Page 8 of Convincing His Little Bee (K!nktober #2)

EIGHT

Cin’s head pounded from the whiplash of the last thirty minutes. Alpha rope? Cin didn’t know what Elle meant and she’d fallen asleep, so he couldn’t ask. The drakonid knew but didn’t seem inclined to share. Cin sighed, taking in as much of the home as he could as they walked through the halls.

He was pretty confident they were in a motherfucking castle. Or The Crimson Reach’s equivalent of one. Huge, ornate, made of stone, with a grand foyer, several wings of rooms. But also…the space was clearly well loved and lived in.

The floors were covered with warm, worn rugs.

Touches of creatures everywhere they went.

The front hall had outer wear for different types of creatures scattered along a bench seat by the front door.

A sitting room with comfy couches had piles of folded laundry, books, personal effects, and toys piled in the corner.

Almost every room had at least one shelf filled with books and random trinkets.

The kitchen had herbs in the window, and gemstones above the sink.

It wasn’t messy, but it was…cluttered. Lived.

Loved . Cin wasn’t used to that. He lived with his parents and three younger siblings, in a modest sized home.

His mother ran a strict house, everything clean and put away at all times.

Cin felt like a rebel when he left his clothes on his bedroom floor overnight.

He wondered how many creatures lived in a home this size.

“Can you wait here?” Tor’s voice interrupted Cin’s thoughts. They were in a long hallway with doors every thirty or forty feet on both sides. They stood outside one with a wreath on the outside, decorated haphazardly. Cin could guarantee Elle would take credit for it, a grin on her face.

“Of course.” Cin replied. Tor sent him a small smile before opening the door and ducking inside with Elle sleeping in his arms. It must be where the little girl lived with her parents.

The young man who had chased Elle earlier stepped out of the room and stood to the side, leaning on the wall.

Cin couldn’t pinpoint his age or his species.

Mostly human but for the pointed furry ears on the top of his head and the tail trailing down the back of his leg.

He didn’t speak to Cin, but stood still, looking worried and self recriminating.

Murmurs and brief laughter sounded from the other side of the door and after a few minutes, Tor exited, saying goodnight before shutting the door.

“Alpha.” The young man with the tail stood up straight, eyes on the floor, head tilted to the side and ears drooping.

“Relax, Kellan.” Tor wrapped an arm around the creature’s shoulders, and walked with him down the hallway. “Elle sneaks away from someone at least once a week. It’s not your fault.”

“I should’ve heard her.” Kellan protested, leaning against Tor as if he’d done it a million times.

Both the little girl and this young man were physically affectionate with Tor.

They didn’t seem frightened of him, and Tor talked to them with love and caring.

Cin’s heart fluttered as he followed behind the pair.

Is Tor telling the truth? How can I trust the man after such a short time?

What if the encounters with Elle and Kellan were unique?

Maybe Tor had captives in the basement, a dungeon set up and waiting to torture anyone who got on his bad side.

Cin couldn’t get his thoughts straight.

Tor chuckled, ruffling the boy’s hair. “In the morning, ask Xaph how many times Elle has escaped his notice.”

“Really?” Filled with hope, his tail swished behind him.

“Really .” They stopped in the front hall. “I know it’s your first night alone. You’re putting too much pressure on yourself, kid.”

“I want to keep everyone safe, Alpha.” The boy kept his gaze at the ground. Tor dragged him into a full hug, letting the boy scent his neck before pulling back.

“Xaph wouldn’t have assigned you a solo shift if he didn’t believe you were capable. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, Alpha.” His tail sat high and waved enthusiastically. Cin loved the openness of the young boy’s emotions.

“Get back to your route.” Tor patted the boy’s shoulder and he scurried away with a smile on his face and confidence in his stride.

Tor watched Kellen go back to his duties. Cin watched Tor. The drakonid looked happy to see the young man happy.

“Do you want the tour to continue?” Tor turned back to Cin.

“I…” Cin blinked and glanced around the front hall as if it might answer his questions. “Was this a normal night?”

Tor shrugged. “Elle doesn’t usually have nightmares…so no.”

“Can we…do you have a garden? Is it safe outside at night?” Cin’s body and magic craved nature on a normal day. The contradictory feelings rampaging through him made him yearn for dirt beneath his toes even more than normal.

“You’re always safe with me.” Tor promised and Cin couldn’t help but believe his words. Tilting his head up to look into the drakonid’s swirling eyes, Cin’s wings shifted behind him as his stomach tumbled with nerves and a happiness he knew came from Tor through their small bond.

“This way, little bee.” The drakonid spoke softly, and waited for Cin to walk beside him before leading him back toward the kitchen.

They passed the door there and walked through a dining room, a large table in the center.

In a more formal sitting space were two large glass doors to the outside.

Tor guided him out, shutting the doors behind them.

Still dark out, the red sky painted everything with a tinge of color the fae wasn’t used to. The sight of the gardens made him gasp. Am I dreaming?

An organized garden right outside the door, groups of flora planted in large boxed off spaces.

Worn paths wound around the area, rocks and benches dotted the space.

A pond with a waterfall sat to the back left, and beyond…

a large field of wildflowers spread out.

On the opposite side of the pond sat a fenced area with wooden play structures for children of all ages.

There were giant shade trees and a large wall of rock, twenty feet tall, surrounding the entire area.

“Wow.”

“I’m sure it’s different from home, but I hope you enjoy it.” Tor sounded almost shy, but Cin didn’t have time to analyze.

“Can I…” Cin gestured forward, wanting to run and smell everything.

“Nothing here is harmful.” Tor smiled and nodded toward the fields in front of them. Cin waited a beat to make sure Tor wouldn’t change his mind and then with a giggle, he took off.

Mostly staying on the ground but unable to contain his wings as they fluttered and lifted him just a foot in the air, Cin darted to each flower, plant, and bush he saw.

He inhaled every aroma, touched every petal, stuck his fingers into every pile of dirt.

With everything so well taken care of, he briefly wondered if another pollinator fae frequented the garden and if Tor knew about them.

He shoved it from his mind as he lay down on his stomach to peer into the pond. It was still but for the bubbling at the base of the small waterfall. Were there animals living there? It looked clean and just as well tended as the plants.

“Jalko comes out during the day,” Tor stood next to Cin, hands in his pockets as he looked at the pond with fondness.

“Jalko?” Cin dipped a finger into the water and found it cool to the touch.

“Well it’s no fun if I tell you what he is. You’ll have to meet him.”

Cin glared up at the drakonid but secretly liked it as the man looked back at him with a joking smile. The fae huffed in annoyance, before bouncing up and taking off toward the field of wildflowers.

He jumped into the air and circled around the field. Insects whistled, chirped, burped, and spun around him as he went. With a smile so large his face hurt, Cin let his fingers graze the plants as he passed above them. He had seen a lot of gardens in his day, but this was the most impressive.

Swooping around, he dove and somersaulted before coming to a stop on his back, splayed out within the wildflowers. They were tall, at least three or four feet. As he gazed toward the night sky, the different flowers rose around him, surrounding him, hugging him close.

Oh .

Taking a deep breath, Cin let his body settle into the ground.

Home .

This garden was home .