Chapter 13 Arthur
Arthur
They gave me the opportunity to call for our mate. Through the bond, I reached for her, for the light of her presence which remained a steady, beating thread in my chest. As one of the easiest ways for me to communicate with her, I always left the bond open.
The nursery is complete, my love, I said.
Instinctively, I knew she was in her greenhouse with Xerxes and Maeve, claiming fresh fruit for the children.
It was almost a nightly ritual for her now, though who joined her changed night by night.
Sometimes we all tried to attend to her in the greenhouse, especially now that she was so pregnant she required more rest, but she enjoyed the simple routine she’d created.
The bond lit up with happiness and excitement. Is it really? she asked.
I smiled to myself as I replied, yes. We would like you to come and see it. Ensure there is nothing else you want done before they arrive.
Her excitement must have been palpable, because the three males around me all reacted, the energy shifting.
I had to believe she would love the space. When we’d first arrived, the walls had been painted, and the space occupied by trunks left by Orion during his trips to the island. But now, it was transformed into a space we hoped Ivy felt safe leaving the twins in.
Adrian had painted wards into the walls themselves as we’d taken them from the old version Orion had restored, giving them new life with neutral and pastel colours that were meant to soothe the babies.
With the extra wards and charms, this was one of the safest rooms in the house, outside of the children’s bedrooms down the hall.
The cribs were set on the wall to our left, positioned close enough to one another that handling both babes would be no issue.
The closet there was tightly locked, filled with things like diapers and a setup for bottles, and a place for Ivy to store breastmilk when pumping—if she chose to do that.
We’d wanted to ensure she had a space upstairs to do it, even though going downstairs was simple enough a task for us.
The first changing table was against the wall near the window, and on the other side was an armchair for breastfeeding, with another changing table on the far wall next to the closet full of clothes.
Right outside the door to the nursery, we’d installed a new laundry chute down to the fully renovated laundry room, which had—to Ivy’s dismay—been some sort of secret chamber.
I felt our mate before I saw her. Coffee tickled my nose, as well as her coconut shampoo, both of which were welcome scents. Having names for them gave me more comfort than I ever realised, and I breathed them in when she appeared.
The floral dress she wore revealed the swell of her stomach, framing her body almost magically.
It also highlighted the heaviness of her breasts; how much larger they’d grown these past months in preparation for the birth.
Today, Ivy had her hair in two braids that fell over two shoulders and kept her hair out of her face, a frustration she felt more as her due date neared.
Her eyes widened as she looked around the room, shining with each thing she took in, from the green panels rising halfway up the walls, to the soft yellow paint covering the rest of the room.
When her feet hit the carpet, she stopped and dug her toes into the rug, making a soft sound in the back of her throat.
“It’s…perfect,” she said, looking at each of us. “I can’t believe it.”
Rowan moved to her side and took her hand. “You sure? Because we can make any changes you want. The door isn’t done yet, but—”
She cut him off by leaning into his side with a sigh. “No, I like it. It’s so…calming, in here. And the wards are strong. I can sense that.”
“Adrian should be able to explain them to you, but he’s linked them to a rune he’s going to put on all of us,” Elias explained, crossing his arms. “If anyone tries to get in here without our knowledge who isn’t linked to the house—so anyone who isn’t part of our family—we’ll know.”
“We’re putting the wards in the children’s rooms, too,” Orion added. “Before you ask.”
The smile pulling at her lips warmed my heart. And we are ready to build more of your baby contraptions, I added silently, very pleased with the ones I had finished.
Ivy barked a laugh, her eyes meeting mine. “Thank you.” She looked around the room again, sadness swelling within her. “I have a few things I want to add. On the walls over the cribs. And I think Maisie and Ginny have some art they’ve made to put in here I want to frame.”
When her eyes landed on us again, a tear slid down her cheek. “It’s not so scary when I know I have you guys.”
Rowan brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. “You’ll be fighting us for things, you know. You’re never going to lift a finger with us around.”
And I would sleep in bear form with them if that made you feel more at ease, I said, meeting her eye. I would do anything. I love you so much.
Her eyes found mine. And I love you.
“Ivy, thank you for joining us,” Elara said as we entered the new council hall. The palace was almost rebuilt, but rather than anyone living in it, the council had decided it would become the new headquarters for Phoenix and the council itself. At least, temporarily.
The ten of us took seats around the table, Ivy at the head, with Elara at the other end. “Thank you for waiting,” my mate replied, smiling stiffly as she sat. “Nothing wanted to work today.”
“You’re a week from your due date,” the head of the vampires murmured. “It is a wonder you are even here. You could have signed out weeks ago.”
“And miss all the fun?” Ivy waved a dismissive hand before dropping it to her stomach. “Never. I still made promises. I intend on keeping them. Even if this will be my last day with you for six months.”
Elara sat and eyed all of us. “You could all leave for a year and it would be understandable. Two newborns? I certainly would.”
“We would not leave it all up to you,” Maeve said, keeping her tone calm. Even though I knew little of the politics, this was a fight we would not lose. The council, now that they were almost formed and prepared to take over ruling, were trying to keep us at arm’s length.
Although Ivy didn’t want to be Queen, she also knew she couldn’t fully step back. Not with the realms still untethered and dealing with the aftermath of the war. She had been made Guardian of Nyx, and it was still her duty to ensure stability.
But we could tell there were some on the council interested in pushing her—and us—out.
Even though Elias was now Alpha to one of the largest packs and had been nominated a place on the council, and Xerxes still served for the Primals until they could elect their own representatives, there were some who wanted to take full control.
It was the one thing Ivy feared most. That even though she eliminated one usurper, more would rise in his place to take control.
“Then, let us start,” Elara stated, using magic to push files across the long, wooden table, built to hold the representatives of all creatures, as well as Ivy and her mates.
“Dante’s followers still spread their dissent in the human world.
The prison is filling with them, but they broke into several holding facilities across the mortal world and released known dark market affiliates during the war.
Bounty hunters, magic dealers, and mercenaries.
We’ve already got teams out searching for them. ”
Ivy remained quiet as others asked questions about the progress, though I paid them no attention as I focused on her tension.
She kept one hand over her stomach as she read through the reports, and through the bond, I caught hints of her thoughts.
Worry, mostly, over the state of the realms, though not as intense as it usually was when we came to these meetings.
From the other end of the table, the current head of the Seelie Court rose. “We would like to update you all on the current events of our realm, as a show of good faith.”
Orion and I shared looks, as did Elias and Rowan, our conversation about the realm the day before now suddenly a topic of discussion.
Even Ivy looked intrigued. “What’s going on?” she asked, setting the file aside.
The Seelie head bowed at the waist, the antler crown he wore almost scraping the table. “The palace, as you instructed, closed entirely, and it appears it is…rebuilding itself, though we cannot be sure.”
“That’s definitely interesting, but not all, is it?” Ivy questioned. Through the bond, I sensed her curiosity heightening.
The head of the Unseelie representatives stood.
She was from the Dream Court, taking over from the previous emissary after they sided with Dante.
She was young and that had been tested more than once.
“Between Dream and Winter, the ocean was once vast, endless, dark. It was the opening for Vale when he crossed the realms.”
“But over the last month, the tide changed. There is no other way to describe it. There’s a new land forming,” the Seelie head finished, sharing a concerned look with the Unseelie head. “We’ve no idea how or why. But there are old stories, mementos from a lost history, that speak of it.”
“And what do they say? I’ll admit, I don’t feel anything different from the Fae realm, but my connection to it is limited now,” Ivy said, sitting back.
The Unseelie female nodded once. “From what we can decipher, the island is born of the old Fae magic when there is uncertainty about the royal line. In one fable, they spoke of two sisters who had to compete for the crown.”
“So, you think the magic is creating a trial of sorts to find your next Queen?” Elara questioned uncertainly. “That might cause…well, I’m not sure. But it doesn’t sound good.”
“We are both hesitant yet hopeful that the magic knows what it is doing regarding our Queen,” the Seelie head replied firmly. “We have faith.”
“So do I,” Ivy said, nodding to Fae still standing. “It knows what it’s doing. But of course, if you find you need assistance, you can ask. I don’t know how much help I will be, but…”
“We understand, thank you,” the Unseelie female replied. “That is all we have updates for.”
“Elysian? How is your search going?” Elara pointed the question at the demon representatives, where Rhadamanthus’s cousin headed their group.
The female stood, hands behind her back. “We’ve found no sign of our next monarch,” she announced, staring down the table at Ivy. “But the Fields do not appear in distress over it.”
“Oh, they would certainly let you know if they were,” the old demon king muttered. “Do not worry. Death will find its new mark, and the Fields will have a host for its power. Though I highly doubt it will construct some fancy trial for potential rulers to compete in.”
There were some comments made agreeing, though I once again focused on my mate. Her worry rose, though lighter than before.
And I realised it was because of hope.
Hope our realms were finally healing, and she would not need to fight for them any longer.