Page 98 of Bright Soul

Eris dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her sleeve. “One glance at you all, and I knew it would lead here eventually,” she said.

I smiled briefly at Eris before meeting Mom’s concerned gaze. She’d be worried about me being coerced into this ormovingwaytoo fast, and I wasn’t sure how to convince her otherwise. Compared to me, she barely knew my men.

Well, there was little to do except tell her everything. “I’ll be right back,” I said, tugging Mom to the side, behind where Áine was weaving branches and blooming vines together, creating a makeshift trellis of flowers. She beamed up at her creation proudly.

In the meantime, Phaeron snagged Eris’s attention, coaxing her away for a few minutes of privacy for us. “Mom, I know this is going to sound crazy,” I prefaced. The truth came out in a rush about mating circles, my tether with Braza, and our plan to defeat Myuna. It was a lot, and I’d had a bit of time to accept it all, while I left her reeling and holding the side of her head.

“If…if any of them don’t treat you well after this, they have me to answer to,” she said, drawing me into a crushing hug. “I understand why you have to do this, but it isverysudden.”

“It is,” I agreed.

“But you’re going to kick Myuna’s pearly white butt because of this, huh?” She held me harder, enough to restrict my airflow.

“Yeah,” I gasped out. “In theory.”

She loosened her hold enough for it to become a normal hug. We swayed together for a few moments before she whispered, “Can I tell you something crazy too?”

“Of course.”

“You know that fae man who keeps following me?”

“The really annoying one?” I asked.

“Yup. We finally had a conversation past him trying to ‘protect’ me,” she said, making air quotes with one hand. “He believes I am his fated mate.”

I sucked in a breath so hard it was a wonder my lungs didn’t explode.

“And if you can…get magically married to three men…to save us all from a soul-eating goddess,” she continued with a fewrapid blinks, “then I think I just might accept his invitation to go on a date.”

“Mom!” I practically shrieked, bouncing on the balls of my feet. Most of my coven and all of my men came running to see me clutching her with an open-mouthed grin. “Guys! Everyone! My mom is going on a date!”

They whooped, which caused our watching audience to do the same. A big blush overtook Mom’s fair cheeks.

“I knew it,” Ben said under the general din of the crowd.

“Is he a worthy male?” Phaeron asked. “Perhaps I should inform him I will rearrange his insides if he acts like her last partner.”

“Maybe that is too extreme for a first date,” Geo suggested.

Phaeron nodded slowly. “The second date, then.”

I gave Mom one last squeeze. “I think it’s time,” I said.

“Wait! Promise me you’ll have a normal…ish wedding in a couple years,” she said, clasping her hands under her chin.

“Absolutely,” I said. “You’re going to walk me down the aisle. We have it planned, remember?”

A hint of tears sheened her eyes. “How could I forget?”

She took her place in front of my coven, unknowingly standing right next to my birth mother, who was also holding back from weeping. “Right here,” Crissina whispered, pointing to a place for me to stand.

She sprinkled magic around me, the sparkles matching the off-white of her feathers. She repeated the process three times, having Ben stand about a yard to my right, facing me. Phaeron went to my left, and she gave him a wide berth as she dispersed magic around his feet. I glanced over my shoulder to see her place Geo behind me.

“Are you four ready?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said amongst a masculine murmur of agreement.

“Then let us begin.” She raised her hands and spread her wings. The particles of magic around my feet danced to a personal breeze, spiraling upward slowly. She went to stand before me. “State your full name.”

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