by Amy Sumida
Trevor took a deep breath and released it.
“I'm glad you killed him,” Kirill said simply.
“And you wanted me to do the things that he did to you,” Trevor concluded.
“We all have horrors we need to wash away,” I whispered. “Will you do that for me? Wash him away with your touch?”
“Minn Elska, don't you know by now?” Trevor sighed as he sank back down between my legs. “I would do anything for you.”
Trevor began to lick me again; his fingers working me as I asked him to. I watched avidly; replacing the image of Ilmarinen with that of my real husband. Kirill angled beneath me and held me until Trevor had banished Ilmarinen's ghost with his glowing eyes and strong tongue. Then my husbands filled me with their bodies and joined us together in love and lust so I could heal them. By the time the screaming came, we were all whole again.
Chapter Forty-Nine
I kissed Trevor and Kirill goodbye in the morning and went to join Arach. I wanted to leave for Faerie before the others woke up. Then I could return before they even knew I was gone.
“I don't want to go,” Rian whined as we headed downstairs in the elevator. “And I haven't seen my sister or brother yet today.”
“I know, honey,” I stroked his crimson hair back from his face; the angles of his features were sharpening as he got older. “But you said goodbye last night, remember? And you can come back and see everyone again soon.”
Rian pouted but nodded as he nestled against my chest. He was too tired to protest too vigorously. We had roused the boys and dressed them while they were still in bed before we carried them out of the suite. Our bags all had shoulder straps so they didn't impede us.
“I mirrored Isleen last night,” Arach said to me. “She'll have a carriage waiting at the Great Tree for us.”
“I can't stay very long,” I whispered. “Vero.”
Arach nodded. “I know. You'll stay the day at least?”
I nodded. “I left some bottles in the fridge for Trevor to feed Vero. That should last him until tonight, but he has formula if he gets desperate.”
“There's something else.” Arach frowned. “What is it?”
“I'll tell you later. Don't worry; it's good.”
“Can we have a pool, Father?” Brevyn sleepily asked Arach.
Arach grimaced as I laughed.
“You can come back here to swim,” Arach said.
“But we won't come back for awhile,” Brevyn protested.
“Please, Dad,” Rian roused himself to beg.
“Dad,” Arach grumbled the word in irritation.
“What's wrong with 'Dad?'” I asked him.
“It should be Daddy or Father,” Arach said imperiously. “Dad is too short a title; a lazy label.”
I chuckled as we exited the elevator and headed into the tracing room. We went to stand before the wall and prepare to trace.
“Please, Daddy,” Rian tried again.
“I will see if it can be done,” Arach relented. “Our soil may not be the best type to place a pool of water in.”
I rolled my eyes. Arach was reaching for excuses, but I wouldn't call him on it. If he didn't want a pool around our castle that badly, then I'd support him in his decision... and his deception. That's what parents do for each other. Otherwise, the children will gain control and life will descend into chaos. Besides; I knew where there was a pool in the Weeping Woods. If it came down to it, I'd take my sons there.
Rian huffed a sigh; he knew a no when he heard it. I ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek. “Come on, my dragons; it's time to go home.”
Arach and I stepped into the Aether together, each holding a child, and came out in the same manner; striding out of the enormous trunk of the Great Tracing Tree of Faerie to find the royal carriage and a retinue of Redcap guards waiting for us.
“Welcome back, My King and Queen!” Fearghal, our Redcap Captain, declared. “And my Princes. You've been missed fiercely.”
“And we have missed you,” Arach said as he fondly smacked Fearghal's massive shoulder. “I'm happy to be home, Fearghal. Any trouble at the castle in our absence?”
“No, King Arach,” Fearghal said. “All be fine here. The Duchess and High Prince been lookin' after us good.”
“I'm glad to hear it,” Arach said as he put Brevyn in the carriage.
“We might get a pool, Fearghal,” Rian said to the Redcap.
“What kind of pool?” Fearghal asked as Arach groaned.
“Water,” I said with a smirk.
“Hot water?” Fearghal asked hopefully. “Like the springs?”
“No; cool water to swim in,” Rian clarified.
“For fun,” Brevyn added when it became apparent that Fearghal couldn't comprehend why anyone would go swimming in a pool of cool water.
Fearghal made a horrified face and turned his wide stare to my husband. Arach subtly shook his head, and Fearghal relaxed.
“Well and good, Prince Rian,” Fearghal said smoothly.
I put Rian down inside the carriage and then climbed in after him. Arach gave Fearghal a smug smile before he joined us. Within moments, we were headed down the Road of Neutrality toward Castle Aithinne; my home at the edge of the Fire Kingdom. I breathed in the sweet air of Faerie and relaxed against the cushioned back of the carriage.
So, you're back, Faerie muttered in my mind.
I chuckled. “It's Faerie,” I explained to Arach before I started speaking to her. “Yep; I'm home. You miss me?”
Hardly, she scoffed. You never leave for more than a few minutes; it was a nice vacation.
“You missed me,” I concluded in a smug tone.
“Hi, Faerie!” The boys chimed together.
Arach chuckled.
Hello, my little dragonlings, she cooed to them. Did you have fun in the God Realm?
“We went swimming!” Brevyn said.
That's lovely.
“And Brevyn turned into a dragon,” Rian added.
Well, it's about time, Brevyn. Faerie huffed. But you can tell me all about it later. Right now, I have to talk to your mother.
“Okay.” Rian yawned and laid down on the bench seat.
“Goodbye, Faerie,” Brevyn added before he did the same.
Alaric told me that your star shone so brightly that it caught his attention in the Void, Faerie announced in my head alone.
“Really?” I snorted. “I'm not surprised. It completely took me over.”
What does that mean?
“It was a lot like the way it feels when you use my body to transmutate faeries,” I tried to explain. “I was there, but I wasn't in control. Although, I had the feeling that I could have resumed control had I wanted to badly enough.”
It took control of you? Her tone went wary.
Is that bad? I switched to speaking to her in my head.
I'm not sure, she admitted grudgingly. I suppose it depends.
I think I needed it to take over. It led me to do what I had to do to save everyone.
And destroy your enemies?
Yes.
Did you get them all?
I... I think so.
You think so? She snapped. I thought you were smarter than that. You didn't check?
Well, I don't know all the Finnish Gods, and I was a little busy saving my men and friends to take notes on who I killed.
Yes; Alaric told me how you were led on a merry chase by Thrud and her minions, Faerie said somberly. I'm very sorry for your ex-lover; the Viking.
Me too. Thor is taking it badly.
But that's no excuse for sloppiness, she chided.
I did destroy the machine they were using to kill gods and take their magic.
And they can't make another?
No; the god who built it is definitely dead.
Well, at least you confirmed that, she huffed.
I killed him first.
And then the Star took control?
Another god tried to take my magic through t
he machine and that's when the Star took control.
Now, that's interesting.
It is?
“Vervain, is everything all right?” Arach stared at me in concern.
“Yeah, honey, just give me a minute,” I reassured him.
Did it act without your prompting? Faerie asked.
No; it was being torn apart, and I begged it to help me.
You had to beg it to help when it was being torn apart? She sounded horrified.
Do you think something's wrong with it?
Hold on; I'm checking.
I felt her touch inside me; an effervescent fluttering in my chest.
It's fine, Faerie said in relief. Completely whole.
Good. I was pretty damn relieved too.
Be more careful, Vervain; that star is powerful. You must control it; do not allow it to control you.
I understand.
And one more thing.
Yes?
Welcome home.
Chapter Fifty
We returned to discover a ruckus.
Isleen usually met us at the drawbridge when we got home, even if it was just a visit to another kingdom, but she wasn't there this time. Arach frowned at Fearghal, but the Redcap just shrugged and plodded into the castle. The phookas pulled the carriage away while Arach, the boys, and I strode inside; our feet thudding hollowly over the metal and wood drawbridge that crossed our magma moat. The heat wafting up from the moat soaked into my skin; another signal to my body that I was home.
We strode into the stone tunnel that served as the castle entrance and headed for the central stairs. Except, when we reached the intersection of the tunnel with the main corridor that ran the length of Castle Aithinne's ground floor, we stopped short.
“Why are there flowers on my walls?” Arach murmured in confusion.
Fire Faeries rushed by us, heading to the left; carrying more flowers, silk ribbons, linens, and other assorted things. They bowed and murmured greetings to us as they passed but no one paused to answer Arach's question.
“Why are there flowers on my walls?!” Arach roared.
The faeries ran for their lives while my boys giggled. Arach let go of Brevyn's hand and instead of heading right, to the central staircase and up to our rooms, he turned left and strode down the hallway furiously; following the trail of hanging bouquets and fleeing faeries. I took Brevyn and Rian's hands and chased after my husband.
We came out into the ballroom. Rows of chairs were set to either side of a central aisle. A cream-colored runner extended the length of that aisle, leading up to a platform that had been constructed at the end of the ballroom; right beside the window with a view of one of Aithinne's two lava flows. An arch of holly and ivy stood on the platform and a giant spray of fire flowers erupted from a vase behind it.
“What in all the realms is going on here?” Arach roared again.
The faeries decorating the room cringed.
“Arach,” I whispered.
“Someone had better explain to me why my ballroom looks like a summer garden!” Arach shouted.
“Arach!” I roared over him.
“What?” He roared back.
Brevyn and Rian laughed uproariously.
“We forgot about Roarke's wedding,” I said with horror.
Arach's face fell as he looked around the room with dawning comprehension.
“You have impeccable timing, My King,” Isleen declared coolly as she entered the room with High Prince Lugh by her side. She noted Arach's stunned expression and grinned. “Roarke and Anna's wedding is in two hours.” She turned to look at the cowering faeries. “The Royal Fire Family is home just in time for the ceremony! Carry on; you're doing an excellent job.”
The faeries went back to work with relief.
“Isleen, why didn't you mirror us?” I asked softly as I led my boys over to her.
“Aunty Isleen!” Rian practically crawled up her dress to hug her.
“Hi Aunty,” Brevyn said as he went to stand patiently in front of her.
“Oh, my boys!” Isleen cried happily as she knelt so she could hug Brevyn too. “I have missed you both so much!”
“We missed you too!” Rian declared. “We went swimming, and Brevyn turned into a dragon!”
“You did?” Isleen asked Brevyn.
“I borrowed my father's dragon,” Brevyn said proudly.
“That's a very good choice,” Isleen whispered and glanced up to smile softly at Arach. “Your father has a most handsome dragon form.”
“Don't I get a hug too?” Lugh asked as he crouched down beside Isleen.
The boys tumbled from Isleen to Lugh, and I sent Lugh a grateful look before I focused back on Isleen.
“I knew that what you were doing in the God Realm was more important than a wedding,” Isleen was finally able to answer me. “Roarke wanted to mirror you, but I refused to allow him to bother you. I did not want you distracted from such a vital mission.”
“We would have welcomed this distraction,” Arach chided her. “There is always time to celebrate love.”
I grinned at Lugh's shocked expression as he stood and extricated himself from my sons. No one ever expects Arach to be a romantic. Even I had been surprised at first. In fact, that first experience I had with Arach's deeply romantic nature had been at our wedding; when we had both gone off script, and he had dropped to his knees to declare that he had nothing but my love to live for.
Damn; I love that dragon.
“You arrived on time regardless,” Isleen said primly. “Fate has a way of stepping in with you and your wife, My King.”
“That it does,” Arach agreed as he slipped his hand around my waist. “Where is the happy groom?”
“Upstairs, preening no doubt,” Lugh said with a laugh. “Roarke's been swaggering around the corridors for days now, as proud as can be.”
“All while the rest of us attempt to organize his wedding.” Isleen rolled her eyes. “The guests should start arriving in a little over an hour. Perhaps you'd like to prepare, My King and Queen?”
“In a moment.” Arach leaned forward and hugged Isleen. “It's good to see you, Duchess. I have missed you terribly.”
Isleen crumpled into that hug and sighed as she laid her cheek on Arach's chest. I smiled softly at them. Isleen had raised Arach. She was basically his mother and this had been their longest separation.
“I missed you too,” Isleen whispered before she pulled away. “I'm dearly relieved that you've returned.”
“Have you had any trouble?” Arach asked in concern. “Fearghal said there was none, but he also failed to mention that there was a wedding today.”
“I asked him not too,” Lugh confessed. “I wanted to see your reaction to all of this.”
Arach grimaced at the High Prince. “Fantastic; I've left a prankster in charge of my kingdom.”
“Only partially in charge,” Isleen reminded Arach. “And no; there weren't any major issues beyond the wedding. Even this has gone rather smoothly.”
“Who is officiating?” I asked.
“The High King agreed to do it,” Isleen said. “But it's your right, King Arach. I doubt King Cian would mind if you wished to step in.”
“I want Queen Vervain to do it,” Roarke declared as he walked—no, Lugh was right; Roarke swaggered—into the room.
“Roarke!” I rushed over to hug him. “I'm so sorry that I forgot about your wedding.”
“You were off saving the Realms—as usual—I think I can forgive that.” He smirked. “As long as you agree to officiate.”
“I don't know how to conduct a wedding,” I protested.
“Oh, please.” Roarke rolled his fiery cat eyes. “You've had enough of them that you should be able to recite the entire ceremony by memory.”
“Only one of them was a faerie wedding,” I reminded him. “And even then, we didn't stick to the traditional lines.”
“As if I care about tradition.” Roarke waved a hand down his body. “He
llo? First Fire Cat-Sidhe in existence; I make tradition!”
