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"I mostly mean how she has a future ahead of her," he corrected.

I murmured in thought. "That has nothing to do with me. I have no intention of making someone else's decisions for them - either of them."

Torian glanced at his sister again, then back to me. "Keep Keir away from Rain, and we have a deal," he told me. "I will never speak a word of this to her, and you can have the family you want."

"No," I said before he could get too attached to that idea.

"I'd rather throw my pride beneath your feet and let you trounce on it than take away the best protection my daughter has.

" I took a step closer, tempting his anger and knowing it.

"If you want to win the girl, Torian, then you have to actually win her.

I assure you, she won't be impressed with you making her decisions for her. "

Behind him, Aspen was grinning maniacally. It was enough to convince me I wasn't about to be stripped of my power like Nevaeh had been. Still, the summer color of Torian's eyes hung on me a little too long, his lids narrowing with his frustration.

"Then just don't stop me," he said.

"Who she dates is her business," I assured him. "But if you can't respect that, then I don't care how much power you have. I will make sure you learn how to listen when a woman says no."

"So will I," Aspen added.

Torian's eyes jumped over to my shoulder. "What do you think, Prince Jack?"

"Rain!" Jack said. "Jack-Rain. Morrigan." Then he cawed, twisting his head and blinking hard. "Dad!"

All three of us stood there in shock for a moment. "Did you say..." I couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Rain-Dad!" Jack said, reaching over to nibble at my hair. "Jack..." And then he began to sling his head up and down vehemently.

"That's a yes," Aspen said. "Tor, will you help me now? Bracken's the perfect dad for her, and if she's related to him, then it doesn't matter what anyone says. Plus, Liam is already the closest thing to a parent she has. Besides, if Rain can have a family, then why wouldn't you help?"

"Because he doesn't want us to tell her!" he pointed out. "We're about to do this, and he's asking us to bind ourselves to silence about it?"

"Uh, yeah," Aspen groaned. "This isn't about you looking like some big shot. This isn't about me having magic. This is about Rain and her dads. Just wait until she comes to tell you it's done and she has a real family. Trust me, Tor."

"I do," he assured her. "I simply don't want to deceive her."

"Then tell her you promised," Aspen said. "Tell her you're happy for her. If she asks if you know anything, just tell her that yes, you do, but you can't talk about it. She'll be fine."

"Will that do?" he asked me.

"Yes, sir," I breathed. "I also don't care if you admit to it; I'd just prefer it's not brought up. I..."

"What?" Torian pressed when I let my words trail off.

Knowing I might be about to anger this temperamental boy, I lifted my chin and pushed the words out anyway. "I don't want this, of all things, to be about your magic - or any magic. I want it to be about my new family."

Those piercing eyes of his measured me for a little too long. "And there's no problem with her being your daughter and dating Aspen?" he asked. "Won't that technically make them cousins? Would the faelings have something to complain about?"

"No one knows Aspen's mother, and few know mine," I assured him. "I promise I have no interest in talking about anyone's late families, especially those from the Winter Court. "

"Then make sure she knows she's loved and we'll be even," Torian said, moving to catch Aspen's hand. "You ready?" he asked.

She nodded, and then the pair of them bowed their heads together.

They didn't talk, but that pair didn't need to.

They were two halves of the same soul, or so I believed.

Like twins in many ways, and yet so very different.

It made their magic even stronger together, and they were already terrifyingly strong apart.

"Jack," the bird cawed softly enough to count as a whisper.

"I'm gonna be a dad," I told him, relieved I'd dodged any issues from working with these two. "A real dad! You helped this happen, Prince Jack."

He ruffled his wings. "Dad. Dad." Caw . And then he twisted his head almost meaningfully, one of his yellow eyes holding mine.

Which was when I realized what I'd just missed.

Sure, Jack had helped, but so were these two.

Yet Torian had only made me agree to make sure Rain knew she was loved?

It was too little, and I would've done it anyway, but it was all he'd asked for.

I'd thought it was because he was doing this for Aspen, but something about the way Jack was blinking at me made me feel like I'd missed the obvious.

Because I had! Torian owed Liam - and big.

My partner had spent a year looking at every blonde-haired girl in the country's foster system to find Aspen.

He'd scoured placement records to make it possible for her and Torian to be together.

Because of that, Torian was in his debt.

He could've used it. He could've wiped it out, and we would've accepted gladly.

Instead, he'd tested me. He'd pushed me. He'd thrown arrogance at me, and all he'd asked for was something I would've done anyway. At that moment, I decided these two had a lot more potential than we could've ever hoped for.

Then Aspen sucked in a breath and lifted her head. "It's done," she announced. "I saw it! Don't know how long it takes for them to mail that stuff, but it's official, Bracken!" She turned to me with the biggest smile on her face. "You're a dad!"