Chapter Six
SIX
AISLING
“This is not the sort of place I expected Becket and Yrian to pick.” I glanced around to make sure Ysolde and I weren’t being overheard, and I snuggled a little deeper into my plush coat against the bitter cold.
“For some reason, I pictured them in a modern house, all windows and glass and chrome. But this? Yes, it’s very manor house, which also kinda fits Yrian’s personality, although I didn’t realize Wales had historic manor houses.
I guess it makes sense they did, because they had nobles and peasants like the rest of Britain. ”
“It’s the llama sanctuary,” Ysolde said as she adjusted the white cashmere scarf that was wrapped around her head, neck, and lower face. “It almost makes me wish we hadn’t left Anduin at your place.”
“While I, on the other hand, am perfectly happy to take a break from all children,” I answered, pulling the frosty air deep into my lungs.
It was so cold, it felt like tiny icy daggers.
“My ears are still buzzing after two days of constant shrieks, shouts, assorted yells, incredibly off-tune Christmas carols bellowed at an uncomfortably loud volume, and the nonstop chatter from fourteen excited children. Time spent with adults is a blessed relief.”
Ysolde laughed. “You’re the one who offered to have a two-day sleepover Christmas party for all the kids.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” I said with a wry twist of my lips, turning when Jim left the men and headed our way. “And it let me check off reciprocal visits with you and Allie.”
“Meh,” Ysolde said, moving with me over to the side of the three-story, white stone, almost two-hundred-year-old manor house that Becket and Yrian had purchased.
They decorated it with enough lights to make Clark Griswold happy, including lights on the roof in the shape of a cat dressed as Santa.
“You know you’re welcome to visit us whenever without any sense of obligation.
And I didn’t mean I was angsting for Anduin’s presence.
... Like you, the last two days were exhausting, so a break is most welcome.
Anduin was nigh on delirious with joy he got to stay for another day with what he’s now calling his cousins, so I appreciate you letting him remain. ”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. “My kids decided he and Brom are family, and no amount of explanation by Drake of how the septs work will convince them that your kids—and by extension the rest of the light dragons—aren’t family.”
“Uh-oh. It sounds like we’ve inadvertently stepped on Drake’s toes,” she said, a little frown forming between her brows.
“Not in the least,” I said, waving when Becket emerged from the nearest end of the house, bearing a large tray loaded with mugs of what I hoped was hot mulled wine.
We both turned to head her way. “I think it’s more he wants them to understand the history of the green dragons, and it’s a bit tricky when he has to avoid all the parts like wars and murders and such.
Plus, it’s good for our kids to embrace as family people who may not be related by blood, but should be, and you guys definitely are that. ”
“Aww,” Ysolde said, pausing to give me a swift hug.
“We consider all of you fam, as well. Baltic is certainly grateful that Drake is lending so many green dragons to help Brom with extra tutoring and weapon training. He—Baltic, not Brom—has been so busy helping Yrian get set up, financially and modern-life-wise, he hasn’t had time to do much else.
Thankfully, I think his turn at being his brother’s keeper is over, and he can return to brooding about ways to annoy Kostya. ”
I laughed aloud at that before helping Becket unload her tray on a stone table that had been decorated with red and gold berries. “Hot wine or cocoa?” I asked, setting out the empty mugs while Ysolde took charge of two large insulated carafes.
“Both,” Becket answered, turning when a woman emerged from the house holding two more trays, these filled with several small bowls and a stack of tasting plates.
“Ayo thought we should have some peppermint cocoa to offset all the dragon’s blood that Yrian has decided is necessary to show good hostiness.
And we went a bit nuts with the snacks, since I told her how yummy the ones were that Allie and Ysolde had at their places. ”
“Did someone say snacks?” Jim, who had been out with the men while Yrian showed them the llama sanctuary that was part of the land they’d bought a few months before, made a beeline for the granite patio where we stood.
“Oooh! Lots of good noms. I’ll check a couple of those for you to make sure they’re up to standards. ”
“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” I told Jim with a frown I knew it would ignore.
I’d been a bit worried about it of late, and took a good look at it now to make sure it wasn’t sinking into a decline.
I knew it was worried about its parents, and their war on the Court of Divine Blood, so I leaned down to ask quietly, “Is anything upsetting you? Was it Cecile? I told you that as soon as she recovers from her dental work, Yrian agreed to bop her on the head and make her immortal.”
It slid a glance up at me before rubbing its face on my leg. “Naw, I’m good there. And thanks for giving me the early Christmas present of paying for Yrian to do that. I want Cecile to live for all time with clean teeth, even if she is now missing a few of them.”
“Yrian would have done it without charging us, but Drake insisted. I gather the money is going to llama care, so it’s all to the good.
If it’s not Cecile that’s worrying you, did your dad upset you?
” I asked, knowing it had received a few texts from Desi, but since Jim hadn’t shared what was being said, I felt a bit adrift.
“Did they turn down the invitation to Boxing Day dinner? If they aren’t comfortable coming to our place for that, we can meet them elsewhere.
I bet we could convince Bastian to open up his restaurant if we needed it. ”
“Desi said they’d be there, and I don’t think he’d lie about that,” Jim said with a doggy shrug.
“Then what is it that’s bothering you?” I asked, noting that the men, no doubt drawn by the lure of hot dragon’s blood wine, were now marching across the frozen ground in a determined manner.
Allie, wife of Christian Dante, the head vampire of all the vampires in the world (or so I assumed—I made a mental note to ask Allie for clarification), emerged from the house clad in a dark-blue ankle-length coat, with matching fake-fur ushanka hat.
“Sorry about having to take a phone call. The twins got in a swivet because they thought they lost their phones, but our nanny felt it only right that the girls’ phones be taken away during your children’s no-screen time, Aisling.
That’s an excellent policy, by the way, and I think Christian and I will gradually introduce the same into our lives.
Despite my children’s moans to the contrary, a little time without phones and tablets isn’t going to end in their demise.
Oh, that looks so yummy, Becket. What a fun idea to have an outdoor picnic.
That firepit is perfect for keeping away the cold. Can I help with anything?”
Becket murmured something about having everything well in hand as I cast a raised eyebrow at Jim, moving a few steps away to wrap up our conversation.
It gave a dramatic sigh, then said softly, “It’s Lattsa.”
“Your half sister?” I shot a worried look over to where Drake was approaching. “Is she still trying to guilt you into helping your parents take down the Court of Divine Blood?”
“No.” It was silent for a moment, then said in a bit of a rush, “It’s a feeling I have that something’s not right with her. Not like she’s batshit crazy or anything, although I suppose she could be, because she’s into old earth magic and stuff, but something about her helping Desi doesn’t fit.”
“Doesn’t fit how?” I asked. Drake was about twenty yards away and approaching fast, his gaze now locked onto me. While I would never keep anything from him that might endanger our family, the sept, or any of our friends, he had less tolerance for dealings with Jim’s parents than I thought prudent.
It gave another shrug. “Dunno. There’s just something off.”
“Let me know if she says anything to you, or if you get a better sense of what’s wrong,” I told it, patting it on the head as I turned to face the love of my life.
Even now, the liquid heat in his emerald eyes made my bones turn to jelly.
“I’m glad you made it back in time to enjoy all the food and hot dragon’s blood. I take it all is well with the llamas?”
Drake’s lips curled slightly, handing me a mug of dragon’s blood before taking one for himself.
The other wyverns had gathered around, as well, taking up the spicy beverage that pretty much only dragons could drink without suffering dire consequences.
“The only thing that kept me from being bored was watching Baltic trying to appear interested while his brother explained the running of the sanctuary.”
I gave a soft laugh, careful not to catch anyone’s attention as I watched Ysolde fuss over Baltic, no doubt sensing he was about at the end of his not-substantial patience. “I bet that was a sight to see.”
Becket finished pouring hot wine from one of the carafes before saying, “I know you guys like to have your fight-club thing before snacks, but since there’s only four of you, Yrian had a great idea for something fun as an alternative. We’ve set up one of the barns for a starlight beatdown.”