Her hand’s shook as she measured ingredients into her cauldron. She bit her lip and tried to take deep calming breaths.

She wanted her mama.

“Angelique?” Rhia’s pain filled voice cut across her panic. She turned to look at the Queen of the Faye. “The Unicorns are here. How’s that Eucalyptus brew coming?”

Tears began streaming down her face. Surprisingly, it was Larl that caught her in an awkward, yet tight embrace.

“Come on, Kid, we ain’t there yet.” Larl growled softly in her ear. “I’ve got six casualties and one near fatality on my hands. I need my medic!”

Angelique snapped straight to her full height, pushed away, then began pulling down more herbs and supplies along with a second cauldron, muttering fiercely to herself.

Larl stared at her for a moment, her own eyes brimming with tears, before she turned back to Rhia and promptly shoved her into a chair.

“That was cruel, even for you.” Rhia said in a soft, low voice.

“Yeah, well, deal with it.” Larl snorted, glaring at her. “Don’t you move or I’ll pin your butt to that chair with a crossbow bolt.”

Rhia rolled her eyes, but settled her aching head in her hands and stayed put as Larl hustled out of the kitchen. She returned with blankets that she spread out by the table, then was gone again. She appeared once more, cradling Silky, Precious and Koko, then carefully laid them on the blankets. Rhia watched her leave the room once again, and then return with Nia. This time, she was quicker, if no less gentle as she laid the dog down. Then she sprinted out of the room. Rhia allowed the growing concern she felt to push her into literally flopping onto her knees on the blankets.

Larl literally ran back into the room, Bear cradled in her arms, eyes full of alarm.

“He’s not breathing!” She hollered as she laid him beside Nia.

“MOVE!” Angelique barked in a commanding tone and shoved her to one side. She frantically began going over Bear’s chest with hands that glowed with a faint light. She made a fist and thumped him hard in one spot. “Come on! Come on! Don’t you do this to me! Don’t you dare!”

She thumped him again, then took both hands and lifted his muzzle and breathed into his nose. Rhia felt her jaw drop, but Larl scrambled to Bear’s head.

“You hit him, I’ll breathe for him.” She ordered Angelique.

“Right. Two thumps, one breath. On my mark, go!” Angel nodded, then thumped the huge canine’s chest again. “Come on, Bear. COME. ON!”

Rhia stared as the pattern continued. Angel thumped, Larl breathed. Angel swore and cursed and threatened all the while. Then, when it seemed as if Bear was well and truly gone, he took a deep shuddering breath and let it out in a low, mournful howl. Both Larl and Angel fell back on their heels for a moment, staring at each other.

“I’ll watch him.” Larl stated. Angelique nodded and scrambled to her feet, going back to the stove.

“What was that?” Rhia asked in an eerily calm voice.

Larl slanted her a look and Rhia wasn’t surprised to see her eyes were full of apprehensive pride.

“That was the birth of a true battle mage and healer, I think.” She answered. “I’ve got a feeling we’re going to need her.”

“She’s thirteen for Hell’s sake!”

“Yeah, and your point?”

“She’s a kid!”

“I don’t think her mama would’ve started teaching her offensive magic if that were entirely true. Nor would the dragons and the unicorns been teaching her their magics.”

“Oh, Flaming Hells. We’re in trouble, aren’t we?”

“At least we’re not bored. And I thought I told you to stay in the chair.”

“More comfortable down here.”

“Right, and I’m a pixie.”

“Without wings.”

Larl sighed, then frowned as Angelique thrust a mug and what looked like a turkey baster into her hands.

“Get all of it in him. Now!” She snarled and handed Rhia another mug. “Drink it! All of it!”

Rhia gaped for a moment, then complied. She gasped and coughed, shuddering as the brew hit her stomach.

“Oh, my Goddess! That is vile!” She wheezed.

Angelique merely grunted, then turned back to the tray on the table. She handed Rhia another mug and another, smaller version of the turkey baster. “One full one for Silky and Nia each, half for Precious and a quarter for Koko.” She ordered, then scowled. “Move it, People. We don’t have a lot of time here.”

Larl smirked as Angelique turned her attention back to the first cauldron that was beginning to send the smell of eucalyptus through the room. Rhia just chortled softly and went to work.

They had just finished dosing all of the familiars when the energy crackle of a gate washed over them. Before they could even blink, Angelique was facing the kitchen’s outside entrance with incandescent fireballs in each hand.

“If you’re going to call fire on me, girl, you’d best be ready for what comes after.” A gravely voice stated.

“Uncle Tremayne!” Angelique screeched and the fire disappeared as she practically tackled him in a fierce hug. He looked surprised and irritated all at once, then returned the hug. A pale yet determined looking woman shouldered her way past him, then stopped dead, staring straight at the familiars and the Faye.

“Oh, we’re too late.” She whispered, her face crumpling into streaming tears.

Tremayne rolled his eyes as he pushed Angelique back and looked down at her.

“What happened?” He demanded.

“Mom. The babies came early.” She said in a shaken voice. “She had twins, can you believe that? Dougal is sick. I’ve got to brew eucalyptus for him. Why does Aunt Quineld look like she’s been bitten by a vampire bat?”

Tremayne snorted, then eyed one of the cauldrons on the flame of the stove. He sniffed, then pointed.

“Make sure she gets some of that in her.” He ordered. “I’m going to see your mom.”

Angelique nodded, then ladled up another mug and led Quineld to a chair, handing the drink to her as she sat. Quineld drained it, then held it out again for more. Angelique refilled it, then began checking on the familiars. She absently helped Rhia back into her own chair, muttered over Bear, patted Larl’s shoulder and went back to stirring her potions.

“I tried to get here as soon as I felt she was in trouble.” Quineld wept. “Tremayne felt Shi’ahani manifest not long after.”

“We didn’t have time to send word.” Rhia replied, rubbing her temples against the ache that persisted. “It all happened too fast.”

“What, exactly, did happen?” Larl put in. “Remember, I was going after the kid to help her. I came back just in time to pull you away from that . . thing. Which reminds me, what the hell did you think you were doing?”

“Kat found out how Alexandria had been keeping Dougal alive. She called Shi’ahani and that idiot flamebird wrapped our souls around Dougal’s. If I hadn’t anchored her when she called the Phoenix spirit, all of them would have died. She simply didn’t have the strength after the birth.”

“Sweet Bridget on a stick. Is she nuts?”

“She’s a mother. It’s all or nothing.” Quineld interjected, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“I think Bear took the hardest hit.” Larl mused, petting his silken ears. “We almost lost him anyway.”

“He’s always been the heart of the group and therefore, the strongest.” Quineld sighed, her eyes tracking Angelique’s every move. The sound of soft hoof falls drew her attention to the extra wide doorway to the kitchen. She suddenly understood the reasons behind all the new renovations Kat had insisted on making to her home. “Oh, my.”

Angelique didn’t even look up as the Unicorn entered the kitchen. He stared at her for a moment, then it seemed as if his expression became condescending and arrogant.

*It reeks in here.* His voice rang out in sneering tones. *What did you do, burn it?*

“It’s not burnt, Torin.” She replied, studiously gazing down at the simmering brew. “It’s supposed to smell like that.”

*You mean like a dung heap? Surely you don’t expect me to believe such a potion could actually be helpful to our new brother.*

“Torin.”

*Perhaps if you were a better midwife, we wouldn’t be in this mess.*

With a screech of rage, Angelique whirled and threw an entire mug full of the restorative brew at him. Torin sidestepped nimbly and it crashed harmlessly into a wall.

*Hit a nerve, didn’t I?*

“There is nothing wrong with my midwifery skills!” She screamed at him, throwing a stirrer at him while the rest of the rooms occupants stared open-mouthed at this never before seen display of temper. “I am a good, no a GREAT healer! I had the best teachers, human, dragon AND unicorn! This is not my fault!”

Torin’s expression gentled as he stepped closer to her, his eyes meeting hers.

*Then why are you blaming yourself, Sister dearest?* He asked in a soft, compassionate tone.

She stared at him, taking in great, gulping breaths of air. With a soft cry, she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his mane. He tucked his head over her shoulder, pulling her closer.

*‘Twill be alright, Love. Angela said so and Angela is never wrong.*

“I want my mother.” She sobbed into his coat.

*I know, Dearest. She’s a bit indisposed at the moment, so I suppose I’ll have to do instead, won’t I?*

Angelique clung tighter as he settled his chin over her back. His eyes met those of Quineld, Rhia and Larl in turn, as if daring them to say a word. Quineld swallowed any censure she may have been about to dish out, while Rhia just stared back.

Larl, however, smirked in full understanding and gave him a slow, mischievous wink.

11. Coming to Terms