I sigh, immediately regretting how easily I gave in to Hazel’s instigating. She likes riling me up a little too much, but I bet she won’t be giggling when my restraint snaps.
“My-my… Reaper junior can bite.”
I’m going to kill her! I’m going to wring her cupcake neck.
“You little shit—”
Abandoning my chair, I’m about to show her what else I can do when the door to the dining room bursts open. A young woman in grey overalls rushes in, her face pinched in irritation, and my mind immediately demands I find my monkey.
A tiny figure comes barreling towards me and before my knee can touch the floor, monkey crashes into my arms with a force I didn’t expect from someone so tiny.
My chest squeezes in worry when I feel him shaking in my arms, and a wet spot forms on my shoulder. Holding him securely, I stand up, and monkey takes the opportunity to shift and bury his face in my neck, rubbing his cheek against the soft material of my sweatshirt.
When I see the nurse eyeing monkey, my eyes blaze and I barely suppress the urge to wrap my hand around her throat and squeeze. Anxo thanks the nurse before asking her to leave for the kingdom and she’s quick to do just that, which makes me even more suspicious.
If I weren’t holding my monkey and rubbing his back to calm his nerves, that woman would’ve rattled the truth about why my monkey was so damn terrified.
When Anxo turns back to us, his face is etched with concern for the little boy silently sobbing in my arms. I need to calm him down before he makes himself sick again.
“Can you get me a glass of water, please?”
Anxo doesn’t waste a second to fetch me a glass of water. I ignore Seiji, who quietly complains about how I only ever say things like ‘please’ and ‘sorry’ to Anxo but not to any of them.
Sitting on a chair with monkey on my lap, everyone circles us with similar looks of worry and concern. Monkey has yet to let go of his firm grip on me, but his breathing isn’t choppy anymore.
“Monkey? Hey there, kiddo. You’re okay now. You’re safe, I promise. Can you drink some water for me, please?”
“Anotherperson she uses manners with, but it’s still not me.” “Princess?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t make me get up.”
“I’m shutting up.”
I try to pry the kids’ hands off me, but his grip remains lethal. Anxo places the glass of water in front of me before sitting close by.
Monkey spares a quick glance at the people surrounding him and then at the glass of water. Anxo notices how he is staring at the glass and slowly pushes it closer until the kiddo can grab it on his own.
When monkey turns to me as if asking for permission, I can’t help the sting in my heart.They did this. They made this little boy so untrusting and suspicious of everyone around him.
“Don’t worry, these people are nothing like those organ- harvesting witches. All of them are good. They’re my friends.” I assure him with a kiss on top of his head.
Hesitantly, his grip loosens before he turns in my lap to face the table. I didn’t expect the drink to be heavy for a toddler, so when it’s about to slip from his tiny fingers, Anxo places his forefinger on the bottom to keep the balance.
Monkey takes a small sip while eyeing everyone in the room cautiously. Once his curiosity is satisfied, he gulps the waterin one giant breath and sighs deeply when the whole thing is finished.
Carefully placing the glass back, he turns around again and wraps his arms around my waist. But instead of hiding his face, this time he keeps an eye on the room full of strangers.
“Hey, kiddo, would you like me to introduce my friends?”
I said, friends. Are they my friends? We only met four days ago, but they’re also Horsemen, considered stronger than blood family—focus Nevaeh!
Monkey turns his bright blue eyes to me and nods. “So this is Anxo, Grace, Hazel, and Seiji.” I point to them respectively, and they give monkey small waves and bright smiles to make him comfortable, which he shyly waves back to before returning his hand to fist my hoodie.
I’m jealous Hazel didn’t give me that warm smile when she first met me.I’m love-deprived, too, woman!
“He’s so cute! Look at those big blue eyes. Aren’t you a pretty little baby?” Grace coos at him, and my monkey flushes an adorable bright pink.
