Chapter Seven

Zadie walked next to Kincaid as they headed towards House Eirson.

As they approached the large building, she kept looking over at Kincaid nervously. When they stopped in front of what looked like a palace, she could only gawk and stare. "Kincaid, I thought they said this was House Eirson."

He looked at her confused. "This is House Eirson."

"Kincaid, this like is a freaking castle! I thought the house would be like on the other side or something. I didn't know this was the house."

He pointed behind them down the path they had just walked. "They're all like this. These are the Founding, Noble and Warrior Houses."

Zadie let her head fall back and closed her eyes. "Those are for the noble people. I'm not a noble Kincaid, I'm just a teacher."

Kincaid took both of her hands in his. "You are so much more than that. You helped me when any other person would have shied away."

She exhaled. "I was horny, and you're hot."

When he stayed silent, she opened her eyes and looked at him.

He was sputtering silently causing her to laugh. "I'm sorry."

"Never, ever be sorry for desiring me. Not ever." He frowned. "What was I saying?"

"You were being really creative as to why we're allowed to live in a palace."

"Mayhap, I can help," Cord offered, walking up with a large basket slung on one arm.

Kincaid looked relieved. "I don't think she realizes how special she is for taking care of the kids."

Cord eyed Kincaid then he turned to her. "I think that neither of you understand your worth. Let us go inside, I will endeavor to explain things."

He opened the door and allowed them to walk inside.

They followed him to the kitchen where he began unpacking what looked to be the components of their dinner. Once he had a tablecloth, cutlery and food arranged, he stood back and took in their expressions. "Oh dear, it may be worse than I imagined. Sit, you two."

Like the children earlier, they obediently sat and looked at the spread.

Cord opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass for each of them.

Zadie felt awkward being served.

Cord simply topped them off, a smile on his face. Seeing that they now had their wine, he stepped back and draped a towel over his arm. "Let us address Lady Zadie first," he started.

She held up her hand. "That right there. I'm not a lady of anything. I can understand the kids staying here, it's like their family home, but that's not the same for me. This isn't like a studio apartment being offered as room and board!" she exclaimed, then took a large gulp of her wine.

"Let me correct myself. Let us start with Master Kincaid." Cord turned to Kincaid, who swallowed nervously. "You are too young to remember how it was before the testing and evaluations. Most witches are born with an elemental affinity, and some even get a higher level gift, such as precognition or empathy."

Zadie turned to Kincaid. "Didn't you say you had empathy?"

Kincaid nodded. "It was recognized only recently by Kendrick."

Cord continued. "Receiving a second element would instantly elevate a witch to a lower noble status. If we were to use human British equivalents, they would be the same as a Baron or Viscount. Or in paranormal terms, a member of a Noble House." He pointed to the kitchen and their surroundings. "House Eirson is a Noble House." He then pointed to Kincaid. "Those who receive three elements were treated the same as a Marquess or Duke, or a Founding Family member."

Zadie watched as Kincaid lifted his wine glass with a shaking hand and also took a generous gulp.

"If Kincaid ranks as a Founding Family member, technically you should be in a larger home," Cord said, smiling.

"No! This is too much already," Zadie fussed. "How the hell does anyone keep a place this size clean?"

Cord smiled. "With help of course. I took the liberty of posting for a squire for House Eirson. Even with someone watching the children, the home, as you have pointed out, is its own full-time job."

Zadie began to calm somewhat. Knowing that someone else would be managing this place made her breathe easier.

"Cord, I'm not a Founding Family member," Kincaid protested. "I'm just a lower city kid from Storm Keep. I don't know how to do any of this."

Cord's expression softened. "Kincaid, if Ari can manage to be of House Lionhart, I have every confidence that you can comport yourself properly," he teased.

Kincaid chuckled and eased back in his chair. "He does make it look easy."

Cord turned his attention back to her. "Now, even if we were to ignore Kincaid's rise in status, your profession alone warrants great respect Lady Zadie. We do not normally have schools in our world, usually, we do not have a lot of children born at the same time. That is why parents will homeschool their children and apprentice them off in their chosen profession when they turn one-hundred. To us, children are rare treasures."

Zadie looked down into her wine. "Those kids weren't seen as treasures." When she looked back up Cord's expression had tensed.

"What happened with those children is an aberration. At the time, I agreed with our queen when she chose to give mercy to the mated women of House Eirson. Lately, I am finding I am inclined toward little Meryn's way of doing things." He shook his head. "Never doubt your worth to us, My Lady. You will guide those children through their hurt and pain and onto paths as honorable members of our city. How could we possibly put a value on that?"

"Teachers are not regarded that way in the human world."

Cord sniffed. "I have heard much of the human world from little Meryn, I am not entirely sure I care for it."

Zadie grinned. "We have some good things too."

Cord bowed. "Of course you do. Yourself being amongst them." He picked up the now empty basket, then pointed to a large crystal set in the wall. "We had that installed this afternoon. Tap on it and it will connect you to the other crystals shared by the squires." He smiled broadly. "What a wonderful invention. Anyway. Leave the dishes there tonight. I will pick them up in the morning when I drop off breakfast."

"And coffee?" she asked hurriedly.

He chuckled. "Of course. Gods only knows what would happen if you ladies did not receive your coffee." He gave another bow. "I will let myself out. Enjoy."

Zadie watched him leave then looked at Kincaid. In unison they both downed their wine. Kincaid reached for the bottle and poured them a second glass each.

She looked down at her plate and her stomach rumbled loudly.

Kincaid patted his own belly. "Me too. I swear lunch was a lifetime ago."

"It feels that way, doesn't it?"

He nodded and placed his napkin in his lap. "Everything was different and yet, what we have, us being together, being here, feels as right."

She picked up her fork and eyed the tiny potatoes. "It's like yesterday was a dream and now we're awake."

He pointed his fork at her. "It's that exactly. I don't want to say the past didn't count, but it feels…"

"Fuzzy."

"Yeah. Fuzzy."

She took a bite of her potatoes and almost moaned. "Oh my god, I think he boiled these in butter."

Kincaid speared two and ate them quickly. "Gage is gonna hate me. He's the only one living at the villa with no squire," he chuckled lowly. "I can't wait to tease him."

"So, we get a like a version of Cord?"

Kincaid shook his head. "I don't think someone like that exists. Cord and Ryuu are on their own level as far as squires go. But, we'll get someone who will cook for us, that's all I care about."

"And clean right? I hate doing bathrooms."

"Absolutely." He shuddered. "I don't want to scare you, but sharing a house with twenty kids, the communal bathroom is the last place I'd ever voluntarily go into."

She laughed. "Oh, I know exactly how that is, remember? School bathrooms have to be the nastiest places on the planet."

Kincaid poked at his salad. "Will you miss your job? Your home and the life you lead?"

She put her fork down and picked up her glass of wine. Sitting back, she thought it over. "I think I'll miss the kids, well, some of them. But, the job, no. As for my life there, I wasn't miserable, but I wasn't happy. I grew up in foster care, so I don't have a family of my own. I worked because I needed money to live, but it didn't feed my soul. I would come home to a dark apartment, eat, go to sleep and wake up and do it all over again." She took a sip of wine. "I know we joked about the past being like a dream, but this feels too good to be true. An amazing house, a job where I am valued, and I get you."

"I don't have much, but whatever I have is yours," he professed.

"Are you kidding? I'm getting all of this because of you Kincaid. Because of whatever deity decided I would be a good match for you. You're giving me your friends and family. Because I'm your mate, I was introduced to a world of magic and live in this castle."

"Estate," he corrected.

"You know what I mean. If anyone is coming up short on what they're bringing to the table, it's me."

He stood and moved his chair, so it was right next to hers, sat down and took her free hand. "We're mates. That means what is mine is yours and what is yours is mine. There is no table to display your qualifications. You've seen me, magic ablaze, talking down council representatives. But, that wasn't who I was before you. I was kinda passive and I just went with whatever my brothers were doing. You make me better, stronger, not because of you per se, but because you exist." He brought her hand up and kissed it. "I want to be stronger to protect you. I'll grow and so will you. That's how I would like us to be. Doing what we love, coming home to each other, sharing our day, our thoughts, and our dreams."

Zadie could see the sincerity in his eyes. "Are you sure you're real? Because you have just said everything that I have ever wanted in a partner."

He winked and reached for his own glass of wine. "We're a perfect matched pair, remember?"

"I'm not fighting it here," she'll point to her chest. "It's my mind that's hesitating."

"You mean you won't blindly accept this whole new world, how utterly dare you?" he joked.

"Why are you so different than your unit brothers?"

"How do you mean? Like why I am the only witch in the unit?"

She didn't quite know how to explain it. "I don't doubt for a single second that Aiden loves Meryn to distraction, but I don't think he uses terms like ‘invalidate your feelings'. You're not just empathetic, you're also very conscientious of others. They were right when they said there was a softness to you, but I see it more as a warmth."

"I can see what you're saying. I guess it's because I'm younger than most of the warriors. Only Ari is close to my age, well, and the twins, but they're only visiting."

"How does your age make a difference?"

"Let's see if I can put this in perspective. Joan of Arc fought the French, the Byzantine Empire ended, and the Ottoman Empire began and there was the War of the Roses."

"Impromptu history lesson?" she asked.

He held up a finger. "These were the world events taking place when Aiden came of age. By the way, he was nowhere near the oldest person in the queen's antechamber tonight."

Zadie didn't know whether to be excited at the chance to ask questions or succumb to the overwhelming sense of being insignificant. "What?" she asked. She couldn't wrap her mind around how old some of them could be.

He nodded. "Now, when I came of age, we had Nixon, the Civil Rights movement, putting a man on the moon, television and let's not forget, Woodstock."

"You're more of a modern man."

He nodded. "It doesn't make me better or worse. That's the beauty of the units. We train together, so not only do warriors of different races learn from one another, but also of different eras."

"That's incredible."

"But, to finish answering your question, I think the conscientious part comes from being assigned to éire Danu. Sure, I helped look after my siblings, but the warriors here look after each other with a quiet devotion that goes largely unnoticed. I spent the first five years here, racing around, trying to ‘pay back' all the warriors who helped me." He smiled. "I passed out in training one day. I stayed up the night before learning how to make cookies for Leon because he showed me how to pack my gear. I woke up to no less than fifteen unit warriors freaking out. When Aeson figured out what happened, he politely side-stepped Ari and took me to his office. He sat me down and explained that that wasn't how éire Danu warriors operated. You help where you can, when you can, that was the only rule. I was able to slowly relax after that. I watched what they did and tried my best to be like them."

"The other warriors aren't like that?" she asked, taking in everything he explained. "They seem close as well."

Kincaid rubbed his chin. "Yes and no. Every warrior would fight and die, willingly, for their brothers. I hear in Lycaonia they prank each other to show affection. In Noctem Falls, they maintain a commissary, stocking it with whatever their brothers may need, it's not as hands on as we are, but up until recently Noctem Falls adhered more to social rankings. I hear they are now a mix of how we operate along with some shenanigans they learned from Meryn."

"I can't believe there are whole other cities. Are they cold like here?" she asked. She immediately regretted her question when Kincaid's smiling face fell.

"It wasn't always like this," he admitted quietly. "Just a few short weeks ago, it was sunny all the time and warm. The street shone like milk and honey, all white marble and gold sand. éire Danu is called the Land of Eternal Sun."

Zadie was surprised. That sounded nothing like the bleak, grey city she saw coming through the portal. "What happened?"

"Fae came up missing. We were sent to warehouses and found them dead, stacked…" he swallowed hard. "I didn't know they were bodies at first, I thought it was just clothes. But, our enemy stacked them up in piles. That was when the queen began to lose heart. She is fading and all of éire Danu feels it."

Zadie stood and taking a cue from Meryn, sat down in Kincaid's lap. Smiling softly, he scooted his chair back so he could hold her properly. "Thank you, this helps."

"Why were they killed?"

"As I explain things, please remember that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe," he said squeezing her tight.

She nodded.

Over the next hour, just when she thought she heard the worst of it, he would share a different horror. When he was done, they sat in silence just holding each other.

"Meryn thinks that everything is out of Storm Keep?"

"She does."

"I'm glad your family is here now."

"Me too. But there are many witch brothers who serve in the other pillar cities whose families are still in Storm Keep. I can only pray that Caiden brings them in too."

"Kendrick is a king," she'll whisper.

He nodded.

She banged her head on his shoulder. "I called him a pompous asshole," she said, wanting to take it all back.

"Thane calls him that all the time."

"And as you explained, Thane is literally older than Christ, I think that earns him a pass." Zadie stopped. "That's what he meant when he said, ‘welcome to the club' isn't it?"

Kincaid's chest shook as he laughed. "I think so. You and he are the only ones who have dared insult him in over three thousand years."

"Oh my god," she buried her face in his neck.

"Don't worry hun, I think he actually enjoyed it, it being such a rare occurrence."

She lifted her face from his neck. "Meryn has never called him an asshole?"

"Nope. Those two actually get along really well for the most part. They're eerily similar."

"And she has empathy too?"

"Yes, she gets these images that represent how she sees people."

"What has she seen for you?"

"She hasn't said yet."

She looked over her shoulder. They picked at dinner while he told her everything. She started out hungry but lost her appetite as more unfolded. "Do you think Cord will get mad to see so much uneaten?"

"No, he'll understand."

He stood, easily keeping her in his arms.

She held on but was amazed to see that he wasn't even straining to hold her. "That had to be the single sexist thing I have ever seen?"

"What? Please tell me, so I can do it again."

"You stood while holding me. How much do you press?"

Kincaid shrugged and started carrying her toward the front of the house. "I don't look at the numbers anymore, because between the fae and the shifters, it got to be depressing seeing how little I could do."

"Kincaid, I mean this in a nice way, but that's kinda dumb."

He stopped in the large foyer. "How do you mean?"

"I mean an amazing athlete would feel like a failure if he trained with Olympians every day. How do you compare to your witch brothers?"

He blinked. "I never looked."

"You never looked at the people who were most like you in physique? The ones who were actually the same race? How would you feel if you heard Meryn complain and not being able to lift the same as Aiden?"

"That would be ridiculous, she's human. She doesn't have the physical advantages…"

She rolled her hand forward. "Exactly."

"Holy crap. I may be strong."

She rubbed her hands over his arms. "I don't think that's a question darlin."

He gave her a goofy grin that had her heart melting all over again. He then looked around. "Where did he say we were sleeping?"

She felt her mouth go dry. "Like sleep, sleeping or are you wanting sex? Because if it's the latter, we're gonna need a lot of prep work to get me out of the murdery headspace your horror stories have me in."

Kincaid looked her in the eye. "I would never expect anything. Cuddling you holds the same value as sex. You are allowing me to touch your body and share your intimate space. Both are equally precious gifts to me."

Zadie moaned. His words had her heart and body agreeing for once."Dammit! I'm too tired for sex."

He leaned in and rubbed their noses together. "We have centuries and centuries ahead of us."

"Wait? I do too?"

"Consider it one of those perks the queen was talking about." He looked up. "He said west, right?"

"Yes."

He started up the stairs and when they came to the top, he turned right. At the end of the large hallway, double wooden doors sat closed. He placed her on her feet and opened one of the doors. It swung open and revealed a dimly lit room.

On either side of the extremely large room, each wall had four doors. When they opened the first door, it revealed a spacious office. The second door was to a sitting room that had a Jack-and-Jill door connecting the office to the sitting room. The third door was a huge walk-in closet, and the last door was to a bathroom.

Kincaid walked across the room and checked the other doors. "It's the same. It was like they had his and hers living areas except the bedroom."

Zadie looked around. There were a lot of dark woods and green fabrics. She wasn't sure if it was the decor or because she knew who the room used to belong to, but it felt oppressive. When she saw the bed, she took a step back. "No."

Kincaid frowned until he saw what she was looking at. "Yeah, that's a no for me too."

The bed had to be at least sixteen feet wide and made of solid wood. The canopy nearly hit the ceiling which was saying something because the room's ceilings were at least fifteen feet high.

"Kincaid, what are we gonna do? That thing is a monstrosity."

"Agreed." He snapped his fingers. "We'll ask Cord in the morning. He'll know what to do."

"What about tonight? I'm kinda wanting those cuddles you were talking about."

He exhaled and rubbed his hands down his face. "Gods, I would kill for even a moss bed at this point or a pile of leaves. Anything would be better than that."

The floor rumbled slightly as a flush of green erupted under the bay windows.

"You?" she asked.

"Yup, I think."

"Fuck it. I'll take it. Let's go to bed."

He nodded then walked over to the monster bed to strip it of the sheets. Together they made a pile of blankets to sleep on.

"Silk or flannel?" he asked, holding up two stacks of sheets.

"In this weather? Bring the flannel over here."

Once their little nest was complete, she hesitated.

Does he sleep nude? Should I sleep nude?

"Here you go, hun." He handed her his white undershirt. "I'm pretty warm at night so going shirtless won't affect me." He had his hands at his belt. "I have on boxer briefs, but if you're not comfortable with that, I can keep my pants on."

"No, briefs are fine. Thank you, for the shirt. I'll sleep better in it than my button-down work shirt."

He smiled softly and they both wordlessly undressed.

Nervousness gave way to being cold and she dove under the covers. "If we get rid of the bed, can we ask for a fireplace?"

"You read my mind," he admitted.

Once laying down, he reached for her, and she scooted back until they were spooning.

"Gods," he whispered.

"I know."

It was like finding the exact right position to sleep in, everything just felt comfy and right.

"What's your room at the villa like?"

Behind her she could feel his breath on her neck, and he laughed.

"It's embarrassing, but it's more like a library that doubles as a workshop, that I have a bed in."

"Do you have room for me to have a desk?"

He kissed her shoulder. "Of course. In fact, in addition to this room, we can completely gut and redo my quarters there as well. Truly make both our own."

"Can your warrior brothers work miracles? Because if the rest of the house is like this, we have a ton of work ahead of us."

"Hun, miracles are our specialty."

She couldn't help it she began giggling. "T-t-that bed is so b-b-bad."

The bed shook behind her as Kincaid laughed as well. "I seriously want to send it to the palace for Oron, I mean he was probably conceived in that bed, right?"

"Oh. My. God! Ew! We were expected to sleep there?"

She felt his tears of laughter on her arm. "They replaced the mattress, hun."

"Not the point. Ew!"

When he continued to laugh, she pushed her cold feet onto his legs.

He yelped and quieted down, which made her giggle.

It was between giggles and laughter, under the light of a fake moon that shone through the windows, on a bed made of magic and moss, that she fell asleep, complete for the first time in her life.