Page 13 of Eternal Light

“Fucking hate this.”

“Me too, love. But it’ll be over soon. We’ll be home by Valentine’s Day, and we can celebrate any way you want.”

“Fuck, that’s next week? Shit.”

It’s February already? Gideon briefly entertains all the ways he’d show his mates a very happy Valentine’s Day.

Finn opens the sliding glass door from where he’d been sitting on the balcony. “Nimue is on her way over. We’ll get the protections in place, and then we can get some food. Does anyone have any preferences?”

“Thai? There’s a place across the street, near that small market. We should stock up on stuff for the babies and Nix,” Rowan suggests from the couch, like the rest of them don’tneed nutritious sustenance. “I’ll go. Jaybird, do you wanna come with?”

Unsurprisingly, Jay hesitates.

The pack is in new digs, and Jay hasn’t poked his sexy nose into every nook and cranny yet like he has at every place they’ve been since Gideon has been bonded to the pack. Probably even before that. But Gideon doesn’t want Rowan in the wild without a strong hand on the grocery cart and a bit of self-control. Lauren still complains about the charges to her card every time she calls.

“Go, Jay. Bring back enough food for a few days, and Thai is fine for lunch—just no shellfish for Nix or spice for you. We’re all in the nest tonight, and we don’t want regrets.”

“I’ve got this,” Leo says, and opens the apartment door for his mate. It’s his persistent stare and subsequent raised eyebrow that gets Jay moving.

Rubbing a hand down his face, he sighs, “Fine, let’s go. See you soon.”

Once they’re gone, Gideon takes the time to do some quick recon for himself to be sure his kittens and Grayson are decent before Nimue arrives (they aren’t), and notes the balconies are staggered in such a way as it would be impossible for someone to grapple down from the roof or climb over from the neighboring one.

Jay is right about there not being any trees tall enough to reach the balcony or any of the windows. The front door is sturdy, and when Gideon checks the neighbor’s door, he notes theirs is reinforced steel as well. No one is getting in unless someone lets them in.

No sooner has Gideon closed the door than there is a brisk knock. Before Gideon can reopen it, Grayson is out of the bedroom, straightening his t-shirt, and answering the door in a literal blink of an eye.

“It’s Nimue.”

Not like Gideon couldn’t smell the Luminary’s magic through the door, so he pastes his social smile in welcome.

“Luminary, welcome.”

The magic user is dressed in a long rust-colored dress, with glittering beads on the front. She takes Grayson’s hand right away.

“Good morrow, Gideon. Oh, my dear, Grayson. How are you after your journey?”

Journey?Oh, the Traveling.

“Fine, I think. It was weird, though.”No shit.“Being here and there at the same time.”

“I imagine so! Finn said that there was another magic user there? Did you see him?”

“I did. Carnell called him Aleksander.”

“Damn. That’s Aleksander Withers. So unfortunate. He was the youngest Adept to grow out of our Guild in twenty years. We had to revoke his license late last year.”

Nimue sits unceremoniously on a chair, placing her cloth bag on the table.

“He did not look good.” Grayson offers her a glass of water. “I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault, Grayson. He’d been removed for violations that I can’t talk about here, but the Guild doesn’t take these decisions lightly.”

She gives a moment of silence before she takes a sip of her water, putting a serene smile on her face.

“I’ll notify the authorities, and perhaps you’ll be asked to testify about what you’ve seen.”

Gideon doesn’t like the sound of that. He’s seen enough of courtrooms for the next several decades.