Chapter 38
Lucy: Dreams Come True
Six Months Later…
“Are you sure you’ve got everything in place?” Sebastian didn’t normally look so rushed or harried, but this was no normal day. Today, he and Lucy would open their shop.
Lucy brushed a curl out of her eyes and laughed at him.
“Yes, you silly man, everything is in place. Now, settle down. You’re going to give yourself a coronary.
” She stood on tip-toes to kiss his cheek, then frowned at him.
“Are you sure this is how you want this to go? Keeping your name off of all the paperwork and such?”
He nodded. “Last time I talked to my father, he swore he’d burn any business I started down if I tried. Better to keep him out of the loop. I’d prefer not to have to testify against him for arson.”
Lucy scoffed. “And you think having my name on the lease and as the designer will be enough to keep him out of the loop?”
Sebastian shrugged. “Probably not. But it’ll at least give us plausible deniability.”
Lucy nodded. “Well, between me and Bethany, we’ll keep the place running until you’re ready to step into the limelight.” She grinned. “And I have a feeling that you’re going to be very popular.”
“What do you—”
The bell over the door rang, and Oliver stepped inside, followed by Princess Joanna and Robin. “I heard there was some kind of party going on here?” the thief said, a grin gracing his handsome face. “I hoped it would be alright if I tagged along.”
Lucy bounded over to her brother. “Of course it’s alright,” she said, giving him a hug. “And you’ll get to meet one of our adoptive sisters. Bethany is going to help me run the shop for the time being.”
Robin nodded. “Good. I’d love to meet her.”
Lucy’s smile dimmed. “Is Mother coming?” Calling Lady Quinn ‘mother’ didn’t feel natural yet, but she was working on.
Now that she lived in the village just outside of the palace, they saw each other more often, especially since she’d been teaching her daughter more about her kitsuné heritage and using her magic.
“She is. She just might be a bit late,” Robin assured her before turning to Sebastian. “You haven’t heard anything more about that monster we came across in the forest, have you?”
“A little.” The fairy grimaced. “I have heard that some travelers have sighted it on the outskirts of the Moyaran border of the Sherwood Forest, though. It’s getting bolder.”
Robin frowned. “That isn’t a good sign. I’ll increase my patrols of the area. Hopefully, I can find him before anyone else does.”
Lucy cocked her head. “Your patrols?” she repeated. “How are you going to patrol the forest from the catacombs?”
Robin shook his head. “I’ve moved my people back into the forest. We’re getting more and more abandoned children and orphans.
A woman in my organization pointed out that it wasn’t healthy for them to stay so close to the refuse.
Well…” He gave a wry smile. “It probably wasn’t healthy for any of us to stay near the refuse, but she was worried about the children. ”
Oliver shook his head. “More orphans, more crime…and I’ve heard some nasty rumors about the increased spread of disease.
” His eyes strayed to his cousin, who was pointedly not looking at him.
“Missing the last Great Exchange is still having its consequences. And it’s only going to get worse unless we can stop it. ”
“Well, maybe you’ll be able to find the answers you’re looking for, now that your uncle is calling you to resume your duties at court,” Lucy said, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “More time at court always means more time in the palace library for you.”
Oliver didn’t argue. Instead, he offered a stiff smile and produce a bottle of Fey wine. “Come, now, I thought this was to be a celebration. Let’s toast to the continued success of your shop!”
“Hear, hear!” Joanna said, before breaking off in a horrible cough. Once again, a flicker of worry crossed Oliver’s face as he led her to a nearby chaise lounge.
Lucy’s heart broke a little as she watched her friend care for his cousin. “He really cares about her,” she whispered, leaning her head against Sebastian’s chest.
“Yeah.” Sebastian said, looping his arms around her. They’d watched Joanna get sicker and sicker, and Oliver’s anxiety was now at its peak, which, in turn, gave the fairy more to worry about. Lucy knew how he hated being powerless to help his friends.
She kept her eyes on the princess. “She’s getting worse, isn’t she?”
Sebastian nodded. “Oliver won’t admit it, but yeah. The king’s healers and physicians have stopped offering promises. It won’t be long before…” He grimaced. “Don’t tell anyone, but Oliver’s officially the king’s heir. He broke the news this morning.”
A tear slipped down Lucy’s face. She’d grown closer to the princess, now that she was so often at the palace, and, of course, she still considered Oliver to be like another brother.
“Poor Joanna. And poor Oliver.” She looked up at her husband.
“There are rumors in the village of a healer who can treat almost any disease. Maybe she can help Joanna.”
Sebastian’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know. I’d hate to give Oliver any false hope.”
“But if it doesn’t turn out to be false…” Lucy let her voice trail off.
Sebastian nodded. “Fine. See if you can find her.”
Lucy kept her eyes on their friends. “I will. For Oliver.”
“For Oliver,” Sebastian agreed, resting his cheek on top of her head. Lucy couldn’t help but smile at his affection. Tomorrow, they’d deal with the duke’s new position and the princess’s illness. Tonight, she just wanted him to hold her and celebrate all their dreams coming true.
She looked up at him. “What are you thinking?”
She felt him smile. “For once, I’m luckier than our dear friend. I’ve got everything I wanted right in front of me.” His eyes lingered on her wedding ring, the one he’d given her less than a month before.
“Everything?” Lucy quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”
Sebastian nodded firmly. “I’m absolutely positive.”
Lucy grinned. “Well, I suppose you’re right. You see, I’m in front of you, and so is our little kitsuné-fairy.”
Sebastian’s eyes widened. “Our little—” His gaze dropped to her belly as he pressed his hand against the slight swell. “You’re pregnant?”
Lucy met his eyes. “The healers confirmed it yesterday. I would have told you earlier, but…” She glanced around the shop. “There were a lot of last-minute preparations.”
“Last-minute preparations?” His words came out as a growl. “You shouldn’t have had to do a bit of extra work—”
“Relax.” She pressed her hand against his chest, loving the feel of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. “Judah and Bethany were here with me. They did most of the heavy lifting.”
“Next time, it had better be all the heavy lifting,” Sebastian grunted.
“Alright. Next time, it’ll be all the heavy lifting,” Lucy relented.
Sebastian cupped her cheek. “Good.” He brought his lips down to meet hers in a hungry, passionate kiss. She groaned, looping her arms around his neck, and he drew her closer to him. She lifted her chin, deepening the kiss, wanting more and more of him—
“Ahem.” The two broke apart to see Robin scowling at them. “None of that, if you please. That’s my sister you’ve got there.”
Sebastian smiled. “Right you are, your highness.” He brought his lips back to Lucy’s, kissing her again with the same level of passion and intensity.
She giggled as she let his love wash over them.
They had their own shop, an unborn child, and, most importantly, each other. Life couldn’t get any more perfect.