Page 127 of A Bargain with the Fae King

“Is he awake?” I need to speak to him, to see him, assure myself that he’s okay and not going to leave me.

Iason shakes his head. My heart drops.

His gaze shifts to land again on May’s sleeping form in my lap.

“But there is someone else who needs to wake up.” A smile pulls his features, the first I’ve seen on him. It lights up his dark face and paints him as a carefree, loving man rather than the somber one who I’d seen thus far. “May I?”

My lips quirk up at his question. “Please. Should I move her?”

“No, she’s fine right there.” He kneels beside my sister and me. One wide hand hovers in the air above her face.

She has to wake up, has to be okay.

He closes his eyes, brow furrowed in concentration. Something akin to snowflakes float down and land upon her face, quickly melting into nothingness. The magical snowfall halts when Iason withdraws his palm.

A flutter of eyelashes. A small intake of breath.

I choke in a sob at the small signs of life. Tears blur my eyes. I take her small hand in mine. “May.”

“Lia…” May’s whispered, sleepy response sends the tears streaming down my face.

“I’m here.” I release her hand.

She scrubs at her face and sits up, peering about.

May twists around to stare at me. Her brows wrinkle.

“Where’s my bear? And Momma?” She wiggles closer. “Who are they? Lia…” Her voice rises an octave, panic setting in at the unfamiliar surroundings.

Shit. I’d been so preoccupied with saving her, waking her up, and getting her home that I’d never stopped to think of what to tell her.

I hold her close. “They’re friends. We’re visiting them for a bit, but Mom and Dad will be here soon.”

Her head swivels between me and the fae. The wobble of her bottom lip proves just how little she believes my words. A loud sniffle has the fae stepping back.

Solona’s eyes widen in alarm.

“Let’s give them some space,” she whispers, ushering the fae toward the main doors.

May buries her head in my chest, her little fists clutching my shirt. Tears and snot soak into the fabric.

“You’re fine. It’s fine.” I rock her like a much younger child.

After being asleep so long, and with the Unseelie, I can only guess at the emotions surging through her. Even if she remembers none of it, her body no doubt carries phantom memories. And her gift… who knows what that sudden maturation did to her.

“What do you remember?” I need to be sure.

She looks up at me, still sniffling. “Momma read me a bedtime story. The one about the three bears.” Her face scrunches up. “Where’s Momma? And Daddy?”

“They’ll be here soon,” I promise again. God, I only hope my words are true.

An animalistic whine at the end of the couch catches my attention. My eyes fly wide. Ambrose stares at us in his bear form, his head tilting to the side then up again.

May goes utterly still in my lap. Even the sniffles turn off abruptly.

“Now is not the—” I start.

She draws in a sharp breath, cutting off my words. “It’s a bear!” She swivels her head back to me, golden hair flying behind her. “Just like my story!”

---