Page 66 of My Eternal Light

Kyla grabbed her throat. “Those poor babies.”

Zadie took a chance and pressed the issue now. Better to know right from the start. “It’s true that their fathers were the same ones responsible for the deaths of so many fae.”

Kyla’s expression saddened.

“But, it’s also true that those children suffered more than any fae at their hands,” she challenged.

“I know what you do,” Kyla said, softly. “You needle me for their sake.”

“Of course, I am. I will be responsible for teaching them and helping them grow.”

Kyla hesitated. “What are they like?”

Zadie blinked. “The children?” She stopped. “Not like children actually. Cody and Cana show more spunk than the rest, but they’re quiet. They’re all too quiet to be healthy. They watch everyone carefully to make sure they are angering no one. The older kids won’t eat until the younger ones do. And they’re all too damn obedient.”

Kyla started to smile then. “That’s an odd thing to hear from a caretaker. You want rambunctious children?”

Zadie shook her head. “I want to see the children be able to run and play without fear in their eyes. I don’t want their choices hindered by the decision-making process stemming from whether what they’re about to do will result in pain or starvation.”

Kyla straightened. “I can assist during the day but won’t be able to do evenings or overnights. When I received the queen’s request I thought it some kind of test, but in your words, I see now what it was.” She clenched her hands into fists. “It was her hope. I am ashamed to say, I almost let her down.”

Zadie held out her hand and slowly Kyla took it. “I trust you more knowing you hesitated, that you acknowledged your own pain and still said yes.”

Kyla gave her hand a squeeze. “The day I got the queen’s message I was hosting my small sewing circle. We all discussed it together. Tell the queen starting next week, myself, Cedra Ri’Emer, Trisa Li’Oplin and Farie Vi’Brinelle will be able to take care of the infants from seven in the morning through two o’clock in the afternoon. Cedra and I will be able to do Monday thru Wednesday. Trisa and Farie Thursday thru Saturday. There will be a slight gap midday, but our grandmothers will be able to do seven in the evening to seven in the morning. My grandmother, Willow Ri’Isthe, and Cedra’s grandmother, Prisa Li’Morinin will cover the same days that we do, Monday through Wednesday while Trisa’s grandmother, Ulie Li’Farro and Farie’s grandmother, Nyra Ri’Emro will do evenings from Thursday through Saturday. Sundays will be our days off. It is the best we can offer.”

“Are you kidding! That’s nearly round the clock care! We couldn’t ask for more. You all are true angels,” Zadie exploded, causing Kyla to step back a bit, then smile.

“Children, all children are gifts from the gods. I would hope that if something were to happen to me, that my children would be as loved and looked after,” she admitted.

“You have no idea how good it is to hear that,” Zadie said. “Humans don’t have such ideology. I lost both of my parents before I came of age and there was no one to raise me.”

Kyla frowned fiercely. “Where did you go?”

“The government sent me to live with a random family that got paid for me to live in their house. I endured that for a few years while I was in school, then a favorite teacher of mine showed me how to apply for scholarships and grants, so I could pay for college. After that, I worked and went to school supporting myself.”

“How old were you when you were supporting yourself,” Kyla asked.

“Seventeen.”

“Surely, you mean one-hundred and seventeen.”

Zadie laughed. “If I was one-hundred and seventeen, I’d be more wrinkled than Baba.” She frowned. “Actually, I’d probably be dead. Humans don’t live that long.”

“You were just a child, a baby yourself,” Kyla said, looking like she was trying to make sense of it all.

Zadie shrugged and Kincaid wrapped an arm around her waist. Smiling, she leaned into him. “It’s why I took a job that let me help children.”

Kyla huffed then straightened her back. “We do not do that in Éire Danu. Baba! Do you have anything for infants? I need to see all you have. Blankets too.”

Zadie looked up at Kincaid who gave her a single nod. The children had a true champion now.

“Kyla, there are four boys and a little girl for the infants. Dane, Dariel, Dillon, Dion and Damira,” Zadie said.

“Oh, those are lovely names and all with the letter ‘D’.”

She hesitated, then continued. “They were all born five years apart. The oldest, the fifteen-year-olds have ‘A’ names, the ten-year-olds, ‘B’ names and the five-year-olds, ‘C’ names.”

“That’s strange,” Kyla replied.

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