Chapter 50

It was almost dark when Firo appeared outside the garage. Ava closed the top of her toolbox and looked at him. He looked tired. “Busy day?”

He watched her as she came outside. “Yes. A few realms and a few fathers with their memories completely restored.”

She gaped at him. “That’s great.” She nodded. “Right? They remember, and now their family will know them.”

“It will be an adjustment for all of them.” He clasped his hands in front of his body. “It made me realize that although you are related to my queen and princess, that doesn’t make you family.”

She raised her brows. “Glad to see someone gets it.”

“I am trying to understand how you must feel much of the time as of late.”

She hadn’t expected him to be all serious again, but that was what he was like. She’d take the odd sense of humor moments and just go with the rest. He accepted her default setting was angry, so she could do the same for him. She spotted the phone he held in his hands and went over and pulled it out. “What have you figured out?” She looked at the phone and was relieved it was one she recognized. After she’d told him she would help, she’d worried it would be some top-notch fancy one, and she wouldn’t know how to work it.

“Not as much as I’d like. Most of what I have come up with is that one day, beings from another realm show up here outside your comfortable place—” He motioned to the garage. He wasn’t wrong there. “—and everything changed. A short while after that, you learn that there’s a part of you that you didn’t know about, but everyone is looking at you, expecting you to figure it out and be the answer.”

Ava looked at him. “You nailed it.”

His confusion was brief. She needed to remember he didn’t understand human sayings. He nodded. “Now, what can I do to make it easier for you?”

And back to awkward, she thought. No one did things for her, it was the other way around. She held up the phone. “Good choice.”

He scowled at it and lifted one shoulder, then dropped it. “I went into a store, pointed to one, and that was the one the man sold me.” He frowned. “Your money system still, after all these years, confuses me.” He put his hands on his hips. “What is tax for? Does it serve a purpose?”

Ava laughed. “You want to talk about things like that? You’re going to need Em. I don’t do politics or anything related to the G word.”

“G word?”

“Government.” She whispered.

“Ah. I feel they may be quite like our magic council. They all talk and talk and tell others what to do, yet they live by different standards than the rest of us.”

She pointed at him. “You and Em are going to get along just fine.”

“It is important to you that I get along with your housemates?”

Ava turned around and looked at the building. “Sisters. To me, they are my sisters.” She looked back at him.

He looked at the building. “How many are there?”

“There’s fourteen of us.” She smiled. “I’m number one. I’ve been here and witnessed all of the others being found and brought home by Capri.” She looked at him. “And it is home to all of us.” She shook her head. “Vex was near dead when we found her, and now, knowing the way she has to feed, I’d say it was a good thing, or we’d all have died if she hadn’t been so weak.” She snorted. “With Fade, three of us thought we were losing our minds because we heard someone talking to us but couldn’t see anyone.” She shrugged. “Each sister has a story, and some days we all look at each other and think it’s amazing that we all survived and we’re here.”

“They are very important to you.”

She nodded. “They are what matters to me.” She looked around, trying to think of something else to talk about before she got all emotional. “What about your family?”

He put his head down and clasped his hands in front of him again. When he looked at her, his expression was stoic. “I am the last.” He gave her a quick fake smile. “When I pass, my magic will return to the earth.”

“Is that a saying or a real thing?”

He smiled a little closer to real this time. “It is real. I have just recently learned of it. When a fae passes, their magic goes to their next blood relative.” He motioned to her. “You have your mothers.”

“So, wait, yours is just gone then?”

He nodded. “The earth needs it as much as any being.”

“I guess.” She wasn’t qualified for this conversation. “Is that why its so strong in FaTerra, when I was walking on the ground.” That sounded dumb, she realized. Where else would she walk?

He nodded. “I took it for granted my entire life, but now know it is the reason, or part of it at least.”

“That’s cool. Well, except for the part where you are the last, that’s not cool. It’s sad.”

He shook his head. “I do not feel sad over it, nor should you.” He looked at the building again. “You will have to tell me what your sisters like so I can get the right gifts for all births day.”

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him. “You want to get them birthday gifts? None of us really know our birthdays.”

“No. All births day. Because we live such long lives in FaTerra, we do not celebrate the day we were born. That would be a bit redundant after the first century.” He watched her face as he spoke. “We instead have one day during the calendar year when the entire realm celebrates the birth of all.”

Ava nodded. “Now, that is cool.” She smiled. “We should do that here. Have one party to celebrate everyone.”

“It is quite fun. Everyone is included.”

“I’m going to talk to them about it.” She smiled at him. “I will give you a list of what they like.”

“Thank you. I look forward to getting to know them.”

“You say that now, but you may regret it.” She bit her lip for a second. “We’re a bit of a handful.”

Firo grinned. “I have no doubt there have been moments.”

Ava laughed. “Moments? Try years. How Capri survived so many teens at once, I have no idea. I hid for most of it.”

“I feel that way when I am accompanying my princess to the classes of fledglings where she helps them hone their magic.”

Ava gave him a wide-eyed look. “That must be something.”

“Nerve-wracking, I believe, is the saying.”

“No doubt.” She looked at the phone. “I’m going to put my number in here. The easiest way to learn is to do. We can practice some texts and things.”

“Very well.”

She sighed and lowered the phone. “Okay, what’s with the stuffy guy being back? I feel like I’m talking to some butler like in the movies.”

“A butler?” He shook his head. “Never mind, I understand.”

“Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

“I am fine. There is nothing—” He sighed. “I am not okay. Nothing is wrong, I’m just plagued with thoughts and inclinations.”

“I’m going to need more words to understand what you just said.” She gave him a tooth-baring grin.

“Yes. Sorry. I’m uh—” He lifted his hand and held it there. “Earlier at the circle. It was nice speaking to you in a fun way.” He watched her and she wondered if he did that so he could see when she was lost and didn’t understand the words he used. “I was not lying when I said I wanted to kiss you. In fact, it’s all I’ve thought about since that moment.”

She felt her cheeks heat. “Oh.”

“Mmm, exactly.” He gave her a blank look. “You see the dilemma I’m in?” He sighed. “It was a good thing my princess didn’t need aid of my magic today because I could not focus on anything helpful.”

“I hate being all distracted by something.”

“Yes.”

She looked around and then into the garage before shrugging and meeting his gaze. “So, let’s do that, and then we can move beyond it.” Now all she could think about was him kissing her.

“That would be the most logical.” He smiled at her, and then his expression turned serious again.

She held her breath when he moved closer to her. She was being stupid. It was a kiss. Two pairs of lips touching. There was nothing wrong with doing it. It felt nice, so that was a bonus.

He touched her chin with his finger and had a slight smile. “I can almost read the internal monologue in your eyes.”

She blew out a breath. “Yeah. It’s interesting.”

“Everything about you is interesting.” He tilted her head up.

Ava would have laughed, but the tingle was more like a buzz zinging through her and she would be a liar if she said she didn’t like the feeling. If he stood there looking at her with that soft look in his eyes much longer, she was going to end up using his hair as a handle to yank his mouth down to hers. Before she could think about that any further, she felt his breath touch her lips and almost sighed in relief. None of this she understood.

His lips were warm and gentle as he brushed them over hers. She sucked in a breath when they moved away for a second. This time, when his mouth covered hers, she grasped the front of his jacket and kissed him back. It was a strange feeling doing this, but she liked it.

“Oh. The bad timing award goes to me.”

They broke apart and turned to see Aireese standing a few feet away, looking at the pavement.

“I am sorry. I got excited and had to come to tell the both of you right away.”

Ava cleared her throat. “Tell us what?” Honestly, if it was some other catch to the combo her blood was, she was going to get really pissed off. No more hitches.

“Well—” The princess gave Firo an apologetic look. “I spoke to a few of our historians, I suppose you would call them.”

Ava wouldn’t call anyone that, but she didn’t say anything.

“They all believe that if the bond as it is—” She motioned from Firo to Ava. “—remains constant, then there won’t be any concern for the sickness happening to either one of you.” She nodded, a big smile on her face.

Ava turned slowly and looked at Firo. She could tell he was thinking through what she was saying.

“What is the condition attached to this epiphany?” He gave the princess a hard look. “I can tell just by your forced happy mood there is another part to it.”

Aireese gave him a bored look. “There is, but I have the solution for that as well.”

Ava looked from one to the other. “Just say it all in plain words so we can move on.”

“Yes.” Firo nodded.

Ava was trying not to be distracted by how close he was still standing to her. She wasn’t annoyed by it, but focus was hard when their magic was zinging back and forth between them.

“Okay.” Aireese took a quick breath. “Being close to one another is good enough to maintain the bond without incident, however—” She paused, and Ava wanted to tell her to just spit it out. “—overtime, it will have to be longer periods.” She looked from one to the other. “Which is a large piece of the main issue because you—” She pointed to Firo. “—are bound by your honor and obligation to me and our realm.” She nodded and then looked at Ava. “And, you are bound by the same to here.” She motioned to the building. She held up her hand. “But I was speaking to Jeri and Nova earlier today, and they gave me an idea.” She held up a key and smiled.

Ava looked at Firo to see he was just as confused.

“It’s for a place.” Aireese smiled again. “Jeri gave me the idea because they have her place here and Trendan’s place in Solrelm and some cabin that sounded heavenly and peaceful.” She shrugged. “Nova has this small place that isn’t big enough to be a safe house, so she is offering it to the two of you.” She held the key out toward them. “I can take you there. That’s where I just came from, and it’s nice.”

“Hang on.” Ava stepped away from Firo and stood where she could look at both of them. “What?” She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, so she shook her head. “Okay, so we’re not going to go crazy and lose control of our magic.” She snorted. “Not that I have control over mine.” She waved her hand. “But if we see each other from time to time—and we are just talking about that, right, not shacking up together or something?” She stared at Aireese until she nodded.

“Just being near to each other, I’m told, will work.” She held up her hands. “It has for fifty years now.” She looked at Firo. “Right?”

He nodded hesitantly. “Ava didn’t know I had been stalking her all this time.”

Ava grinned. “Ava had suspicions from a few things you’ve told me.”

He gave her a shocked look.

“Never mind that now.” Ava looked back at Aireese. “If it’s just hanging out and watching a movie once a week or something, I’m game.” She shrugged. She wanted the chance to learn how to use her magic before she had to worry about losing it.

“I cannot be away from…”

Aireese flicked her hand toward him. “I am so busy lately and spend more time in Alterealm and Solrelm than home that you have plenty of free time.” She shrugged. “When we’re not looking for the evil anchor.”

Firo turned to Ava, his expression was asking her, and she appreciated that more than she’d admit how much it meant to her that he wasn’t making a decision without her. “Avalie?”

She sighed. He had to go and whisper her name like that. “Yeah. We can go look at it.” She looked between them. “But how will I get there when you two aren’t around?”

Aireese smiled at her. “I will work a spell that will allow you to go there whenever you want.” She shrugged. “Your magic is strong enough to do it.” She nodded.

Ava’s stomach felt like it had a hundred butterflies in it. “Okay.” She said quickly before she changed her mind and ran and hid in her room like a coward.

“Excellent.” Aireese held out her hand.

Ava paused. “We didn’t check my pendant.” She looked to see Firo give her an apologetic look.

“Leave it on, we’ll check it now.” Aireese held out her hand again.

Firo went over and put his hand on the princess’s shoulder and then gave Ava an inquisitive look.

She blew out a breath and nodded. “Let’s do it before I change my mind.” She closed her eyes and felt the air change. Opening them, she saw they were gone. Nodding slowly, she reached and took off the pendant. The circle burning her hadn’t broken it. Good to know. She put it in her pocket, and then Firo and Aireese reappeared. She shrugged. “It works.” She put her hand on the princess’s arm.