Page 139 of Madness of Her Mages

“Of course,” I said. “Be careful, though. Rabbits are fragile and they might hop out of your arms if you pick them up. They love to eat flowers. Why don’t you sit by them and feed them some?”

The girls giggled when I waved my hand over the dirt, growing a patch of colorful flowers. They sat on the ground, plucking flowers and handing them to the rabbits.

“Why did you name him Demon?” Ember asked.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I think Thorin named him.”

The girls shared a look before Aurora said, “That’s because Thorin is a demon.”

“Thorin’s not a demon,” my mother said as she approached us, our father following close behind.

Ember scowled at her. “Yes, he is, Yaya.”

“Don’t be silly, Ember,” my mother said as she sat beside us and held out her arms. “Come give Yaya and Pappo a hug.”

My father knelt beside her, patting his knee while flashing a warm smile. “We’ve missed you so much.”

I gave a start, and my parents’ smiles faltered when both girls arched away from their grandparents while giving Shiri questioning looks.

Only after Shiri gave the nod of approval did my children go to their grandparents, though their hugs were awkward as they leaned against them with stiff arms by their sides.

“She’s not being silly.” Shiri crossed her arms while scowling down at our mother. “She speaks the truth.”

Our mother and father shared looks of shock before our mother looked at my sister as if she’d grown a set of wings. “What?”

Shiri’s eyes narrowed as she spoke from clenched teeth. “The man you entrusted with my sister’s life is a demon, a very powerful one.”

Well, fuck.

“No.” Our mother splayed a hand across her heart. “He was my friend.”

“You need to heed my words, Mother, Father.” Shiri glared at our parents while folding her arms. “And don’t interrupt until I’ve finished speaking. You have much to learn.”

WE MOVED TO A WARMspot beside the fire that Shiri’s mates had built. Shiri introduced her mates to me as Drae, Blaze, and Nikkos, lords of the largest estate in Delfi near the wilds of the Periculian Forest. Drae was the oldest and exuded alpha male as he kept one protective eye on my sister and another on our father. Her other mate, Blaze, had a feral look about him and a sharpness in his eyes as he continued to scan the forest for threats. I had a feeling nothing escaped his watchful eye. The youngest of her mates, Nikkos, reminded me so much of Finn with his youthful face and kind smile. He flew up to the top of a nearby tree and cut down bright green fruits. He cracked the fruits open on stones and handed them to us. They were fleshy and sweet with lots of juice to quench my parched throat. The girls giggled, sharing their prizes with the rabbits while getting sticky fruit juice on their hands and faces.

After we finished our fruit, my sister told us a nightmarish story of how Thorin had tricked an entire country, changing everyone’s memories, and had been the cause of the Crimson Tide, to how Lady Chara Inferni’s spirit had told Ember that Thorin had murdered her and her mate, and then the mysterious demon mistress who kept sending demons and even giants after them. I also learned my daughters were precocious little witches with the ability to see spirits and teleport. By the time she finished speaking, our parents gaped at Shiri with slackened jaws.

Shiri’s mates gave a start, their wings raised when Ash and Finn returned to us as hulking, wet wolves while carrying hugelimp fish in their maws. Our daughters, who were sitting so calmly beside me while feeding Demon and Angel fruit chunks and oats, gasped when they saw their fathers and ran to Shiri. My heart sank at the way the girls gaped at their fathers before burying their faces in Shiri’s skirts, and I had no doubt they’d seen their fathers attack Fachnan.

My mates whimpered as they approached.

They’re afraid of us,Finn projected to me.

I know,I answered, flashing a weak smile.Give them time.

Ears flattened against their skulls, my mates dropped the fish beside the fire before slowly backing away, their gazes darting to the girls. They bound toward their hut, shifting into hairy wolf/Fae hybrid creatures before climbing up the stairs. My father got to work filleting the fish and Nikkos prepared a pan with oil. My mates finally returned to us in fresh kilts with their wet hair tied back in leather bands and sat on the log beside me.

Finn smiled at the girls while feeding the rabbits oats. I prayed they’d warm up to their fathers if they saw the rabbits weren’t afraid of them, but the girls scrambled toward Blaze, pressing against his legs while looking away.

Rubbing Finn’s shoulder, I breathed out a slow breath.They’ll come around,I tried to reassure him.

He slowly nodded, though I could feel the depression from their rejection radiating off him in waves.

“There’s more,” Shiri continued as she paced in front of the fire, stopping to give our parents a stony stare. “Thanks, by the way, for not telling us about Marius.” She cut a glance to me. “Have you heard about our other father, Marius?”

“Sort of.” Shadows eclipsed my heart at the thought of the father I never knew. Our parents hadn’t gone into detail about him yet. “I only found out today.”

Our mother turned up her chin, her lower lip quivering. “I will not apologize. The mention of his death was too painful.”

---