Page 111 of In Your Light

Fray ran to meet them, then hugged them both at the same time. He almost coathangered Ciaran, but he was clearly used to Fray. Then the rest of the consortium joined them, piling on, hugging and laughing.

It was a sight of pure joy, elation, and love.

A reminder that Hadeom had made the right call.

These were good people. Cephamorphs or humans, it didn’t matter. They deserved this.

All these non-humans did.

“We did good, huh?” Cern said, walking over. He held his mug of wine up in a cheers gesture.

“We did,” Hadeom agreed.

“No regrets?”

“None.”

Cern nodded. “I think you might be surprised,” he said. “Not all godly privileges have been revoked.”

Hadeom’s gaze shot to Cern’s. “What?”

“It was more knowing you would give them up, that you would go through with it,” he said, still watching the cephamorphs all clap Sawyer on the back.

“I’m still...?”

Cern drained his wine. “Consider it a demotion. I still need boots on the ground down here. Got a feeling Tenebrae’s gonna be home to a lot more folk like this.” He waved his hand at the faun, the sprites. “Gonna be a two-man job, I think. Reckon you and the newest cephamorph are up for the job?”

Hadeom blinked. “What?”

“You’re still police, right? And I know you took all that gear from your office when you came back here. I saw the metal cases.”

Hadeom blinked, unsure of what to say. “I, uh.... I still don’t know if I can stay here,” he said quietly.

“I cleared it with the boss,” Cern said, nodding to where Salem was standing with Aurin and his mother. “He said it was fine.”

Hadeom met Salem’s eyes, and Salem gave the smallest of nods. He didn’t smile, and he still wasn’t up for a conversation, but it was a start. And it was more than Hadeom had thought possible.

But then Aurin came over to stand in front of Hadeom. He was small and pretty, dainty even, his smile polite. “I stand by whatever Salem agreed to. He said after what you did for Sawyer, you can stay here, and for some reason we cannot understand, our children love your shadows, but know this,” he said, his polite smile fading fast. “If you or your shadows even think about hurting Salem or our children, I will kill you where you stand. I will make flutes from your hollow bones, and we will dance where you died. Have I made myself clear?”

Hadeom was so stunned, the best he could do was nod. Aurin was pretty, yes. But he was also a little scary.

Then Aurin smiled at Fyn. “We love you, Fynny.”

Right, then.

They watched Aurin walk away back to Salem and pick up one of the younglings.

Fyn cleared his throat and looked at Cern. “I think that’s a yes, then?”

Cern grinned at Fyn. “You always were my favourite. Don’t tell your brother.”

Fyn laughed, and Hadeom was still trying to get his mind around all of it when Sawyer and Ciaran came out of the huddle and made their way over. Sawyer, still wet and half-naked, grinned at Cern and Hadeom.

“I believe I have you both to thank.” His eyes locked with Hadeom’s. “I’ll be forever in your debt.”

“No,” Hadeom said. “The scales are even.” Then he sighed. “Well, that, and I think we have to work in the morning.”

Sawyer balked. “What?”