Page 163 of The Hunger
His gossamer wings barely had the strength to keep him aloft now, but I could still see his youthful soul within his time-worn gaze.
“Princess. You came.” Piepen tittered to himself, and a few of the younger brownies rolled their eyes.
“Of course I did, Piepen.” I patted my stomach. “I have the perfect spot for you, today. I think you’ll ride comfortably here.”
“I think I just sparkled my pants,” he said with a knee slap that caused him to lose several inches in altitude.
He righted himself and weaved his way to me. He landed with a sigh, his wings drooping mightily. I smiled down at him, feeling a sharp pang in my chest.
Over the last few months, I’d finally understood Adira’s cavalier attitude toward the brownies. Their lives were too short to care about them so deeply. It brought so much pain to see them age and watch them die. It wasn’t a lesson I learned alone, and I knew it was one of the reasons Megan was just as pregnant as me.
Losing Merri so soon after losing their oldest boy had devastated Piepen. He’d spent three days lying on my shoulder as I took away his pain. The birth of his fifth great-great-grandchild had brought him around a bit, but I could still sense his sorrow. I didn’t try to take it, though.
He’d asked me to leave what remained with him. That it was part of remembering and missing them. That he wanted to miss them.
I did my best to respect his wishes while still easing his pain.
“Who has his fermented poppy?” I asked.
A little boy zipped forward.
“Here you go, G.G.G.G.P.” He handed over an oversized-for-a-brownie flask and returned to his parents.
Piepen said his thanks and took a sip as his extended family piled into the van. The twins laughed and gently shook their heads to the cheers of the brownies who’d taken roost there.
“Will Nicolette be there?” someone from the back asked.
“What about Megan?” another asked.
“What about Kelsey?”
“Do you think the dragon will let us—”
“Quiet,” Piepen yelled. “An old man can’t even hear his own thoughts over all that yapping.”
He looked up at me as I carefully took my seat and closed the door.
“Who will be there?” he asked me.
“Everyone,” I said.
“They better not jump out at me and yell in my face. I hate that.”
“This isn’t a surprise party, Piepen. You know about it.”
“Good.” He took a sip from his flask and struggled to flutter as Fenris navigated us to the main road. When he was a few inches from my face, he fell with a plop into my cleavage. “S’more comfortable here.”
Fenris snorted, and I could feel the humor rolling off my mate. I felt the same as I looked down at the tiny old man who’d once tormented me so. He’d taught me so much over the years.
The best lesson was to cherish every second with the people you loved.
I couldn’t wait to see Ashlyn.
