9. Karn

9

KARN

I drag my hand across my face, grimacing at the sparkles that still cling to my fingers. Two hours of scrubbing, and that damned glitter still shows up everywhere. Magic can't even seem to get rid of it. At least the living room is finally back to normal - or as normal as it can be with twin demon toddlers around.

The house falls quiet as I make my way down the hall, checking each room. No giggling, no explosions of color, no floating toys. Strange. Usually the twins are still awake at this hour, plotting their next adventure - or begging for bedtime stories at the least.

I pause at the entrance to my office. The sight stops me cold.

Mira lies stretched across the worn leather couch, her long dark hair spilling over the armrest. Luna's curled against her chest, tiny fingers tangled in Mira's dress, while Nova's tucked into the crook of her arm. A leather-bound book of fairy tales rests on the floor, probably slipped from Mira's grasp when sleep took her.

My chest tightens. The three of them look... right together. Peaceful. Mira's face has lost that guarded expression she usually wears, replaced by a gentle smile even in sleep.

She's beautiful.

It's a thought that has been creeping in more and more lately, but I can't stop myself from thinking it now. The sight of her nearly takes my breath away every day…

And I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about that feeling.

Or the way warmth floods me when I see her caring for my girls. The twins press close to her warmth like they've found their place in the world. I almost hate to move them, but I know I should get everyone in their beds.

I ease Luna into my arms first, her copper curls tickling my chin. She mumbles something about sparkly dragons but doesn't wake. Nova follows, a bit trickier to extract from Mira's embrace without disturbing either of them. The twins' room is only a short walk, and I've had plenty of practice moving them without waking them.

After tucking them in, I return for Mira. The moonlight streams through the window, catching on her dark hair. Something in my chest clenches at how small she looks curled up on my oversized couch.

I bend down, sliding one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. The moment I lift, her eyes flutter open. Green meets violet, and my breath catches. Her face hovers inches from mine, close enough I catch the faint scent of lavender soap.

"Karn?" Her voice comes out husky with sleep. A slight flush creeps across her cheeks, but she doesn't pull away.

"Was taking you to bed." The words come out rougher than intended. I clear my throat. "Your bed. The guest room."

Her fingers brush against my chest where they're curled between us. "I can walk-"

"Let me." The words slip out before I can stop them. Gentler this time, I add, "I don't mind."

She studies my face, that careful wariness creeping back into her expression. Then something shifts in her eyes, and she relaxes against me. "Alright."

I try to ignore how perfectly she fits in my arms, how her breath ghosts across my neck. The scars on her wrist catch the moonlight, and my grip tightens instinctively. No one will hurt her again. Not while I draw breath.

I ease open her door with my foot, careful not to jostle her. The moonlight catches her face again, highlighting the curve of her cheek, the soft part of her lips. My heart hammers against my ribs. She must hear it - she's pressed so close I can feel her own pulse racing.

As I lower her to the bed, her fingers tighten in my shirt. She doesn't let go.

"Stay." The word's barely a whisper.

My breath catches. "Mira..."

She tugs me closer, and I follow like she's cast a spell on me. Her sweet scent fills my head, muddling every warning that I need. That she needs to heal, that I don't want to give her a reason to be afraid of me, that she might leave and I can't let her crush me in the process. Her other hand slides up my chest, coming to rest over my thundering heart.

"I see how you look at me," she breathes. "When you think I'm not watching."

Heat floods my face. I've tried so hard to keep my distance, to respect her space after everything she's been through. But having her this close...

Her fingers trace along my jaw, feather-light. "I look at you too."

I lean in, drawn by the warmth in those green eyes. Her breath hitches. Our lips are a whisper apart-

A thunderous sneeze echoes from down the hall, followed by twin shrieks of surprise. The acrid smell of smoke hits my nose.

"Uncle Karn!" Luna's voice rings with more excitement than fear. "Nova made the curtains pretty!"

"It's bright!" Nova corrects, followed by the distinctive crackle of flames.

I jerk back, torn between the moment slipping away and parental duty. Mira pushes at my chest.

"Go." She's already sliding off the bed.

"Dammit." I sprint down the hall, magic crackling at my fingertips. I have to teach them how to control it better.

The scene that greets me would be comical if it weren't so dangerous - both twins standing in their beds, pointing at the merrily blazing curtains while violet sparkles rain down from Nova's latest sneeze.

I extinguish the flames with a burst of magic, my heart still racing from the sprint down the hall. The curtains are a lost cause, but at least nothing else caught.

Mira appears in the doorway, hair mussed from our earlier moment. She takes in the scene - smoking curtains, glitter-covered twins, and me standing in the middle of it all with singed eyebrows.

"Pretty!" Luna bounces on her bed. "Do it again, Nova!"

"No." I catch Nova as she tries to work up another sneeze, scooping her up before more sparks can fly. "No more fire magic at bedtime."

"But Uncle Karn-"

"Bed. Now." I tuck Nova back under her covers while Mira handles Luna. The twins pout but settle as Mira starts humming a soft lullaby.

Once they are somewhat settled, we slip out of their room, leaving the door cracked. The moment we're in the hall, Mira's shoulders start shaking. A snort escapes her lips.

"Your eyebrows..." She covers her mouth, but her eyes dance with mirth.

I cross my arms, trying to look stern, but her laugh is infectious. "Think it's funny, do you?"

"You should see your face." She reaches up, brushing ash from my cheek. The touch sends a shock through my skin. "You look like you stuck your head in the forge."

"Wouldn't be the first time." I catch her hand before she can pull away. Her palm is soft against my calloused fingers.

Our earlier tension crackles between us. Her smile fades to something softer, more intimate. For a moment, I think about pulling her close, finishing what we started...

A thump from the twins' room breaks the spell. Mira steps back, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I should get some sleep." She glances up through her lashes. "Goodnight, Karn."

"Goodnight." I watch her disappear into her room, the gentle click of her door echoing in the quiet hall. My fingers still tingle where they touched her skin.

Dammit. I'm in trouble.