9. Full ‘O Nettles and Brambles
She shivered in the cold, damp air; fingers dug into the ground. She wasn’t sure where she was and wasn’t really sure she cared at this point. She’d just made the shift out of desperation; one thought screaming through her mind “PLEASE!”.
Her entire being felt as if it were on fire. Pain washed through her and nerve endings literally howled a demand that she get away from what was causing it.
It had been a normal enough day. She’d completed her final testing and was now a full-blown mage, no longer an apprentice. She’d gone back to her rooms to share the exciting news with the other two members of her triumvirate.
She’d walked in on a dark magic ritual; one aimed at siphoning her talents for their use. She’d immediately recognized it, as her brother Tremayne had drilled her incessantly in how to recognize just about every dark magic ritual when he’d found out she’d been accepted at the Human High Council’s academy. He’d been obsessed. She’d gotten over her initial shock, knowing that if he felt that strongly about a thing, she’d best listen to him and learn all he had to teach her on the subject. As a result, she knew an adept’s equivalent in Dark Magic when she started her first classes. She also knew enough to keep that a secret, if she didn’t want to be stripped. Dark Magic was supposedly forbidden.
Dayfyd and Lynette were a quarter way through the ritual when she interrupted them. Without a thought, she’d called wind to disperse the blood-sand they’d used to mark out the runes and the circle they stood in to cast. Then, water to extinguish the black candles.
It seemed as if there was a small implosion of power in the room. Lynette had screamed in agony and dropped like a stone. Dayfyd had snarled and begun casting Levin bolts and dark fire at her.
She’d taken two glancing bolts and a full dark fireball to her back before she’d realized he was stronger than her at that moment. She’d focused her will and dove to tackle him, her fingers closing over the amulet he always wore at his throat. It burned her hand even as she ripped it away. She’d rolled to her feet in a burst of energy born of mortal terror, grabbed the granite paperweight off her desk and smashed it into the center of the amulet.
Dayfyd, for a lack of a better term, went insane. He’d scooped up the dagger from the small dark altar on the floor by Lynette and rushed her. She tried to ward him off, but the blade sunk deep into her shoulder twice before she could throw him off. For a moment, she stared at the blood, then saw him scrambling back up. Without hesitation, she’d taken her own blood and drawn a rune on the wall she slumped against. Just as Dayfyd reached her again, she’d screamed “Transfremere!” and felt as if her entire being was being ripped to shreds.
A moment later, she’d collapsed to her knees in her present location. From the corner of her eye, she saw the mangled, bloody remains of something she didn’t want to really look at or acknowledge. She knew she was seconds away from insanity.
“Well, now, ’tis an interesting thing to behold,” a deep, masculine voice stated softly, causing her head to snap up. “The crackle of a dark gate on Sidhe lands and poof, ’tis a wee wounded Little Witch. Tell me, Little Witch, are ye evil and I mun kill ye?”
She stared up at him, shivering, tears welling in her eyes. She could feel them spill down her cheeks as she watched his face take on a feral cast and melt into Sidhe features. The warnings of her teachers came back to her again: “Never let your gaze meet that of a Sidhe’s. For if you do, you will become its helpless slave forevermore.”
She suddenly didn’t care if he killed her. It would stop the pain. She’d trusted Dayfyd and Lynette. The shattering of the triumvirate bond was sending her into madness. She was losing too much blood.
She felt a questing presence against her mind and lifted her eyes to meet his. Without hesitation, she opened her shields, hoping he’d be quick and grant her the mercy of ending her pain.
He let out a startled huff, then swiftly knelt and put his hands against her temples. She noticed his eyes were the loveliest shade of green and he smelled like Spring and summer all rolled into one. His lips twitched, and then a slow, sensual smile curved his mouth upward. She suddenly felt annoyed.
“Oh, do get on with it.” She growled.
“Full o’ nettles and brambles, ye are little witch.” He chuckled softly.
“You’re an asshole.”
“Nay, Lass, I’m a Sidhe”
“That too. Are you going to kill me?”
“Do I have a reason to?”
“You said I was evil”
“Nay, ye misheard, Lass. I asked ye if ye were evil an’ mun I kill ye. I dinna say ye were evil.”
“You’re splitting hairs.”
“I canna see killin’ ye, no’ when I can see the truth o’ why ye used a dark gate.”
“I suppose I’m your slave now.”
He let out a snort of laughter even as he ripped off a strip of his plaid and carefully wrapped a makeshift bandage around her shoulder. She felt a warming sensation even as he stared down into her eyes.
“I’ll no’ hurt ye, Little Witch.” he stated gravely, then winked. “But, I may kiss ye if ye keep lookin’ at me like I’m a tasty treat.”
She sputtered indignantly and he ignored it as he carefully scooped her up into his arms. A fresh wave of agony washed through her and she laid her head against his shoulder, no longer caring what he was going to do with her. She heard him speaking softly in a crooning voice to her, and took a deep breath.
“You have to tell my brother.” She gasped out. “Tremayne Wolfson. He holds a small estate North of Dragon’s Keep. Please. Tell him.”
“Aye, Lass.” He soothed. “But yer no’ dead yet. An’ once mam gets her hands on ye, ye’ll stay among the living.”
She faded into semi-consciousness then, even as he reached the door of a small cottage. He carefully opened the door and carried her in. An elderly woman sat in a rocking chair knitting. Emerald eyes narrowed as she paused in her work at the sight of them.
“Look what I found, Mam.” he announced cheerfully. “Can I keep her?”
“Devin McKenzie, I have half a mind to turn you into a turnip for my stewpot.” The woman snorted as she put aside her knitting and rose to her feet.
“I’d spoil the whole batch an’ wouldn’t that be wasteful?”
“Who is she? Did you find who raised the Dark Gate?”
“She’s kin to Tremayne Wolfson. She raised the gate, Mam. Two other witches bonded to her tried to take her with dark magic. Hurt her fair terrible. She wasna thinkin’ too clear an’ used her own blood to gate. She took the devil’s spawn that hurt her wi’ her by accident.”
“Where is the other one, then?”
“The wards took care o’ him. Her, they let through.”
“She’s not evil, then?”
“Nay. She invited me into herself, Mam”
The old woman gasped sharply, pausing in the middle of examining the stranger’s wounds. She gazed sharply at her son.
“Tell me you didn’t?” She said in a soft, frightened tone.
“Aye, I did.” He stated firmly, his face resolute.
“Devin, you canna be serious!”
“Look for yourself, Mother. Then ye’ll see why.”
The older woman scowled, then placed her hands on the girl’s temples, just as he had. She closed her eyes and spoke softly in ancient Gaelic. Her eyes snapped open at the same moment the girl’s did, only instead of normal pupils, the girl’s eyes swirled with fire. Her body arched. Devin swore and shoved his mother out of the way, his hands replacing hers.
“Here, Little Witch.” he sang in a lilting voice. “Look into my eyes, Wee Little Witch. I’ll no’ hurt ye.”
Flame filled eyes focused on him. The faint echo of a bird of prey’s scream filled the air. He felt her mind slam into his and opened for her.
“Nay!” His mother cried forlornly, but it was too late.
“Bound to ye, I am, Little Witch.” Devin crooned, lowering his face to hers. “On this day, and forever. Ye have a year and a day to reject me. Will ye accept me now, Little Witch?”
*SHE ACCEPTS, AS DO I. BE WARNED, SIDHE LORD, YOUR TRICKS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. TREAT HER WELL AND EARN MY FAVOR. DO NOT, AND THE FIRES OF HELL WILL BE COLD COMPARED TO WHAT I WILL BRING DOWN UPON YOU AND YOUR LINE.*
“Aye, then. Ye’ll be my treasure, Little Witch.”
With that, he claimed her lips in a soft, gentle kiss, then sat up to gaze down at her. The fire faded from her eyes and they closed in sleep.
“Are ye daft, ye stupid mon?!” his mother screeched as he got shakily to his feet. “That witch is host to a Phoenix spirit! D’ye have any idea o’ what ye’ve done?”
“Apparently, made ye stop talkin’ proper English.” he shot back then grunted as she slapped the back of his head. “Och! Donna do that!”
“A Phoenix Spirit, Devin!”
“Aye, an’ yer point?”
“She’ll be uncontrollable.”
“I dinna want to control her! I want to protect her!”
“It’s you who’ll need protecting!”
“Did ye no’ see what was done to her? Did ye no’ see that tripe she was taught by those humans? Her brother was right to teach her what he did! He knew, or at least suspected what she was! But, he also knew she had to be taught control before she did become unstable and destroy everything in her path!”
“An’ now she canna go back!”
“Then we’ll teach her!”
His mother staggered back two steps, gaping at him as if he were truly insane. He pulled a bottle down out of her cupboard along with two glasses, then poured a generous amount of amber liquid into each one with a shaking hand. He held one out to his mother, not surprised when she snatched it and gulped it down all at once. He swallowed his own glass in one gulp, then poured them another. This time, they drank more slowly. Then, she put her empty glass on the table and resolutely squared her shoulders, her eyes flashing in determination.
“Well, then.” she stated in a no nonsense tone. “We’d best get her cleaned up and her hurts seen to. All of them. You’d best let your Uncles know there’s no cause for alarm. Let them think it was the other one only. They can’t know about her right now.”
“They’ll not take kindly to being lied to.” Devin remarked.
“It’s not a lie, not really. When she’s strong enough, we’ll see to telling them then. They’ll need time to know her first. Tell them as much as they need to know right now. A dark mage opened the gate, intending to sacrifice the girl.”
“Half-truths.”
“Have you ever seen a Phoenix Spirit wreak havoc on the land, Devin?”
“No.”
“Nothing survives. Nothing. If you tell them the truth now, they’ll try to kill her and the Phoenix Spirit will wipe the Sidhe off the face of this earth along with everything and everyone else it encounters.”
“Holy seven Hells!”
“Now do you understand?”
Devin nodded, taking a deep, shuddering breath. He poured another shot of the liquor into each glass.
“I think we should get drunk first.” He remarked.
“Stupid man.” She snorted, but didn’t say no. Instead, she went to go begin tending the girl’s wounds.
“Her name is Kat.” He sighed softly. “Katarina Wolfsdaugher. The Phoenix calls her Shi’Ahani.”
“‘Wise Mother’ in the old tongue. Well, you’d best hope that she does have wisdom and isn’t the fragile thing she looks like.”
“A bramble bush looks fragile. So does a nettle stalk. She’s full o’ both.”
“Well, in that case, she won’t be boring. Are you going to stand there and get plastered or come and help me?”
“Aye, I’ll be helping ye with my wife.”
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
My eyes met his as he knelt between my raised knees and the memories of our first meeting faded out of my mind. I growled half-heartedly as he crooned at me, his face full on Sidhe. Angel knelt behind me, her hands intertwined with mine.
“Not now, Mother,” she said in a calm, cajoling voice. “You can turn him into a frog later. Right now, I need his help. Dad, it seems my year for babies that insist on coming into this world backwards. You’re going to have to see if you can convince the little brat to turn.”
I felt a burst of anger wash over me, radiating from my belly towards Angel.
“Yes, you are being a little brat.” Angel stated firmly. “If you weren’t, you’d turn around and come out right and stop being silly. It’s supposed to feel like you’re being squeezed and I don’t care if it is giving you a headache. If you come out the wrong way, you could kill mom and yourself. Now, wouldn’t that be stupid, Brat?”
A feeling of hesitant consideration, then grudging acknowledgement. Angel sighed in exasperation.
“I’m going to adore you, but you are going to be such a pain in my ass, I can already tell.” she snorted.
“Angel!” I heard Rhi giggle helplessly from one side. Then an agonizing wave of pain swept over me as it felt like my belly was going to burst. I screamed harshly, letting go of Angel’s hands and sitting all the way up. Devin caught my arms as I tried to roll to my feet.
“Nay, Little Witch!” He said in a crooning voice, his eyes commanding my gaze. “Ye mun not!”
“I want my mother.” I whimpered in his ear as he gently eased me back.
“I am sorry, Little Witch, I wish I could give her to ye.”
A resounding slap sounded and he yelped, grabbing the back of his head.
“Och! Donna do that!” He growled, turning to look at the offender, then froze stiff. “Mam?”
I looked up at the shade of my mother in law and raised my hand imploringly. She rolled her eyes at me and shook her head as if exasperated with the whole lot of us. Then she bent down and reached into my belly. I gasped sharply, both from the sensation and from the sudden shock and dismay radiating from my as yet unborn daughter. Then, Esme straightened, solemnly winked at me, blew me a kiss and disappeared. I felt a sense of rage from my coming daughter, then couldn’t focus on anything else as a sudden contraction rippled through me, then another on top of that. If I hadn’t been in so much pain, the expression on Devin’s face would have been priceless.
“Oh, Sweet Heavens above!” Angel exclaimed, trying to get me into the final birthing position. I felt Rhi and Larl each take one of my arms and literally drag me upright, then back down into a kneeling position.
“Bloody f’n hell!” I grunted and Devin barely had time to catch her as a final contraction pushed my stubborn daughter out into the world. She immediately set up a wailing to set my teeth on edge.
“Aye, and she’s fair pissed.” he remarked.
“Oh, do tell. I want to smack her bottom.” I ground out.
“I think her grandam already did that.”
“What? How?”
“Can ye no’ feel it? Mam put a binding on her. A Sidhe binding. She’ll still ha’ a will to match yer own, but no way to back it up.”
“I thought you said she couldn’t be bound?” Angel spluttered.
“No’ by a male. It has t’ be done by the matriarch of the line. I assumed that since Mam had passed, we’d ha’ to teach her control without it.”
“I hate you.” I remarked over a grunt as another contraction hit me.
“Oh, Sweet Bridget.” Rhi inhaled. “Another one?”
“Apparently.” Larl replied, her hands supporting me as Angel reached down and deftly helped the second surprise for the day come into the world. “Wow. If the dad’s equipped like that, I’m jealous.”
“A boy. It figures.” I snorted, listening to a second, less nerve wracking weak and thready wail join the first. “I think I know why she was being stubborn. Put him next to his sister.”
“What?” Devin asked dazedly.
“Just do it.” I snapped, feeling exhausted. Larl rolled her eyes and took the now swaddled baby and held him next to his sister. His hand waved feebly. Hers smacked into his and instantly closed over his wrist. His cries immediately quieted while hers became more defiant.
“Oh, stop that.” I snorted in exasperation and reached out for both of them. They were placed in my arms as Rhi and Larl supported me. “I don’t know why you thought you had to hide him. No one is going to hurt him. We’ve waited a long time for both of you. You’ve had 9 months to see who I really am, and frankly, you’re being silly if you think he wouldn’t be welcomed into this household. I promise you, Alexandria, we will love and cherish you both.”
“Mom, what’s going on?” Angel demanded. “You’re scaring Dad.”
“Dougal is sick, Angel.” I said calmly. “His lungs aren’t working properly. Alexandria was afraid we wouldn’t accept him. We need to get an infusion of eucalyptus leaves brewing before they fail.”
“Mommy?”
I closed my eyes against the scared little girl tone of her voice.
“Now, Angelique.” I stated softly. “I can’t move yet. Take Larl and have her help you. Rhi, send a messenger to Ian. I can’t spare Angel. Tell him I need him to send a request to the Unicorn Queen. Tell him her daughter’s newborn brother needs a unicorn healer. Devin, you need to pull yourself together. You’re going to have to send for Tremayne. If Joya won’t send a healer, I’m going to need him. Move, people.”
Angel literally scrambled up and ran for my workroom, Larl striding purposefully after her. Rhi was already whispering to a butterfly-like creature in the palm of her hand. When it zipped off, she turned to me. Calmly, she reached over and smacked Devin upside the back of his head.
“Och! Donna do that!” he grouched, but seemed to snap out of his daze. “I need a drink.”
“Later, Elf boy.” Rhi stated and arched an eyebrow at him. “We’ve got work to do. Starting with getting your wife cleaned up and into a bed.”
“No,” I shook my head. “No bed. Alexandria needs to nurse. Dougal needs to stay in an upright position. They need to stay in constant contact. She was keeping him alive that’s why she was so pissed that Esme bound her magic. She was breathing for both of them.”
“That’s not possible.” Devin let out a shuddering breath.
“No one told Alexandria that. So she did it. Precious, I know you’re back there, Fuzzball. Go get the others.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Mother’s prerogative.”
“Come on, Devin, we need to get her cleaned up.”
They lifted me, babies and all and helped me stand. We somehow got me changed out of my soiled nightgown and into a clean one, complete with slippers and robe. Then they helped me sit in the rocking chair by the new crib Devin had crafted. I looked around at the overlarge chamber that had been converted into the new nursery. Devin helped me unbutton the nightgown and set Alexandria to nursing just as Precious, Bear, Nia, Silky and Koko came into the room. Bear and Nia took up positions on either side of me, leaning against my legs hard. Koko zipped up to burrow in my hair. Silky raised up to place her paws on my knees while Precious nimbly made the jump from the floor to my shoulder. I winced as she dug in her claws for balance.
“What are you doing, Kat?” Devin asked in a soft, warning tone.
“Saving our son’s life.” I replied quietly, then laid my cheek against Alexandria’s forehead. “Show me.”
The knowledge of what she had done to keep her brother alive flowed into my mind. I slowly raised my head, tears beginning to spill down my cheeks.
“Devin, I love you.” I stated softly. “I have always loved and will forever love you.”
Then I laid my cheek against my son’s forehead, hearing his labored breathing. I heard a cry of denial as I called the Phoenix.
I felt claws and teeth anchoring me, and strong hands at my shoulders.
“Stay back, Devin McKenzie! This is woman’s magic!” I heard someone snap in a very authoritative tone.
I felt the Phoenix spirit regarding me in a kind of impassive scrutiny, as if I was something under a microscope. Then, it seemed to shrug and reached out a wickedly cruel beak that gently took hold of my son’s flickering soul thread and entwined it with my own and the other bright threads surrounding me. Immediately, I could feel my own lungs begin to labor for air even as his breathing steadied.
I don’t know how long I sat that way, teeth and claws digging into various locations of my body and those hands clamped down on my shoulders, my lungs burning with the need for oxygen I just couldn’t seem to draw in enough of.
Then abruptly, I felt a sudden, stinging snap and full awareness burst over me again.
“No!” I wailed, heartbroken, thinking I’d failed.
*Peace, Shi’ahani.* A gentle voice soothed me. I stared into soft amethyst eyes and dimly recognized the Unicorn Heir herself. Another male her age stood flank to flank with her, his horn tip resting against my heart. Her horn moved back down to rest gently against Dougal’s chest. *Twill take me a few more moments to right his lungs.*
“Don’t you ever do that again!” Devin spat angrily, his face drawn in harsh lines of anguish as he tried to push past four Unicorn Stallions who refused to budge. A solid Black stallion stood behind the heir, and he turned his attention briefly to Devin.
*The human stallion acts like he’s been gelded.* he remarked, turning his gaze to me. *Did you not explain what you were doing?*
“I didn’t have time.” I whispered.
*Ah. I see. Then, he is justified in wanting to ‘spank you silly’?*
“Probably”
*Hmm. I see where my heart-sister gets it from now. Angela, Torin, are you about finished? I cannot hold her mate for much longer without harm.*
*The silly female nearly burned herself out.* The male in front of me snorted in a scathing tone. *I can be finished now, but she’ll suffer from it. That’s not entirely a bad thing. Angela?*
*I am done with the colt, Torin. And be nice. Angelique is quite beside herself. I am going to see to our sister while you finish with her dam.*
*Angelique is busy threatening Merlin. She’s fine.*
*No, she isn’t, Torin. Sometimes, you’re heartless.*
*I think you should take over and I should see to our sister.*
*What a stellar idea. She can geld you instead of Merlin.*
I watched as Torin rolled his eyes. He shoved her gently and her horn replaced his. I watched the black stallion nod his head at the other four and they parted to let Devin through. He immediately dropped to his knees beside the filly and put his head in my lap. I stared helplessly as he broke down into harsh sobs. Arms full of babies, I couldn’t hold him.
*Did you not realize that your bond with the Sidhe means that if you die, he dies too?* Angela asked me gently.
“What?” I hissed in surprise. “He never told me that!”
“I didna want to scare ye, Little Witch.” Devin stated, raising his head to look at me. “Ye were so full of half-truths and superstitions about the Sidhe, I had to go slowly wi’ ye.”
“It’s been over 13 years, Devin!”
“I dinna think ye’d ever be a complete blockhead and do somethin’ so bluidy stupid!”
“I had no choice, Devin. He was dying in my arms!”
“Ye shoulda told me!”
“There wasn’t time!”
“Ye shoulda made time!”
“The familiars kept me grounded.”
“No, they didna! If Rhi hadna grabbed ye, all o’ ye would be gone!”
“The Phoenix wrapped Dougal with my soul!”
“Nay, Little Witch, the Phoenix wrapped Dougal in your soul and with your familiar’s souls. All of them.”
By this time, Dougal was whimpering softly and Alexandria was beginning to wind up for a truly nerve shattering harpy screech. Angela was regarding us with a soft, amused yet compassionate gaze. Talon and his quads were regarding us with rapt fascination.
“Well, this was very entertaining, now it’s just getting cloying.” I heard my brother’s sarcasm from behind the quads. I heard a sharp smack and one of the quads snorted in outrage. “Then move your rump, Horn face. Good lord, Boy, what are you doing down there?”
Tremayne shouldered his way through the unicorns, oblivious of their outrage and Talon’s amusement. He paused to tickle Angela under her chin, making kissing noises. Then he reached down and hauled Devin up to his feet with one hand.
“Come on, Boy. Quineld is fussing over your eldest and crying all over everything. That scary brown haired girl is alternating between hovering over Morgan le Faye looking like she’s going to spit anything male over a hot fire at any moment and those five furballs of Kat’s while Angelique doses everyone she can reach with some vile concoction that is stinking up your kitchen. You and me need to get out of here and go get stinking drunk or something.”
“Have ye gone daft, Mon?” Devin snarled, his Sidhe features sliding into place. “D’ye no’ know what just happened?”
“Yup. Miss Flamey Feathers interfered long enough for the healer to get here, with her usual disregard for human or other species’ feelings in the matter. Felt her manifest all the way North of Dragon Keep and figured I’d better gate myself and Quineld here. Only time I feel that kind of yank is when she’s about to get lose from Kat. Hurts like a bitch and leaves me with a mother of all headaches. Way I figure, if I need a stiff drink, you most likely need a whole bottle of sewer swill. And that’s enough of that, young lady, you’re setting my teeth on edge.”
My brother reached out and firmly shut Alexandria’s mouth mid-yowl. She stopped crying out of sheer surprise.
“You ok, Sis?” He grunted at me.
“Just peachy.” I replied drolly.
“Well, you look like something a Hippogriff yakked on.”
“Gee thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Are you done being a complete idiot now?”
“I don’t know. I thought I’d take a break for awhile, get something to eat, then contemplate my next crisis.”
“Well, wait until the boy and I leave. We want to enjoy our drinks. We’re rather superfluous anyway.”
“I just gave birth, Tremayne.”
“Millions of women do it everyday. You just happened to over-dramatize it.”
“I can turn you into a frog.”
“Does she threaten you with that one, Boy?”
“All the time.” Devin nodded almost absently as he gazed between us.
“Hunh. Then I was right.”
“About what?” I interposed in a deadly tone.
“You have no imagination when it comes to threats.” he and Devin chimed at the same time. I narrowed my eyes at them both.
“Did I say that out loud?” Devin mused.
“Why, I believe you did.” Tremayne said with mock horror. “How shocking.”
“I think we should go get that drink now.”
“Yes, let’s.”
I growled as Tremayne clamped a hand on Devin’s arm and firmly led him from the room. Angela whickered in soft amusement and at her head toss Talon and the quads left the chamber.
*Males are the same, no matter what form they wear.
* She stated as she nuzzled my cheek. *You frightened them, Shi’ahani.
*
“I frightened myself.” I let out a deep breath and snuggled my new daughter and son closer. “I could feel him fading away. There was no time.”
*He will still need careful tending. You were right to have Angelique brew eucalyptus. He will need to have the potion applied to his chest three times a day. You must also see to it he does not lay flat when sleeping for his first month. It would be best if you and your mate alternated your schedules so that someone is always awake to watch him. I will come to check on him myself every third day until he is fully recovered.*
“I am indebted to you.”
*You are family. My sister’s dam. Which means you are second mother to myself, Torin and Talon. Now, I must go make sure Torin is not pestering our sister. If he pushes her into a tantrum, I will be quite cross.*
“Tantrum? Angelique?”
*Oh, yes, Second Mother, Torin can vex her quite spectacularly. He does it to make her think of things less troublesome. She sees through his motives, but still falls prey to his manipulations.*
“She lets him goad her into losing her temper to make him feel better. He goads her into losing her temper because to see her afraid or helpless is his undoing.”
*Quite. It’s rather exasperating. It has been that way since our birth. Hers was the first face we saw, the first to touch our minds and our hearts. We both fell in love with her strength and bravery, then she promptly burst into tears. Torin was appalled and terrified. He immediately set about distracting her, to the point of denying his hunger to comfort her. He has been hers ever since. If he were a male of your species, he would be her devoted mate. As it stands, he is and always will be, her champion. I am also hers, for she treats my twin with gentle care and love and I see that if he were a male of your species, her heart would be his completely. If it were in my power, I would grant him the ability to become human, for both their sakes.*
“The older they get, the deeper the love will grow. Oh, my poor cub. But, I saw her with a Sidhe lord. One with black hair and green eyes ringed in…Oh, my.”
Angela gave me a long, measuring look, then shook her head, snorting softly.
*Best let the thing run naturally. If there is a way, in time, it will be found. Now, I suggest you get some rest. I will call one of the others to come and take the foals.*
“Thank you.”
She nuzzled my cheek again then turned and gracefully picked her way out of the room. I sighed, settling my head back against the wood of the rocking chair. For a moment, I felt a sense of complete peace. Then a loud shriek and the crash of something breaking intruded. I sighed again.
Esme had promised me life as the wife of a Sidhe would never be boring.
