Page 186 of King Alejandro

“Come here, Tatum,” Raven cooed, picking him up.

“Thanks, babe.” Raihana smiled at her before she left the room. Ahren hurried after her, and she picked him up. “I’ll take him with me.”

I looked around, trying to hide the unease inside of me. I couldn’t help but wonder which of those men and women I saw earlier would not return. Just like all these kids, many of those who went had families of their own.

“Alright, come on. Enough of this gloominess. Let’s do something fun,” I said, standing up. Skyla groaned, squeezing the cat and stroking its head before pausing and smiling suddenly.

“I want to sew,” she said. Although I knew she was up to something, I nodded. Was it because she probably knew I’d struggle with it?

“Sure,” I said, running my fingers through my hair.

“I want to make a rag doll,” Azura piped in suddenly, her head jerking up towards me.

“Good luck, Grandad,” Dante added, his eyes still half closed. “I’m sure Claire or Clara will have everything you’ll need.”

“Oh, I can help, too! Let’s get sewing!” Raven added excitedly.

“I want to make Kiké a shirt, too. Will you help me, Aunty?” Kataleya asked Raven, her eyes hopeful.

I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, but at least all three were all for it. It would keep their minds off of everything, at least, and that was how we all ended up sitting down and beginning on the three individual projects.

Be safe, Red.

“No, no! Thisis for my cat!” Skyla scolded Azura, who had just said her ‘dress’ looked weird.

“It’s so cute!” Raven agreed.

My fingertips were throbbing from all the times I had pricked them with needles. I had given up and decided to simply watch. Kataleya had brought the torn fabric she always carried and asked Raven to help stitch it onto a tartan fabric for her teddy’s shirt. The effect that kidnapping had on her would stay with her… I knew that much. I also hoped that kid was okay, too, wherever he was.

Claire and Clara had taken the quintuplets to the playroom, and Sienna had fallen asleep. Skyla was making some odd outfit for the cat, and Kataleya was finishing off with her torn fabric. Of all three, she was the best at this. As for my girl, I had no idea what she was making… it looked like a knitted doll. Raven helped her, although she had been the one to choose how she wanted it. The black stitches made it look a little creepy.

“What’s that meant to be?” I asked her. She paused and looked up at me with her large blue eyes.

“A voodoo doll,” she said seriously, making Raven pause and look at her.

“Of who?” She asked curiously.

“Dante’s ugly cousin,” she stated.

“Oh? Which quintuplet are you talking about? I was assuming you’re the only ugly one in my life,” Dante replied haughtily.

“Hey, the Westwoods are not ugly! And I am not ugly, unlike you and your ugly cousin!”

“Us Rossis tend to be very handsome, actually,” Dante replied.

“She means Leo,” Skyla cackled. “Wait! Do you need, like, a hair of his or something?”

“No, not at all. It’ll work anyway,” Azura replied. She shoved wool into the body, the half-detached head lolling. I wasn’t sure it was going to stay attached at the rough, brutish way she was handling it. “Besides, I found his cigarette that he dropped earlier. You only need something that belongs to them, so this will work.”

I frowned as she took out the unused cigarette and pushed it into the body. Were we raising normal kids? I didn’t know… I looked between Skyla and Azura, both of whom looked very excited about this voodoo doll. Raven laughed as she took the doll from Azura and began stitching the neck up.

“I’ll add the eyes,” Azura said, rummaging in the button box and picking out two light blue buttons. “Ah… he has this colour eyes. The evil man will be punished.” Dante chuckled.

“You’re so weird, Azura.”

“Your weirder, Dante,” she shot back. “Don’t make me make a Dante doll.”

“Doll or not… aren’t we puppets anyway? Simply being used to play out a bigger game?”