"By all means enlighten us, Eldon," Eli said as he entered the kitchen.
"Ah, Father, join us."
Rosa got out more cups and poured coffee. "The other two won't be far behind him. There's no avoiding it." She had barely finished saying it when Balthasar and Saul came in.
"Coffee!" Saul exclaimed, accepting a cup from Rosa with a kiss on her cheek. "You're the best, Rosa. Is there more food?"
"In the oven. Help yourself," Rosa said and sat back down at the bench. "Eldon was just telling me that I'm cursed."
"It sounds so terrible when you put it like that," he huffed. "After certain events long ago, I put a spell on the Wylt line so that if any of the Seelie tried to kidnap them, it would cause the culprit hell. I didn't expect the Autumn Queen would be stupid enough to take a Wylt. I didn't think the spell worked until I saw the vision of it snowing in Faerie."
"Are you trying to tell us that because Rosa was in Faerie, she's broken the Autumn Queen's spell?" Balthasar asked.
"More or less. Her power is weakening rapidly."
"That is why you asked about our power," Eli said. "If the queen's spell holding the cycles of power is finally breaking, all the magic is going to flow to the Unseelie for the first time in thousands of years."
"Exactly. That's all of us and whatever is left of the Unseelie in Faerie."
"What about the Gwaed Gam?" Rosa asked. "Eli, you said they were hybrids of us. Will they get magic?"
Eli frowned thoughtfully. "I'm… I'm not sure. It's possible, but I doubt it. Only the royal blood, people directly turned by us, has ever shown any sign of magic. They may get stronger and faster. Whatever abilities they have will grow, but I doubt they will all be able to use magic. I should warn my brothers just in case."
"You can tell them to get ready for a fight too," Eldon stated. "You can bet your ass that the Autumn Queen will not go down peacefully. She'll be after Rosa's head just on principle."
"She'll learn that you live. She will want you dead," Eli warned.
"It didn't work out so well for her last time she tried."
"It didn't work out so well for your mother either." They all stiffened, feeling the fight brewing.
"Really, Father? I thought after our chat last night, we weren't going to fight." Eldon folded his arms.
"Please," Rosa said softly. "I'm freaked out enough this morning without you two at each other. If you are going to argue about Deryn, then at least tell us what you are arguing about."
"You haven't told them?" Eldon asked. "I should've guessed."
"I haven't told anyone about it since it happened toprotectyou. Foolish of me to think you would appreciate that."
"Keep arguing with me, and the Seelie bitch wins."
"And it's dull for everyone else," Saul stated, earning Balthasar's elbow in his ribs. "I don't care, Bal. I want to know what happened. I've never seen Eli want to hit or hug someone so much in my life."
"I did the worst thing imaginable," Eldon said, not taking his golden eyes off Eli. "I fell in love with the wrong woman."
"Will you tell us?" Rosa asked softly, her hand reaching across to touch his. "Please?" Eldon looked at her fingers for a long moment and then his frown softened.
"Tell me, Balthasar, is she always like this?"
Balthasar nodded, expression grave. "It's sometimes far easier to give her what she wants. Otherwise, she will keep pushing until you give up."
"By your leave, Father." Eldon looked questioningly at Eli, who nodded.
"Tell them."
"Fill your cups, my friends!" Eldon exclaimed dramatically. "For this is the story of how the great Merlin Wylt was destroyed by love."
CHAPTER FOUR