Page 20 of My Salvation

Eion, in slow movements, organized the tray as he spoke. “The night before, she shared her one regret. That she wouldn’t be there for you throughout your life. She turned over the house to me and asked me to keep it as it was for your return.” The kettle whistled, and he poured it carefully into two cups. “I remember her smiling. ‘Eion, if she is anything like me, she will not return for some time. I have no right to ask this of you, but please stay and keep this house a home.’ As if I would say no?” Eion shook his head, then picked up the tray to bring it over to them.

Cas wiped at her tears. “You could have let me know! I would have come back.”

Eion raised a brow. “But, would you have been ready to come back? I see so much strength in you that was not there the day you left. You were young and scared, unsure of everything. When I opened the door and saw the woman you have become, I knew with utmost certainty that you had done the right thing. If you had stayed, you would have been a living visitor to a mausoleum. Now, armed with the wealth of life experiences you have earned, you can return home and not have the memories drown you. You can enjoy them.” He handed her a teacup.

“You were all by yourself.”

He shrugged. “I caught up on my reading.”

“The house looks amazing. We were expecting to have to do carpentry when we got here,” Priest complimented.

A sparkle appeared in Eion’s eyes. “I discovered a passion for woodworking.” He turned to her. “You may find new built-ins throughout the home,” he hesitated. “I can change anything you do not approve of.”

“Eion, if you had a hand in it, I know that not only is it of near-perfect quality, it will tasteful and suit the room perfectly.” She laughed. “I’ve been living out of a cardboard box for the past week, so even having furniture again will be lovely.”

Both Eion and Priest turned to her and, in unison, asked. “Why were you living out of a box?”

She looked from her squire to her mate. “We need to hurry up and have a daughter so I’m not outnumbered all the time.”

Priest dropped his teacup.

Eion smiled widely. “Please do! Why not a few of each?”

“Huh?” Priest asked, looking dazed.

Had she broken her mate?

“Priest, did you want children?”

He looked down at the mess he created, then looked over to Eion, then back to her. “Huh?”

Eion clucked his tongue. “You are as naughty as ever. Do not muddle the poor boy so Cassie.” He picked up the cup and placed it on one side of the tray. He then picked up a tea towel to begin cleaning up the floor. “Priest is a warrior, after all. They tend to bash each other over the head on a regular basis. He may be down to two functioning brain cells, and you just scrambled both of them.”

Priest startled, coming back to himself. “Hey, I resent that. I have three functioning brain cells, thank you very much,” he sniffed dramatically, sticking his nose in the air.

Cas couldn’t help it as she broke out into giggles. “Stop it!” she ordered.

Priest smiled. “No, I like hearing you laugh too much.”

Eion put the soggy towel on the tray and sat back, watching them. “He is good for you.”

“If you wanna fuck me later, you better feed me soon!” Meryn yelled, somewhere beyond the sitting room door. Masculine laughter erupted moments later.

Cas and Priest looked at each other, then began laughing themselves. “That’s Meryn. She has this amazing talent, Eion. She inadvertently makes people happy.”

Eion rubbed the side of his nose. “She’s also second in line to the throne after Prince Darian.”

Cas sputtered into her tea. “Are you sure?”

Eion nodded. “Very. And you are correct. She seems to have this innate talent for lifting people up. I hear she is also quite brilliant.”

Priest turned to her. “I’ve seen that lil terror in action. One moment everyone in the room is scared and frowning and basically terrified of the future. The next, she’s said something so obvious your mind goes blank, and you wonder why you never had that very simple thought before. Then she says something outrageous, and you forget you were ever upset.”

Eion poured a fresh cup of tea and handed it to Priest. “I heard her cousin on her mother’s side is the one mated to Prince Darian. And it is from that branch of the family where she gets her empathy. Empaths tend to naturally change the direction of conversation or train of thought as a self-preservation technique.”

“I want nachos!” Meryn bellowed, before they heard the front door open and close.

Eion smiled softly. “The fact that she does not have an inborn sense to hide what she is doing tells me she has not been around people very long.”

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