Seducing Destiny(64)

                “I guess we’re not done here,” he replied roguishly.





                                      Chapter Eighteen

                I awoke to Ryder’s startled jump from the bed, his beast coming to the fore as he shifted form. “Get dressed,” he growled, and then looked at the dress I’d worn and its multiple layers. He didn’t hesitate, and instead he glamoured us both clothes.

                His was a tight t-shirt, and loose fitting jeans. My outfit was a backless tank top, and a pair of kick ass jeans with a large, silver disc belt buckle. I smiled as he pulled me against his frame, but the happiness was short lived as the words slipped from my mind. “Is it the babies?”

                “They’re fine, but something is wrong in Faery. I can feel it,” he explained and then sifted us back the Horde stronghold.

                We paused at the nursery door, and then he opened it.

                We both stood motionless at what met our eyes. Z was in the corner, rubbing his temples, while the other men sat or lay on the floor making silly noises at the infants that lay swaddled on the fluffy rug surrounded by the horde of men.

                “Yes, and your mother—” Dristan stopped midsentence as he looked up at the open door.

                “No, Dristan, by all means. Continue,” I said as my eyes narrowed on him.

                “—Kissed me, and then put me to sleep.”

                I smiled as heat stole up his cheeks and Ryder glared down at his baby brother.

                “Keeping them entertained with stories are we?” Ryder growled as he looked down at the tiny babies. His gruff nature gave way to a smile of pride as he took them in.

                “My King!” one of the servants shouted as she ran for Ryder.

                I watched as she rushed to him, threw herself at his feet, and wrapped her arms around his legs. She paused in her wails and seemed to finally notice what she had done, and crab walked backwards away from him.

                “What is it?” he asked without even asking her name.

                “The Tree, it’s been iced!” she screamed, which caused one of the boys to start crying.

                I watched silently as my heart sank, and Dristan instinctively picked up the baby and began to soothe him. I didn’t need to know which tree they spoke of, because there was only one in Faery that could cause a panic like this. Without the Tree, the land couldn’t accept the children even with Danu’s blessing. The Fae children who survived to Transition had both Danu’s blessing and the acceptance of Faery. Without both, the children stood a higher chance of becoming sick and dying, specifically iron sick as that was what the land had originally been poisoned with. It was a slow and awful death for the children that couldn’t combat it.

                “Iced, how?” Ryder growled as I watched his hands ball into fist.

                “The guard just said iced, my King. He’s waiting for you in the throne room.”

                I watched the determination play upon Ryder’s features as his eyes took in the sight of his Elite Guard playing with the tiny infants. Full grown men had been making cooing sounds, and sitting in a full circle around the babies as if they were nannies.

                “Zahruk, Dristan, and Aodhan with me,” he said firmly. “The rest, continue to…”