25. Pike

Chapter 25

Pike

Two weeks into being with Lark and Wren comes back.

Lark paces my kitchen with Frankie in tow. She watches the brothers, probably hoping Wren will drop a bit of his cheese for her like he normally does.

"So soon?" Lark asks.

"She's free the next few days and after that, it'll be another three weeks."

Lark looks to me, which causes Wren and Frankie to stare me down too.

"I'm ready to meet your mother. If you are." I shrug. She seems like a great woman that loves her boys and I want to meet her.

"I'm scared. For a decade all I wanted was to go home, now…" He looks up at me. "I feel like I am home as long as I have Pike."

"It's settled then. Get ready and we'll head out." Wren takes another bite of his slice of cheese, then offers Frankie the rest. Of course she scarfs it down.

Lark follows me to the bedroom where we change into clothes more appropriate to meet a high standing woman of the Winter Court. I help him close the back of his shirt with his wings gloriously free. He shimmies on a pair of Fae pants that hug his beautiful form, then watches as I change into a dark blue suit. Hunger fills his eyes, but we can't get distracted. I grab his hand and join Wren before either of us can get frisky.

Lark grips my hand so hard his nails dig into my skin. I don't mind though, and wrap my tail around him. I let Wren lead and take his offered hand. His teleportation is a little rougher than I'm used to, but we're in a room scented like jasmine and roses in no time.

"Mother, we're home," Wren singsongs out.

Fabric rustles from behind me and soon a petite Fae woman comes flying at Lark. She knocks him over in her effort to hug him.

"My dearest boy." She squishes his checks and moves his head this way and that. "My, how you've grown." She drops to her feet, and she's a good few inches shorter than Lark. Her hair is pink just like his, but her eyes are the same jewel green as Wren's.

The woman turns to me, her eyes widen. "Dearest Pike, thank you for bringing my boy back to me." She opens her arms and I hug her. She's soft and smells as good as Lark said she did. "Where are my manors? You can call me Sparrow."

"You must like birds," I say with a grin.

"It's family tradition." Sparrow shrugs. "But yes." She takes my hand, and it's so light I have to make sure I'm even holding anything.

The room's stone walls is decorated in tapestries with flowers and birds. There appears to be a water fall in the far wall.

"Come. Come. There's much to do while you're here." She takes Lark's hand as well, and he chuckles when Sparrow takes flight, pulling me along with her. "Please forgive me." She lands and shakes out her dress.

"Why…" How do I ask this delicately? "Why does the castle and your clothing look like it's stuck in the human medieval times?"

The little family giggles, and Sparrow waves for them to stop.

"Sorry, it's such a silly answer. The Winter king likes the esthetics of it all. So he keeps it like this. Eventually he'll get bored, I'm sure, and then we can wear modern clothes by any realm's standard." She twirls in her jewel green dress. "But I must admit, I also love the esthetics."

This woman is delightful, just like Lark. And I must admit, Wren is fun too and Frankie likes him, so it's a win.

"Forgive the mess, please. It's party after party and I have to entertain the court all winter long." She whips around. "Speaking of. What about a show for the court?" She bounces on her toes as she pleads with her eyes. "I haven't seen my boys dance together in so long."

Lark holds up his hands and backs away. "I can't even remember the steps. I wasn't allowed much space and my wing strength is lacking to the point I need to build up my muscles properly again."

"My poor boy. Wren told me some of what you've gone through, but I want to hear about it from you."

Lark goes pale. "Can we speak of it at another time? Right now, I'd like nothing more than to enjoy being back home."

"Yes. Yes. And if you never want to share with me, that's fine too. I wish we could have found you sooner. We owe a great deal to Pike."

I shake my head. "It's really all Lark. He summoned me, and the rest is history. He's so damn strong." I don't know that I could have lasted as long as he did under a man like Drake.

"My sweet boy. I wish I could have seen you grow up. Seen your first glow. Been there for you." Sparrow rushes Lark and pulls him to her chest to pet his head. She's a little chaotic, but loveable for sure.

"I'm okay," Lark whispers from the confines of her hug. "But I can't breathe."

"Yes. Yes. I'm just so ecstatic to have you back home."

"Mother," Wren says softly. "Lark probably isn't staying, you know that, right?"

Her lip quivers, but she nods. "Of course I know that. He's a grown man and he'll live where he chooses. I just hope he visits once in a while."

"I'll be here so much you'll get sick of me." Lark grins and I nod because if that's what he wants, I'll make it happen.

"Perfect." Sparrow claps and waves to a table by a fireplace. "Let's have some sweets. I have some of Lark's favorites from his childhood."

"Not to be an ass," I start. "But… will I be able to leave the Fae lands if I eat the food?"

Sparrow covers her mouth as she giggles. "Yes. You're a demon, so you're safe. If you were human, that'd be a different story." She pops what looks to be candy into her mouth. "Come, sit. Tell me about yourself, Pike."

For the next three hours, the four of us talk. Sparrow shares stories of adorable baby Lark and Wren and unfortunately for them, she has pictures.

" Mom ," Lark whines when she pulls out the seventh photo album, but he grins as he does it.

"Please, keep the pictures coming, because these are epic." I flip to a page with Lark doing a handstand and his tongue sticking out. Another flip and I suck in a breath. He's dressed in formal wear, standing next to a gorgeous boy with pretty purple hair cut short and a circlet on his head. "Is this…"

"The prince, yes," Lark says. His cheeks go pink and he looks away.

"Eh, Pike's hotter, especially now," Wren says.

In that moment, someone pounds on the door.

Sparrow tips her head. "Wasn't expecting anyone else today."

Before she can answer the door, it slams open.

"Where is he?" That same purple haired Fae storms in the room.

Lark scrambles out of his chair and trips on his own feet. I stand, towering over the Fae demanding to see Lark.

"Who are you?" I ask, blocking the prince from Lark.

"Get out of the way." The prince tries to push me and fails.

"I suggest—" I start.

"You will let me see Lark. I demand it."

"No," Lark says from behind me. "I won't be anyone's prisoner again. I'm not a courtesan you can't?—"

The prince staggers back. "A prisoner? I only wish to see you for myself. Make sure you're truly alive and well."

"Don't lie to us," I say.

"Fae can't lie," Sparrow says as she reaches for the prince. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were hurting as well."

"No," Lark says again. "I need to process this so called new version of you when Wren says you still treat courtesans badly."

"I've changed."

"How do I know Fae can't lie?" I ask, not trusting the prince at all.

"My name is Lark," the prince says, and he cries as he falls to his knees. His wings crinkle from the tops all the way to the tips and the very ends turn black before fading again.

"Fuck."

"Exactly," the prince says. "No one lies if they can help it and if they can't they get by with half truths and omissions."

Wren chomps on a piece of what looks like a cookie. "I may have misjudged you lately."

"We're all stressed around here. But I'm glad to know Lark is safe." The prince bows, then turns on his heel and leaves.

"Darling." I hold out my hand to help Lark up, but he's still shaking. "Sweetheart. Have something to drink." I pull him into my lap.

Concern etches across Sparrow's face as she hands me a glass of water. I tip liquid into Lark's mouth, glad he trusts me with this. "Now have something to eat." I offer a cookie with powder sugar and he takes a nibble.

"Thank you and sorry." Lark leans into me, laying his head on my shoulder.

"My dearest boy, you've been through so much. Don't be sorry."

"Exactly. And the prince probably just did that as a power trip. Don't let him get to you." Wren rubs a hand down Lark's back.

"You're probably right," Lark says and straightens up. "I can't let him get to me. He's… he's no one to me anymore."

"Exactly," Wren says. "That's the spirit."

Lark grins and grabs a cookie covered in powdered sugar. It might take a while for Lark to heal, but I know he'll succeed in everything he puts his mind to.

We spend a delightful three days in the Winter Court and a Fae doctor gives Lark exercises to help him build up wing strength again. When it's time to leave, Sparrow gives us a basket of homemade cookies that make my mouth water. We give our hugs, then it's back to the demon realm to love on Frankie for a bit, before the three of us go back to the human realm.