Page 15 of Lady of the Lost Fae

Izan, Lyra, Adeena, and Arryn are at the table, accompanied by a shit load of strangers.

Adeena clears her throat, drawing my attention off the strangers and back to her beautiful face. “While you were in Tartarus today, we had ten more travelers show up. They’re all unsure where they are orwhythey’re here, but they trickled in throughout the day. They’ve each had rooms prepared for the evening.”

I’ve had a long day, and everything inside me wants to fight Adeena over allowing these strangers into our home, but I’ve been humbled by the day I had and the things I saw, and I don’t want to argue with the love of my life right now. I want a happy dinner filled with appreciation for what we have.

Tomorrow we can have this discussion.

I watch my mate through tired eyes. “I found three more on the training field on my way in. I invited them inside for dinner and told them we would make accommodations for them tonight. Are there enough guest rooms left?”

An adoring, pleased smile spread across her lips. “We might need to double up a couple of rooms, but I think we can make it work. Come sit for dinner. Revna and Thea made plenty of food.”

Fourteen strangers in my home.

* * *

The following morning,I wake with Adeena wrapped in my arms and Izan pounding on the door to our bed chambers.

“Wake up!” he shouts from outside the locked doors.

Adeena and I both groan, wishing he’d just go away. Gentle moments like this are what I live for, and he’s fucking it up.

“If you don’t get your asses out of bed right now, I’m going to knock this door off its hinges,” he threatens from the other side of the door.

“Oh, he’s pissed,” I whisper to Adeena as I squeeze her naked body closer to mine.

“You better get the door,” she giggles as I release her, rising out of bed.

My body is stiff as I pad across the cool marble floors. Depleting my power reserves really does a number on my body, and most mornings feel like a hangover because of it.

Izan’s pounding increases in speed and force, and I swear he’s about to hammer a hole into the door.

“I’m coming!” I snap loud enough for him to hear me. This better be worth it.

The pounding immediately stops.

I reach the door, quickly unlocking it then twisting the handle so hard I nearly break it. “What?”

Izan looks somewhat frantic, which is extremely out of character for my relaxed second-in-command. “A dozen more travelers are waiting outside the castle doors this morning.”

“A dozen?” Adeena asks, shooting out of bed.

I nearly slam the door into Izan’s nose as I hide Adeena’s naked body from Izan’s view. “You’re naked!” I yell at her, scolding her sexy ass for showing Izan what’s mine.

“I don’t care,” she snaps back. “I need to get out there.”

She begins rifling through her armoire, frantically searching for her normal attire. A black tunic and black trousers, just like me.

I open the door once more for Izan once she’s fully clothed and lacing up her boots. “Let me guess,” I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. “They’re lost and confused?”

Izan nods. “Yes. They all have the same story as the travelers who arrived yesterday.”

“I don’t know what to do with all these people,” I say as I throw my hands in the air, suddenly remembering I’m standing in the doorway naked as well. “I’ll be out there in a minute.”

“See you outside,” Izan says in his serious second-in-command voice as he turns to leave.

I close the door, then cross the room to get dressed. Adeena already has clothes waiting for me when I get there. She smiles up at me through sterling eyes while she hands me the pile of black fabric.

“Thank you,” I say as I kiss the top of her head.

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