Page 50 of Last Resort

Poppy laughed. “I had heard Jane found him at long last.”

“She did. And when his grandparents warned us he was gone, she asked me to get him.” The voice belonged to a man with tousled hair and a mask of discoloured skin around his eyes, just like his son.

“I don’t know why he came here.”

“I was editing some of the afternoon footage earlier, and he kept bouncing and yelling Poppop. I gather it is you, Poppy?”

“Yes. I used this face to keep him entertained when I babysat for him. He liked the ears.” She jostled him. “Right, Terro?”

The toddler sighed and leaned against her. “Poppop.”

Breen chuckled. “I understand the fascination, little guy, but you have to give her up to bigger alphas. We need her more.”

Terro’s face collapsed in tragedy, and he hung onto Poppy while he wailed. She turned her head to him and wailed in return. Terro snuffled and then smiled shyly. “Yeah, you don’t fool me, buster. I didn’t fall for it then, and I didn’t fall for it now.”

He scrunched his shoulders, and his father extended his arms. “Come on, Terro.”

Terro launched himself into his father’s arms, announcing, “Dah!”

The tenderness on the man’s face as he held his son made Poppy smile. “You have taken to fatherhood.”

“Oh, yes. Jane and Terro make it a complete joy.” He smiled, and Terro put a sleepy head down on his shoulder. “I am going to take him back and calm my parents. They were babysitting when he started screaming your name and disappeared.”

“Sew trackers into all his clothing. Violet can help you with that. Stop when he starts dating.” Poppy winked.

He chuckled and bowed. “Thank you for catching him. He just seems to be getting faster. Are you in the islands for a while?”

“Ten more days.” Breen smiled.

Poppy looked at him. “Really?”

“Really. Four more on the show, and seven after that.”

He blinked. “Oh, right. We will see you soon. Very soon. Terro will be so helpful.”

Terro was rubbing his eyes.

Poppy touched his cheek. “Time for bed, little dude. You will see me soon.”

Terro held her hand for a moment, and then he patted his father and said, “Mama.”

His dad smiled. “That is a good idea. Poppy, gentlemen, we will see you soon.”

He flicked out of view in a heartbeat.

Poppy looked at Breen. “Do elf kids teleport?”

Myro answered. “It is an advanced skill learned after adulthood.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

Myro asked, “How did you learn it?”

“The Elite weren’t good about guarding grimoires. I stole a primer and committed it to memory. It came in handy.” She smiled.

Breen frowned. “You escaped, but you went back.”

“Yes, but when I went back, I wasn’t alone. We were all there to free the captured women and get you guys out from under the binding. We did both, and we did it fast.”

---