Chapter Six #2
Alora’s children nodded and shrugged. Her eldest said, “The things you have to get used to when Grandpa decides to demonstrate arts and crafts in grade one.”
Ulric rubbed his neck. “That was a lot of letters to parents.”
Heyval was giggling along with Rage when Amori returned.
Amori looked at her. “He’s on his way.”
Bailey’s smile disappeared. “What?”
Amori turned to her and smiled. “Your lover is coming here to see the fruit of your interaction. If he and you come to an agreement, arrangements will be made.”
Bailey blinked. “Arrangements?”
Heyval muttered softly, “Like seventeen years of back child support.”
Amori looked at her and laughed. “For a start.”
“Does Azila know he is coming?”
“That is why I had to go out of the room. She wasn’t letting him in if he wasn’t properly dressed, so she had towels and clothing standing by.”
Bailey nodded. “He is really comfortable naked.”
Heyval snorted. “Azila will snap him out of it. I have faith in her.”
Amori blinked. “How extensive was your talk?”
“Fairly. I didn’t even realize that dragonborn existed here.”
Rage grinned. “She really is?”
“She really is, and now she’s free.”
Amori nodded. “Good thing, too, her father will be here soon.”
A soft knock on the door and Azila entered. “His Imperial Highness Khavenot, Lord of the Ekvar Ocean and the Minothan Sea, wrecker of ships, and fish fucker.”
A growl sounded behind her. “Not the last one.”
Azila crossed her arms. “Then don’t drip salt water on my favourite shoes, your imperial jackassness.”
The man walked in. He had the same silky black hair that Mira sported and damn near the same length. He was wearing loose trousers and an embroidered robe. He had matching embroidered slippers on his feet, and his tanned skin was banded and marked with tattoos.
Bailey stood up in shock, and Mira shot up next to her.
Heyval blinked. “Wow. The resemblance is uncanny. Mira, you look like a giant merman. Or, his imperial highness looks like a seventeen-year-old girl. Either one is impressive.”
Amori very casually put his hand around Heyval’s shoulder and covered her mouth with his hand.
Rage was laughing, and her father kept his hand on her shoulder. The vampire-unicorn descendants were much better behaved.
Azila put her hand in the middle of the aquatic royal’s back and shoved. He staggered forward. Amori’s assistant beamed brightly.
Heyval was laughing at the surprise on the man’s face behind the hand that covered her mouth. He wasn’t used to being shoved.
He recovered and walked around to stand in front of Bailey. The sixteen-inch difference in their heights was impressive close up. Bailey looked up at him, and he looked down at her. “Hello, sunshine and savagery.” His voice was hoarse.
“Hello, Your Imperial Hig—”
“Khavenot. Or Khav, if you like.”
She nodded. “Khavenot. This is your daughter, Mira. She graduates in two months.”
He looked at Mira and extended his hand to her. “Hello, Mira. I am your father.”
Mira extended her hand, and when they made contact, the air around her started to shimmer, and when the haze faded, she was dressed in a coronet of pearls, a heavy necklace of pearls, and wristbands with pearls. All the pearls were black.
Mira blinked, and Khavenot grinned. “Definitely mine. Anyone else and the pearls would have been a different colour. Sorry, but I had to be sure. I remember your mother vividly, but I haven’t ever fathered a child before.”
Mira stared at the heavy jewellery. “I’m a good swimmer, but I am not sure that I can breathe water.”
“That will happen by the time you are twenty-five. The change is under your skin and waiting.”
Mira looked nervous. “What am I going to shift into?”
“A water breather. The exact form is unknown.” He shrugged. “I didn’t know I would be emperor until I shifted. Then, my mother was upset. She wanted me to stay with her and learn the ways of her people, but I was taken away.”
Heyval bit Amori’s hand. She whispered, “Maybe they would like to meet each other in a more private setting?”
Azila snorted. “Thank you for finally noticing. Bailey, Mira, Your Imperial Highness, please follow me.”
Amori looked over. “I was just going to ask you to do that.”
“It’s a sign of strength to hire good people who don’t need micro-managing. Take the unspoken compliment, Your Majesty.”
Amori sighed. “Yes, I believe the family would like to introduce themselves.”
Azila chuckled. “Please come with me.”
The three followed with Khavenot taking Bailey’s hand in his as they left the room.
Heyval gave Bailey and Mira two thumbs-up as they passed. Bailey rolled her eyes, and Mira gave a shy smile in her finery.
When they left the room, no one spoke until Azila returned. “They are fine, and in a minute, Mira will be returning here for the adults to discuss things.”
Rage nodded. “Of course.”
Amori said, “Shall we head to the gardens? It might make it look like we aren’t waiting for them to resurface.”
Everyone agreed, and they got to their feet and headed out to the gardens. Heyval’s hand was firmly held by Amori’s while they chatted with Bastien, Alora, and Rage, while Rage’s father and Ulric were off in a corner discussing things that had happened in the past.
When Mira returned, blinking slowly, she walked up to Heyval. “Um, my mom says that they are going somewhere to wreck some sheets. Just to see if they still get along.”
Azila was standing nearby, and she smirked.
Heyval asked, “Do you know something about that?”
“Yes. I did threaten Khavenot as to the carpets and bedding in the royal residence.” She chuckled. “They will be back. He’s a little backed up, so he’s going to go off like a geyser.”
Mira clamped her hands over her ears.
Alora’s children took her aside and comforted her.
Alora laughed, and Bastien kept an arm around her waist. He muttered, “It’s almost like they are commiserating over having horny parents.”
Alora looked at him. “Nice play on words.”
“Thanks.”
Heyval chuckled. “Heard that joke a lot?”
Alora grinned. “A time or two. So, is Bailey pure human?”
Heyval shook her head. “No. She has brownie blood four or five generations back.”
“How old is she right now?”
“Based on Mira, I would say she’s close to forty.”
Alora chuckled. “I am not going to tell her, but if her parents are this eager, there might be a little imperial sibling on the way in a few days.”
“Definitely not mentioning that to Mira. She’s very into nearly being an adult.” Heyval frowned. “Do you think he will want her to move? Bailey, I mean.”
Alora nodded. “It’s likely. He can bespell her for water breathing and pressure tolerance. Mira as well until she shifts.”
“Hm. Right. Sensible.”
Amori muttered, “You are not working in the bakery.”
“But—”
“No. I don’t want you up at four and returning exhausted.” He smiled. “That’s my job.”
Heyval sighed. “Currently, I am in pet format, which is funny, considering.”
“That will be fixed in a few days.” Amori’s hand curled around her waist.
“Will it?” She looked at him.
He nodded. “It will. By my party, you will know where you stand, at my side.”
“Hm.”
“You will get used to it.”
Azila said calmly, “The party prep starts tomorrow, and the grand event is Friday.”
Heyval muttered, “Is today Wednesday?”
Amori chuckled. “Yes.”
“Busy week.”
“Yes.”
“It feels like time has moved faster.”
“You may have been asleep for a day and a half.”
Her eyes widened. “That would do it.”
She tried to account for her time, but things blurred after the beach and then the club.
Rage smiled. “Well, King Amori, you have managed to do something no other has done. My dad has a conversational companion.”
They turned and looked toward Ulric and the talking shadow. Hey laughed. “Yeah, that is unusual.”
Amori smiled. “They are discussing the crusades.”
Alora nodded. “He loves that topic, and I just can’t do a discussion justice. I get bored and distract him with sex.”
Bastien laughed. “That explains a lot. He has taken to discussing it every time I have indicated that I want to head to bed.”
“Like you confine things to the bedroom.” Alora snorted.
“It’s a turn of phrase. Just like when Reetha says she has a headache, she is just mad at her partner for calling her a pony girl.”
Alora grinned. “She does hate that.”
Rage brightened, “So, King Amori, did you know that Heyval always wanted a puppy?”
Heyval froze. “Rage. Shush.”
“Seriously. When we were kids, our mom tried to force her to resurrect a dog, so she tortured and killed it in front of her. She had been hoping to do it with a family pet, but Heyval kept giving them away.”
Heyval looked up at Amori as he looked at her with a kind look in his eyes. “So, can I have a puppy?”
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. “You can have a puppy.”
She peeped up at him. “Can it sleep with me?”
“No.”
Bastien laughed.
Mira was talking earnestly with the three ladies and their two brothers. When Hey glanced over, it was obvious that she was taking things seriously.
She held Amori, and Ulric and Garkakothian returned to the grouping while the kitchen sent out snacks.
Rage’s father ruffled her hair and said, “Heyval, can you heal your sister’s wound?”
“The acid scar? I can try.”
Rage blushed. “Dad, it isn’t necessary.”
“It gives you pain, and she is a good healer.”
Heyval smiled. “Come on, sis. You know I won’t force a healing, but I can and will take advantage of a chance to get rid of that nasty mark.”
Heyval pried herself away from Amori and grabbed Rage’s hand, setting her on a fan-backed chair. “Can you open the shoulder of your dress so I can touch skin?”
Rage unzipped with difficulty, and Heyval looked at the silvery skin. “Damn. You should have asked earlier.”
One of Alora’s children said, “Why does she have to ask?”
Rage said, “Mom bound her. She can heal anyone she wants, but I have to ask. She thought I was too arrogant.”
Heyval smiled and placed her hand against the wound. “Well, you are a bit snotty.”
She let the power flow into her sister and kept Amori’s energy aside. She was going to need it later.
She didn’t know how long it had been, but bright fire flowed around her, and a gentle hand stroked her hair.
She had eradicated the mark from shoulder to navel, but there were eight inches of silver going across her lower belly to her hip. “Sorry, Rage. I am out of energy today. Hit me up on the night of the party, and I will finish.”
“Yeah, Azila gave you dragon fire to help you get as far as you did.”
“Oh, that’s what that was. Thank you, Azila.”
Azila smiled. “It is nice to be able to help again. King Amori, catch your fiancée. She’s about to go face-first into her sister.”
“Oh, that explains the double vision.” Heyval swayed, and Amori caught her and lifted her.
Azila said to the others, “There are guestrooms if you want to remain here; if not, I am sure that you will enjoy the party in two days. It is going to be... interesting.”
Heyval wished that she could have stayed until Bailey came back, but she was so tired. Rage must have been in agony. No wonder the mages had caught her so easily.
Amori carried her into the building and walked toward his room. “You should have used my magic.”
“Nope. I needed something to keep me alive. I knew your energy would be there, so I kept it separate.” She smiled. “I really get a puppy?”
“You really get a puppy.”
“I don’t have to watch it die?” She closed her eyes as her words trailed off.
He kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to watch it die. It’s going to be live and be happy, and you are going to have to take it for walks.”
She mumbled, “What did you want for your birthday?”
“I will let you know.” He walked into his quarters, and the light went from bright to dim.
“I don’t have time to shop.”
He slithered her dress off her, removed her shoes, and slid her underwear off. He tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to shop. You being here is the gift.”
“Hah. Let me know if Bailey came back dark purple.”
He chuckled. “I will.”
She settled in to sleep and recover and admitted that her new life as a mage was a lot more tiring than she had anticipated. Being a baker was easier.