Page 6

Slowly, he traced the line with his fingers, the vision from his dream sparking alive in his memory. The man who looked so much like him, Mikhail, had a strikingly similar mark on his hand. It always connected to him, always made his hand throb when he woke. Some days, he wondered if his imagination wove together bits and pieces from this life into a fairytale to ease the restraints of his stifling existence. A subtle motivation to keep going, to never lose hope, to understand there wassomethingout there, bigger, better, waiting for him.

Something that would fill the void that never seemed satiated until he fell asleep.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he whispered.

His heart protested with a hard thump.

Rihanna’s image flashed in his mind, suffusing his blood with vibrant heat and energy.

Truth be told, it madeperfectsense.

Iffairytales could become reality.

2

Rihanna watched from the doorway as her beloved sister-in-law and precious nephew toyed with puzzle pieces on the glass table before the fireplace. She smiled behind her hand each time Chase rejoiced when his piece fit, following his victory with a silly dance that lit Moira’s joy and ignited her laughter. Wild tufts of his dark hair glowed in the firelight, which added an innocent gleam to his dark eyes.

After a few minutes of observation, Rihanna knocked lightly against the doorframe, announcing her presence. Chase spun around, his smile growing wider than she thought possible, and bolted across the room, charging into her open arms at full speed.

“Oh!” Rihanna gasped, catching her nephew even as she stumbled back a few steps. His small arms wrapped tightly around her waist, face pressed hard to her belly. She laughed. “Sweet child. I see you’re keeping your mother busy.”

“I’m teaching Mommy how to do puzzles therightway.” His arms tightened more, surprising her with his strength. “I missed you, Aunt Ri!”

“It’s only been a day since I last paid you a visit.” She caught the five-year-old beneath his arms and hoisted him up, perching him on her hip. She tapped his nose. “I heard a rumor you outsmarted some of the water sprites down by the river earlier.”

Chase nodded vigorously. “Yep! They can’t catch me. I’m super fast! Shaye teached me tricks.”

“Taught, honey,” Moira corrected, shimmying to the edge of the sofa.

“Stay seated,chroi. You mustn’t put more strain on your body than necessary.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Moira waved her hand and pushed to her feet with a grunt, one hand resting protectively over her distended belly. She huffed a breath, blowing a curl that had fallen over her eye away, and started toward Rihanna. Rihanna crossed the room and met her a few steps from the sofa. “If I were living in my old town back in Jersey, I’d be pregnant, working full-time, and still in school. So standing from a sofa and crossing a room is nothing.”

“Then I’m happy you’re here with us, where we can care for you the way you deserve.”

“Waiting on me hand and foot isn’t ideal.”

Rihanna leaned into Moira and said conspiratorially, “’Tis our way, sister. You’ve been adjusting nicely, might I add.”

Rihanna gave Moira’s gown of deep blue silk a pointed glance, knowing well enough that Moira secretly enjoyed the styles of the Fae realm over the stifling outfits often worn by humans. As the baby continued to grow, Moira found more comfort in the looser gowns than fitted jeans or pants, unless they were sweatpants on a cold eve.

Sweatpants had become one of Rihanna’s guilty pleasures, thanks to her sister. Those eves when magic sealed the glassless windows to protect them from drafts and chills, sheand Moira would curl up over pastries and tea while discussing the events of the day before the conversation turned to preparation details for the baby.

Her sweet, generous, adorable sister.

Never in this lifetime would she wish for a different woman to take Moira’s place beside her brother. Moira was perfect for Shaye, for them all. She fit into the family like she’d always belonged, of Fae blood or not.

Ruffling her son’s hair, Moira’s smile faded at the edges and her eyes dimmed. “I was hoping you’d stop by tonight. Shaye’s been summoned to yet another Court session by Liam on behalf of Dagda. I’ve no idea when he’ll be returning.”

After placing a kiss on Chase’s rosy cheek, Rihanna lowered him to his feet and patted his back gently. “Go help your mother clean up the puzzle, sweetheart.”

“Okay, Aunt Ri.”

Moira and Rihanna watched Chase hurry to the table and start sliding random pieces into the box top. Rihanna folded her hands behind her back, taking the moment of silence to absorb the unsettled energy woven through Moira’s spirit. ’Twas a special gift of hers, reading others’ subconscious emotions, and ’twas a gift only her brother knew about.

“You know, it would’ve taken me thirty minutes, frustration, threats, and bribery to get him to do that. All you have to do is kiss his cheek and he becomes your obedient nephew.” Moira snorted, the corner of her mouth curled upward. “I’d be jealous if I knew that when you finally have your own child, he or she would be the same way.”

“You’re his mother,chroi. Of course he’ll give you a hard time,” Rihanna teased, trying her best to hide her sudden unease at the mention of having her own child. It never crossed her mind, not since Mikhail’s murder. Her dreams ofher own man and children died the eve he was returned to their home, the life drained from his body. She swallowed against a lump at the base of her throat and glanced beyond the balcony to the gray-blue evening sky. “Shaye warned me of your fretting during his absences.”