Page 73 of Their Princess

Kayden and Mason high-fived in excitement and it was such a childish thing for them to do, so reminiscent of our group growing up together, that I burst into laughter and tears of joy streamed down my face.

“Well, that’s one less problem we have to worry about,” Trey said mentally.

“I don’t think I like you talking without us hearing,” Elrith commented. “What if you’re saying things we need to hear?”

“Like where we hid the cookies?” I teased.

He gasped. “Iknewyou’d hidden them!”

“First one to find them getstwocookies!” Kayden said and stood quickly.

Kora and Elrith yipped in excitement and ran back into the house, the goal to find the cookies before Kayden did.

“I’m really glad we are able to use it now,” Mason admitted. “That way you can tell us when you’re being attacked or when you need something.”

“Let’s hope I don’t get attacked anytime soon,” I said with a longing sigh. “Let’s hope this next year is a little more peaceful than this previous one.”

“I feel like we brought you a ton of danger when we returned home,” Trey said with a frown and stabbed at his pasta a little harder than he’d been.

“While I don’t believe in pre-determined lives, I do believe in fate a bit, and you three are definitely fated for me,” I said with a smile. “I knew it when I was a kid, and I know it for certain now. I think even if you’d not returned for my birthday that we would have ended up seeing each other and we’d have been together shortly thereafter anyway.” I tapped the necklace, no longer a tool of the Grand Advisor and now mine. “This was destined for me from my ancestor.”

“I think it’s been helping you heal,” Mason said. “It glows while you’re sleeping from time to time, like it’s helping rejuvenate you.”

My eyes widened. “Really?” I glanced down at the necklace and wondered what else it could do. Third to Reign had possessed a lot of abilities and if she’d seen me coming, perhaps she’d spelled it for more than we knew.

“I worried someone was using it again, but the feeling from it wasn’t a bad one, it was more like … warmth, so I didn’t think it was necessary to bring it up. Plus, you always looked better after it did it.” Mason shrugged. “Seems like I might be right.”

“Your ancestors are very interesting,” Trey said and smiled at me. “Makes sense, since you’re incredibly intriguing as well.”

“Intriguing, huh?” I teased and leaned forward, letting him get a nice view of my cleavage across the table. “Is that all I am, mate?”

He growled softly. “I love it when you use that word.”

“Found ‘em!” Elrith yelled victoriously.

“Save one for me!” I yelled back, winked at Trey, and ran into the house to join the kids for dessert.

ChapterTwenty-Five

“Where are the napkins?” I shouted as I ran around the kitchen, trying to find the stack of napkins I had taken out just a minute ago. I swore I’d put them on the island, but now they were gone!

“On the end of the table, at the end of the buffet line, so it will be the last thing they pick up,” Kayden answered from behind me before wrapping his arms around me. “Take a deep breath, Lily.”

I obeyed, taking a deep breath in before slowly letting it out. “I just want everything to be perfect.”

“Your family are coming to see you,” he whispered in my ear, his breath hot on the shell of it, making me shiver and arch back more into him. “Yes, they want to see this place, but you’re what is important to them. We could be in a tent and they wouldn’t care.” He chuckled. “Well, they’d want to build you something nicer than a tent if that’s what they found us living in, but you know what I mean.”

I turned around and kissed him gently on the lips. “Thank you.”

He rubbed the tip of his nose against mine, something we used to do when younger. “Anytime. Now, go to your room and change while your mates finish setting up down here.” He swatted my butt and pushed my shoulders to direct me down the hallway.

On my way to my room, I popped my head into Elrith’s room, smiling when I found him and Kora playing with blocks that Dad had found in our storage that used to be mine when I was their age. They’d built what looked like the layout of a city, very similar in shape to Obselk. “You guys ready to meet more of my family?” I asked.

Kora looked up, a little fear in her eyes. “Will they like me?”

Squatting down, I met her eyes and nodded. “They’ll love you. My Papa Dan, especially, will like you.”

“How do you know?” she asked softly. “I’m a demon and they aren’t.”

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