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TERRA RETURNED TO THE WILDS TO GIVE HIS REPORT TO DAMON NIGHTSHADE.
The past few weeks had been a whirlwind. After the battle and the explosion that destroyed the Mayweather’s home, the magical community had a lot of cleaning up to do.
The Sorcerean queen sent out a group of Magi immediately after, mitigating the damage. Once they rewrote the entire neighborhood’s memories of the event, they covered up the truth with a new story. One that fit in with Earth’s ways. (Terra hadn’t understood Aries’ idea at first, but after he explained, it made more sense.)
The story? A gas leak caused the explosions of both Aries’ and the Mayweather’s home, resulting in casualties. As the sole survivor, the news did little to ease his mortal mate’s reputation in town, but kept the existence of paranormal beings a secret.
With life returning to normal (as normal as it could be, at least) Terra could arrange a meeting with Lord Nightshade.
The two of them had much to discuss.
They met in the throne room just after eight in the evening—a time when his son, Ward, was asleep, and the sun wouldn’t hurt Damon’s sensitive eyes.
The king of the Wilds insisted they talk at the shrine, a sacred place that the king often used for his meditation practice. The angel obliged and the two of them walked along in silence the entire way.
“I sense you are nervous,” Damon said once they reached the shrine.
“Even without your beast, you are as sharp as you’ve always been,” Terra said, chuckling.
The angel knew better than anyone how hard Damon worked once he lost his panther. Without the beast he’d relied upon for most of his life, he continued to train his senses, mind and body. The result was a king who could still hold his own in a world dominated by powerful shifters.
They climbed the steps and sat across from each other on the smooth tile floor.
Terra inhaled and calmed his mind. He’d planned to discuss the incidents that happened within the past two weeks, but his thoughts stubbornly returned to one person every single time he tried to focus.
Aries Ambrosius, his mortal mate.
“I think I should start at the beginning,” he said, “but it’s a lengthy story.”
Damon shrugged. “I have time.”
So he told him.
He told him how he knew Rune, Brava, and Shen were his fated mates right before they went through the portal. Then he explained how they’d met Aries at the bar that fated night; how he wasn’t a human like they’d thought he was, and how that lone fact attracted the attention of two of Jarris’ henchmen who had been hiding out in the area.
“Aries is one of my fated mates,” Terra said, “but at this rate, I will never see him again. I’ve come to ask your permission, my king, to build a home in our lovely kingdom where my mates and I can live. I will continue to work for you, of course, but I digress...”
“You mean for your mate, Aries, to live here? He may be half-human, but he is not from our world,” Damon said, surprised.
“I know,” Terra acknowledged, hanging his head. “As they are currently written, the rules do not allow our kind to live together on Earth... But my mate, Rune, has offered to build a portal that we can use to go between worlds...”
“I see,” Damon nodded, deep in thought. “If you use a portal like that, you can circumvent the rules... But still, I do not think the other kingdoms will be pleased with the idea.”
Terra sighed. “I thought so.”
“However, given the circumstances, we may be able to make an exception.”
The angel’s eyes widened. “Really? But how?”
“Jarris’ men are still out there. As you said, there could be thousands of them. We do not know how many escaped through the portal after they opened it—and because of that, we may be better off maintaining a presence on Earth until we are certain their forces have been eradicated.”
Terra could hardly contain his elation. “Then that means—”
“Yes, but let me finish. You may go back and forth and live among the humans as you please. Likewise, your mortal mate can do the same. But take this permission I’ve given you and use it wisely. Your job, first and foremost, is to clean up Jarris’ mess...”
“I will not fail you. Your good image is safe in my hands, my lord.”
“That is what I like to hear—and Terra?”
“Yes, my lord?”
“I am glad you made it back safely and elated you found your fated. Now go back to your mates. It’s best not to keep them waiting too long,” he said with a wink.
Terra grinned and bowed his head. “Thank you, my lord.”
With that, he retreated into the portal whence he came—a grin spread across his angelic face.