Chapter 41

The brilliant flash of the two blades that crashed together was like the first rays of sun that parted the clouds after a storm. Mory's eyes shimmered with a new spark of energy, at last finding the weapon that fit her well.

She moved like the bastard sword had been born in her hand, and as Haldir recovered from her strike, he pointed at her. "That's my girl. You wouldn't have made a bad soldier, you know that?"

While he circled around Mory's rear, she mirrored his movements step for step, sword readied to shield against whatever strike he decided to throw this time. With no powers at all, Mory had to learn to fight with her hands like Haldir. "I've always been more of a lover than a fighter, to be honest, baby."

A smile curled up on his mouth, and his eyebrows wiggled. "Yes, I'm aware. Let's try this one." When his overhand chop came down on her, Mory dropped to her knee and deflected with her blade, only for Haldir to swing around to her back with his hand around her neck.

His solid chest rose and fell against her back as he shook his head and clicked his tongue against her ear. "Wrong. Don't ever give up the high ground, especially not to someone bigger than you. I don't want this pretty face of yours getting messed up."

Mory turned into his face and panted against his mouth. Although the grip on her neck loosened, the bulge digging into her rear continued to grow. "You're turning me on, old man. Unless you're planning on misting me back to the bedroom right now, you best back that thing off me and get back to work."

"Hmm." His nose grazed her cheek. "Let me toss that around for a moment."

He wanted nothing more than to crawl back in bed to continue their honeymoon, but she had a lifetime of skills to learn and not many years left to learn them. Ultimately, he kissed her cheek and swatted her ass, and Haldir backed away little by little as Mory pushed herself up from her knees. "We'll revisit this bit of training later this evening."

Her sword came back to the ready position, and Mory winked at him. "Damn right, we will."

While his sword swished through the air in a figure-eight motion, Haldir circled like a wolf and decided on his next attack. "Again."

From the balcony, Teddy's hands spread out across the railing as he watched them train and his thumbs tapped nervously against the wood. It was the last thing he wanted, to ask for Haldir's help, but the little ticking time bomb needed to be diffused, and Haldir always seemed to understand what tools to use.

His footsteps against the wooden stair were heavy, and as he did as a child, he stomped his way to Haldir. From the way he rested his hands on his hips and blew the stray curl that never fell right away from his face, Haldir knew he needed to talk, and he swatted his sword away to end the match. "You mind giving us a few minutes, Morana?"

"Sure thing." Mory sheathed her sword and kissed Haldir's cheek. "I'll be in the bathtub waiting on you when you're all done."

Though she stood nearly a foot shorter than Teddy, when she poked his arm, he nearly fell over from the weight of his guilt. "See you at dinner, Teddy."

With his arms crossed, Teddy looked back as she made for the stairs. "Yes, ma'am."

Teddy pointed back with his thumb and gave him a half-hearted grin as he watched Haldir sheath his sword. "It looks as if she's coming along nicely. I think she'll get your number here shortly."

The back of his shirt wiped at his sweaty neck, and Haldir nodded and gazed at her until the corner obscured her and her light disappeared. "She already does, I believe."

The toe of Teddy's boot kicked at the rocky walkway that encircled the yard and avoided Haldir's eyes. "I figured you two would be heading off to the Woods and starting a family of your own by now."

"No." Haldir cleared his throat as he stretched out his neck and shoulder. "She can't bear children."

From the time he was old enough to reach it, Teddy scratched behind his ear when he became uncomfortable, and as he wrinkled his face at his own cruel words, he dug at the spot. "I'm sorry to hear that. Truly."

His shoulder shrugged as he looked around the courtyard, but the truth stung Haldir's heart. "Probably for the best; I never was much of a father."

"That's not true at all." Teddy trilled his lips and both his hands flung upward. "Listen, all that had nothing to do with you; it was just me wanting to be in control of what was going on. I failed her so many times and I needed to be the one to fix her, and" —he sighed and hissed at himself — "you always had the answers. I was so jealous she always came to you instead of me when she needed something."

"I remember." With his eyes narrowed as he looked over Teddy's face, Haldir turned his head slightly. His son didn't wear his emotions on his sleeve the way Tessa did, it took more prodding to find the point of Teddy's conversations. But there was always a point. Although his smooth Southern drawl sounded like a sweet invitation to spill your guts, the twins were masters of trickery. "What's on your mind, really, Teddy? Go on."

Teddy's pointy tooth dug into his lip, and when his mouth curled, Haldir caught a glimpse of the monster who laid beneath. "When I walked Tessa out the gates when she was here the other day, there was someone in the woods watching her, following her."

Haldir pushed out his lips as he flinched his shoulders. "When isn't some poor love-struck fool stalking her? Besides, she's not your problem anymore. There's more than enough people watching over her now, not that she needs the help."

Teddy's eyes widened as his face jutted forward and he snickered. "Yes, well, this happens to be a certain Moroccan White Lighter type of stalker I'm speaking of."

His palm came to his mouth, and although it wasn't funny at all, Haldir smirked into his hand. "Quite a funny thing. This is the second time in as many days I've had a conversation about him."

Like a deer caught in headlights, Teddy's eyes fixated on Haldir. "What do you mean? Who did you talk to?"

His eyes rose to the balcony as Haldir motioned to where Mory just was. "I'm not sure how it happened, but she was able to see Tessa's memories when she was asleep. She knows everything, Teddy, the whole shebang."

Even he didn't believe what he said as Teddy's arrogant pointy chin shook back and forth. "Un-un. It's not possible."

Haldir stepped closer and his finger pointed into Teddy's chest. "It is possible, Billy warned you about this. You didn't take her memories away, you made her not remember. That's not the same thing, and it's not the first time the door popped open."

The pounding between his eyes got more intense, and Teddy was teary-eyed as he rubbed at his forehead. "What do I do?"

His hands went to Teddy's shoulders, and Haldir came nose to nose with him. "You must get out in front of this thing before he confronts her. Tell her everything. All of it."

His eyes narrowed at his father, and he tried to back away. "Are you crazy? It'll tear our whole family apart; I can't do that."

Haldir's freckled fingers wrapped around Teddy's cheeks. "He's a Healer, Teddy. If they're reunited, she'll remember everything in a heartbeat. You can't let her find out on her own. If she knows you've betrayed again, she'll tear your family apart, regardless. You know I'm right."

His fingers moved to Teddy's collar and gave it a tug. "You and I have been telling ourselves for decades everything we did was for her and to protect our family. But that's not true. Not really. This was for us because we can't face our parts in what happened. Eventually, it will come out anyway; the truth always does. If those memories were close enough to the surface for Morana to see them, maybe you don't got as much time as you think you do."

He swore to his sister he'd protect Rafik no matter the cost, and Teddy meant to keep it this time. "If Jacob and Logan find out Rafik's been following her, they'll hunt him down and kill him. You know they will. We have to warn him."

Haldir nodded. "Mmm-hmm. They'll try, but I think Rafik has someone watching out for him and has for a very long time."

He put his hand on Teddy's shoulder and pulled him toward the stairs. "Daniel would see if someone was present on his lands when they weren't meant to be and he doesn't seem to be a bit alarmed about Rafik trespassing in his woods, getting close to his family. That doesn't sound at all like the King I know."

Each step upward was like he carried a hundred-pound sack, and if not for Haldir's hand on his back, he would have fallen. "No, it surely doesn't."

His foot hit the last stair and it was like a light snapped on in his brain as Haldir put it all together. "A White Lighter is a rare and powerful creature who could change the course of the war, Daniel would want Rafik close by. I'm thinking it was no accident he was able to find Tessa. That maybe he was told where she would be."

Teddy saw Stella in the hall, so he pinched the tears from his eyes and wiped his cheeks. "I love my family, but if I had to do it all over again," —he shook his head as he saw her round the corner — "I would have left with you and Tessa that night."

His fingers slapped twice at Teddy's cheek as they always did. "I know. But if it makes you feel any better, you’ll not be all alone on her shit-list. I'll be right next to you and her boy-toys at the top."