Page 9 of Finding Closure

“Can you glamour us all done up?” she asked. “You fucking put that enchantment on Freya that can’t be taken off that no one can take her picture. At least until she’s older and she wants it off. This is easy for you, right?”

“Good call,” I agreed, doing it for both of us and checking in the mirror. “This works?”

“We’re hot, Tams,” she whispered.

I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I knew you’d be stunning when you grew up a bit more, and I was right. You arestunning, Izzy. Seriously, completely flawless and just—Claudia is a lucky woman.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Izzy teased, preening in the mirror. “I love her. Like really love her.”

“I’m glad.” I reached for my phone. “She hurts you and I’ll bury her in Faerie.”

Izzy’s laugh echoed behind me. It was even better that Claudia was in my kitchen shaking her head at our antics.

“Oh please, we’re friends and I adore you, but I already made that threat to your face,” I drawled.

“You did?” Izzy gasped from behind me. “You didn’t tell me that.”

I glanced back at her. “How many of the guys and how many times have you threatened them?”

“Lots,” she confessed. “I’ve lost count. Clearly, I couldn’t carry it out and I’m not scary.”

“My mate is though,” Julian said from my right. “She’s as fierce as she is gorgeous.” He took my hand and turned me around. “Perfect. Absolutely…”

Damn him. I felt him tap into my power. “Cheater.”

He leaned in and brushed his lips over my ear. “You are perfect with or without the makeup, my mate. You always have been and always will be.”

“You’re smooth,” I purred, giving him a wink. “I should marry you one day.” I smiled when he laughed but pinched my side. Yeah, yeah, I was too much.

I caught a thought I didn’t like and realized I had to be an adult when I didn’t want to. I waved to Freya and gave her a kiss when she asked.

Then I grabbed Julian’s hand when I saw Hudson was ready. “We’ll meet you at the portal.”

Izzy frowned. “Two minutes, not even.”

“Take your time. I just want to say hi to them without a kid watching,” I teased.

Darby appeared, and I nodded for him to join us, slipping out into the garage instead of going downstairs for the portal to Faerie.

“We know,” Ara promised when I opened my mouth. “The nanny won’t be out of our sight and we’re monitoring her.”

“What’s going on?” Darby asked, his eyes full of worry.

“I caught a thought that she sensed something was up, and she thinks she might be out of a job once Claudia moves in,” I told him.

“I heard her on a call asking someone in her family if there was a way around it when a fairy locks someone’s mind,” Wyn informed me, nodding when I swore. “That was part of her employment, but what we’ve heard is—she’s a bit salty. She was diligent to start and glad for the opportunity, but it was an easy job with two nannies, and she’s the lazier one.”

“I don’t want her around Freya then,” I worried. “See if there is anyone Irmaknowswho can help out and fill in. Now. I know Claudia and Izzy were already looking through resumes for one nanny and ideas on preschool.” I nodded when Ara cleared her throat.

“My cousin lost her mate in the war, and honestly spending some time with Freya might be exactly what she needs.”

“I’ll talk to Izzy and Claudia, but as long as she goes through the normal security, that would be great,” Darby accepted before glancing at his watch. “We need to go. Please just make sure the detail here are being rude and listening in.”

“Of course,” Ara accepted. She ordered someone to switch to my detail and promised she’d handle it personally.

“Sorry you’ll miss the mating,” I whispered.

She shrugged. “I’m not. Losing—I’m still sensitive to others getting their happily ever afters still. I just wanted the cake.”

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