28. Mira
28
MIRA
T he late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the cobblestone street as Karn and I approach Mrs. Blackwood's bakery, now freshly showered and dressed. My heart quickens with each step, already anticipating those little arms wrapping around me.
"You're fidgeting." Karn's deep voice carries a hint of amusement.
I smooth my hands over my skirt. "I can't help it. I missed them."
Before we reach the door, excited squeals erupt from inside. Two copper-haired blurs burst through the entrance, leaving poor Mrs. Blackwood calling after them.
"Mama! Mama!" Luna launches herself at my legs while Nova hangs back, violet eyes bright with joy.
I drop to my knees, opening my arms wide. "Come here, my little loves."
Nova needs no further invitation. She joins her sister, and I pull them both close, breathing in their sweet scent of honey and fresh bread. Luna's hair sparkles with what looks like magical glitter, while Nova has flour dusting her nose and cheeks.
"We made cookies!" Luna bounces in my embrace.
"And changed all the colors," Nova adds softly, touching my face with flour-covered fingers.
Mrs. Blackwood appears in the doorway, shaking her head. "Those cookies were supposed to be brown. Somehow they ended up purple."
"Purple tastes better." Luna nods with complete conviction.
Karn crosses his arms, trying to look stern but failing miserably. The corners of his mouth twitch. "Did you at least save any magic for home?"
"Always have magic for home, Uncle Karn." Nova's quiet words make his expression soften completely.
I brush the flour from Nova's cheeks while Luna climbs up my back, her little hands playing with my hair. The familiar weight of them both, the sound of their giggles, fills that empty space inside me I never knew existed before them.
"Thank you for watching them," I tell Mrs. Blackwood, standing with Nova on my hip and Luna still clinging to my back.
"Any time, dear. Though perhaps next time we'll stick to non-magical baking."
"No promises!" Luna sings out, and Nova hides her conspiratorial smile against my shoulder.
The walk home feels lighter, filled with the twins' chatter about their baking adventures. Once we reach the house, Luna tugs at my skirt. "Garden! Garden!"
"Want to see the new flowers," Nova adds, her violet eyes pleading.
Karn clears his throat. "Actually, that's not a bad idea."
The late afternoon sun bathes the garden in golden light as we step outside. The twins immediately race to their play area, their copper curls catching the sunlight like flames. I move toward the herb section, checking on the mint I planted last week, when Karn's hand catches mine.
"Wait." His voice sounds rougher than usual.
I turn to find him running his other hand through his hair, mussing his copper-red strands. His broad shoulders are tense, and for the first time since I've known him, he seems uncertain.
"Everything alright?"
He takes a deep breath. "More than alright." His fingers trace the protection bracelet on my wrist, smiling down at it.. "You know what this means to me. What you mean to me."
My heart stutters as he drops to one knee. Even the twins have gone quiet, watching from behind the herb garden with wide eyes.
"I'm not good with words." He pulls something from his pocket – a ring that catches the light like captured starfire. The metalwork mirrors my bracelet's intricate patterns, but where the bracelet holds protective runes, the ring bears different ones. "But I'm good with metal. And I poured everything I am into this. Everything I feel for you."
Tears blur my vision. His violet eyes hold mine, vulnerable yet determined.
"Marry me, Mira. Be my mate, be their mother – though you already are in every way that matters. Make our family complete."
Luna bounces on her toes. "Say yes, Mama!"
"Please?" Nova whispers, clutching her sister's hand.
I drop to my knees before him, my hands framing his face. "Yes. A thousand times yes."
His arms wrap around me as he slides the ring onto my finger, and suddenly we're knocked sideways as two small bodies crash into us, squealing with delight. Karn's deep laugh rumbles against me as he gathers all three of us into his embrace.
Still tangled in our group hug, Luna wriggles free first and grabs my hand. "The ring needs magic!" Her violet eyes spark with determination.
"Like the bracelet," Nova adds, her fingers already glowing with a soft purple light.
Karn shifts me in his lap. "Girls, the ring already has protective enchantments-"
"But not our love magic!" Luna stamps her foot, sending a shower of sparkles cascading around her copper curls.
Nova touches my bracelet, her voice soft but sure. "We made stronger last time. Remember, Uncle Karn?"
He sighs, but I feel his chest shake with silent laughter. "Can't argue with that logic."
I hold out my hand, the new ring catching the setting sun. "Just be careful, my loves."
The twins circle us, serious expressions on their small faces as they join hands. Luna's magic manifests first - bright, eager swirls of light that dance around the ring like curious thaliverns. Nova's follows more deliberately, weaving between her sister's sparks in careful patterns.
"For keeping Mama safe," Luna declares.
"And happy," Nova whispers, adding a swirl of deeper purple that reminds me of Karn's eyes.
The magic settles into the metal, making the runes shimmer with new life. Where Karn's craftsmanship created elegant, flowing lines, the twins' magic adds bursts of joyful color - like sunrise breaking through stained glass.
"Look!" Luna points excitedly. "It changes with your heart!"
She's right. As I watch, the colors shift subtly - warm golds when I look at Karn, soft lavenders when I gather the twins close, all threaded through with that deep, steady purple that speaks of home and family and belonging.
"Now it's perfect," Nova says with quiet satisfaction, patting my hand before curling into my side.
Karn brushes his thumb across the ring, his expression tender. "They're right. It was missing something after all."
Luna beams, already climbing back into his lap. "We're good at fixing things!"
"The best," I agree, pulling Nova closer and leaning into Karn's embrace as we watch our daughters' magic sparkle in the fading light.
The afternoon melts into a golden haze of laughter and magic. Luna races around the garden, leaving trails of sparkles in her wake while Nova meticulously arranges flower petals into patterns that shift colors with each passing cloud.
"Watch this, Mama!" Luna waves her hands, and suddenly we're surrounded by floating bubbles filled with rainbow light.
Nova tugs at my skirt. "I can make them dance." She scrunches her nose in concentration, and the bubbles swirl in elaborate patterns.
Karn settles beside me on the grass, his large frame relaxed as he watches the twins play. "They've gotten better at working together."
"Makes them twice as dangerous." I lean against his shoulder, my new ring catching the light.
Luna spins in circles until she falls, giggling. "Uncle Karn! Do the voice!"
He raises an eyebrow. "Which voice?"
"The dragon one!" Both twins chorus, scrambling over to climb him like their favorite tree.
His violet eyes spark with mischief as he scoops them up, one in each arm. "Who dares enter my lair?" His voice drops to a playful growl that sets them squealing.
"We do!" Luna declares, while Nova adds, "Because we love you!"
"Ah, but love won't save you from... the tickle monster!" He tumbles them gently onto the grass, his large hands making them shriek with laughter.
I join the fray, rescuing Nova who hides behind me. "Quick, my brave knight, protect me from the dragon!"
Nova puffs up her chest and waves her hands, turning Karn's copper beard a brilliant pink. Luna howls with delight, rolling in the grass.
"Now you match the sunset!" She points at the sky, where pink clouds drift lazily overhead.
As twilight approaches, the twins curl up in our laps, their energy finally waning. Nova traces the runes on my bracelet while Luna hums softly, her eyes heavy.
"Best day ever," Luna murmurs, snuggling closer to Karn.
"Every day is best with you," Nova whispers back, her small hand finding mine.
Karn carries them up to bed once they drift off, their copper curls still sparkling faintly. When he returns to the garden, he pulls me close under the first stars.
"I love you," I whisper against his chest, breathing in the scent of metal and magic that's become home.
His arms tighten around me. "I love you too," he murmurs into my hair, his voice rough with emotion. "More than I have words for."