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T he waters in the fountain danced. The first rays of the sun caught them and turned them to gold.

The wind laughed around her, and when the opening notes of the hawks’ song pierced the air from their mountain homes, Arden smiled and took another sip of her coffee.

Ora had promised to join them in her human form today for the christening, and it was enough to make her pulse skitter in excitement.

She still flew with her mother nearly every day.

Sometimes on her back, sometimes beside her—though still only for a few minutes at a time.

Convincing the wind to hold her wasn’t the problem.

Overcoming her own certainty that she couldn’t possibly be flying most definitely was.

And Ora would chortle her hawk-laugh and swoop in to catch her, and they’d fly on, together.

Even so, it was different to see her as a woman. To feel arms around her. To hear her human voice.

Seidon’s arms slipped around her nearly before she realized he’d joined her. “Spotted the delegation yet?”

“Wasn’t even looking.” But she did now, of course, since he’d drawn her mind from the birds taking to wing to the friends coming by water. The Channel, however, was still clear. “No mer yet. Though I see the Bleu sails being raised.”

“Just your parents, or are Jade and Storm with them too?”

“All of them.” She smiled as she said it.

Jade, newly married to Storm last spring after making quick work of her studies at university, had accepted the offer from Queen Electra to be the ambassador to the Sunken Kingdom, and Storm had gone with her as the Master of her Guard.

They came home regularly to visit and report to Seidon and had been on the Banks for a week already.

She knew that Papa and Mama loved having them home again.

Just as Arden did. She always counted down the days until her sister’s next visit.

“Well if you’ve greeted the dawn sufficiently, I heard somebody on my way up who would very much like a good morning from you, I think.”

Arden chuckled and turned—though she made no objection when Seidon caught her close and pressed a long kiss to her lips. The perfect way to begin a day. Coffee, the lookout, the promise of fine company, her husband…and some other snuggles promised too.

She pulled away with a grin, holding out her hand for his. “I’m surprised you made it past the nursery alone.”

“I heard him stirring as I reached the stairs—and the nurse was already there.”

She didn’t rely on the nurse much, but she’d had to agree to the need for one, given that she and Seidon had already needed to make three different trips to calm tropical storms since becoming parents. Sometimes having the backup here at home proved necessary.

Even so, warmth embraced her as she stepped into the nursery a few minutes later and little hands reached for her, little eyes—so startling a blue—locking straight onto her face. She gathered her son close, crooning a good morning into his ear and smothering him with kisses.

“Hey! What ’bout me?”

Arden laughed and spun, crouching down so three-year-old Perla could rush her. “I didn’t know you were up yet. Bit early for you, isn’t it, princess?”

Perla, arms locked tight around Arden’s neck, settled herself into her favorite position on Arden’s hip. She rose with a huff.

Seidon clucked behind her, his arms going out to steady them. “You’re going to break your mama one of these days.” The chide was more smile than rebuke.

Perla giggled and snuggled close. “Will not. Mama strong.” She reached out a dimpled hand and patted her little brother gently…ish. “Bleu ready? You get to meet Gamma today. As a person.”

Little Bleu only yawned and rubbed his face against Arden’s shoulder. At five months old, he didn’t much care how his grandmothers appeared to dote on him. Not yet.

But he reached out, as he so often did, and clutched his big sister’s fingers. Baby and toddler laughs merged.

And blue light danced around their hands. Even after seeing it so many times, Arden couldn’t help but look over at Seidon. See his grin, as awed as hers.

When Electra came, her courtly procession with her, they’d find a few minutes to pull her aside. With Arden’s mother, preferably. Maybe one of them would have an answer for this—two children, neither of whom had gone through the Ceremony supposedly required, demonstrating raw magic.

Maybe. Or maybe they’d just have to grant that the Triada was always doing something new. And then wait and see what came of it this time.