Chapter Six
By the end of the evening, she had seven roommates. Three orc mages, one healer made of vines, Mell, Norecayet, and baby Rowan.
She went to her office after her guests had departed and started the rental agreement.
Rowan had the next day off as well, but she would send the agreement to Dante and let him take a look at it.
She sent him a text and asked, Dante, do you have time to take a look at a rental agreement I have worked up?
I have some folks interested in renting rooms in my house.
There was a moment, and then she got a response. Sure. Send it over, or I can come by and go over it with you.
She looked around at the new quiet and smiled. Sure. Thank you. Sending the address.
She sent the address.
Wait, are you the gated estate on Wymore?
Yes. There’s still pie. I believe Achilles is working on a project for my aunt.
Wait, that’s your family?
Yes.
Okay, we are loading up, and he’s going to finish it there.
She blinked. Okay. We also have ice cream.
Homemade?
Of course.
On our way.
Rowan felt a surge of power at her front gate, and she flared a mirror up and confirmed it was two dark and one light elf in a pickup truck. She authorized their entry and went outside to meet them at the front steps.
They drove up to the house, and the statue in the truck bed made Rowan tear up. She hadn’t seen Aspen’s face in years.
She looked at the elves. “May I move it toward the carriage house?”
Achilles blinked and smiled. “If you can.”
She took some of the sexual energy radiating from the triad and unsnapped the statue before walking it around the main house until she settled it near the carriage house, in an open space.
She looked at it and smiled. “Hello, Aspen.”
Hello. Is it me you’re looking for. I can see it in your eyes; I can see it in your smile.
Achilles settled next to her. “The likeness is there?”
“It is. She’s lovely. Just as I remembered her.”
Dante’s mate walked up. “You are one of the mages?”
“Yes and no. Like another omega, I got power by necessity.”
Dante stared at her. “Rowan? You are an omega?”
Rowan looked at him. “Of course not. That wouldn’t be right at all.”
He grinned slowly. “Well, fuck, right under our noses.”
“Ew.”
Their mate laughed. “I am Keres. I don’t think we’ve met.”
“I am Rowan. Welcome to my territory.”
Welcome to the jungle, we’ve got fun and games.
Rowan smiled. “And that is my Auntie Aspen. The statue lady.”
Hello, hello, hello.
Achilles said, “Hello, miss. Are you excited for the attempt tomorrow?”
A barrage of classical music filled the air.
Rowan nodded, “That’s a yes. There are speakers and microphones near both buildings. She can always communicate here.”
She smiled and produced the rental agreement. “Dante, this is the actual for my text. Some of the new orc mages and one healer, as well as my friend, her mate, and their baby who was born today.”
Keres rubbed her bump. “May I meet the new baby?”
“Certainly. And Achilles is fussing with the stone. Dante has the paperwork, so sure, into the house we go. Gentlemen, dessert is on the worktable in the kitchen.”
Keres asked, “Why are the mages moving here?”
“The gym. Did you want to see it or the baby first?”
“The baby, please.”
“This way.” She climbed the back stairs and walked the outer gallery while texting Mell.
Keres gasped, “This place is enormous.”
“It was a pack gathering home in the old days. This is where deals were made, alliances were forged, and omegas were gently introduced to the alphas with their packs standing by to stop any bad behaviour.” She walked toward the open room and smiled.
“It was a place of safety then, and I am working hard to make it one now. If Aspen can regain her body, I can put more energy into the house again.”
Keres asked softly, “You are powering her?”
“Supplementing her. I am pretty sure there is going to be a hellish backlash tomorrow.”
“Oh, from your aunt becoming solid?”
She nodded. “And the wards around Mell’s hiding place. I am not going to drop those until I have to.”
They walked up to the door and knocked. Mell’s cheerful voice rang out, “Come in.”
Keres walked in, and Mell gasped. “Wow, you are pretty.”
Keres inclined her head. “Thank you. You are gorgeous, and your baby is lovely. So big.”
Norecayet smiled. “Time caught up with her, and things went faster than anticipated.”
Rowan whistled innocently.
Mell stood with the baby in her arms. “Would you like to hold him?”
“Certainly. Does he have a name?”
Mell grinned. “Rowan.”
Rowan chuckled. “That won’t be weird at all.”
Mell snickered as she handed the baby over. “You are the queen of weird.”
“Thank you. It was an honour just to be nominated.”
Keres was swaying with the boy in her arms. “I am excited that I get to keep mine this time.”
Mell smiled. “There’s a story.”
“Oh, yes. I should arrange a play date with this little bruiser and some of my nieces. I have four of the little darlings. An orc-goblin-mage hybrid will make all their papas nervous.”
The proud father grinned. “You spotted the goblin?”
“Yeah, well, I heard all about the blue psycho who tried to get at the cursed lady before she could be freed. Elves are gossipy.” She was tickling the baby’s cheek with her fingertip.
Mell smiled. “I am thinking of opening a daycare, Rowan.”
“Am I going to need a different contract?”
“Yes.”
“Which room?”
“Small ballroom?”
“Okay, I will create a direct entrance. Work hours?”
“Seven to seven?”
“Weekends?”
“No. Weekdays only.”
Rowan paused. “Are you up for a walk?”
Mell smiled. “Sure. Keres, Norec can take the baby if you need a break. He’s a heavy little dude.”
“Rowan or Norec?” Rowan asked.
“Both.” Mell giggled, and Keres snorted gently.
They walked, and Keres murmured to the baby in her arms. “It seems your auntie is doing something. Can you feel that power? That’s magic, little one.”
Rowan smiled and kept walking down the stairs and out the front door.
She looked left and right and then smiled and pointed to a spot, and a building began to take shape.
She hummed and added rooms for different ages, bathrooms, a kitchen, a practice kitchen for the kids, and an office near the front door.
Other things would need to be added. Security would need to be created.
She walked toward the building and looked at Mell.
“How about this? That way, we don’t have to record everyone living in the big house for security scans.
I think some might come to me early in their time here, or when they come back to town.
Some may not have people to keep their credentials current.
That would bar them from my home, and hospitality is my choice, not the licensing bureau. ”
Mell blushed. “I didn’t think about that.”
“I did. I am a boring bureaucrat like that.” She gestured. “Open it. It should be fully accessible.”
Mell grinned and walked quickly to the building, opening the wide door and moving into the building.
Keres smiled. “What are you going to do about zoning?”
“This building was grandfathered in. It’s always been here. You haven’t been here before. You probably didn’t see it.”
Keres said, “They also need an outdoor spot to play in.”
“Oh, you mean that fenced-in area there off the side of the building?”
Keres laughed. “You are quick. But you really have the zoning?”
“Yes. The updated ancient blueprints at city hall, and I have a copy in the house.” She smiled. “That is why I took civics and urban planning as a side to my paralegal courses.”
She gestured for Mell’s mate to explore with her. He scampered over to have a look around.
“Will you take up a position at the daycare?”
“Oh, god no. I can’t take the contact.”
Keres frowned. “What?”
“I sealed my skin to stop the shadow mages from attacking me, but it had a painful side effect. Touch hurts, a lot.”
Keres made a soft sound. “How will you fix it?”
“A little of this, a little of that. Right now, it’s like raw meat under metal. When I am struck or my construct is struck, it reverberates like hard sound waves, and it hurts. I get bruising that covers most of me, though the healer was able to identify what I am.”
“What is that?”
“Something called an opal omega. My kind power-boost the next generation.”
“Oh. That must make you popular.”
“Ask your mates. From what I know, we were handed out like candy to visiting dignitaries.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. Oh, hey, there’s my first official lodger.”
A dark green SUV drove up with another truck behind it.
Keres grinned. “You are going to have a houseful of orcs?”
“And whatever the healer is.”
“Orc shaman. Darker colour and very attuned to nature.”
“Oh, that explains it.” Rowan nodded.
Mell came out with a huge grin. “Rowan, it’s perfect! Will it pass inspection?”
“If it doesn’t when they walk in, it will when they walk out.” Rowan smiled. “You are going to be on the hook for decorating and populating it. I draw the line at crafting children.”
Mell chuckled. “I will handle the kids. I will also handle staffing.”
“Good. I am just the building and land and infrastructure and your landlord. Rent will depend on how many tiny clients you have.”
Mellwyn grinned. “I think we can put forty little ones in there comfortably with about ten staff members for ratio counts, and two extra for breaks and floating. Then I need a cook and administrative assistant.”
“Make a list, and first, get the authorization for the daycare here.”
One of the orcs grinned. “I can help there. I am a city inspector.”
Rowan chuckled. “Of course you are.”
The doctor grinned. “Soryet is an electrician.”
“Of course he is.” Rowan smiled.
She held up her hand and nodded to the doctor and the other orc. “Choose a room from the glowing doorways. They are available.”
The doctor lifted the boxes on his vines. “How many options do we have?”
“Twenty pack suites with ensuite bathrooms. Once you have made your selections, I will turn on the individual on-demand water heaters, and you will be all set. Individual environmental controls are on the walls.”
He blinked. “Wait, we can set it to anything?”