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Story: Mates and Other Obstacles to Accidentally Saving the World (The Cake Chaos Chronicles #1)
EVIE
SIX MONTHS LATER
“You got some mail, teddy bear.” I combed my fingers through his hair as he sat at his desk. This King stuff was a lot more paperwork than I expected, but it worked when I wrote letters for adding to my collections while he did said King stuff. It was so nice to just hang out in the same room doing different things together.
“Oh, that’s for Noth.”
I flipped over the ornate envelope a few times, eyes running over the gold ink and crown artwork. “Ah, I forgot he’s a King, too. If he ever leaves the guest room.”
Ward chuckled. “I’m pretty sure his kingdom’s orders are still ‘kill on sight’, but I know you’re eager to build out your collection room. I told you I would magic you up another entire section of the keep.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, looking up at me with those liquid light-brown eyes.
“That still seems wasteful and his room is the only one without windows on this floor, so nothing gets sun damaged.”
“I could kick everyone out of the keep and chase you around until we’ve fucked on every surface in here.”
That was absurd… wait, that sounded awesome. Ward’s big body crashing into me in all sorts of mouth-watering ways? Sensing it wasn’t a ‘no’, Ward’s eyes dilated below me.
“No,” I said in a warning voice. “I think we already keep everyone up half the night. We can't kick people out of their home.”
“It’s our home.” Ward slowly stood up, taking me with him. “But we can always practice in here.”
The mail spilled out of my hands, forgotten. My feet touched the cold floor, and I shivered.
A devastating smile curled over Ward’s face. “Run, little viper.”
I lasted for all of about five seconds before I tripped and Ward caught me from crashing to the floor before he proved how fun our game would be in the entire keep.
Noth’s grimace told me I was still wearing a dopey smile on my face at dinner, where I somehow remembered to give Noth his letter.
He opened it and I caught the word “coronation” before he crushed the thick vellum.
“Bad news?” Ward asked.
“It’s nothing,” Noth said in his coldest voice.
Ward and I looked at each other. Noth’s closed face invited no more questions.
“Stick to wrangling your mate, bear.” Noth was in a bad mood.
“Don’t be rude to him,” Maggie said. After all these months, Ward finally came under her circle of protection.
Noth swung around to her and snarled. “Pumpkin, the adults are having dinner. Skip off to the kid’s table.”
I put a hand on the back of my sister’s neck and it took all my dragon strength to keep her in the chair. Maggie stared daggers at the elf throughout dinner—the dinner Fallon missed.
When I knocked on Fallon’s door, I heard her curse and a muffled yelp before she opened it a crack. The sliver I saw of her included circles like pits under her eyes and swollen knuckles.
“You been bare-knuckle boxing again?” I asked her as a joke.
“Yes,” she replied in all seriousness and shut the door in my face.
Okaaaay… my sister was ready to rip the elf’s eyeballs out and my best friend was being a sullen cave troll. My questing days were over. I hung up my travel skirt and vowed evil would have to slay itself. That meant these bitches could handle their own damage.
My mate called my name across the bond. Must be time to take my bear to bed.
* * *
How in the High Holly Hells did Brad get to the Harrowlands?
Does Evie ever learn to fly?