Page 220 of Halfblood Deceived

“We are having a celebration if you like,” Diana said.

Aella bit her lip and nodded. “I’d like that very much.”

“Uncle Evan bakes amazing cakes,” Luce enthused.

“I’ll make it blood-free,” Evan promised with a wink.

“I think we should ask Aella what she wants before making plans for her,” Gabby wisely recommended.

“A cake is not a plan,” Evan protested. “It’s a necessity. A bulwark of birthdays.”

“It’s just a dessert,” Andreas said with a shrug.

Evan stage-gasped. “Take that back, you heathen.”

“Cupcakes are a dessert. A cake is a full meal,” Lex said, backing up his brother.

“Steaks are a meal,” Gabby interjected. “Aella likes steaks. She should have steak before cake.”

Luce giggled. “That rhymed.”

“She’s not eating steaks for a while, I’m afraid,” Mari told them. “Only protein shakes for a few days.”

Aella wrinkled her nose.

Lex scoffed. “Party pooper.”

“We’ll have the party in a week or so then,” Luce happily chimed in.

“That’ll give me time to plan the most chocolatey cake ever,” Evan said with a dreamy sigh. “You do like chocolate, right Aella?”

She nodded.

“And who’s gonna eat it?” Andreas asked with his usual frown. “I very much doubt Aella and Diana can eat one of your monster cakes all by themselves.”

“The staff loves cake as well,” Kamilla said, smiling at Aella. “You don’t mind if we have the party in the manor, right?”

Aella shook her head. “I don’t mind.”

Evan huffed at Andreas. “Your plans to thwart my happiness have failed.”

“The theater is calling, Evan,” Andreas drawled.

Luce chuckled.

The conversation turned chaotic then. Andreas kept making grumpy comments, but there was no true malice in them. Still, Mari threatened to turn Andreas into a pig at least twice. Evan and Lex were planning an outright feast. Gabby kept reminding both males they should ask Aella’s permission before adding foods and activities, but she was just as bad as them. Kamilla blithely gave them all permission to do whatever they wanted in her home.

Diana looked as surprised, amused, and pleasantly overwhelmed as Aella felt.

“Welcome to my life,” Zeydan said with a warm smile.

It felt like a promise. One that he sealed with a kiss on Aella’s knuckles.

* * *

Rebecca, Rod, Vaz, and Trinity stopped by to see how Aella was doing. They entered in pairs, but the nurses were still not very happy about the deluge of people coming in and out of Aella’s room.

Overwhelmed, but oddly content despite the murder attempt, Aella had reassured them all that she would be fine and encouraged them to get some rest.

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