Page 16 of Guardian of Shadows

“You’re shitting us. Fae aren’t real, T,” Carleigh countered.

Anthony leaned in closer to the screen. “Oh, they are, and so are dragons.”

“Shut the front door,” Harlow exclaimed. Elle looked toward the door to their room, but it was already closed.

Anthony grabbed Elle’s hand, threading their fingers. “She wasn’t being literal. That’s a nicer way of saying ‘shut the fuck up.’” He kissed her knuckles, and his cousins let out a collective sigh.

“Oh! She’s your—”

“Yes, but I have a problem,” Tony said, cutting off Carleigh.

“Of course you do. Can’t any of us find mates without issues? Lay it on us.”

Tony explained everything from Elle being dragged through the portal to the sigil and her sister being in Norway with Brent and Cassi.

“You weren’t kidding about dragons, and there’s one on Earth? I want to go to Norway,” Harlow said, bouncing in the chair she’d dragged over to sit beside Carleigh.

“Nuh uh. If anyone gets to go, it’s me,” Carleigh countered. “I’m the one who brought them together.” She huffed on her knuckles, then rubbed them on her shirt. It wasn’t a gesture Elle had seen, but she got the gist of it. The two females pushed each other as they argued about who got to go on the jet with them.

Tony released Elle’s hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leaning them back on the sofa as they waited on the cousins to stop fighting. The females ended up on the floor, laughing.

“Are they always like this?” Elle didn’t have cousins, but she did have Yari, although they’d never wrestled in such a manner.

“Pretty much. When our parents found their mates, they started having kids, so we’re all around the same age. We grew up together, went to school together, learned to fight together. You get the idea.”

“How many cousins do you have? You mentioned a twin, but do you have any other siblings?”

“Tabby and I have a younger brother, Andy. Carleigh has a younger sister named Juniper. Harlow has younger twin siblings, Liam and Tamlyn. Our cousin Lydia is the archivist of the Clan, and she could tell you how many there are, but it’s a lot. My dad has three brothers and three cousins who might as well be their brothers, and they all have kids. Then there’s the others of our Clan who we’re just as close to.”

“I bet that must have been exciting, having so many kids your age to hang out with.” Elle had the twins, and with them being so much older, she often felt like a third wheel.

“Exciting is one way to put it. Then you have Harlow’s mom, Lucy, who’s a Gryphon, and she has a gazillion aunts and uncles plus the whole biker group who have mates and kids. We didn’t grow up with them, but we’ve met quite a few. We’re like one big happy family.”

“Don’t forget Nikita,” Carleigh said, finally back in her chair.

“Ah yes, the dire wolf. Nikita is Carleigh and Harlow’s partner in their business. She and her mate live in South Carolina.”

Harlow smoothed out her shirt. “So back to Norway. When are you leaving?”

“Connor’s pilot is arriving in Nashville around one. Cruz has probably already left Atlanta, so you’re shit outta luck.”

“Dammit.” Harlow crossed her arms over her chest, pouting.

“But,” Tony said and held up a finger, “Travis was at the office this morning. I mentioned our case to him, and he’s the reason we know about Elle’s sister being in Norway. She’s there with Brent’s mate, the dragon princess. Get in touch with him and find out when he’s headed back.”

“On it,” Harlow crowed, grabbing her phone before walking away from the computer.

Carleigh grinned. “Did you say dragon princess?”

“Yep.”

“I have so many questions. So, Elle...”

“Uh, yes?” she asked when Carleigh didn’t complete her thought.

“Would it be rude if I asked you to change your appearance?”

“She’s not a party trick, C,” Tony huffed.

---