Page 44 of Tasteful Anarchy and Tangled Auras
A beautiful woman with severe eyebrows above liquid dark eyes and long, straight, almost-black hair rushes to the door. She’s wearing a simple purple dress with long sleeves. She’s a bit taller than our mate, and a smattering of markings covers her jawline down to her breast on one side. She skids to a halt, then squeals and throws her arms around Adi. Adi wraps herself around the woman, making a sound that is almost a sob. My throat tightens for my mate. She’s missed this friend, that is obvious.
When they finally part, after whispered words and more hugs, the selkie turns to us. “Friends of my dear friend, you are welcome here. Please, come in.”
Adelaide
I CAN’T STOP GRINNINGas Orla shows us her home, introduces her daughter, Isla, and her partner, Sean, who seems wonderful. She shows us their guest quarters, a tiny house half-buried into a garden swale covered in grasses and late-season flowers.
Bryn slips out, promising to be back by dark, just as Ossy and I sit down with them for family dinner. Then Orla and Sean disappear upstairs, dragging a disappointed Isla, for bedtime, but not before pulling out a flagon of wine with instructions to relax by the fireplace until they return.
A knock and then Bryn slips in silently. He picks up my and Ossy’s empty glasses and heads to the sideboard. He pours three fresh glasses and brings them to us. I am curled into an armchair.
“I tested their wardings,” he says. “They are very solid. I’d say we’re safe to discuss anything.”
I smile into my glass. Pretty high praise, from him.
Ossy tosses back his wine glass. “Did you find the shifter?”
Orla steps down from the stairway. “What shifter? There are a lot around here.” I’ve missed her voice. She’s so melodic.
When I see Ossy frozen in indecision, I answer. “Filib the kelpie.”
This brings a rude noise from Orla. I stand and go to pour her a glass of wine. Sean appears and shoos me away, filling both our glasses. Orla comes to sit in the large armchair with me, and she snuggles right into my body. She always had a high touch-need. My mates’ eyes flick back and forth as Orla starts to stroke my arm. I’ve changed into a plain navy dress, but my Priestess mark is still visible.
“Laney,” Orla says, “you’re up to no good. I can smell it on you.”
I smile at her nickname for me. “You’re right, but this time it’s not by choice.” I waffle, “Well, more or less.”
“I heard your grandmother’s declaration. I’m surprised you returned.”
I snort. “She didn’t tell me why before I returned. I guess next time I’ll ask first.” I start to plait pieces of her hair.
“What’s that prick Filib got to do with this?”
Bryn clears his throat, but before he can say anything Orla huffs indignantly. “She was mine before she was yours, and I love her still. I’d never put her at risk, so save it, pretty boy, and tell me what nonsense you’ve gotten her into.” Then, she glares at him hard. Sean lets out a bark of laughter and Ossy’s eyes are wide.
Bryn’s eyebrows shoot up, and he glances at me. “She seems exactly the type of female you’d choose, mate. Maybe a bit too oil and oil, though.” He smiles.
Orla straightens. “Mate?” She looks at me.
“Yeah, both of ‘em,” I say with somewhat fake consternation.
Orla collapses into infectious laughter. The males are all smiling, and then I’m laughing with her. When she finally catches her breath, she manages to get out, “The Goddess sent you two broody dominant males. That is the fucking funniest thing I’ve heard in a long time,” before dissolving into tears and laughter again.
ORLA AND SEAN HAVEheard of the EA. I ask, shocked, if they are a part of it. They exchange glances, but tell us no, they aren’t, though most in Glario are in support of their aims. I again wonder how the hell none of the Court knows about this.
However, Orla and Sean are horrified and shocked to learn of EA’s Mabon plans and are deeply concerned when we sketch outourplans for the full moon rite. Sean gets rigid with anger, stating that children will die if the EA isn’t stopped. We fill them in on the details of our counteractions. Sean leaves the house, wanting to talk to his raft. He was elected after Orla stepped down during her pregnancy. Orla still runs the city of Glario’s communications departments and has some ideas as well.
We chat late into the night, on both the EA and inconsequential things. My heart aches. I miss her dearly. In a perfect world, we’d form a small raft with our chosen partners and live in a large home all together. We talked about it a lot, back when we were together. But my ties to Court make that impossible. It still stings, to think of the life we could have had, yet the idea of destroying the monarchies is becoming more and more palatable.
