Page 34 of Justice

“That’s all you, princess. He’s going to bring you to your party like the queen you are.”

She lost it. Screaming, kicking her little legs, and I set her down before she wiggled out of my arms. Then she grabbed my hand, and she grabbed Skye’s, and she looked up at both of us with her face shining.

“You have to come too. Both of you. Please please please.”

Skye’s eyes came to mine over the top of Dream’s head, a question in them, giving me the out. You don’t have to include the help. I didn’t take it.

“You heard the birthday girl,” I said. “Get in.”

It’s a strange thing, being happy. I’d forgotten what it felt like, so at first I didn’t recognize it for what it was.

Dream sat up between us pointing at everything like she’d never seen trees before, narrating her own parade. Skye had an arm looped around her so she wouldn’t tumble off, laughing at everything my baby said. I sat on the other side with my arm stretched along the back of that seat. Not touching her. Just close enough to feel the warmth coming off her shoulder.

“You clean up nice, Miss Mercer,” I said, low, under Dream’s chatter. “I was starting to think you slept in scrubs or sweats.”

“I do.” She didn’t miss a beat. “This is a costume. I’m undercover as a person with a social life.”

“How’s that working out for you?”

“Well, I’ve made it onto a horse and carriage with my boss, so I think I’m winning.” She smiled.

“If this is all you have for your social life, I gotta get you out more.”

Skye’s eyes held mine one second longer than they needed to before she turned back to the baby, flustered.

One second. That’s all it was. But I felt it move through me like something with a current in it. I held her eyes. I don’t look away from what I want. Let her be the one to blink.

“Ms. Skye, look!” My daughter pointed at the beautiful garden set up in the back of the castle.

My family and tons of her friends were out back when the carriage pulled around. As soon as we arrived, they cheered and started singing happy birthday!

Mehar had turned that castle lawn into a kingdom, princesses everywhere, a dozen of Dream’s little friends from Kingsbrook running around in gowns and party tiaras with fake jewels, a cake taller than the birthday girl.

Rita was throned like a Queen in a chair someone had smartly placed in the shade. Sarai was on a blanket crawling around beside Serenity’s feet. Zainab’s twins were down on the blanket playing with each other. Zainab and Mehar stood near the punch bowl while Zainab held her niece Aziza, giving her sister a much needed break. Quest and Prime stood off by the food doing what they do, watching everything, looking like money. My people. All of them out here in the sun for my baby.

Dream stood up in that carriage and waved like a homecoming queen. The yard cheered, and I swear that child grew two inches off the sound of it.

I climbed down first, then reached up to help her. She leaped into the crowd and got swallowed up in aunties, cousins, and screaming friends. Then I turned back and put my hand up for Skye.

She looked at it a second. Then she put her hand in mine and stepped down. It was nothing. A man helping a woman off a carriage. Except her hand was warm and small in mine, and neither one of us let go as fast as the moment called for.

That’s when I caught Kira across the yard.

Standing by the drink table, not touching her drink, watching my hand around Skye’s hand with a look on her face that could’ve curdled milk. She caught me catching her and rearranged it fast into a smile, lifted her cup, went back to whatever conversation she was pretending to engage in.

Skye slipped her hand out of mine, smooth, and went off to speak to Rita and the family. I stood there a second with a cold little knowledge settling into my chest. I’d started something in that yard, and I did not know how to stop it.

I found Storie over by the castle wall, off to the side of the noise like always.

She’d changed into the spare outfit. Whatever storm had been on her in the parking lot was gone now, packed clean away, replaced with a calm smile that didn’t quite fit the girl who’d stormed off an hour ago.

“You good?” I asked her.

“I’m great, Daddy. It’s a nice party.”

“Good. I need your help with something. Dream’s real gift. Come on.”

I took her around the back of the castle, to the little paddock where the handler had the gift waiting out of sight.