Page 90 of My Eternal Light

Aldrya nodded slowly. “It may become a thankless task. Your own children may feel neglected and resentful.”

Draven spoke up. “No, we won’t. Momma says that love only grows. With all the new kids we’ll have a ton of love to go around. If momma and papa are busy, we can always go to Aeron or Aralea.” He scrunched up his nose. “We’d also go to Kincaid, but momma says he’ll be busy being mated for a while.”

Kincaid felt his cheeks flush.

Aldrya simply laughed. “Being mated can be time consuming,” she said, then looked at him her eyes twinkling. “What of you Master Witch? You would not only have to share your family but also your mate.”

“I feel the same as Draven, it’s not taking something from me when I get so much from it as well. I started with five brothers and sisters, now I have over twenty. We had our parents, but now we have you and Kyrn.” He shrugged. “I guess I just saw it as my family getting bigger.”

Aldrya was contemplative, then finally turned to his mate. “What do you think?”

Zadie looked up at him and when he looked into her eyes, it was as if he could see love itself. “I have never been happier in my life.”

Aldrya handed Ember to Giles, then walked over to the side of the garden. “From this moment forth, the Bayberry family will be under my protection.” She lifted her arms and green leaves and branches began to spill forth from the ground.

He watched in amazement as a huge bayberry bush grew along one side of the garden.

Aldrya turned to them. “Welcome to House Eirson. Thank you, for taking care of my children.”

Not knowing what else to do, his mother just stepped forward and hugged the spirit.

Aldrya’s eyes widened, and she let out tinkling laughter. “I can see now why your children have such large hearts.”

His mother stepped back wiping at her eyes. “Thank you, for giving us a home, when ours is no longer safe for us to return to.”

Aldrya looked back at the large shrub. “You will always have a place here,” she said, then faded back into her tree.

“Just when I thought I had seen it all,” his father said, bouncing Hazel.

“Jessup, let’s get the kids to bed. It’s been a long day for everyone,” his mother suggested.

Kincaid gave everyone hugs and kisses and watched as his parents corralled the kids into the house to get ready for bed.

A warm hand took his. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Zadie asked.

He placed her hand on his side. “See? Not even a scratch. The bad guys just got in a lucky shot.”

“Was it bad?”

He looked over to the lone birch tree and nodded. “One day later we would have lost them all.”

She gave his hand a squeeze. “Let’s go to bed. Let’s just go upstairs cuddle and go to sleep. Tomorrow we’ll start again.”

He brought her hand up and kissed it. “Great idea.”

With her at his side and his family under the same roof, he truly felt like he had come home.

*****

The next afternoon, Kincaid looked around the dining table in the queen’s chambers and couldn’t fight the growing pit of dread in his stomach. The queen was still sleeping in her room, exhausted beyond measure and Brennus was pacing around the room like a caged animal.

Outside, though several hours after dawn, the sky remained dark and grey. There was no hint of the sun anywhere.

“I don’t want theories. I want to help Auntie!” Meryn exclaimed. “You all are like old and stuff, what can we do to help?”

Kendrick looked away, unable to answer.

Thane sighed. “Meryn, she’s tired.”

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