Page 65 of Nanny for the Demon's Twins

Still tangled in our group hug, Luna wriggles free first and grabs my hand. "The ring needs magic!" Her violet eyes spark with determination.

"Like the bracelet," Nova adds, her fingers already glowing with a soft purple light.

Karn shifts me in his lap. "Girls, the ring already has protective enchantments-"

"But not our love magic!" Luna stamps her foot, sending a shower of sparkles cascading around her copper curls.

Nova touches my bracelet, her voice soft but sure. "We made stronger last time. Remember, Uncle Karn?"

He sighs, but I feel his chest shake with silent laughter. "Can't argue with that logic."

I hold out my hand, the new ring catching the setting sun. "Just be careful, my loves."

The twins circle us, serious expressions on their small faces as they join hands. Luna's magic manifests first - bright, eager swirls of light that dance around the ring like curious thaliverns. Nova's follows more deliberately, weaving between her sister's sparks in careful patterns.

"For keeping Mama safe," Luna declares.

"And happy," Nova whispers, adding a swirl of deeper purple that reminds me of Karn's eyes.

The magic settles into the metal, making the runes shimmer with new life. Where Karn's craftsmanship created elegant, flowing lines, the twins' magic adds bursts of joyful color - like sunrise breaking through stained glass.

"Look!" Luna points excitedly. "It changes with your heart!"

She's right. As I watch, the colors shift subtly - warm golds when I look at Karn, soft lavenders when I gather the twins close, all threaded through with that deep, steady purple that speaks of home and family and belonging.

"Now it's perfect," Nova says with quiet satisfaction, patting my hand before curling into my side.

Karn brushes his thumb across the ring, his expression tender. "They're right. It was missing something after all."

Luna beams, already climbing back into his lap. "We're good at fixing things!"

"The best," I agree, pulling Nova closer and leaning into Karn's embrace as we watch our daughters' magic sparkle in the fading light.

The afternoon melts into a golden haze of laughter and magic. Luna races around the garden, leaving trails of sparkles in her wake while Nova meticulously arranges flower petals into patterns that shift colors with each passing cloud.

"Watch this, Mama!" Luna waves her hands, and suddenly we're surrounded by floating bubbles filled with rainbow light.

Nova tugs at my skirt. "I can make them dance." She scrunches her nose in concentration, and the bubbles swirl in elaborate patterns.

Karn settles beside me on the grass, his large frame relaxed as he watches the twins play. "They've gotten better at working together."

"Makes them twice as dangerous." I lean against his shoulder, my new ring catching the light.

Luna spins in circles until she falls, giggling. "Uncle Karn! Do the voice!"

He raises an eyebrow. "Which voice?"

"The dragon one!" Both twins chorus, scrambling over to climb him like their favorite tree.

His violet eyes spark with mischief as he scoops them up, one in each arm. "Who dares enter my lair?" His voice drops to a playful growl that sets them squealing.

"We do!" Luna declares, while Nova adds, "Because we love you!"

"Ah, but love won't save you from... the tickle monster!" He tumbles them gently onto the grass, his large hands making them shriek with laughter.

I join the fray, rescuing Nova who hides behind me. "Quick, my brave knight, protect me from the dragon!"

Nova puffs up her chest and waves her hands, turning Karn's copper beard a brilliant pink. Luna howls with delight, rolling in the grass.

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