Cloud Riders(157)

‘Well, Lepius,’ Covin grinned and held his glass up to him. ‘To the physician and his home. Well done!’

Lepius shook his head, still trying to work out how easily that went down. ‘If only our other issues were so easily solved. Maybe Cassie might work with me and melt some of my enemies for me.’

Covin coughed and nearly choked on his drink. ‘That ain’t going to happen so forget it. If you went all soft on me like Conom’s gone, I’d have to knock some sense into you to toughen you right back up again. He’s walking on both sides now and you, my king, had better stay right away from that little stealer of hearts,’ he warned and even though he’d said it in jest, the underlying tone told Lepius he was deadly serious.

‘Maybe. I just wish I had a Cassie of some sort to work beside me like she does with Kayden. I’d give my right arm to have a relationship like that. She’s his soldier, his lover and his wife. I’ve watched her work so hard for him over the last couple of days as she’s broken down one of Kayden’s biggest threats in the universe. They’re enemies out there and yet look at them here. She has them eating out of her hand and it’s not false. I can feel how deeply she cares for them too. Her dedication has left me shaken. You know, not once did she ask to go home or did she mention Kayden. Conom was all she saw, yet look how in-love she is with her man.’ He watched her eyes melt under Kayden’s gaze. ‘I have no idea why for the second time in two days, she has captured me to learn her secrets. I can’t seem to look anywhere else and I’m fascinated by her. It leaves me to ponder why and wonder if I will ever know.’

Covin sat back in his chair with that faraway look he sometimes had. ‘I’ve always thought you were destined for a very powerful woman. Maybe your Cassie is out there but she is going to have to be a lot more powerful to handle a bloody heartless brute like you,’ he said, amused.

Lepius laughed loudly. Covin knows me well with women. There’s no way he’d leave me alone for two seconds with a sweetie like Cassie. He raised his glass, grinning at Covin. ‘Touché, my friend.’

Kayden and Cassie came in, sitting to have a chat. He had always found Kayden very entertaining. The two of them complemented each other and he found he was enjoying himself immensely. Even Covin relaxed into the mood once Ald and Conom had joined them and there seemed to be no hostility.

After a loud night of cards and booze, they woke up around midday, all suffering from the night before.

‘That was some night.’ Lepius sipped on a strong coffee.

Cassie and Kayden bounced down the stairs, Cassie looking as pretty as a picture. Kayden kept mucking around and twirling her about, dancing with her and making her laugh.

Ald growled at them in jest. ‘Will you two stop showing us up? Bloody kids, those two never get hangovers,’ he grumbled.

She giggled at her father and walked past Conom who was drinking a coffee and reading the paper. She ruffled his hair as she passed him. ‘How’s the coffee, ace?’ she asked.

He looked up and grumped at her for annoying him. ‘I was enjoying it,’ he mumbled. She lent over him and whispered something in his ear and he started to laugh. ‘I’ll give you getting old!’ He stood and threatened to throw her in the water. She squealed and wiggled so he put her down. With a flick of her hand, not even touching him, she used her powers to throw him into the water and dove in after him. Kayden and Ald were laughing while Kayden peeled his shirt off and went in after her. Still playing her game, she called out for her father to join them. ‘Come on, Grandpa. Don’t tell me you can’t handle your booze anymore either.’

He growled like a big ferocious bear and flew in after them.

That’s devotion, Lepius thought and then recalled another little girl that came to stay with them most weekends and how with her, Covin and he acted the same. Their Angie, who came to play in his palace, was still only very young and not powerful like Cassie was. He couldn’t believe how she just threw Conom in the water. He was beginning to think there was so much more to her than the eye could see. Is this another message? He nudged Covin who was also watching, intrigued. ‘The magic of some females.’ Lepius glanced at Covin who agreed. ‘Angie.’

‘Well, if we can’t beat ’em, I reckon I just might join them. Feel like a spa, old boy?’ he asked, enjoying the good mood she had them all in.

Covin put his drink down. ‘Why not? You know I haven’t taken time off in weeks. I‘m with you! Shit, she has such a bloody hold over me too—has done so since last night. Damned if I can fight it, so might as well give in to it and just enjoy myself.’