Page 67 of Above Cursed Winds

Unlike adult Raeths, their children required sustenance as often as a human. Their magic hadn’t yet fully developed, and their needs were similar to a mortal’s. Myko, like the other younglings of their clan, would remain vulnerable until they’d settled into their immortality.

It was less than ten minutes later that Jeremiah returned.

Eyeing Sehrin warily, the Elemental grabbed plates and flatware for the table just as Zia was finishing the pancakes. “You want powdered sugar, little man?”

A smile tugged at her lips. The ease of it all, the way Jeremiah readily slotted into their lives, like he’d always been there, made her outrageously happy. At Myko’s nod, Jeremiah grabbed the powdered sugar from the proper cabinet—that he himself had finished—and set it in front of her son.

Sehrin’s eyes were narrowed. Clearly, he’d noticed the same thing Zia had.

“So, Elemental, when are you leaving?” The comment held clear dark undertones. “Seems to me you’ve intruded on Zia’s goodwill long enough.”

When Zia opened her mouth to protest, Jeremiah smiled casually. “I’ll leave whenever Z wants me to leave. It’s her house, after all. Not mine. And certainly not yours, either.”

“While that may be true, my son lives here, and I’ve every reason to look out for his wellbeing.” Measuring Jeremiah up and down, Sehrin sneered. “I’d rather not have vagrants living with my family.”

Perturbed at Sehrin’s condescending tone, Zia glowered at him from across the table. Sitting among them was their child, and he didn’t need to be a part of his father’s temper tantrum.

“Enough, Sehrin,” she warned.

Myko perked. “What’s a vagrant?”

“Look it up, boy.”

The male Raeth didn’t take his eyes of Jeremiah, prompting him for a response. A pulse of power ricocheted off Zia’s psychic shields, and she stiffened, abruptly wondering if the Elemental had any form of mental protection. She hadn’t ever had to worry about it before, and the question was suddenly all consuming.

Smiling thoughtfully, Jeremiah explained, “A vagrant is someone who doesn’t have a home, Myko.”

“But Jeremiah does have a home, father.” Myko frowned toward Sehrin, forking the last bit of his pancakes. “He lives here. He even sleeps in mom’s bed sometimes. They’re friends.”

If Zia had doubted Sehrin’s antagonism before, there was no question now. The massive Raeth male sent a malicious wave through the room, as if finally realizing the threat to his casual arrangement. While they’d been intimate a couple of times after conceiving Myko, Zia had never wanted anything formal with Sehrin, and neither had he. He was simply the only outlet she had who was immune to her curse, and he was tolerable for short periods of time. Not exactly a great recommendation.

Now, it seemed, Sehrin’s misplaced possessiveness had been revealed.

“Is that so?”

Dripping with malice, Sehrin’s words were now positively glacial. Moreover, the man’s power scrubbed abrasively at her skin, an itch she couldn’t scratch away. In response, a wave of her own psychic energy washed out from her in a tide, reminding the offending Raeth he wasn’t alone in his strength.

“You’re about to step over a boundary you have no business in crossing, Sehrin,” Zia seethed. “Not here. Not now.”

Sehrin never took his eyes off Jeremiah.

Jeremiah registered the contest, but didn’t mention it, staying focused on Myko instead. “Hey, bud, can you go make sure there aren’t any leaks in the basement like I taught you? With all this rain, I’d be surprised if it was still totally dry down there.”

“Oh yeah!” Myko beamed. “I’ll check it out.”

“And then play games for a bit, buddy.” Zia covered her building tension behind a tight smile. “We’re gonna talk silly grown-up stuff for a bit.”

No need to ask him twice. Within five seconds, he was slamming the basement door behind him, leaving all three adults in an odd triangle around the dining room table.

Sehrin’s unforgiving gaze hadn’t once left Jeremiah. “Who do you think you are?”

“As you seem to have forgotten, I’m Jeremiah.” Offering his hand, Jeremiah smirked ostentatiously. “Wind Elemental. Handsome devil. Handyman extraordinaire. Take your pick; I’ve got more.”

Scoffing, Sehrin seethed, “You’re barely one step above those rubbish human mortals. Besides being a glorified leaf blower, what, pray tell, can a wind Elemental do?”

“I’d be happy to show you. Shall we step outside?”

“We’re not doing this, gentlemen,” Zia hissed. While Jeremiah had the good sense to cringe, Sehrin ignored her completely.

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