Page 71 of The Silver Spider
“I'm fine. I got bandaged up.”
He touched the back of her hand in response and opened their bond just a bit so his encouragement could warm her. “Sere, we need to renew the bonding spell soon. It’s starting to fade.”
“I thought it was permanent?”
“No, not…yet.”
She nodded and then they were at the foot of the dais.
“It appears we have unexpected guests,” Dawnthorne said. “You will both be pleased when I admit them. Though you, dragon, perhaps not so pleased.”
Amnan said nothing. Then he stiffened, turning on his heel. Serephone followed his movement, and blinked.
“Mother.”
Kailigh glanced at Serephone, a quick, thorough look that raked her daughter from head to toe. Her mother was dressed all in plum, a long skirt and jacket with a white blouse underneath, the collar decorated with obsidian buttons. She looked like one of the ladies-who-lunch, except for the firm dismissal of the current pastel craze.
“Serephone.” Kailigh strode forward and wrapped her in a hug. “Why are you in a fight? Did you start it?”
“It’s not really a fight.” Serephone glanced at Maddugh, frowning. Why had he allowed Kai to come here? Didn’t he know better?
Her stepfather’s return look was his neutral amused expression, but she saw the flash of anger and irritation in his eyes.
Maddugh turned to Dawnthorne. “If my family and I don’t send word to Nahasha by morning, her court will descend on yours.”
Dawnthorne smiled faintly. “But surely you would like your wife to renew her acquaintance with an old friend?”
Serephone sighed. Kailigh glanced at her, brow raised, then froze when Etienne stepped into her line of vision. “Lawrence?”
“Hello, Kai,” he said. “Serephone acts just like you. But she hasn’t embarrassed us yet. Congratulations.”
It didn’t sound like congratulations.
“Kailigh?” Maddugh growled.
Kailigh visibly gathered her composure. “Maddugh—forgive me, I’m a bit surprised. This is my ex-husband, Lawrence.”
“I am called Etienne here,” he said.
“What?” Kailigh stared at him. “That’s a ridiculous…never mind. Wait—you are fae?” She looked at Serephone.
“You are as well, Kai,” Etienne said. “Your dragon shouldn’t have brought you here. But you can’t expect higher level reasoning from wyrms.”
“You have clever words,” Maddugh said. “I wonder if you talk so much on the battlefield, two-legger?”
“Maddugh,” Kailigh said.
Maddugh glared at her. “Are you defending him?”
“Really?”
Serephone winced. She knew that tone of voice. Maddugh was going to get hell when he and Kai were alone again. Her mother did not like being embarrassed in public.
“As amusing as this family reunion is, we must proceed,” Evervaine said. “Aethan, congratulations. It appears you have another spawn in your net.”
Dawnthorne glanced at Kailigh. “She isn’t my Line.”
Evervaine studied her mother. “She belongs to someone’s Line. And if we must determine whose, she should remain under your supervision for now. You have the closest claim as she is the mother of your kin.”
