Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
Iawoke to a ruckus. Grunting, I groped for the pillow and shoved it over my head, hoping to drown out the noise.
I scooted closer to Rowan, only to find his side of the bed cold. Normally, I’d feel him getting out of bed, but I’d used a ton of power yesterday and must have slept like the dead.
The bedroom door opened. “Go away,” I muttered.
Rowan’s soft chuckle sounded by the door. “You have guests. Want to greet them?”
“Not even a little bit.” I needed to eat, shower, and go kick some Danu ass. Definitely in that order.
“Well, they aren’t going anywhere, so why don’t you shower first, and I’ll throw on a pancake for you.”
I yawned. “I want a lot.”
“A lot you shall have.” His scent swept over me as he bent to yank the covers up.
I shrieked and tried to tackle him, but Rowan, damn him, danced out of the way. “Come on, sleepy head. Get up.”
I curled into the fetal position and gave him the finger. Undeterred, Rowan grinned and headed toward the door. “Fifteen minutes and I’m shutting off the hot water.”
“I will stab you in your sleep if you do.”
Rowan grinned. “You say such lovely things to me, wife.”
I tossed a pillow at the door, but he was gone.
Sometime later, I had a text from Rowan telling me to meet him on the patio.
I was dressed in yoga pants, tennis shoes, and a loose sweater, all clothes designed to fight and run in, and nothing I would be too upset about losing.
Danu would fight dirty, no doubt about it.
With Titania wiped out, she’d be at a slight disadvantage, but I had no doubt she had an ace up her sleeve.
But so did we. Mom had given me some intel last night that I planned to use if forced to. I wasn’t keen on doing so, but I also wanted this to finally be over. I’d made mistakes, but none of them were on purpose. We couldn’t hold an entire people responsible for the actions of one.
I didn’t start this conflict, but I planned to finish it. Dad was currently fishing out some potential leadership for new territories, and Mom and Tess were scoping out properties by using their network of ghosts and other banshees. Who knew the dead would be so knowledgeable about real estate?
Guess it made sense if you couldn’t move very far from where you were buried, and land constantly changed hands. They’d know all the details. After all, what else was there to pay attention to?
By tomorrow, if we were all still alive, we planned to present the idea at court.
Officially, with Rowan beside me as king.
So weird to think about where I’d started versus where I was now. Married. Mated on both sides of my nature. I had my parents and people who loved me backing me up. A decade ago, I would have laughed had someone told me I’d be standing here today.
I poured myself a giant mug of coffee and followed the smell of pancakes.
An overwhelming array of scents hit me the second I stepped onto the patio. I looked up and stopped in my tracks. Hundreds, no thousands, of shifters stood on our lands.
Even more surprising was the Lords sitting around the patio table.
Caelan was there. He lifted his coffee mug to me in greeting. Soren sat beside him, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Ben was next to Soren staring at Pax wearing a slightly befuddled expression. Even Thorvin had shown up, though he was wearing a Mr. Rogers cardigan and holding a book.
Appearances with the Lords could be deceiving. There were four of us here who knew Thorvin was a crack shot with a rifle.
Ethan sat beside Thorvin, watching me with an amused expression. Rowan sat beside him, holding up an enormous plate of pancakes. I moved toward him like a robot and took the plate.
“What’s going on?” I asked, knowing everyone could hear me even if I whispered.
“They’re here to help with Danu,” Rowan said cheerily. “I believe this is the first time all the Lords have agreed on something since the creation of the Council.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “Careful, bear.”
“How did you all get here?”
A golden hand rose in the air from the lawn. Mom and Dad appeared through the crowd. Neit walked beside my Mom, and I realized what a striking couple they made. My dad, wearing a pissed off expression, seemed to think the same as he kept glancing their way. “That would be us,” Dad grumbled.
I sank onto the seat Rowan pulled over but didn’t start eating. Overwhelmed, I let my gaze wander through the crowd and realized there were so many shifters I couldn’t see the back.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Mom dropped a kiss on top of my head and reached for the coffee. Dad leaned against one of the supports and watched everyone like a hawk. All these shifters around his daughter must be making him twitchy.
Ethan let out a heavy exhale. “Please accept our apologies. We’ve been just as guilty as the fae at judging someone based on the markers of their blood rather than the content of their character.
You’ve done many positive things for us over the past year, but what you did for Caelan cemented our decision. ”
Rowan cleared his throat. “Caelan is actually the one responsible for this.”
Tears clogged the back of my throat. “Truly?”
Caelan’s smile was edged with sadness. “Figured it was the least I could do.”
“You bet it is,” Rowan said under his breath.
Caelan laughed this time. “I’m well aware of the current state of my amends and know I’ll be making them forever.” He rolled his eyes. “At least to you.”
“Children,” Ethan said. “Can we focus?”
Rowan picked up my fork and handed it to me. “Eat. You’ll need the energy.”
The first bite was full of maple syrup and real butter. He knew exactly how I liked my pancakes. I ate like a maniac while the other Lords spoke amongst themselves; Rowan occasionally adding more bacon to my plate.
When I finished and set my plate down, Ethan caught my attention. “What exactly is your plan this morning?”
I shrugged and sipped my coffee. “She’s been waiting at the edges of our property for days now hoping for a confrontation. I plan to step outside the wards and give her what she wants.”
No one said a word.
“Right. As soon as I finish this coffee.”
Half an hour later, we stood toward the edge of the property boundary. Danu lurked close, her oily presence a heavy cloak against our wards.
“Ready?” I murmured to Rowan.
“You sure you want to do this?”
“If I don’t do it now, then when? I’m sure the Lords want their lands completely in their control again, and Danu is a blight upon our people. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Rowan tugged me close and planted a searing kiss upon my lips. Wolf whistles and catcalls rang out.
I laughed and clutched my husband to me. One last kiss to remember him, no matter what may come.
When we pulled apart, I glanced at Dad. “Drop the wards.”
As soon as the shimmering veil dropped, I stepped over the boundary.
Seconds later, Danu rose from the ground.