Chapter 40

Abe stood back, feeling like he was under a microscope. Liri was in her quarters at Solrelm and had rounded up four women. They were across the room and kept looking at him with anything from shock to flushed faces from blushing. He wasn’t sure what she had told them, but he was being to feel like their science experiment. Something he did know was that they didn’t catch his attention at all. Was that part of the mating thing?

Liri’s guard was there. He looked amused by their behavior. He wasn’t as large as the Alterealm guards but was a good size like Tor and Ulric. The thing he couldn’t quite get over was his black eyes combined with the bleached blond hair. He glanced at his mate and wondered if she was responsible for the man bleaching his hair.

Bastian came into the room, “Sorry, I was delayed.” He paused in the hall and looked at the women. When the two of them started to bow their heads, he waved his hand, “No time for that.”

He went in and stood beside where Liri was sitting, “what have you explained?”

Liri smiled at him and held out her tattooed arm.

Bastian blew out a breath, “I guess that tells a lot.”

“Is it true?” The one woman stood up and bowed her head for a second, “that we can go to Interealm?”

Bastian nodded, “Yes—” he held out his hand and then looked at his cousin.

“Oh,” Liri stood up. “Bastian, this is Cailyn, Camara, Cassie…”

“Did you round them up alphabetically?” He smirked.

“And Nerine.” Liri finished. “Nerine can’t have children and is tired of being a maid.”

Bastian nodded. “I’m sure we can find something you want to do.”

“I want to be a guard.” She glanced at Riaz, “My brother has been teaching some of the basics.”

Bastian glanced at Abe. “I think your aunt would love to help train more women.”

Abe smiled and shrugged, “Aunt Autumn is all about women being able to defend themselves.”

“I want to learn.” The one that Abe thought was introduced as Camara stepped forward.

“Eventually, you’ll be able to do what you want.” Liri quickly looked at Abe, “But for now, you’ll have to stay at the safe house or houses when we set up more.” She bit her lip. “Aunt—the queen is going to speak with your families and tell them you are helping our family, so you will have to stick with what they’ve been told.”

“I will say anything if it means I don’t have to be paraded in front of another man for a potential match.”

The other women agreed.

“We get to leave Solrelm?” Nerine asked, looking hesitant.

“Yes.” Bastian glanced at Abe, “stabilizers?”

Abe pulled them out of his pocket and went over. “Eventually, once things have been resolved, we can get them links or port bracelets, but for now, they’ll have to stay in Interealm unless one of the guards or my aunts brings them somewhere.”

Nerine held out her arm, “Sign me up.”

Abe held out the bands. “I’m going to go get my Aunt Daxx. She’s going to take us to the house.”

“Ah, ported by a Queen,” Bastian smiled at the women, “your world is about to change, ladies.”

Abe nodded to Liri and then ported back to Alterealm.

***

Abe was surprised that the house that Nova had given them to use as a safe house was so big. He hoped they filled every room and a few more homes with the women and children left behind. He didn’t have to ask if his Aunt Alona had a hand in this. Judging by the number of boxes to be unpacked, he knew only she would have thought of everything here.

He watched Riaz put a cup under the spout of the Keurig and then turn and look over the different flavors.

Liri came in and stopped, and looked at her guard. “If you drink all of that today, we’re going to run out of budget to replace it.”

Riaz turned, straightened up, and grinned at her. “It’s amazing.” He shook the little cup he’d selected. “In a minute, you have a masterpiece to drink.” Turning around, he put it in the machine and closed it. Abe smirked as he leaned down and watched the water come out of the spout to fill the cup. “Apple cider.” He mumbled. “I don’t know what it is, but if it’s half as good as the latte I tried, we’re going to need more.” He glanced at Liri. “We should probably stock up on different choices so the women are happy.”

Liri put her hands on her hips and shook her head, “Or are so am ped up on caffeine that we’ll have to add a gym so they can burn it off.”

Riaz turned around, “am I going to be stationed here?”

Abe hid the smirk on his face behind his hand for a moment. “I was going to find a few guards from Alterealm, but it may not be a bad idea to have some from Solrelm here.”

Riaz picked up the cup and blew on it. “I will find some that can be trusted if that’s allowed,” he toasted the cup in the air, “and show them the ropes.”

Liri came over and put her arms around Abe’s waist. “Just as long as you teach them more than how to make hot drinks.” She waved her hand to the stack of boxes in the corner. “You should investigate the rest of the kitchen furnishings.”

Riaz looked at them and set his cup down, “maybe I’ll discover something just as fabulous as that machine.” He went over and picked up several and set them on the counter.

Liri smiled up at Abe. “We need a strong man to shift some things around.”

Abe cocked his eyebrow at her, “Should I call some of my uncles to help and get it done faster.”

Nerine came in from the garage carrying a large armchair. She didn’t look strained at all. “I’m setting up the sitting area.” She said on her way by them, “and then I’ll get the beds set up.”

Abe watched her leave the room and then looked down at Liri, “they’re so happy to be doing something.”

“You can’t even imagine what our lives have been like. Tea parties, dinners, luncheons where the only topics were children and being a caring other to our one.” She rolled her eyes. “I can’t wait until the day we can announce that all of that isn’t necessary.”

“I’ve been trying to figure out why.” He let her pull him by his hand toward the other room. “Why would someone hide the fact that you can find your mates in other realms? Why put the women of your realm through that?”

Liri paused and gave him a serious look, “when we find those responsible, you can hold them down while I ask them.”

Abe smirked, “deal.” He pulled her closer and kissed her. “Vicious mate, I have.”

Liri laughed. “You have no idea.”

Laughter from upstairs made them both pause.

“This is going to work, Abe. I can feel it.”