Chapter Two

Kincaid followed behind Aiden. Brie's team waited for them and took their six. The pitiful cry diminished then started back up weakly. He knew babies. That one was sick and fading.

"Sir, we need to move. If that's a sick baby, we may not have the time to be cautious. They sound like they don't have much time left," he urged.

Aiden cursed then turned to him. "How much do you know about babies?"

"I'm the eldest of six. The last five were all born within the timespan of the past twenty years," he confessed. "I help out a lot when I visit home."

Aiden literally came to a halt in the middle of the rotting foyer. "What?"

He shrugged. "Mom is kinda like me, our magic doesn't always work right. Dad used to say that her magic was having happy, healthy kids."

Another tiny cry sounded from the back of the house.

"Age? Status?" Aiden asked.

"Between six-months and maybe a year. The softer the cry gets, the less energy they have," Kincaid felt his magic fluctuating and pulling him forward. It wanted to reach the child. "My healing magic is connecting with a real kid. Even if it's a trap we need to get to them."

Aiden simply turned and began running toward the back.

"Motherfucker!" Ari exclaimed and raced to catch up. "He knows he's too valuable to take point."

Kincaid was right behind him. "I think he's still pissed at Gage for shoving him through the portal."

"Still not sorry," his brother replied.

Aiden stopped in the doorway suddenly. "Gods above, give me strength," he whispered.

Kincaid shoved past him and wished he hadn't. For the first fifteen feet on either side along the wall, metal cages were stacked next to one another. Beyond that, small children of varying ages huddled as close to the bars as they could, as the older children inside the cages tried to shield them.

The stench of human waste was nearly overpowering. It looked like the kids had simply been dumping the visible chamber pots in the corners of the room or out the window.

In the cage closest to them a male voice yelled. "Leave them be you monsters! I'm next in line. Come for me!" he yelled frantically.

Kincaid would let Aiden deal with that one. His eyes searched the room until he found the source of the tiny cry. Sprinting forward the children in the cages began to yell and reach as if to slow him.

"You never take the babies!"

"Leave him alone!"

He saw a boy of no more than five, holding a blanket to his chest. "You can't have him!"

"Please, leave him alone! He don't mean to cry!" another girl around five said, holding a blanket of her own.

Kincaid was stunned to see that three more children held infants.

He held up both hands and allowed his fire magic to come forth. A warm glow filled the large hall. "I swear to you by the Triple Goddess herself, I mean you no harm. I have come to help the little one. I heard him crying and can help. I have healing magic."

The warm glow seemed to ease the children somewhat. Their frantic cries quieted.

His magic was good for something, even if it was soothing parlor tricks.

Without making any sudden movements, he eased forward and lifted the child into his arms. When he pushed back the blankets he had to hold back his gasp.

"How old is he?" he asked.

"He got born right after solstice," the boy child answered.

Kincaid felt bile rising in his throat. There was no way the baby he held in his arms was ten months old. "What has he been eating?"

"Milk-water. Down the road a few miles a human has a goat. Got some milk from that for a while. But winter was real hard, couldn't get out as much as I shoulda. The bad ones don't leave much food for us," The boy used his thin arm to wipe his nose.

Kincaid sent his magic through the child. Had he not been fae, the goat's milk could have been fatal.

"You kept him alive. You should be proud," Kincaid reached out and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you his brother?"

"We're all brothers and sisters," he said, pointing to the room. "We all have the same four or five mommas."

"Stay away!" the older boy behind him yelled at Aiden.

"That's Aeron, he was next in line to go," the boy explained.

Kincaid nodded, then turned his attention back to the baby. Using his magic, he tried to soothe the baby's hunger pangs and raise his temperature. Finally exhausted, the baby fell asleep.

He took the boy's hand and led them to where Aiden was trying to talk to Aeron.

"We're here to help," Aiden said, pointing to their group.

"Lies!" the older girl in the cage next to him yelled.

"Cody, get away from him!" Aeron ordered.

Cody shook his head. "He helped Dillon. The man said he heard Dillon crying and came for us. I think that the Queen sent them."

Darian turned to look at the boy. "Why would you think that?"

"The bad men hate the queen. They say she's evil and forced us out of our home. But, I don't believe him because he's bad and does bad things. So, if he thinks she's evil, I bet she's really, really nice," Cody explained.

Darian knelt down, tears in his eyes. "She is. And she did send us to find you. She made sure we came with blankets, and she has everyone in the palace making warm food for your arrival."

"You're lying…" Aeron's voice broke. "I cannot have hope again, it hurts too much."

Darian stood. "Aeron, what is your family name?"

Aeron slowly rose to stand as tall as he could in the cage. On shaking legs, he managed to look Darian in the eye. "I am Aeron Eirson."

Darian's body seemed to expand as a golden light surrounded his body. With strength Kincaid didn't know the fae possessed, he watched as Darian simply pulled the bars apart to get to the older boy.

"Did he just bend that shit like taffy?" Brie whispered.

"Yup." Priest and Gage answered together.

Darian reached in and before the boy could attack, simply pulled him to his chest and held him close. "My brother was Oron Vi'Eirson before he was adopted." He stepped back to look at the boy. "As he once saved me. I swear to save every single one of you."

Aeron gave a sharp nod, then a weary smile, before passing out.

"Aiden you will have to help with the heavy lifting," Darian said, gently easing the boy to the ground. "I'm tapped out. The only thing I'm good for right now is the portal."

"The queen has saved us!"

"We don't have to stay?"

"Father will be so mad."

The children began speaking all at once. It was as if Aeron's acceptance cemented their own opinions of them. They were no longer to be feared, they were their saviors.

Darian reached into his pocket, then hesitated. "This really isn't something I can tell them over the phone."

"Call Aeson. He can mobilize our unit brothers quicker than you can say ‘potluck'," Ari advised, looking around for something.

"Whatcha doing hun?" Brie asked.

"Looking for keys."

Gage shuddered. "Why do these cages never have any fucking keys?"

"They stopped leaving the keys here when they found out the little ones were letting us out," a girl inside the cage on the other wall explained.

Darian dialed a number and began giving orders for warriors to meet them at the palace in five minutes.

Kincaid gently rubbed the baby's back.

"Do we really get to leave? And not be food?" Cody asked.

"What do you mean be food?" Brie looked down at the boy frowning.

"The bad men come when they are looking tired and sick. They take five of us and when they come back later, they look better. That's why we think they eat us."

A tiny girl sitting next to one of the cages began to cry. "I don wanna get ate."

Brie scooped her up and held her on her hip. "Don't you worry about that anymore. Your Auntie Brie has a gun and will shoot any of those sick fucks if they come for you."

Kincaid had to turn his head, so that his rough and tumble sister didn't see his smile.

"Brie, babes, maybe not the best thing to say," Ari started.

"Kill allll da sick fucks!" the little girl announced in a piping voice.

Brie beamed. "You got that right."

Gage covered his face with his hand.

The older girl in the cage giggled. "I wanna be like you when I grow up." She froze, looking scared. "I get to grow up now, don't I?" She wrapped her arms around herself and began to shake.

Brie turned to Aiden. "We really need to get in these cages, Boss."

"Working on it," Aiden said, eyeing his gun.

"You can't shoot the lock!" she yelled.

"You have a better idea?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do. Call your mate. She'll know how to handle a locked cage."

Aiden's mouth snapped shut. "Actually, that's not a bad idea." He reached for his phone and put it on speaker.

"Yello!"

"Hey baby. How would you get into a locked cage?"

"Biometric?"

"No, looks mechanical to me."

"Any magic?"

Aiden shook his head. "I don't think so. There wasn't a reaction when Darian pulled the bars apart."

"He did what?"

"Totally epic moment!" Brie called out.

"I never get to see any of the cool stuff."

"Babe, the cage?"

"Right, so I'm guessing no keys."

Aiden stared down at the phone.

"No need to get snarly at me."

"I'm not snarly," Aiden refuted.

"You were looking at me funny."

"I was not…you're not even here!"

This time both girls giggled.

"Are those kiddos I hear?"

"Yeah."

There was silence. Then in a softer tone. "That's why Aeson is running around here with his ass on fire. He portaled in two minutes ago with what looked like every warrior in the city. Aiden, are the kids in the cages?"

"Not all of them."

"Motherfucker!"

"Kill da sick fucks!" the little one yelled again.

Meryn's cackles came through loud and clear. "I like that one!"

"You would. Cages, baby. Any ideas?"

"Oh, yeah. Are they old cages or like newer vault style cages?"

Aiden scowled. "I don't know. Uh, they look like the prison cells that you see in old westerns."

"Cool, then quick question. Are the hinges of the cage door accessible on the outside?" she asked, sounding smug.

"Gotta go, babes."

"You owe me."

"Per usual," Aiden admitted, then hung up his phone.

Gage and Priest were shaking their heads in disgust at themselves and were already heading toward the first set of cages.

"What's a hinge?" Cody asked.

"It's what the cage door swings on, so it can open," Kincaid explained.

"You let the women speak?" the girl in the cage asked, through chattering teeth.

Aiden blinked, then smiled. "Not only do I let my mate speak, but I let her do whatever she wants. She even set my car on fire once."

"You didn't beat her?"

Aiden knelt down and the girl scooted back to the far side of the cage.

"My name is Aiden McKenzie, I am the Unit Commander. That means I am in charge of organizing men like…" he went to point to Gage and Priest and saw that Priest was precariously balanced on Gage's shoulders as they attempted to pop the top hinge pin. He sighed. "Warriors like that. We protect the people who live in our pillar cities. We make sure that no man or woman gets hurt. That's our job."

"Even us?"

"Especially you," he said softly. "Children are our greatest treasures. From here on out, you will want for nothing."

A loud clanging noise had everyone turning. Priest and Gage had gotten the cage opened and were now helping one of the older boys to stand.

"What is your name?" Aiden asked the girl.

"Aralea."

"How many of you are there?"

"Twenty. There are usually fifteen, but the new set was born last year. That's how I know they would be coming soon. The babies are about a year old. The bad men make sure the babies make it to one, then take all the older ones."

"Where are your mothers?" Aiden asked in a gentle voice.

Aralea shook her head. "We don't remember them. We are brought here as babies." She pointed to the oldest looking children. "From my set we are Aeron, Aiya, Artis and Angel. Then the ten-year-olds. Brin, Brea, Bo, Blythe and Bryer. The five-year-olds are Cana, Cael, Cody, Cleo and Crue. And then the babies. Dane, Dariel, Dillon, Dion and Damira." She rested her cheek on her knee. "The next set will be ‘A' names since we'll be gone. We don't know who has what mother or father, so we just claim each other."

The small girl in Brie's arms tapped her cheek. "Are you ten? You have a ‘B' name. I'm five so my name is Cleo."

Brie shook her head. "I haven't been ten in a while. I'm like that three times over."

"You can get that old?" the small girl asked in with a sense of wonder.

Brie smiled mischievously and pointed to Darian. "Fae live for thousands of years, he's like fifteen-thousand years old or something."

"I am not. I haven't even hit my six-thousandth year yet," Darian protested.

Aralea shuddered. "I used to fear dying when I was small. But, recently I was looking forward to it." She closed her eyes. "The thought of living that long scares me more than death."

"Let Meryn introduce you to anime and chocolate, then maybe a few extra years won't seem so bad," Brie said, warmly.

Aralea opened her eyes. "Is she the one that said, ‘yello' and set this man's car on fire?"

"Yup."

"She sounds fun."

"She is."

Aralea frowned. "What's a car?"

Kincaid rocked back and forth. "Something you have plenty of time to learn about. But, to give you context, it's something you sit in as a way to get around faster."

"Oh. Okay," Aralea said.

Kincaid could see she had no idea what he was talking about.

Behind him the same girl from before walked up and tried to pass him her blanket wrapped sibling.

Scrambling so as to not drop either baby, he simply sat and held them both in his lap. "What's wrong, hun?"

She pointed down. "His face is getting red. He's either about to cry or poop. If he cries it's because his tummy is hurting," she explained.

"What are your names?"

"I'm Cana and this is Dane."

"I'm Kincaid."

"Your hair ain't yellow."

"That's because I'm a witch and not fae."

"You look human."

He nodded. "We do."

"You have hair on your face."

Kincaid felt himself blushing. "It's a recent thing. Do you like it?"

She reached out and touched his cheek. "It's kinda soft and kinda not." She thought it over. "I like it, because the bad men don't have them."

"Good to hear."

"Okay kids, listen up," Aiden called out.

With Gage taking Dane he was able to stand. He saw that both Priest, Brie and Ari we were also now holding infants with toddlers at their side.

Cody raced over and took his free hand.

"My friend Darian here is about to make a bright light shine in the room. It will be like a big door. When it appears, we'll be going through in small groups. Uhh, can the B's and A's each stand with a warrior holding a baby?"

Aiden lifted Aeron and a younger girl pulled him to stand with Kincaid. "This is our baby group," she said, pointing to Cody and Dillon.

Aiden smiled and nodded.

"Now, there will be a lot and I do mean a lot of people on the other side of this light door. Some will be like our friend Darian here, but remember, they are warriors and are there to protect you, they aren't like the bad men. But, if you do become afraid, we'll be with you every step of the way," Aiden continued.

The children were quiet and nodded.

"Okay Dar," Aiden pointed to an empty space.

Darian lifted his hand and a golden portal shimmered into view.

When Cody took his hand, Kincaid could feel it trembling. He gave it a squeeze. As they waited their turn.

When it came time for them to file through, Kincaid gave him a small tug. "Come on youngling. If I know my brothers, there will be so much food to be eaten."

Cody brightened and his step had a bit more bounce.

Together they left the smells of captivity and despair behind them.

*****

"Are you sure this is safe?" Cody asked.

Kincaid stared. "You know, I can see why you'd say that."

Warriors were racing around with blankets. Anne, Amelia, Cas and Zoe were scooping up the smaller kids and smothering them with affection. The queen and Oron looked positively shell shocked, which of course had Darian and Brennus tending to them. Basically, chaos ensued.

"Cody, I'm about to teach you some magic words," he whispered.

Cody looked up, eyes bright.

"They work especially well if a squire is about." He pointed to Cord and Ryuu. "Squires help take care of families."

"What are the magic words?"

Kincaid grinned. "I think it might be best if you say them."

He nodded. "Okay."

Kincaid leaned in and whispered. "Say out loud in the most pitiful voice you can muster, ‘my tummy hurts, I'm hungry'."

Cody nodded again. With a dramatic sniffle he looked up at him and Kincaid swore the kid conjured tears. "My tummy hurts, I'm hungry!"

"Dear gods, what are we doing?" Cord immediately hurried forward.

"Portia, get the warriors to organize supplies and sleeping arrangements. You kids follow me!" he said, shaking his head at the crowd. "These poor babies are hungry. Let us get them to the sitting area." He looked around. "Aleks, Oron, you can be shocked later. Grab some pillows and blankets."

Cord spun and when he raised his hands the end tables in the antechamber lowered to the ground and merged together to form long tables that could be sat at from the floor. The soft notes of wind chimes seemed to float on the air and no less than three kettles whistled at once.

"Badass! I freaking love squires!" Meryn threw both her arms in the air.

More than one child turned to her. "Yello!"

Meryn blinked. "Whoa. That was cool!"

Pip bounced back and forth from foot to foot frantically. "They're hungry Meryn, like really hungry."

Ryuu placed a gentle hand on Pip's shoulder and stepped forward before snapping his fingers. The low tables now looked like they had blankets as a skirted edge. " Kotatsu . They're heated tables from my country." He bowed to Cord. "I meant no disrespect."

Cord waved off his concern. "I need to add that to my own repertoire."

Ryuu turned back to the children. "If you were to sit with your feet under the table, you can pull the blanket up around your shoulders," he explained.

Cody first, then Cana dove for the tables. Soon the others joined them moaning in delight at the warmth.

One of the older girls wiped at her eyes. "I don't think I've ever been warm."

The queen, Cas, Amelia, Anne and Aralea sat at different tables each cradling an infant. Warm bottles and cloth diapers had been waiting for them when they arrived. The babies were now getting rocked and burped. Aiden shared what they had learned about the children while everyone got settled.

Oron sat just taking in each child's face. It hadn't escaped anyone's attention that the children had shied away from him.

Darian made it obvious that he wanted to sit next to his brother. "Kids, this is the one who I was telling you about. My big brother, who saved my life from the bad men."

Cody's eyes widened. "You fought the bad men?"

Oron ducked his head. "I was about ten…"

"Our age!" one of the girls exclaimed, pointing to her brothers and sisters. "We're ten."

Oron looked up, his expression hopeful. The children were speaking to him. "One evening, I heard my father and uncles," he took a deep breath and continued. "The bad men. They were getting ready to go to House Alina," he pointed to Darian. "Their plan was to kill everyone and blame House Liordan. I stumbled into the hall trying to run away and was caught. They threw me in the cellar, and I frantically searched all night for a way to get out. I finally was able to break down the door. I ran directly to House Alina and to the back of the house where I had been spending my days." He smiled at Darian. "You see House Alina had just been blessed with a baby boy and I used to go over there to play with him in the garden. I snuck into the nursery and grabbed the baby and ran to the palace to tell the guards what was happening."

When he was silent for a minute the queen continued. "His honor and bravery saved the last remaining member of House Alina. After that I adopted both boys and have loved them ever since."

"The end," Meryn added. Then stuffed a brownie in her mouth, causing the kids to laugh.

Aeron looked satisfied. "They never won, not really."

Meryn pointed to Oron. "Dey ned to beed on ur twee," she mumbled, mouth full of her dessert.

Oron stared.

"Wha?" she asked.

Cody leaned forward. "I don't think he understood what you said because you were eating dirt."

Meryn chewed quickly and swallowed. "It's not dirt. It's chocolate, the best substance on earth, next to coffee."

Pip at her side nodded furiously. "I wasn't sure at first, but gods in heaven, she's right."

Cana licked her lips.

"Ryuu can the kiddos have chocolate?"

Ryuu smiled. "Eventually." He looked out over the children. "You all have had a very… restrictive diet. You will be denied nothing, we just need to work you up to some of the robust foods my denka enjoys."

"Luckily, thanks to our Kincaid, I had already made a batch of oatmeal. I think that should get us started," Cord said, coming from the kitchen carrying a huge tray of smalls bowls.

"Oh! I know!" Meryn pulled out her phone and dialed. "Yello."

"Hello Meryn, I was just thinking of you. Magnus is practically dancing around Level One thanks to your efforts."

"I need a favor."

"Of course, darling, you have only to ask."

"We found some really great kiddos that I think I may be related to via Oron, they were being kept in cages in the cold, and they're really hungry. Like really, really hungry. But, everyone is like, they need soft foods and stuff, so I was thinking, can you try to make a healthy version of Magic Pudding, maybe with protein powder and supplements in it or something?" She ended her ramble slightly out of breath.

At that moment Dane began to whimper, then cry.

"Is that a baby?" Sebastian asked, sounding quiet and serious.

"Five, fifteen-year-olds, five, ten year olds, five, five year olds and five, infants," Meryn said, rattling off their numbers. She sighed. "They're all starving."

"Give me a few days, darling. You tell those babies that I will create something just for them!"

"Thank you, Sebastian!" She tapped her phone.

Cody looked at Meryn. "Was that a squire?"

"Yup. How'd you know?"

Kincaid smiled as Cody just shrugged. He turned his attention back to the eldest boy.

Aeron had made sure all the smaller children had bowls before he took a bite. He looked over to Oron. "You're our brother?"

Oron hesitated. "If you want to claim me." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I would understand if you didn't want to."

Aeron continued to chew, then swallowed. "You were the first of us." He pointed around the table. "You were the first survivor."

"He's ours?" Cana asked.

Aeron nodded. "He is our first big brother."

Seconds later, Cana and the other five-year-olds swarmed Oron burying him under their giggling bodies.

Bre and Brin were hugging the queen who kept dabbing her eyes.

Cody tugged on his sleeve. "How are we related to her?" he asked, pointing to Meryn.

Kincaid thought about it for a moment. "It gets tricky," he warned.

Cody just nodded.

"Oron and Darian were raised together."

"Brothers," Cody added.

"Yes, brothers. Later Darian mated to Amelia." He pointed to the happy witch. "Amelia is Meryn's cousin."

"Okay, but cousins are basically brothers and sisters, right?" Cody asked.

Kincaid nodded. "In most families."

"That was easy."

Kincaid held up a finger. "It keeps going."

"How?"

"The queen later mated Brennus, who had three brothers Eamon, Doran and Celyn. So, Brennus became Oron's father. Then Eamon had a daughter, who was Meryn."

Cody looked down at his fingers that he had been using to trace things in the air. "I don't really get it, but they're just like extra, extra family, right?"

Kincaid smiled. "It's like John said, ‘Love is all you need'."

"Who's John?" Cana asked.

"Is he related too?" Cody's face had a pained expression.

Every shared a chuckle at his chagrin.

"That particular John was a famous singer a couple decades ago," Kendrick explained.

Aeron pointed to Oron. "But Darian said he was adopted."

Kincaid winced. "I forgot about that. I don't want Cody's head exploding."

"It does that?" he asked, holding his head with both hands.

"No, it does not," Anne said, ruffling his hair.

Kendrick smirked. "It's such a delicious tangle of kismet and coincidence. After Meryn found out her heritage, she passed along the title of Vi'Eirlea that she inherited from her father Eamon to Oron. He cut his hand and bled on the Eirlea Elder tree and was officially adopted into House Eirlea."

"Whoaa," the kids said, mimicking Meryn perfectly.

Meryn snapped her fingers. "That's what I said earlier. None of their names are on the birch tree, right? The Guardian would have reported new births. Maybe they should get added so Aldrya won't be sad anymore."

"Who's Aldrya?"

"What's a Guardian?"

"Why is she sad?"

Oron and Darian were smiling as the kids flooded the room with questions. Finally, Oron held up a hand and they quieted. "First things first. Eat."

Smiling, the kids did just that.