Page 10 of Killian
“A hundred. The same age as you. Thesis went into labor in the council chambers. Fate and I helped to deliver him. Fate cut her finger, and one drop landed on his tongue. Zander is still Thesis’ son. Fate just changed his magic.”
“Oh, I should invite him to dinner then and see if we have anything in common,” I shrugged. “Maybe, get him to read some of the ancient tomes in the library and search for fingerprints.”
“Killian Di Gatti!” she hissed, and I winked at her. “I swear. You are worse than my sons.”
“I come by it honest, Grand-mère.”
“You do,” she sighed. “Well. Let me go before Jules wakes up. I can’t stay. Be nice to Zander, now.”
“You and Enzo must come to supper, too.”
“Give us a bit before you invite us? We’ve been here for too long as it is, and Enzo gets testy if we don’t sleep at home.” She hugged me again and then shimmered away just as the pocket doors slammed open.
“You’re here!” Jules yelled as he ran at me. I scooped him into a hug, and he breathed me in like I’d done to Cressida.
“I am here. Do you want to go swimming?”
“Ooh! I do,” he nodded. “I don’t know how.”
“You will.” I kissed his cheek. “I’ll teach you.”
Chapter six
Killian
Sophie was early.
Jules and I had just changed from swimming and were about to sit down to supper when the doorbell gonged. I carried him to the door, turned off the alarm, and opened it.
“I’m so sorry! I drove. The timing is so different!” Sophie greeted. Her black hair held streaks of red, and her eyes were two different colors. She was a mix of Blood-right and Demi-deuil.
“It’s all right. I hate driving, too,” I said. Jules waved at her and put his head down on my shoulder as I let her in. “Have you eaten?”
“No. Oh, no. I’m interrupting supper!”
I smiled. “As I said, it’s all right.”
I locked the door behind her and set the alarm again.
“You need a shield, don’t you?” she asked as I returned to get Jules’ plate. He held onto his juice when I handed it to him, and I told her to make hers.
“Yes, a shield would be nice,” I murmured.
“The First sets those,” she nodded. “I’m not sure I could set it. My father was a Bonnie, but one without any magic.”
“Don’t worry. I can set it,” I said. As soon as I figured out what the boundaries were.
Jules and I waited until she joined us and then we began eating.
“Oh, this is delicious,” Sophie said between bites.
I smiled at Jules, who was ecstatic over the home-cooked meal. Maisy would have made him something like the snack I’d given him. He cleaned his plate and really wanted more. I stood then, kissed the top of his head, and took his plate to the kitchen for more roast. He was smaller than I expected, and I understood why Enzo didn’t want Maisy watching Jules anymore. Lions ate a lot, especially growing cubs. She possibly left him alone a lot, too, based on his comment about me being here after his nap.
I set the plate in front of Jules, who sighed happily and thanked me.
“Any time. I’m going to make you some snacks you can reach, okay? Then you eat when you are hungry.” I put my hand on top of his head, and he beamed at me.
“Thank you, Papa.”
