. “Moira, she might not be sleeping through the night. Are you sure?”
Moira snorted. “I’m a vampire. We don’t need to sleep all that much. It will be nice to have some company. Ash and Tess are in their own little world right now.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on over there, but I haven’t seen either one of them in days.”
At my look of alarm, Moira laughed. “They’re fine. I can hear them sometimes when I’m passing by. But I think they’re very busy.” She winked.
“Eww,” was all I could say.
“Yeah. Crazy kids. I don’t know if they’re gonna make it, but they’re sure having fun trying.”
“Aaagh. Gross.” I shook the images away and adjusted the baby’s blanket. “If you want to take her tonight, you can. But you might have to bring her by the other dorms. All the other shifters are dying to meet her.”
“No problem.” Moira brushed the baby’s bangs to the side. “We’ll need formula and a few other things, but we’ll be just fine.”
The baby cooed.
“Should we call her something?” Mom said.
My mind was blank, and Moira was too busy cooing back to respond.
“How about Missy? Short formisneach, a word that means courage.”
She pronounced it likemish nah. “Beautiful. Misty is pretty, too,” I said.
“I like Misty better. It’s an older name. Now everyone is Ashley or Kristen or Maddy.” Moira rolled her eyes. “Misty is both descriptive and pretty.”
“Misty it is,” Mom said. “Hope bought a few things for the baby. There’s formula and—” she dug through the bags, “lots of adorable clothing and binkies and bibs.”
“Ooh,” Moira cooed to Misty. “We get to play dress up tonight!” She rose and snapped the baby into the car seat. “Let’s leave Aunt Evie and Miss Cliona alone. They have grownup business to talk about.” Moira winked and picked the seat up. “I’ll keep you updated on any cute things she does and bring her back over tomorrow sometime.”
With a wink and a wave, she slung the bag Hope had brought over her shoulder and breezed away.
When she was gone, Mom shook her head. “If that baby is around for any length of time, she’s going to be spoiled as all get out.”
“I hope so,” I murmured. “Her mother is gone, and she’s been abandoned in a place full of strangers.”
Mom’s face sobered. “She is lucky to have you and everyone here as caretakers. Her circumstances might be unfortunate, but love saturates this land and Keep. Such will find its way to her.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Mom smiled, but her eyes were filled with unfathomable sadness. “Every choice I made was to keep you safe. If I could go back and keep you with me, I would. I missed you every single day when we were separated, and every day I woke up without you, I lost another piece of my heart.”
She brushed my hair away from my eyes. “She is not old enough to remember any of this. If her mother does not come back, and she is fated to stay here, she will be raised with love and kindness because you and everyone else here knows no other way.”
I brought Mom in for a tight hug. She froze in surprise, and it took her a moment to soften. A shuddering breath rattled her chest, and her arms tightened around me. “I will never be able to make up for what your father and I did, even if we did it out of love, but I hope you will allow me to spend the rest of my days trying.”
Why was I crying so much today? I nodded against her shoulder. “You don’t have to make anything up to me. You’ve already shown me how much you regret everything that’s happened. I hope you always come around. Wherever I am, you will be welcomed.”
Mom gave me a gentle squeeze. “And you as well. My realm is always open.” She stepped away. “The Lord is pacing back and forth by the door, waiting to return to you. Do not make him wait too much longer, darling. The male and the bear inside him are getting very antsy.”
She disappeared in a swirl of light. The door opened immediately, and a moment later, Rowan’s head peeked around the corner. “Everyone gone?”
I nodded. “Finally. Moira took the baby, but I expect you will be slammed with visitors this evening.”
Rowan’s jaw tightened. “I expect you’re right.” A ring of gold appeared around his iris. “I can think of far better things to do than entertain visitors.”
I laughed. “Patience. We have the rest of our lives, don’t we?”
Rowan let out a frustrated growl and reached for me just as the outside door opened.
