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Chapter twenty-nine

Flyn

I t’s colder than I’d like, but I don’t care.

Winter might be throwing one last hissy fit before surrendering to spring, but it’s all good.

The fey invaded two weeks ago and nothing terrible has happened.

I’ve been glued to the news, but so far it seems the fey simply walked into the Houses of Parliament, and the White House, and other places of power, and announced that they are in charge now.

Some humans tried to fight back, but it has been about as effective as trying to put out the sun with a water gun.

As I chuckle at the thought, my breath fogs in front of me.

The tips of my ears are already red, and I still haven’t put gloves on, but I can’t stop smiling.

Everything is good, and today is an especially excellent day.

I’m pacing outside the house, grinning like an idiot, checking my phone even though I know the time down to the second.

Cara’s coming. She’s finally coming. Cara and Sorcha.

My parents are arriving tomorrow once we’ve finished getting all the unused rooms ready. Everyone I love is going to be under one roof.

The fey have taken over the world, but granted our house safety.

So we all decided it was a good idea to gather up any relatives and loved ones.

Morgan’s got some people coming tomorrow too.

They need to be somewhere safe, somewhere protected.

Somewhere enchanted, if we’re honest. Somewhere that understands the weird.

Our strange little found-family manor is perfect.

I hear the crunch of gravel and my head snaps up.

A battered van rolls up the long drive like it’s just finished a cross-country quest, and I guess that’s pretty much the truth.

It squeaks to a halt and the driver door opens.

Cara climbs out. Her dark hair’s in a long braid, her coat is half-buttoned, and she’s already squinting at the house like she’s trying to work out which part might be haunted.

I bolt forward.

She spots me and lets out a squeal. “Flyn!”

We meet halfway in a tight, bouncing hug. I lift her off her feet, the same way I used to when we were kids, as soon as I was big enough, and she lets out an exaggerated oof.

“I missed you,” I say into her hair.

“Obviously,” she laughs. “You left civilization to shack up with sirens and sword-wielding sorcerers.”

I laugh, too, even though the truth is weightier than the joke. We part and she gives me a once-over.

“You look happy,” she says softly. “Like, really happy.”

I nod. “I am.”

Then something small slams into my legs.

“Uncle Flyn!” Sorcha yells.

I scoop her up and spin her around, and she shrieks with laughter, legs kicking out, arms clinging to my neck. My heart feels like it might split open. I haven’t seen her since just after her fifth birthday. She’s grown.

“You’ve gotten heavy!” I say, planting a kiss on her cheek as I set her down.

“Have not.”

“You definitely have.”

She sticks her tongue out at me. I grin.

Then I see her eyes dart past me, so I follow her gaze.

Three figures are peeking out from the side of the house. Noah, Oscar, and little Lottie, all of them hanging back shyly, half-hidden by the ivy. I wave them over.

Sorcha doesn’t wait.

She marches right up to them, hands on her hips like a tiny general, sparkly wellies stomping. “I’m Sorcha,” she declares. “Your new best friend.”

The four of them stare at each other for half a second, and then they’re off, screaming with laughter, bolting toward the back garden like a swarm of puppies.

Behind me, Cara snorts. “Well, I see your place comes with instant childcare.”

“Apparently,” I say, still grinning. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”

As we walk, she loops her arm through mine. “Is it true? What you said on the phone? We are really going to be safe here?”

“Safe as we can be. We made a deal with the fey. Jade did, actually.”

Her eyebrows rise. “The love of your life?”

My ears go a bit hot. “Yeah. Him.”

She hums knowingly. “Can’t wait to meet him.”

As we walk toward the house, Cara casts a glance at the fancy windows and the tall chimneys, her brows raised.

“So... this is where all the weirdness lives now, huh?”

“Weirdness?” I ask, half-laughing, half-bracing.

She shoots me a look. “Don’t ‘what do you mean’ me. I may be new to this whole fey and magic and otherworldly-creatures business, but I’m not stupid. You’ve told me that your new friends are all magical.”

I nod warily.

Cara exhales slowly. “Right. And your boyfriend’s a portal-magnet with ancient magic blood?”

“Yes,” I say, a little defensively.

“So, that’s weirdness!” She declares triumphantly .

I wince. “You’re taking this really well.”

“I had a mild existential crisis during the invasion, cried in the bath for three days straight, and then I got over myself,” she says matter-of-factly.

A full body laugh shakes through me. I should have known that my sister would take this all in her stride.

She grins at me, and everything feels wonderful.

We head in through the kitchen door. The warmth hits us immediately, along with the scent of cinnamon and something fruity. Cara pauses to take it all in. The hanging herbs, the mismatched mugs, the worn wooden table covered in board games and spell books.

Then the yelling starts.

“I am telling you, Lello, you can’t put moonstones in a warding wreath!”

“Why not?”

“Because they attract dream energy, and we want defense , not everyone sleepwalking into the damn hedge maze!”

Lello and Pink appear in the hallway, both carrying armfuls of dried flowers, evergreens, and various sparkly crystals. They’re facing off like two reality show contestants arguing over a cake.

“Dream energy is calming!” Lello insists. “You just don’t want to admit my wreaths are prettier than yours.”

“Pretty isn’t the point! You always do this, you make decorations, not protections ! Last solstice your garlands attracted moths the size of pigeons!”

“They were festive!”

“They were practically carnivorous!”

They are so busy glaring at each other that they don’t even appear to have noticed me and Cara.

Cara leans toward me, eyebrows raised. “So... that one’s a kelpie?”

“Lello, yes. And Pink’s human. Kind of.”

“Kind of? ”

“Look, it’s a long story.”

We escape into the living room, where the chaos is usually quieter. Sammy and Blue are curled up on the window seat, watching the winter landscape while drinking from matching mugs of tea. Sammy waves lazily as we pass.

I’m so glad everyone is listening to my request not to pounce on my family as soon as they arrive.

Jade is by the fireplace, rearranging the logs. When he straightens and sees Cara, he freezes, one hand still resting on the mantel.

“Hi,” he says quickly. “You must be Cara. I’m Jade.”

He shifts awkwardly, and I watch the nerves bloom across his face. He’s trying to make a good impression. He’s terrified he won’t.

Cara smiles. Broad, warm, effortless. “Hi, Jade. Flyn’s told me so much about you.”

She closes the distance and gives him a hug before he can protest. Jade stiffens for half a second, then slowly melts into it. When she lets go, he’s visibly blinking in surprise.

“Y… you’re okay with hugging me?”

She tilts her head. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I mean… I’m…”

He doesn’t finish. I know what he’s trying to say.

I’ve seen that look before, the uncertainty, the years of being treated like something to be owned or used.

The way he believes he is dirty and tarnished and that everyone can see it.

The way he is worried that Cara is going to hate him for not being fully human.

Cara reaches out and gently touches his arm.

“Jade, I’m still figuring out all of this.

A week ago, I thought vampires were a Halloween costume and that the weirdest thing about my brother was his terrible handwriting.

Then the sky cracked open, and now I’ve got a daughter who talks about portals like they are nothing more than garden sheds and a brother who is part of a family of paranormal people.

” She gives him a crooked smile. “But you make my brother light up. And I trust my brother’s heart. ”

Jade stares at her like she’s just spoken in poetry. “Thank you.”

“And anyway,” she adds, “I’ve always wanted a magical brother-in-law. And my kid is going to love this place.”

Jade glances at me, and his whole face softens. I see the fear loosen in his shoulders, the way he stands a little straighter now. Cara likes him. He likes Cara. We’re good. My heart swells. I’m full to bursting with love.

“You’re even sweeter than Flyn said,” Cara announces.

Jade flushes bright red. “He said I was sweet?”

Cara grins. “He wouldn’t shut up about you.”

I cough. Loudly. “Okay, all right, let’s…”

But Jade is smiling now, that rare, soft smile that he gets when he thinks no one’s looking. He glances at me like he’s surprised, and then back at Cara.

“Can I help you bring your things in?” he offers.

“I would love that.”

They walk off together, chatting already. And something in my chest settles. Deep and profound, just like I knew it would.

I knew they’d get along. Jade’s more like family than anyone I’ve ever met. Now, Cara can see that too.

I trail after them. There is no way I’m getting out of the impending, box and furniture, and lord knows what else is in that van, carrying duty.

The three of us step back outside into the crisp February air. I breathe it in deeply. It is so damn good to be out of that dungeon, and I wasn’t even in there all the time like Jade was.

Behind me, the front door opens again. Ned steps out, sipping tea, eyes on the sky, scanning for any break in the clouds that would mean he would have to scurry back inside. When he sees the kids tumbling across the lawn, Sorcha right in the middle of them, he smiles .

Cara notices too. “They’ll be okay, won’t they?” she says, as she turns towards the vampire.

“They are going to be brilliant,” Ned replies.

And I believe it. Everything is going to be brilliant.

The sky hasn’t fallen. The fey haven’t returned to the house. Here at our little oasis, it is as if nothing’s changed.

Even so, Monty’s putting together extra wards to keep the place as protected as possible. Mal and Gray are planning some kind of new barrier system. Pink and Lello are bickering and doing whatever the hell it is they are doing.

All just in case. Everyone is pretty certain the fey are going to keep their word. Even I know that about them. Fairytales are full of stuff about it.

We are safe. Everyone I love is safe. Jade is out of that fucking dungeon. I get to live in a giant, posh and fancy house with a found family who I adore. It is chaos and noise and everything I love.

It feels like life. A real one. Maybe for the first time.

Tomorrow, my parents will get here. The final piece. We’ll all be together.

And I’ve got something big planned. I reach into my pocket and feel the small box there.

Soon. Very soon.