Twenty-Nine
Cam
As I'd expected, my dads welcomed Kai with wide smiles and open arms—well, not literally since they'd never hug someone without consent—and he seemed a little stunned by it. I got the feeling Kai wasn't very used to being around people, and I wondered what his life had been like before he met the asshole who stole his coat.
Once everyone was seated in the living room—Ames was off on another of her trips, so it was just the four of us and my dads—DD glanced between us, his eyes coming to rest on Micah instead of Kai. "I think we should call Cassian and Gus over before we start discussing anything."
I blinked, then realized he was right. Cassian would have a better understanding and knowledge of the ins and outs of Ravenshire, and Micah would probably appreciate the support.
"I'll text them," I offered, then did just that. Their house was only a few blocks away, and they replied instantly, telling me they'd be here in a few minutes.
While we waited, DD asked Kai if he was doing well, and if the lack of his coat was causing him any major discomfort. Thankfully, Kai seemed to be doing okay, though I could see he was desperate to have his coat back. I couldn't imagine what it felt like to lose a part of yourself like that, and I had to wonder why selkies were designed the way they were. Why was it so easy to take their magic?
For that matter, why had the mage stolen his coat? From what I knew of the Ravenshire mages, they disliked any magic different from their own. What use could they have for selkie magic?
Or could it be that the mage who'd tricked Kai was acting on his own? Because if so, we might be able to get the mages to do our work for us. Though I wouldn't trust them with it even if it was my only option.
When Cassian and Gus arrived, they greeted Kai the same way, and he was startled yet again, as if he hadn't expected the kindness. What else had he expected from the people who'd raised someone as wonderful as Micah?
"Okay, so now that everyone's here, can we figure out how we're going to get Kai's coat back?" I asked, then continued before any of the dads could speak. "And, before you say it, we will be doing this. You can't change our minds, and you definitely can't offer to do it for us. Any advice or guidance you have for us is welcome, but that's it."
"Are you done?" Dad asked, his green eyes shining with fondness even though he acted like I was being a brat. Which I was, but oh well.
"Yes," I answered primly, making him roll his eyes.
"We won't try to stop you," DD assured me, then added, "As long as you promise to be careful and give us some time to gather information. You shouldn't walk into this blind."
I frowned, glancing from DD to Kai. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but I knew he wanted his coat back sooner rather than later.
"Is that really necessary?"
"If you walk in there with no idea of what you're up against, you could get hurt. Micah and Kai are more vulnerable, and you need to remember that."
I sucked in a breath at DD's words, my eyes narrowing as my dragon growled in my head, as angry as me at the accusation.
Somehow, DD sensed my dragon's reaction, because he raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't mean that you don't care, Cam. I was just reminding you, nothing more."
I grumbled under my breath, turning to look at Kai. "What do you think? If you want us to go there right this second, I'm game. And I will keep you safe."
Kai gazed into my eyes for a long moment as he chewed on his lower lip, then shook his head. "Your dad's right. We need to be careful. I'm in this mess because I wasn't, and I don't want to do that again."
Ember placed a palm on my shoulder, his blue eyes warm and reassuring as he nodded at me.
They're right, Cam, Micah added in my mind. Some of those mages are awful, conniving bastards. We need to be careful .
"Okay," I said out loud with an exhale. "How are you planning to gather information?"
"I could go back," Cassian offered, and Micah shot upright, turning to look at his father.
"No way! If we can't go in blind, neither can you."
Cassian frowned, rubbing his fingers through his bright red beard. "It's not like any of them would try to mess with me, and someone has to. Who else is there?"
A soft meow broke the thoughtful silence that fell after Cassian's question, and all eyes fell on the slim black cat peering out of the shadows. At everyone's attention, she slid back into the shadows, but Micah's eyes stayed glued there as he tilted his head.
"I think...I think Saaya just volunteered to go," he said, sounding puzzled.
"Really?" I was surprised, to say the least. While familiars and mages could communicate, Micah and Saaya had more of a pet-and-owner type relationship since Micah usually didn't need magical assistance. I hadn't even known Saaya could do stuff like this, but who better for a reconnaissance mission than a cat who could travel through and disappear in the shadows?
"She is a good candidate, as long as she's able to deliver the information to you properly," DD said, and Micah smiled at the shadows, making me wonder if Saaya was still hiding in there.
"She will."
"Okay. First Saaya will gather all the information she can, then we'll make a plan, and then you can leave," Gus said. He'd been content to sit and listen until now, but he'd clearly stayed quiet as long as he could.
"Sounds good to me," I said, glancing over at Kai. "Would you like to add anything, Kai?"
He shook his head, then nodded. "I just...thank you, all of you. For your help."
"Of course," DD said with a wide smile. "You're a part of the family now, Kai. You can always ask us for help."
Kai
A part of the family .
The words were stuck in my mind hours later, and I just couldn't stop thinking about them.
While my parents were good people at heart, they'd never been as open with their love as Cam and Micah's dads were. You only needed to watch them together for a few minutes to know how strong their bonds were, and I felt a little envious, if I was honest.
My parents had done their best to make me ready for the world—though I clearly hadn't learned well, or I wouldn't have lost my coat—but they hadn't ever made me feel loved. I felt guilty for feeling that way, but I couldn't help it.
After a few hours of discussion where I told them everything I remembered about Osric, the mages he employed, and his home on the edge of the island, we'd returned to the house after Cam's dads had extracted a promise of patience from him.
I got the feeling Cam had been a troublemaker growing up, and that he still was one, even if I hadn't seen that side of him yet.
After a few minutes of coming home, I'd excused myself, and I was now standing in the middle of my room, unsure what to do next.
I'd unpacked my box of clothes and put everything away, and there wasn't much else to do in here.
Now that things were in motion with Saaya off on her mission, I felt a lot more relaxed. I would get my coat back, and Cam's impatience had only helped assure me that my mates wouldn't give up until I had it back.
With that assurance, my mind felt calmer than it had since I woke up to find that bastard stealing my coat. I felt good, and I wanted to keep feeling this way.
I wanted to go downstairs and talk to my mates, get to know them. They'd been so good to me since they found me, and after spending some time with them, I'd realized that they would've helped me even if I wasn't their mate.
Glancing around the room one last time, I made my way downstairs.
Jodi rushed up to me as soon as I walked into the living room, her long tail wagging at warp speed as she danced in front of me.
Smiling, I ruffled her fur, then gave her a few pets and some chin scratches as she panted at me, her tongue lolling out as she grinned widely.
"You're such a sweet girl, aren't you?"
"Uh-oh, she's ensnared Kai. He'll never get away now," Cam called dramatically from where he lay on the couch, and I rolled my eyes as I walked over to him, Jodi keeping pace with me as she tried her best to knock me over.
"What are you doing?" I asked, glancing from him to the open laptop on the coffee table.
"I was looking at couches, but then I got tired, so I'm waiting for Ember and Micah to finish cooking so I can get them to choose. Take a look. Do you like any?"
Sitting on the end of the couch where his feet were, I pulled the laptop into my lap, scrolling through the options.
"What's wrong with this one?" I asked, settling deeper into it. "It doesn't look old, and the cushion seems to be fine too."
"It's too small."
I turned to look at him, then the couch that was big enough for him to lie in without either his head or legs going over the armrests, and also deep enough for two people to cuddle, and raised a brow. "It's too small?"
Cam nodded emphatically, then sat upright, pulling his legs back and resting his chin on his knees. "Yep. We need something where all four of us can sit comfortably. Or cuddle."
My cheeks heated at the idea of curling up with all three of them on a cozy couch, maybe with a movie playing on the large flat screen.
Turning my attention to the screen, I ignored the gaze I could feel roaming over me.
"This one looks nice," I said after a while, my voice a little strained.
Cam leaned closer, his heat soaking into me as he peered at the screen.
The couch I'd chosen was a soft brown color, a woodsy shade that would go well with the furniture in this room, and it was almost double the size of the one we had now. It also folded out into a bed, so it would be big enough for...for other activities.
"Oh, I like it. Let's see what Micah and Ember think, and then we'll place the order."
"Okay."
It was thirty minutes before Ember and Micah walked into the living room, plates in both their hands.
I hopped up to take one from Micah, while Ember gave the other one to Cam before settling on the armchair.
Micah slid in beside me after asking for my permission, sandwiching me between him and Cam, and my cheeks heated again at their proximity.
Cam had spent the past thirty minutes telling me about Mistvale, about his mom, and that he was trans. The last one had been a surprise, and if he hadn't told me I never would've known, but it made me see him in a new light.
I'd assumed he'd led a charmed life, that he'd always had everything he could ever want, and how lucky he was. But that was before I knew he'd lost his mom at an early age, and then, as if that wasn't heartbreaking enough, he'd had cancer. That was when Raphael had saved his life.
Cam might have everything he could want now—except his mom—but he'd earned it all. After everything he'd been through, I thought it would be unfair for him to face any more hardship.
"Earth to Kai." Cam's voice broke into my thoughts, and I blinked, glancing at him.
"Sorry. I was lost in thought. What did you say?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with us. Maybe we could watch a movie together?" Cam suggested hopefully, and it didn't take me long to give him a nod.
After talking to their dads, I was more sure than ever that I'd get my coat back, that my mates would get it back. There was no point in worrying about it until it happened. Instead, I was going to take this time to get to know the three men Fate had picked out for me.
We finished eating, and Cam ordered the brown couch with express shipping after Micah and Ember agreed that it was a good choice. Then, we settled in to watch a movie, Cam, Micah, and I on the couch while Ember stayed in the armchair. Yeah, we really needed a bigger model.