Chapter Three #2
Archie squirms when his parents look at him with disappointment.
He knows he fucked up, but he’s definitely been punished enough.
“Oh, Archie, you know you aren’t supposed to wander around outside the castle on your own.
” His mother sounds so disappointed, I grimace.
I know that tone well. I’ve heard it a number of times from my own mother when I was Archie’s age.
Bryson and Lucas gently question him about his experience.
Gracelin starts to cry again, and her sister squishes in next to her and holds her hand while Adam tries to whisper words of reassurance.
I hide the smirk that wants to cross my lips at the sight of the big grizzly bear becoming a teddy around his wife.
Adam is a former watch member. When he mated Gracelin, he transferred to the shifter army so he could be home every night with his wife. He now leads his own team of men, but because we haven’t been at war, they mostly train and patrol shifter territory.
“I’m so proud of you, son.” He embraces Archie again, and I see a wide smile stretch across the boy’s face as his chest puffs out. “You were very brave and did well to get away from the witch.”
He really must have shaken the witch up, or maybe the witch isn’t very powerful, because he should have easily been able to subdue a shifter child with his magic.
Maybe that’s why he smelled like moldy hay—most witches smell like fresh herbs or some kind of plant—or maybe it points to the other suspicion that is niggling inside my brain, which is that it could have been a human.
“And I rode on Hunter’s back too,” he announces proudly.
Hunter winces and tries to melt into the wall as Gracelin’s eyes narrow on him.
Before she can voice a barrage of grievances, Queen Mia, Gretchin’s mother, clears her throat, and we turn our attention to her.
She shifts a couple of long black braids off her shoulder, her dark eyes alight with curiosity.
She’s wearing a red pantsuit that looks stunning against her dark skin.
The king really is a lucky guy. The queens are all striking women, and not only are they gorgeous, but they are also kind and loving.
I have gotten to know them well through my friendship with their son.
“Tell us more about the human woman. We need to show her our thanks. She obviously took care of our boy if he wants to marry her.” Her lips twitch, but she smothers her amusement.
“The human owns a bakery in the neutral zone. She seemed kind enough,” I tell them, thinking about the spark between us when we shook hands, then I remember the thing I shoved into my pocket.
I pull out the little marshmallow tiger.
It’s slightly squished but doesn’t look too worse for wear.
I hold my hand out, showing them. “She’s making these adorable marshmallow animals in celebration of your retirement,” I tell them, stepping over and giving it to Archie, whose eyes light up at the treat.
“Colbie made me,” he declares, snatching it from my hand and holding it like it’s the most precious thing in the world. He runs a finger over the marshmallow head. “I will keep it forever,” he declares, and Gracelin scrunches up her nose.
“No, you will not. You’ll attract ants and critters into your room.
Eat it now, and then we can find you some real food,” she tells him.
His bottom lip sticks out, and it’s like his four grandparents hold their breath.
I snicker at the reaction, but his curiosity must win out over his desire to keep his new friend’s creation, because he stuffs it into his mouth and chews, his eyes going round with astonishment.
“Tastes like oranges,” he tells everyone, mumbling around the mallow. “It’s really good.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Queen Evelyn scolds, but there’s no anger in her tone. Her hazel eyes sparkle with mirth as she watches him enjoy his treat.
“Did you say her name is Colbie?” Queen Layla asks, leaning forward. Her shoulder-length red hair falls forward with the movement, and I see the interest in her eyes.
“Yes, Colbie, and she’s really pretty, with long black hair and pretty purple eyes.
She’s short like you, Mom, but she smells nice, like cupcakes, and she had a really nice voice.
” Archie sighs, and again, we all snicker at his lovesick actions.
“She gave me milk and a whole plate of meat when I was in cub form and couldn’t change back and eat cupcakes.
She sang while she baked, and it was so nice, I went to sleep. ”
Gracelin’s eyes soften at hearing how well her son was treated by the little human.
“Colbie’s an unusual name. You don’t think it’s the same Colbie we were friends with as kids, do you?
” Gretchin runs her hand over her nephew’s tousled blond hair, smiling indulgently before turning to her mother.
Gretchin keeps her hair cropped short against her head.
She complains that her curls are too hard to manage when she’s on patrol as part of one of the shifter army teams.
“Yes, I was thinking the same thing,” Evelyn agrees as she turns to her co-queens. “Wasn’t Malina Karridge’s daughter called Colbie?”
“The dress designer?” Layla’s eyebrows jump.
“I think so, but when we stopped bringing the kids to our appointments, she stopped having her daughter there. I remember the four of them would sit under her design table and giggle the whole time she measured, fitted, and showed us samples. They would have tea parties, and it kept them out of our hair,” she explains to the rest of us in the room.
“Yes, I remember she was a little younger than us but a sweet girl. She would bake us cookies to have with our tea. They were the yummiest things I’d ever tasted.” Gretchin nudges her sister. “Do you remember?”
“Yes, she was such a shy little thing, always so nervous around Gryffin, but one day, she had a broken arm and wasn’t able to pour the tea, and she started crying.
Our brother almost had a panic attack. He took over, poured the tea from her little teapot, and assured her he would help with whatever she needed.
I think he was a little smitten with the little girl.
” Gracelin laughs before frowning. “I had forgotten all about her. I feel guilty now.”
Gracelin and Gretchin have an air of sadness about them. “Why did we stop going? I know you still use her,” Gretchin asks her mother, but it’s Gryffin’s mother, Layla, who answers.
“You turned twelve and got control of your shifts. We didn’t want you scaring the girl.
Although her mother knew who we were, the girl didn’t, and we didn’t think it was fair to you three or her if you shifted in front of her and she was scared.
You didn’t seem to notice since you had plenty of your own school friends, and like you said, she was a little younger than you. ”
“Fine, but I would like to do something nice for her. She needs an award or something,” Gracelin says, and I clear my throat, remembering what the intriguing woman said to me.