Page 19 of Nanny for the Demon's Twins

Mira catches the basket before it falls, never breaking her polite smile. But I see the way her knuckles whiten around the handle, the slight hitch in her breathing.

"Of course. My apologies." She sets the basket down with care, each movement measured and precise. Like a dancer avoiding invisible blades.

Luna tugs at my sleeve. "Uncle Karn, why's that lady being mean to Mira?"

"Because she's jealous of how much better Mira is than her." I pitch my voice to carry. The matron's face darkens as she storms off.

Mira shoots me a look that's half gratitude, half exasperation. "That wasn't necessary."

"It was true." I step closer, noting how she squares her shoulders against the weight of hostile stares. "You don't have to handle this alone."

"I'm fine." Her smile doesn't reach her eyes. She reaches for another fallen apple, but her hand shakes so badly she drops it.

I catch her wrist, my thumb brushing over her pulse point. Her skin feels cool against my demon heat. "Let me help."

For a moment, she stays frozen. Then her shoulders drop slightly, some of the rigid control easing. "The twins need-"

"Are helping old Kazik sort his bread." I nod toward where the girls carefully separate crushed rolls from whole ones, supervised by the baker. "Let someone else be strong for a minute."

By the time we finish cleaning up, the market is pretty much empty. Most of their sneers are directed toward me, but I give them a glare and a snap of magic, enough to keep them pushed back. Enough to keep the fear on their face that I prefer to see.

The walk home stretches longer than usual. Nova dozes against my shoulder while Luna skips ahead, stopping to examine every interesting rock or leaf in our path. Mira walks beside me, close enough that her arm occasionally brushes mine.

Luna spins around, copper curls bouncing. "Uncle Karn?"

"Yes, little star?"

"Why people afraid of you?" She tilts her head, violet eyes serious. Damn these two watch more I expect. "You make best fluffy cakes. With extra syrup."

My chest tightens. I shift Nova's weight, buying time to find the right words.

"Some people..." Mira starts, but Luna shakes her head.

"I asked Uncle Karn."

I crouch down, careful not to jostle Nova. "Come here, Luna."

She bounces over, cocking her head as she waits for my explanation. The gesture reminds me so much of her father it hurts. Too often I forget to mourn my brother when I'm trying to keep his girls going.

"People get scared of things they don't understand." I catch her hand as she traces my scar. "Like when you thought there were monsters under your bed."

"But no monsters." She frowns. "Just toys and Nova's sock."

"Exactly. Sometimes people look at me and see what they expect to see. A big, scary demon."

"But you not scary." Luna's brow furrows. "You're just Uncle Karn."

"Who makes fluffy cakes," Nova mumbles against my neck, apparently not as asleep as I thought.

"The best fluffy cakes," Luna agrees. "With faces made of berries."

Mira's hand brushes my shoulder, steadying me as I stand. Her touch lingers longer than necessary.

"And float dishes even though they break," Nova adds.

"That was one time." I adjust her higher on my shoulder. "And we fixed them."

"Most of them." Luna skips ahead again. "Not blue plate."

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