The bed vibrated with his laugh. “Gods, I sure hope not.”
“Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad,” I argued.
Laken answered with a muffled grunt and his eyesfluttered shut. Feathered lashes fanned out, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of them. His arms folded under his head, his breath calming. “Reece,” he started slowly and sleepily, “I’ll tell you everything about the last three years. I want to tell you every detail.”
“But,” he started, and my stomach coiled, “I need to know exactly what you want out of this. Because I know what I want, and I think I’ve made it pretty clear.” His words dripped like honey from his tongue.
For the first time in a while, I knew what I wanted. “I wantthis,” I insisted. “I want to give us a try, I want you.”
Laken’s eyes were closed, but his lips attempted a little grin with a smothered chuckle. “That’s good,” he exhaled. “Otherwise, I’d be really embarrassed about this whole thing.” Laken kept his eyes shut. “I got my girl back.” His voice sounded as quiet as a whispered wish, one of the last things he held on to before falling asleep.
He got his girl back.
And I couldn’t think of anything better.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The week after my healing session with Laken’s ass, his body needed more rest, so the responsibilities of magical-creature caregiving were all passed to me. Oddly enough, it’d become a habit to wake up moments before the sun rose. After a couple weeks of this, I’d fallen so deep into the routine I couldn’t have left it if I’d wanted.
Leaving Blaze inside, I scooped the chickens’ pellets into the bucket, the scent of feed hitting my nose. The lip of the bin pressed into my gut as I leaned deeper, but I got what I needed. Unlocking the door to the hellblazers’ coop, I pushed my way in and gave a slight glance around the wooden pillars looking for where they all lay, but when they heard the door shut, they came down from their beds.
A few morningbocks escaped while they stretched theirtiny bodies and legs. I poured the food into the feeder and checked their water, which remained full—thankfully, because that’d mean more work on my part. Not one feathered fucker aimed evil eyes at me, not one attacked. They woke up, hopped down, and ate.
Spinning on my heels to leave, my feet entangled with themselves as I jumped to avoid smushing Chicken Soup. “Mother, shit—” I leapt and barely caught myself on the door. However, when I stood and turned back, Chicken Soup watched me. His chest hadn’t beefed out and no smoke came from his body. I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. “What?”
With a small, innocentba-gawwkk, he took a little step forward. I shouldn’t have trusted a hellblazer; it isn’t in their nature to be kind. Yet, I squatted—and Chicken Soup jumped into my arms. Fear locked my bones into place, afraid if I moved, he’d set me on fire and eat me alive.
I didn’t pet him. I didn’t speak. I squatted, bit my lips, and stopped breathing as he sat there. Unwilling to disturb his peace, I didn’t even risk blinking.
Thankfully, he didn’t stay long enough for me to faint.
Finneas and Finnigan were next, but I didn’t spend much time with them because I’d be coming back as soon as I’d fed everyone. It was the seventh day of the third month of spring, meaning it was milking day—reminding me of the time that’d passed since getting here. And since getting my debt notice.
Phoebe stood with slightly fewer quills, though we were thankful she hadn’t been hurt. Her skin showed vast improvement, and Laken had said he expected a full recovery in thenext couple months—meaning we’d also need more antidote in case of more accidental emergencies. Each day she stayed visible I counted as a win. One step at a time.
I danced around Benedict’s enclosure, making him think I’d go ways I didn’t. I raised his food and wiggled it in my hands here and there as he bounced around with tiny readied little hands. Watching Archie next, I leaned on the fence as he fluttered over the feeder. Archie would never recover like Phoebe; he didn’t have a magical cure, but he filled his part in this chaotic little family.
Gods… thisfamily? Who had I become?
As I lugged the wheelbarrow ahead, the last creature on my list remained. A soft, gentle, and wise old dragon waited by the water’s edge. Vivid greens curtained around his massive body, leaves and branches bent and broken from him marking his path to the pond. With the sun rising over the water, a foggy steam rose from the surface. I didn’t bother getting too close, but I edged to the bank, squatting and staring with wonder at the magnificent beast. Indo’s white scales appeared as an almost iridescent opal, each one evidence of the magic within. He might not have been able to breathe fire, but it ran through his veins—one way or another.
To think I owned a magical sanctuary with a dragon… it felt inconceivable.
I stayed and admired him for a little longer before plopping his slab of raw meats onto his boulder. Scorch marks darkened the top, giving it a black layer of soot. Probably gave a good smoked flavor, I supposed. To each their own.
Wheeling the barrow back to the house, I wished I’d been the injured one. I opened the back door of the house, stumbling in, and found myself surprised at the company. Laken, of course, sat at our tiny, scathed kitchen table with his mother, Faye. Her strawberry blond hair sat in a bun at the top of her shoulders, her green eyes too focused on whatever she wrote to notice I’d come in. She wore a comfortable cream dress, the fabric hanging loosely on her limbs.
“Did you want banana cream or lemon pie?”
Glancing between the two with ultrafast blinking eyes, it hit me.Fundraiser planning.“Oh…” I stuttered and straightened, grabbing Blaze’s food from the counter.
“Goodness, Reece, I didn’t see you come in.” Faye chipped up, her voice high and kind the way teachers always were. “Good morning, dear.”
Turning at her over my shoulder, I nodded. “Morning, Mrs. Augustus.” In the split second she glanced down at her paper, I threw a wide-eyeddoes she know?look at her son. Laken didn’t understand, and Faye found my stare once again. “Uh, whatever you think will sell best. It is spring; do you think more people will want something light, like the lemon?”
Hearing his food, Blaze scuttled in and came close to nose-diving into his bowl. A little scamp of a thing. Unfortunately, to be respectful—and because the fundraiser was indeed to save my ass—I hurried to the table.
Not to be confused; I felt forever grateful for not only Faye, but for everything she’d done for me and the sanctuary.The social side of things, however… knocked me off my rocker a bit. Talking and planning and decorations weren’t my cup of tea. My cup of tea was a literal cup of tea. By myself. At home, maybe with Laken around. The short explanation: talking to people drained me, even with people I loved—it wasn’t anything personal.
