Page 62 of Conquering the King of Storms

“They can’t. She needs magic to survive, same as your female and mine,” Sirus reminded him. “Ivy has already become fae, so she’s fine. The other three humans aren’t.”

Tariq scowled.

“Go ahead, keep pretending I don’t exist,” Margo muttered. I peered past Sirus’s massive body to get a better look at her, and found Dove sitting on her lap.

“It’s okay,” Dove whispered to her. “I know you exist.”

I snorted quietly, and Sirus’s lips curved up a tiny bit higher before his expression smoothed again. “You knew this was coming before we walked in here,” he told Tariq. “We can’t risk the Aboa.”

“Who are Heliai and Leolal?” I asked, my tongue stumbling over the names. Hell-ee-ay and Lay-oh-lal were a little different than the typical Avas, Maddys, and Jacobs I was used to.

“Leolal is the father of monsters, and he’s the one our presence awakened. Should he revive Heliai, they could create many, many more creatures, and the Aboa could crack. If the Aboa cracks and the monsters get out, our seas won’t be safe for anyone coming or going—not even for a simple swim.”

Shit. And from what Sirus had said, their oceans already weren’t safe for swimming. More monsters could only make that worse.

“How did we wake up the father of monsters?” I checked.

“Three kings’ worth of magic. When we first entered the Aboa, it separated us to protect itself. Grouping together was the only way out, but it was also a measured risk.”

“A measured risk that didn’t work in our favor,” Flame grumbled. “If me and my Vriva are staying, we need to find an inn further from the public baths. My female has seen far too many fae cocks in the last two days.”

Two days?

Damn, Dove was right about me sleeping a long time.

Ivy rolled her eyes. “We’ll be fine.”

“So it’s settled?” Crest spoke up, and I finally looked over at him. Now that I was seeing him so close to Flood, I could definitely see the brotherly resemblance between the two of them.

Ayla’s eyes were narrowed at him, I noticed.

Did she not like him?

“Luckily for you, my mate and brothers are better people than I am,” Flame said grudgingly. “My Vriva and I will stay and babysit your dungeon.”

“As long as we don’t have to go back in,” Ivy added with a tiny shudder. “Don’t think I could handle another week of that.”

Her and me both.

“So I’m going with Harper?” Ayla checked.

“I might as well be fucking chopped liver,” Margo muttered.

“What’s chopped liver?” Dove wondered.

“You don’t want to know, kid.” Margo patted her hair.

“You and Flood are going with me and Storm, Margo and Quake, and Dove,” I told Ayla. “Welcome to team human.”

She didn’t look thrilled with that idea, but it was what it was.

“If that’s settled, we’ll make our leave. I have to prepare my people for the worst.” Crest rose smoothly.

“Don’t get used to them being your people,” Sirus replied coolly. “Flood will establish control over his magic soon enough, and the kingdom will be his once more.”

Crest ignored him, sliding his hand through his woman’s arm before striding out of the café.

Then it was just the kings, their mates, Dove, and the chefs.

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