Page 141 of Falling in Love with A Tiny Bat

Zylus steps forward. “One shadow carriage coming right up.”

“Appreciated.” Alexios dips his head.

Cael sighs, pulling away from Alana. “Very well…get the babe home. We’ll reconvene on how we wish to address this in the morning.”

“Might I recommend gift baskets and strongly-worded letters?” Willow chimes.

Alexios chuckles. “Actually, we can just text him. He does have a phone.”

Willow’s mouth drops open. “Shut up. This is stuff you’re supposed to share with the VPP, Xios.”

“He’s on Finch, too. I’d like to propose that an excellent rehabilitation method would be to spam him with friend codes.”

“Finch?” Cael’s brows knit.

“It’s a self-care app.”Alexios lifts his chin in Alana’s direction. “A can show you.”

Cael peers at his wife. “How much have you been keeping from me?”

“Only…a reasonable amount.” She clears her throat as Alexios ushers Zylus and I from the house.

While a coach of shadows with skeletal horses takes shape in the yard, a tall man I’ve not met before strides from the forest, catching Alexios’s attention.

My soulmate brightens, as though tonight’s events haven’t happened at all. “Sephin. They invited you to this thing? You just missed the party.”

Sephin raises a brow, stopping a distance away from the two baying horses and smoothing back his short hair. “Excellent. I came right when I wanted to.” He folds his arms. “O informed me it was customary to provide offerings at celebrations based on human birthdays, but I could not find it in myself to bother.”

“How are things with the missus?”

“Don’t bore me with small talk, Xios. I already regret the atmosphere I’ve walked into… What happened?” Sephin’s narrowed gaze lands on Ash. “Since when do you have a child?”

Alexios exhales a laugh and lifts a shoulder. “I’ll tell you later. For now…” He looks at me. “…I need to get my family home.”

Epilogue

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Secrets and stardust…

“I finally got Ash settled,” I murmur, coming down the stairs to find Alexios sprawled on the couch with his phone. “Are you all right…or…well, I guess, is how the fae phrase it. Are you well?”

He lowers the screen against his chest and tips his head back to look up at me. “I’m very well. How are you?”

I ignore that question, because I’m not really interested in exploring my emotions right now. Circling the couch, I sit down once Alexios sits up to make room for me. Adamantly, I ignore when he leans into me, snuggling his head against my shoulder. Chest tight, I murmur, “I can’t stop thinking about what happened. You don’t…you don’t think Castor would come for Ash, do you? If he does, is there even anything we could do to stop it?”

Alexios’s phone buzzes.

I ask, “Who are you texting?”

“I’m apologizing to Castor for theJoin My Tree Townspam Willow is facilitating. She’s very persuasive. After we left, she got his number from me and convinced everyone to send him friend requests.”

My hand lifts, skating over the soft locks of Alexios’s braided hair before I get a chance to realize what I’m doing. “You…really believe in him, don’t you?”

“Don’t be mad,” he murmurs.

“Right, sorry. After everything, trusting himisa little insane.”

“No.” Alexios laughs, stops my hand, and kisses my palm—sending a jolt of something straight down into my stomach. “I mean, don’t beupset. With me. Specifically.”

---