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“ F uck Jar, where in the Sheol did you come from?”

“I could ask you the same thing, your majesty. Alas, I asked you a question first! What exactly is going on here?” Jarquinn’s sharp blue eyes darted between the two of us, his unicorn foot tapping with irritation.

“Well? I am waiting on an answer from you two! One that warrants disturbing the healing sleep of my patient and effectively my own as well!”

“Good to see you too master healer.” I grumbled.

“What was that sire? You do know I can still hear you when you mutter. You may as well say it loud enough for all of us to hear.”

Remnant snorted.

Jarquinn’s angry blue eyes turned on her. “And you Mistress Dark, I know what to expect from this cub ,” he spat and jerked his thumb in my direction, “but you, I expected better. A royal shadow fae no less.”

A blush stole across her pale skin and she crossed her arms defensively. “I had asked him nicely to leave.”

Jarquinn raised his brows at her in scrutiny. “An excuse coming from the lips of a shadow fae. I thought I would never see the day! Did this nice request require his blood as well, blood that is currently smeared all over my clean floors?”

Remnant’s cheeks turned a darker shade and she pressed her lips firmly together. Her eyes flashing with retribution.

A low rumble of warning escaped me and I took a step towards the healer. No one chastised my soulmate.

Jarquinn’s attention snapped back to me with full understanding.

“Shove it, Daemon Ash Strider. I expected proper decorum and behavior that is warranted of a king. Let alone some fucking manners of the fae I raised you to be. Do not forget you are not just the damn shifter king of The West Isles but also a grown male that I know I taught better—as did your father and mother.”

I rolled my eyes and sniffed, ignoring Remnant’s stiffening at my title.

“You never fail to remind me, healer, but I cannot take you seriously in those right now…” I waved at his unicorn slippers—the toes were shaped in elegant snouts complete with glittering silver horns and rainbow fabric manes that dusted the floor.

Jarquinn huffed with aggravation. “Do not fuck with my unicorn slippers, your majesty. And if neither of you have answers for me then with all due respect to your station…get the Sheol out of my healing quarters—the both of you. That poor faeling needs her rest and you two are just short of fucking on the goddess damn floor. I may be ancient but I am not a fool.”

I froze, his words having the opposite effect on me. “What in the goddess did you just say? Did you just say faeling?”

Slowly I looked back towards the bed Remnant had risen from and I extended my senses to the being laying there. I had been so enthralled by my soulmate that I had failed to recognize the other being in the room.

Jarquinn hummed and rolled his eyes. “Sometimes I worry about you, Daemon.”

I waved him off as I stepped towards the small bed. A tiny fae girl with raven hair and the most beautiful cherub face I had ever seen was resting sweetly on a pillow of clouds .

Then the vision of her was gone, replaced by the angry protective stance of my soulmate.

I raised my brows and then peered back over her shoulder afraid I had made up such a vision. But there she was. Bronze skin, dark lashes—the sight of her hit me like a punch in the gut. She was the second most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

“Fucking Goddess above, that is a fae child!” I breathed.

“Goddess, give me patience.” Jar groaned.

“What in the Sheol has been going on here since I was away?” Unable to contain myself, I quickly stepped around Remnant to get a closer look.

Remnant’s hand gripped my arm. “Stay away from her shifter or I will rip out your insides.” She hissed, her teeth barred with her nails digging into my skin.

I looked over at my soulmate and bared my own fangs. Insulted by her insinuation that I’d ever bring harm to a child. A miracle no less. To hurt a child was abhorrent and a line that no fae crossed unless seeking their own death.

Then I saw the tinge of worry in her blazing eyes and my anger disappeared. Remnant was acting like a mother guarding her cub, somehow she had taken on the role of the girl’s guardian. Something that was celebrated and honored by shifter customs and that made her even more beautiful.

I placed my hand reassuringly over her harsh grip. “I shall not harm her. She will be protected in my name. This I vow, little umbra.”

Remnant snatched her hand back and looked away. “Then your people better hope you never break that vow, your majesty.”

The girl sighed then, drawing both our attention back to her frail form. I watched with fascination at the lock of raven hair that fell across her face. My stare fixated on the darkness of it and with a trembling hand, I reached out to brush it away.

The moment my skin touched hers, my heart seared in my chest and I released a slow breath. A new truth slamming hard and deep into my soul.

I now had two beings in this world I would protect with the last dying beat of my heart.

I didn't know what the future held for this little miracle, nor any idea where she came from, but I did know one thing. This tiny beautiful child laying on a bed of soft white was somehow the anchor that would hold this world together or the weapon that would tear it apart.

Questioningly I looked over my shoulder at Jarquinn whose lips pressed into a thin line. He shook his head subtly but I saw what was behind those ancient blue eyes. The master healer had more answers…answers he didn’t want to reveal here and now.

My gaze slid over to Remnant, where her shadows swirled behind her, poised to send me to my death if need be.

“Be at ease. My need to protect this child runs just as strongly as yours now. She will be welcomed here and so are you.” I bowed low in greeting and rose.

“Welcome to my home and Finlandia, Remnant Ezra Solaire Dark. The crown is honored to have you here and blessed that you bring such a beautiful miracle with you.”

“Riella is mine to protect. She is not a boon for your people, King Strider .”

I flinched at the venom in her use of my title. “Clearly we have some things that we need to discuss.”

Remnant snuffed out her shadows. “Clearly.”

Jarquinn groaned with exasperation. “Then would you two please leave and discuss your business elsewhere?”

I nodded and stepped back. “Of course.”

“Riella will not be waking any time soon, forta . She will stay in a healing sleep for now.” Jarquinn said kindly to the hesitant shadow fae behind me.

Riella—m y mind rolled over the meaning. Gift and Strength . Fitting for the first fae born in centuries!

“How long will she be this way?”

Jarquinn's knowing gaze sparkled with mischief. “As long as it is needed.”

I smirked. Clever ancient fae. “Indeed.”

Jarquinn grinned then, snatching me into his warm embrace, unable to help himself from smothering me with his obnoxious fluffy robe.

“It’s good to have you back, my cub. We have missed you.”

I heard the hitch in his voice, the emotional toll that my absence had caused. I buried my face further into the white fluff, squeezing him back.

“I missed you too, Jar.”

Jarquinn cleared his throat, pulling away from me with tears filling his sky blue eyes. He winked at Remnant standing silently to the side with a slight frown on her face .

“He’s a right pain in the ass, Mistress Dark, but please do try not to kill him. I know first hand that sometimes it seems like an impossible task but we do sort of love him here…the goddess only knows how much I do.”

The shadow fae bowed her head respectfully. “He is safe from me for now, master healer.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “For now.”

She stared flatly back at me. “For now.”

“Yes, yes, for now. No killing. Goddess bless you both. Now please just leave!”

I snorted and rolled my eyes before turning towards Remnant. “Ready?”

“Of course, lead the way, your majesty. ” She waved her hand towards the doorway.

I ran my hand through my hair again and released a deep sigh. “How long am I to be punished for not telling you?”

“Likely forever, your royal shifter highness .” She hissed.

Sighing again, I led her from the room toward my more private chambers.

“Have fun, my cubs!” Jarquinn called out, “I think I’ll pray to the goddess that I don’t have two more patients before the morning sun rises.” He added more quietly, just barely loud enough for my shifter ears to hear.