Page 9 of Nanny for the Demon's Twins

"You noticed that?" A smile tugs at my lips. "Sarah was a healer, but I think her real desire was to be a dancer. Used to twirl around this very room with them when they were babies. Said it was never too early to teach them balance."

"Luna has her uncle's protective streak though." Mira's observation catches me off guard. "The way she watches over Nova during meals, makes sure she gets the bigger portions."

My hands still on the blanket. "You see a lot."

"It's a habit." She touches her branded wrist briefly. "Watching, noticing. Helps avoid... trouble."

"You're good with them." The words come easier than expected. "Better than I am."

"That's not true." She sets down the last pillow and faces me. "They adore you. The way Nova's eyes light up when she talks about your forge work, how Luna tries to growl just like you do. You're their whole world."

"Their parents should be here." The admission slips out before I can stop it. "I'm just... trying not to mess them up."

"You're not." Mira steps closer, helping me fold the final blanket. "You're giving them exactly what they need - love, stability, and a home filled with magic and wonder."

Her hands brush mine as we finish folding, and that same spark jumps between us. She doesn't pull away immediately.

And I don't know how to feel about what that does to me.

4

MIRA

I'm humming an old lullaby while folding laundry in the twins' room when a stuffed dragon zooms past my head. My hands freeze mid-fold as I track its path through the air. The plush toy circles twice before joining a growing parade of floating objects trailing behind Nova, who toddles down the hallway with intense concentration on her face.

"Nova, sweetie?"

She turns, violet eyes wide with innocence, and the procession of toys behind her shifts direction like a school of fish. "Yes, Mira?"

Before I can respond, Luna bursts from her room with her own flotilla of toys, blocks, and what appears to be her entire sock drawer following in her wake. The floating items bump and jostle for position.

"Look what we can do!" Luna twirls, sending her toys spinning in a chaotic orbit. A wooden block nearly clips my ear.

"That's... impressive." I duck under a floating picture book. "But maybe we should get everything back on the ground before-"

A crash from down the hall interrupts me. Nova's lower lip trembles. "I didn't mean to. They just started following us."

"The toys got excited," Luna adds, reaching up to pat a floating stuffed lunox that nuzzles her hand. "They want to play too."

I step carefully through the aerial obstacle course of toys. "How about we try putting them down one at a time?"

"But they're happy up here." Luna pouts, and three more toys rise from her room to join the crowd.

"I can't stop it," Nova whispers, her freckled nose scrunching with effort. The toys behind her start spinning faster.

Another crash echoes from their room, followed by the sound of breaking glass. I need to contain this before their magic reaches down to the shop.

"Okay, new plan. Let's make this a game." I kneel between them. "Who can get their toys to land the softest? Like falling snowflakes?"

Luna's eyes light up at the challenge, while Nova chews her lip in concentration. A stuffed rono slowly descends, touching down with exaggerated gentleness.

"Like that?" Nova asks.

"Perfect. Now can you do it with the rest?"

Nova concentrates, but it's clearly difficult for her. Still, the toys start to drop closer to the floor.

"That's right, just like that." I make a gentle falling motion with my hands as more toys drift down. Luna, not to be outdone by her sister, sends three stuffed animals floating gracefully to the floor.

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