Chapter Two #2
“Right. Vegetarians and vegans have a separate buffet, and they will go first. Don’t be shy.
There is no excuse for you not to have access to our vegan menu if you go now.
Or you will be scraping bacon off your salad.
So, please, herbivores, go eat. Oh, and as a rule of etiquette for the wedding, don’t go for seconds until the last table has made their way.
There are two buffets, left and right. I have never run out of food, so pace yourself, but let everyone have fun. ”
When the laughing twenty people got up to go and were making inroads on the plethora of options, Krys went over to Elida’s table. “Ladies, gentlemen, please feel free to go to the buffet.”
She did the same for the parents’ table, and then all the brothers and their partners. After that, it became random, but the dark elves would have a chance to see how things worked, and there would be enough distance between them and the ladies of table one.
The stream of people was steady, and the girls came back with huge plates. Miika paused. “Sorry. We like to eat.”
Krys chuckled. “I planned for that.”
The ladies were laughing, and they settled at their table, digging in with ferocious appetites.
Krys didn’t know if they had any idea how many of the men at the wedding were watching them with predatory gazes. Elida met Krys’s gaze and winked before doing something filthy with a piece of asparagus.
Krys grinned and kept sending tables.
When the last table was released, she breathed easy. All pieces were in play.
If she were quick, she could sneak a steak off the cut.
* * * *
Elida smiled. “So, Reynal, we meet again. Who’s your date?”
Reynal grinned. “Funny. This is Wymol Ar-Du. He’s an investor and in Redbird on business.”
Akra grinned. “Pleased to meet you. We are Akra, Kori, Miika, and our mom, Elida. Our other sister is doting over the babies as the babysitter. She will be here soon. The baby eats after its mom does.”
Nylora got up with Solor and headed for the main house.
A few minutes later, Winnie came out, waved, and headed for the food.
She was back in four minutes; every huge XIA agent let her pass. Winnie sat at an open spot and glanced at the guys gathered around the steak station. “Suckers.”
Wymol spoke, and his voice ran through Elida, shaking every joint. “You are mocking them?”
“Yes. I could have waited for my turn, but they insisted.” She focused on the plate and sent a swirl of darkness across it. The plate was now empty. “Off I go.”
Winnie headed back to the buffet and got a fresh plate.
Wymol looked at Elida. “You are their mother?”
The three girls laughed.
Elida nodded. “Legally, yes. Fortunately, they all did their own laundry and are good about sharing bathrooms.”
Akra smiled. “Mom never let us live in a house with less than two bathrooms.”
Elida chuckled, Wymol’s head lifted, and he focused on her. “Have you visited Arutrus recently?”
Elida jolted and felt her dinner flip. “Um, yes?”
“Three months ago?”
Embarrassed, she winced. “Yes.”
He got up from the table, walked around, and pulled her to her feet. The kiss he started was achingly familiar, but it wasn’t until he pulled her against him that everything was confirmed. When Wymol lifted his head, he smiled. “Amori needs to work on the memory spell. I remember everything.”
“I think if we find each other, we are supposed to remember.”
Kori said, “Do you notice anything different about her?”
Wymol frowned and looked down at her.
Blushing, Elida said, “He wouldn’t know it by what we—I—look like. The club uses shadows.”
Miika snickered. “Nice tell there, Mom.”
Akra giggled. “Do you just want me to tell him?”
Elida nodded.
Akra sobered and spoke using truth. “Mom is pregnant, and the child is yours.”
Wymol froze. “What?”
Elida shrugged. “Akra has truth. She told me about it, and I confirmed it with my local physician. So, yeah. Pregnant. Sorry.”
He frowned. “May I discuss this with you?”
“Sure. I just want to be back for dessert.”
Akra nodded. “You don’t want her to miss dessert.”
Wymol nodded. He gestured toward the trees, and they went for a walk.
Elida was sorting her reaction to his scent, the feel of him, and the body heat he gave so easily. He wasn’t impressed by her, which was fine. She never thought she would bump into him again.
When they were between the trees and the quarry, she looked at him and shrugged. “So?”
He frowned. “Are you feeling well? No side effects?”
“No. Well, I am a lot more snacky, and I feel the urge to nap a lot. Oh, and I want to show off my figure because it is about to be a thing of the past.” Elida smiled.
He smiled slightly. “It is a spectacular figure.” He reached for her waist, and his hands comfortably circled her. “How do you not just tip over?”
“It’s called a spine.” She smirked. “So, have you had a chance to absorb the news?”
“I would like to go with you to an appointment to make sure all is well.”
“And get a test to make sure all is yours? No problem. I am going this week if you are in town.”
“I am. Can I get your number?”
She winced. “My purse is at the table. If you give me yours, I will enter it in.”
He unlocked his phone and handed it over. She looked at the planes of his chest, put her number in, and then sent a text to herself. “There.”
“You can display events as you sing?”
“Yes. It’s one of the things I can do.”
“What else can you do?”
“Turn into a tiger that is sixteen feet tall. Well, not now.” She glanced down.
He frowned. “I see. Your daughters...”
“Adopted. Don’t worry. They know.” She smiled. “All at least half-elf of a variety of types. All sold, trafficked, all abused, and all rescued.”
“Oh. Hell.”
“Yup. We all recovered from the rescue together, and then I applied to be their guardian, and then I adopted them.”
“What is Winnie?”
“She’s part coastal elf and part something with tentacles.”
“Ah. Right. That explains it.”
She looked at his white eyes and shrugged. “So, that’s it?”
He smiled. “Would you like to have brunch tomorrow?”
“Brunch? Wow. Renatta’s?”
“Sure. When you get back to your phone, send me information.”
“So, around eleven?”
“Sounds good. How long will the party go tonight?”
“Until dawn, but I won’t be here for it. That is one change I am not fighting. I get tired.”
He wrapped her carefully in his arms. “What do you do in town?”
“Well, I used to be an XIA agent. I am Neekil’s cousin on his mother’s side, and I am an investor and a generally lazy lady recently.” She stood still in his arms and relaxed. “You smell good.”
“As do you.”
“Thanks.” She looked up at him and beamed. “Back to the table. I don’t want to miss dessert.”
He sighed. “I don’t want to let you go.”
“We will have a very civilized brunch tomorrow.”
He chuckled. “Civilized does not come to mind when I think of you. It is the last thing I think of.”
She blushed. “Well, I lost control a little.”
“I lost control a lot.” He bent and kissed her. “I thought you were taller.”
“I was on my back or on you the whole time.” She smiled slowly, easing out of his arms and turning back toward the wedding. “It’s a nice celebration. Neekil looks so happy. His eyes are going to catch flame when the dancers show up. I know a few of them, and this is going to be spectacular.”
“Dancers? Is that traditional at a dark elf wedding?”
“Nope. There aren’t traditional dark elf weddings, but Vaia was a dancer, and when Neekil and Hannah saw the dancers last week, they wanted to give their guests tension headaches. Oh, and to get the blessing. Four of the dancers have enough power to raze this city. The blessing packs a punch.”
He grinned. “Then, this is not something I want to miss.”
“Me neither. And dessert.”
He chuckled. “Steered by your stomach?”
“Sure. Lust can only get you so far.”
He stumbled, and she laughed as they returned to the soft light of the wedding. Dinner was finishing up, and Krys was getting ready to speak. They got to their table and sat next to each other as the event planner got things underway.
“I would like each table to nominate three people to come and pick up one of the special desserts while the couple are cutting the cake.” She chuckled. “When I say go, you go. Oh, and under no circumstances are kids to open the special dessert. Trust me on this.”
Laughing filled the space, and Neekil and Hannah went to the wedding cake, getting photos of them cutting it together. The feeding got a little intense, but they reeled it back in, and the caterer took away the top layer and swiftly sliced up the rest of the cake.
The couple returned to their table with lots of desserts, and Krys brought them a huge snow globe-type apparatus that looked ornate and had something inside.
Krys went back to the mic. “Three from each table, go grab from the special table. When you are back, three more can hit the dessert buffet and then rinse and repeat. The bar is open, and the coffee is made. When everyone is settled, the rest of the event will kick off.”