Moon Shimmers(17)
She nodded. “Yes, we’ll go soon. But Camille, know that Titania, the Merlin, and I will do everything we can to keep you safe. Do you see why, once you find the Keraastar Diamond, you’ll be safest out at Talamh Lonrach Oll? We haven’t been training a military for fun out there. There’s a reason Bran is in charge of it—he’s crafty and cunning and powerful.”
“Yes,” Titania said. “We knew that when the day came that you would join us, we would need to beef up protection. The Great Fae Lords are the worst danger, aside from Shadow Wing, but they aren’t the only ones who will look askance at your joining us. Some of the Earthside Fae will view your human side as a weakness.”
“Didn’t they feel the same way about Morgaine?”
“Yes, but she was from the old world. She walked the same forests as the Merlin. They had a respect for her that they haven’t learned to afford you, yet. It will come, in time, but you’ll have to earn it.” She reached out to clasp me on the shoulder. “I know this all seems so daunting, but it will pass. We will manage it, and you will take your rightful place.”
I considered her words for a moment, then asked, “Who was it that decided I would become part of your Court? The Moon Mother?”
With a laugh, Titania leaned closer. “The Hags of Fate, my dear. And they wield far more power than the gods themselves. Come, Aeval, we should return to the Barrows and take Venus with us.”
Vishana, apparently done with chiding Smoky, motioned for me to return to her side. She leaned down and placed a faint kiss on my cheek, almost an air kiss but not quite. “Be safe. Your husband will be home in three days. I’m certain he’ll bring welcome news.”
Smoky, still smoldering from the scolding, kissed me, only his kiss was on the lips, and he lifted me off my feet, holding me tight. “I was going to tell you later today, honest. But now you know, and so I’ll be off with Mother.” He gestured to Trillian and Morio. “Keep our wife safe until I return.”
“Of course, you big lizard,” Trillian said with a laugh.
Smoky held out his hand and a flurry of snow blasted in Trillian’s direction, catching a good share of the living room with it.
“The lizard bids you remember who can cause a storm with one finger,” Smoky said, then laughed as he vanished along with Vishana.
“All right, we’re heading out as well,” the Merlin said. “I didn’t come back from Ireland just to watch a spat between paramours.” But his eyes were twinkling. “Come, Venus, take Aeval’s hand and I’ll go with Titania.”
Before we could say a word, Aeval, Titania, the Merlin, and Venus were out the door and vanished the moment they touched the ground below the porch steps. I wondered how they did that. They didn’t travel via the Ionyc Sea the same way Smoky and some of the others did, but I wasn’t sure just what form of magic they were using.
As I turned to go inside, a noise from a nearby bush caught my attention and I quietly descended the porch steps and headed over to it, followed by Trillian and Delilah. The bushes were waving—it was a huckleberry bush—and whatever was under there was making a snuffling noise. Delilah motioned for us to wait and crouched down, cautiously pushing aside the lower branches of the bush. She caught her breath, letting out a little “O” of surprise, then reached in and pulled out not one, but two kittens. Tiny—they couldn’t have been more than five weeks old—both were soaking wet and muddy, and they were mewing up a storm, but their cries were so soft I could barely hear them. One was a calico, the other was white, and they had long matted hair. They squirmed in her hands as she stood up and handed them to me.
“Let me see if there are any more. Feral litter, I’ll bet you.” She returned to her crouch and then disappeared, crawling under the bush.
I held the kittens close to me, whispering to them. “Little ones, shush, puss puss. You’re safe. Everything’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”
The calico snuggled under my chin, her wet fur smearing me with mud. The white one set eyes on Trillian and scrabbled to get free. I glanced at Trillian, who shrugged and held out his hands. The white kitten frantically struggled to get closer and so my strong, stalwart Svartan stood there cuddling the kitten to his chest.
Delilah came back up with two more—another calico who could have been a twin for the one I was holding, and a black kitty. With a warning glance, she nodded us away from the bushes. “I found their mother in there too. It’s not pretty. Looks like a raccoon did her in, but somehow, the kittens are safe.”