Page 60 of From the Edge

“Well, maybe. I didn’t want her pregnancy whipping along with no one to help her, so I... uh... stalled it, sort of. Norecayet, sorry if you had a problem.”

“I am going for a new job tomorrow. I hope to be employed by the end of the weekend. I am claiming a family emergency that took me out of town. And call me Norec, please.”

Rowan blinked. “Oh, duh. Yet means orc.”

He grinned. “You are slower than I thought.”

She lifted her chin and said haughtily. “I have been busy.”

He laughed and ran a hand over his head. “Yes, you have.”

Avor came in and said, “They won’t wake.”

Rowan nodded. “Stubborn family. Gimme a second.” She went into the fridge and brought out an energy drink. “Come on.”

She stalked outside, and Avor came with her. He was amused. “What are you going to do?”

“First, I am going to tear the covers off the bed, then I am going to break every etiquette rule that Grandma instilled in me. She will get up out of outrage, and Grandpa will sit up laughing.”

Avor chuckled. “I am looking forward to this. To use modern parlance, your grandfather was a bit of a butthead.”

“Yeah, you have met.”

She walked with him into the woods, then saw the headstone, and checked on the power levels. They were both awake, and she just hoped they weren’t in the middle of foreplay.

“If they are having sex, can you cover my eyes? I have seen that too many times already.”

Avor was laughing. “Yes, I can do that. How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight. Almost twenty-nine.”

He laughed. “I have shoes older than you.”

“No, you don’t. You have only been out here for a decade. Before then you were naked and chained in a cavern.”

“How do you know that?”

“Regis and half the new court have open minds. Your wife has nerves of steel. Have you actually had a wedding?”

He paused. “No, we have not.”

“Ira would make a stellar bridesmaid or maid of honour. Heck. She could officiate.”

He smiled. “She’s a little young to be the officiant, but she might enjoy being a maid of honour. Do you know where this kind of an event could be held?”

“If you want it legal, you can do it here, but if you want to bind to your wife and the world beneath her, a friend of mine just headed to Wonder Island. She’s applying for the position of officiant this week. Her name is Arden, and she’s more of a gardener than I am.”

“I see. I think Ira would enjoy the islands.”

“From what I hear, go to Wonder for the day of the event, and then go to the more family-friendly Emerald. My parents have a bed and breakfast there, and I might be able to hook you up with a few bungalows if you bring a babysitter.”

She smiled. “Right. They aren’t having sex. Time to wake them up.”

“How do you know?”

“I can harvest sex magic. There isn’t anything aside from light cuddling together.”

She stepped forward, the turf split over the top of the double casket, and waved it to either side. She said to the soil, “Thank you for protecting them.”