Aine returned the smile, and it pleased me. I noticed she didn’t smile often. It made me kind of sad to think why that was—that she’d not had a lot of reason to smile.
“He needs the help,” was all she said.
But I could tell that my words pleased her as well. The sense that this would be a friend that I’d had from the beginning increased.
I turned my mind to another matter. “That doesn’t help you, though, does it?” I asked Jharak.
He frowned slightly. “What do you mean? And Brennan, please sit down. It disturbs the ability to eat in peace with you looming.”
I looked down to hide my smile. It was funny to see how Brennan’s parents—well, his dad—talked to him sometimes.
Brennan sat, and I continued. “You still don’t have an heir for the Fae Throne.”
One blond eyebrow arched at my words. “Are you predicting my demise sometime soon, Iris? Letting me know that I should get my affairs in order?”
I laughed. “No, don’t be silly. But this whole mess involved who gets to be king, right? If Drake is the Dragon King, then who takes over thousands of years from now for you? Do you have, like, a cousin or something?” I looked around the table.
Jharak smiled. “I have found that these things have a way of working themselves out. I’ve been concerned over Eilor’s reign for some time, but hadn’t seen a solution to it. Now one has presented itself, and while it will take time, it will be the correct solution.”
“I’ll enjoy watching you make that happen,” Brennan said to his father, the dry tone showing his humor.
Jharak waved a hand at Brennan. “You’ll see. It will work out as it’s supposed to.”
I decided to take the bull by the horns. “Where’s Nerida?” I asked.
“She’s keeping to our rooms. She’s not happy with any of us at the moment,” Jharak said.
“Oh? Will that all work out, too?” Brennan teased.
I was relieved to see that Brennan didn’t seem too put out by his mother’s behavior, or sulking. I supposed that it was because she’d seen her child die…but I found that I couldn’t feel a lot of sympathy. The guy was nuts. He’d have murdered us all, if he could have. So he had to die, so that we could live.
But I guess she didn’t see it that way. I mentally shrugged to myself. That was going to be her problem to manage.
Talk turned to other, lighter subjects, and we’d all finished eating when a member of the household staff burst in, red-faced and flustered.
“Your Majesty, I am sorry—” he began, but he was shoved out of the way by someone coming through the door.
Jharak and Brennan were on their feet instantly.
I had stood also, and backed closer to the wall. Then I peered at the person who burst in.
“Mara?”
I couldn’t believe it. My grandmother, in her human clothing, stood next to the poor staff guy, hands on hips, and she was pissed.
“Well, so you’re safe.” Her anger landed on me.
“Uh…why wouldn’t I be?”
“Claire and Paul called me, and told me that you and that brother of yours,” she directed this at Brennan, “Had shown up and grabbed a bunch of things and been shifty as hell! What is going on? And don’t lie to me, especially you!” She glared at Jharak.
“Imara, how nice to see you again. It’s been a long time. Please sit down,” Jharak gestured towards the table. “Can we offer you some refreshment?”
“Don’t pull the pleasantries with me, Jharak. You haven’t exactly been on my good list for all this time. Neither you nor Nerida.”
What was that about? That suggested a lot more than she or Nerida had mentioned. I made a mental note to ask, when she wasn’t ready to tear someone’s hair out.
“Mara, how did you get here?” I asked. “I’m fine, by the way. Things went sideways, but they’re better now. And I’m glad you’re here.” I walked over to her, giving her a hug. I found that I was glad—we could share our news, and then my mom and dad would know soon.
She held my face in her hands. “You’re really all right? I know the scheming of this family. You’re not lying to me?”
“I don’t lie. You know that.”
She hugged me back. “It’s good to see you again, my girl.” She stood back, hands on my shoulders. “Something is different, though. What is it?” She peered at me.
I couldn’t stop the smile. I glanced at Brennan, and then to everyone else. “Well, it looks like you’re going to be a great-granny.”
She stared, and then a grin spread across her face. “Really? You’re sure?”
I nodded, feeling the tears prick at the corner of my eyes.
She pulled me to her, hugging me tightly.
The impact of what I’d said hit Jharak, and he was hugging Brennan. Even Aine offered congratulations, her eyes showing that she was pleased for us.
Mara sat next to me as I began to share the story of how we’d found Brennan.
“Oh, shit!” I exclaimed, as a thought came to me.
“What?” several voices asked at once?
“We need to go pay a visit to some wolves,” I grinned, thinking about it.
This was going to be fun.
Maybe Jharak was right. Things did have a way of working out.
Realms of the Goblin King (The Realm Trilogy Book 3) Page 17
