Page 11 of Within the Veil

"Ah, but what a cute panda bear she would be," Gray joked, wiping his face off.

"I'm telling her you called her a panda, I gotta collect these things for when she wants to run to Gray for comfort so she chooses me instead," Ryder teased.

"Yeah okay, considering all the shit you've been buying off of Amazon and picking up across the Veil I'm sure she will be going to you anyway," I grumbled, standing up to pick up my gloves again and walking back to the mat to square off with Gray.

"You're just mad because I thought of it first. I'm sure she will still like all the pretty knives you guys bought her. But give a girl designer pregnancy leathers and she will be yours for a lifetime. I'm sure Phil Collins said that in a Disney movie at some point and it was cut out..." he laughs before standing up and looking at his watch. "Fuck which reminds me..." he says suddenly before blinking out of the room.

Grayson and I rolled our eyes and continued to spar while ignoring Ryder's exit, knowing he probably had some more stuff to pick up from one delivery company or another.

* * *

Hunter

* * *

I steppedoutside the cabin for a breather. Being inside could be overwhelming, mentally and physically. Since Finleigh started watching over Hudson, she looked remarkably healthy. But even if I sat next to Hudson's bed, even if she looked like she was just sleeping...it wasn't as if she was going to be able to curse me out or talk back. It didn't feel real, like we were all frozen in time. In essence, it just wasn't the same.

"You know, if you spend more time in the gym you're going to start to look like you ate the bodybuilder."

I scoffed and turned towards the airy, feminine voice coming from the outdoor kitchen,

"Yeah okay, Remi, you went from strong and curvy to the hulk with long hair." I laughed and danced away as she came up, with preternatural speed and tried to punch me in the arm.

"I do not look like the Hulk, I am more of a sexy Fae version of the black widow." I raised my eyebrow and smirked.

"Sexier than Scarlett Johansson? I think the fuck not."

She chuckled, "Asshole." I reached around her and threw my arm across her shoulders. Breathing in the earthy, sweet fragrance that was all Remi. Smiling softly, a sense of peace settled over me. As time passed, being around one another provided a calming effect. After a while we realized that magic was blending and our power reserves increased. We finally realized what Hudson, and Lindsey Lohan, must have meant when she said the limit did not exist. Her power levels were so intense, it radiated off her body. No, her limits would be morally limited. That is to say, she had clear, okay, semi-clear, views of right and wrong and lived her life by it.

After a few days we all came to an agreement, that bringing the community together to the best of our ability, training all of our soldiers and helping the young build their magic, was our duty. In turn, we have all become closer as a ruling body of power and as a team. Remi, however, brought us closer as a family unit. Much like me she had spent her time trying to stay busy in any way, however without her, we would have probably forgotten to eat. It was a plus that she was so much like Hudson that having her around was a balm to our aching hearts.

Five weeks, I sighed, dropping my arm from Remi's shoulders, and running both my hands through my hair. Five weeks and no response from Hudson at all. Everyday we walked into her room, we aired it out, we bathed her, changed her and moved her so she wouldn't get bed sores. We were sure she couldn't actually get bed sores, all-powerful-fae Queen and all...and King, the healing freak. And in all honesty, we could have used magic, but we did everything we could just to keep us sane. In fact, it's almost as if we did it more for us than for her. We loved her so damn much and every fucking day it felt like we were losing her more, even if she was right in front of us; breathing softly, as if she was just down for a nap.

She looked like a perfect, preserved, mummified version of herself. It was one part creepy, one part relieving. At first she looked like she was wasting away, she lost her curves and had a yellow tinge to her skin. The Fae medics created a special formula for her IV using various natural potions, however when that failed Oberon had come through with an amazing Fae midwife, that turned everything around especially with an assist from Xena, surprisingly.

Looking around, I noticed Xena sunning nearby on a thick, long, tree branch and smiled. "Looks like Xena is finally back from wherever the hell she was this time," I grunted out.

"Yeah, Cerberus is back too," she pointed at the snake wrapped around the bottom of the tree Xena was in.

Xena would disappear for days on end and then suddenly she returned with a thick blue liquid attached to a bag she carried and insisted we use it in combination with the vitamin concoction Finleigh had created for Hudson's IV. While Finleigh's guidance made a huge difference with Hudson's overall visage, with Xena's liquid, the switch from 'looking okay' to 'looking remarkable' was almost instantaneous. Not only had Hudson gone back to normal, well as normal as possible, her belly went from all abs to a gently rounded tummy. Then quickly a, not so gently, larger rounded tummy. She was growing those babies like a champ. It was what continued to give us hope. Every day her belly rounded out and her cheeks remained pink, her hair grew longer.

She was so perfect it made me ache constantly. I just couldn't handle the pressure in my chest, I don't think this amount of love was anywhere near healthy. The only thing that kept me sane in the beginning was the fact that Li'Ella had dropped by shortly after the attack and gave us all hope.

I sighed. Hope, such a short word for such a powerful feeling of elation.

* * *

I tooka deep breath of the strange, yet familiar air and frowned. Another change. The night of the attack, the counsel came together and apparently moved the entire village to another location. I'm not exactly sure how but Jensi and Luca said something about time and space moving differently within Faerie. Apparently the location was in an undisclosed backup location, within Faerie, firmly on the side of the Light Fae. Too fucking complicated, just say we moved and call it a day.

* * *

There was no river nearby,just a thick blanket of green all around us. In truth, it seemed more secluded but the increase of thick foliage, and therefore an increase in all the places to hide, gave me pause. Oberon flitted from tree to tree with Xena, when she was here, running patrol constantly. It worked to put me at ease. Oberon was brutal and his constant vigilance and stoic nature made him better for patrol. Despite his following of whisperers that he controlled and previous status, his history made the village cautious of him. Luckily, with his constant presence it had gotten better.

* * *

I sighed,and stared off into the sky. In reality, I didn't care. I picked up information here and there but nothing truly mattered. Not without her. But as long as our cabin was protected and Hudson, god my Hudson, our everything, was safe, I didn't ask questions. Not more than I had to, anyway.

I kicked at the floor and I felt my face get wet again. It happened so often that I never really felt the tears coming anymore. I was tired of crying. Not because it made me feel weak, no. Showing the depth of my emotion made me stronger. It showed that my love was more powerful than my brutal up-bringing as an Arallu Fae. I defied my past and gained an incredible mate and family. Although I'm sure the Arallu wouldn't agree. Hilarious really, six foot five built like a tank, a full blooded Arallu Fae, mated to the true Queen of the Seelie but they would still think I was weak for crying. I scoffed. Still, some fucking tank/Fae combination I was; I wasn't able to do the only thing I was supposed to do, protect her.

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