Chapter 11 Cornelius
Cornelius
Ithink I was more nervous about Matthew meeting the rest of the coven than he was. I wanted him to feel welcome, to feel as if he belonged. This was my home, and although it wasn’t the coven I was born into, it was the one I’d chosen to join because I agreed with the leadership and their views.
Matthew had started feeling a little better day by day, and he was now around six weeks pregnant and had the tiniest little bump that I couldn’t stop staring at.
Balthazar had started visiting, at Matthew’s request, and Constantine had been by a couple more times to check on Matthew.
My little fae had taken to the older warlock doctor quickly.
It was funny to see because Constantine didn’t quite know how to react at times.
Constantine was older than me by at least a century, and he was quite set in his ways.
Introducing a young, vibrant, mischievous fae to him had me chuckling.
In a way, he tended to ruffle Constantine’s feathers.
“You ready?” I asked as I stared at Matthew. He was standing in front of the mirror, turning left, then right. “You look great. Why are you worried?”
“I haven’t met any of these people. Well, except for Bal and Connie.”
My eyes widened. Bal and Connie? “Umm, love?”
“Hmm?” Matthew asked but still hadn’t looked at me. I stood there, waiting. When his eyes finally met mine in the mirror, I raised an eyebrow in question.
“Bal? Connie? Really?”
Matthew smirked. “Yep. Although Bal doesn’t mind, Constantine does. And I don’t do it all the time, but I mean, come on. Constantine? Really? It’s so…stuffy and uptight.”
I snorted. He nailed the coven’s doctor on the first try.
“Yes, but he’s also almost four hundred years old. He came over with Master Edison when he moved the coven from England to the United States.”
Matthew turned and looked at me, his mouth forming an o.
“Did you not realize that?”
Matthew shook his head.
“Yeah. It was the late 1800s when they came over. Constantine’s family…his grandpa? Maybe it was his great-grandpa who was the original coven doctor. As in, he was one of the original warlocks created.”
Matthew’s jaw dropped. I knew what he was feeling because I’d had a similar reaction when I first found out.
“You ready to meet everyone?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I guess. How many are in the coven again?”
“Including you, twenty-two. There used to be more, but as you know, Michael and Ellie stayed in Timber Valley. And there are only a couple of younger warlocks left in the coven. In fact, we’ll have the first new addition in decades, actually.”
“Do the kids stay with their parents when they get older? Like the fae do, I mean? We stay with our parents until we find our own mates.”
I shook my head as I laced my fingers with Matthew’s.
“No. When they’re old enough, they will move out of a family suite and move into a single room.
They’re more like efficiency apartments, really.
One big room that has a sleeping area, and then a kitchen and dining area if they want to eat in there by themselves. ”
Matthew nodded. “So why have a chef?” Matthew asked as we left our suite. It was the first time we’d done so, and I could feel my One’s nerves spike a bit as we started down the hallway.
“Because Master Edison has always encouraged that we are family. And it’s good to interact with family as a group in situations other than just work. You’ll see.”
I hoped we didn’t overwhelm him, but I wasn’t holding my breath.
There were twenty other warlocks, only a few being shifters, in the coven.
And I’d meant it when I said, time and again, they were all excited to meet Matthew.
Not only were they happy that I’d found my One, but none had ever met a fae before. It was all new and very exciting.
“And everyone is here?”
“They are. And this is a very informal lunch, but everyone will be stopping by to say hi and introduce themselves. When we arrive at the dining room, I’ll take you over to Master Arthur and you’ll get to spend more than two minutes with him.”
I felt Matthew’s hesitation. I knew that he was intimidated by the coven master, I just wasn’t sure if it was because he was a powerful warlock or if it was because he was Master Edison’s son.
Perhaps it was a combination of both. I’d have to find out.
When Matthew had started feeling better, Master Arthur and Patrick had stopped by to welcome him to the coven.
They didn’t stay long because they truly didn’t want to make Matthew uncomfortable, and he was still not feeling his best.
“I…I’d like to get to know them better. I don’t want to disappoint them. I wish to make you proud, my mate.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you already do. I’m proud to have you by my side. Grantham is looking forward to meeting you as well. He’s ready to talk recipes.”
When Matthew’s eyes lit up, I knew I’d effectively changed the subject, getting Matthew’s mind off the fact that our coven was founded by the original warlock. The one that was created as a being and not from a man.
We both heard the noise from the dining room before we arrived, and I grinned. I was proud of my fellow coven members and how welcoming they were. How excited they were, not only for me having found my mate, but that we were expectant parents now as well.
When we entered the dining room, the noise dimmed a bit, but thankfully it didn’t stop entirely.
Everyone knew how nervous Matthew was and understood not to overwhelm him.
I gave Matthew’s hand a quick squeeze and tugged him into the room, heading directly to Master Arthur’s table.
He and Patrick spotted us about halfway there, and both quickly stood in welcome.
“Matthew, you look like you’re feeling so much better.
I remember those days, and let me tell you, it does indeed get better as time progresses,” Patrick said in greeting.
He surprised Matthew by pulling him into a hug.
I glanced at Master Arthur and took his outstretched hand. His other landed on my shoulder.
“Congratulations again. I know I’ve already said it many times, but it truly is a blessed day when one finds their other half.”
“Thank you, Master Arthur.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Just Arthur. We’ve been over this I don’t know how many times.”
“Yes, but it just doesn’t feel right.”
Patrick winked at us and turned, draping an arm over Matthew’s shoulders and walking away with him.
“He’ll be okay. Patrick has been waiting for him to feel well enough for visits. He wants to talk pregnancy, cooking, decorating, everything with your young fae. How is he adjusting?”
“Seems to be adjusting okay. He’s done a lot of sleeping.
Constantine said he should start getting more energy soon.
I noticed right away when he stared taking the vitamins and eating more meat.
He’s not a fan of red meat though. Unless It’s on pizza,” I said with a chuckle.
Patrick and Matthew had arrived at the buffet table, and on it was box after box of pizzas in every topping combination imaginable.
“I think it’s cute that he has such a thing for pizza. There are worse food items one can become crazy about when first discovering foods.”
I nodded. Matthew and Patrick were talking animatedly, and when Grantham approached the pair, Patrick introduced them. Matthew tried to hold out his hand, but he was quickly pulled into the chef’s arms and given an exuberant hug.
“Sweetheart? Are you okay?”
“Yep. He’s a hugger apparently. It’s okay though, I don’t mind.”
“We should get some pizza. Everyone has been waiting for you two to arrive. They’re all anxious. He’s easily the smallest person in the coven, so we need to get word around that we need to remember to not overwhelm him with our size differences.”
I snorted. It was true though. Most warlocks topped out at over six feet tall, but Matthew, he was five feet even. Which was one of the reasons why I thought he was a teenager when I first saw him walking down the street.
I followed Arthur across the room, heading toward my One, intending on reclaiming my fae. The beaming smile he turned toward me as I approached had my own smile growing.
“Have you ever seen so much pizza? I didn’t know it came so many ways.” Matthew’s excitement was infectious, and all of us around him smiled.
“We heard pizza was one of your favorite foods, and we wanted to make you as welcome as we could. I understand if you can’t eat much of it though. I remember when Patrick was pregnant—his stomach would be fine one day, and not at all the next,” Master Arthur told Matthew.
“Really?” Matthew asked but looked up to Patrick in question.
“Absolutely. And there is salad at the end of the table, Jell-O, and mixed fruit. There are a few other dishes down there as well,” Patrick said. Matthew nodded and glanced down toward the end of the table before returning his gaze back to me.
“Everything okay? Don’t feel you have to eat something if you think it’ll upset your stomach.”
Matthew shook his head. “I’ve been feeling better, you know that. I don’t know what Jell-O is. I’ve never heard of it and was curious, that’s all.”
That reminded me that Matthew was new to a lot of things.
And I was going to get to experience them with him.
Things that I’d grown up with, at times took for granted.
We’d lived on mostly soups, broths, teas, and crackers for the past few weeks.
I myself was certainly ready for something a bit more flavorful, but I wondered if Matthew’s stomach would be able to handle something as heavy as pizza.
I followed Matthew down to the end of the table where there were dozens of small bowls filled with the red jiggly treat.
“That’s Jell-O. The ones in the front have diced apples in it, the ones in the back are plain,” Grantham said. Matthew looked up at the chef and nodded.