Ariel sat at banquet and held her daughter out toward her godfather, the Dark-Hunter Acheron. Tall and lean, he had long dark hair and mercury eyes that swirled like a stormy sea.
The babe loved the Dark-Hunter leader. “Have you decided on a name yet?”
Looking up, she met Valteri’s proud gaze. “Daciana.”
The baby cried in protest and Acheron gently rocked her.
She wrinkled her nose. “She has her father’s lungs.”
Valteri smiled. “A good thing, that. Should anyone ever bother my girl, I want everyone to know and come running.”
Laughing, Acheron soothed Daciana with an unnatural ease. “Maybe next time you’ll have that son you wanted.”
Valteri screwed his face up. “Bah, I have no complaints with what I have. Besides, I’ll have my Alexander eventually.”
Ariel laughed. “I’m sure you will.”
He winked at her. “But ’tis a pity that you have no Arel powers left.”
She raised a brow, curious about his words. “And why is that?”
“I’ve a feeling that our girl shall need more than one of us to watch over her.”
Ariel laughed. “If she’s anything like her father, ’twill take an army to guard her.” She reached for her daughter.
“Which is why I’m here.” Acheron surrendered her.
Shadow stopped beside them, then stepped back. “I think that kid has passed her expiration date.”
She scowled. “Pardon?”
“She’s rotten. What did you feed her to make her smell like that? Sheez! I’ve smelled two-year-old garbage that was less foul.”
Mildred tsked as she stepped forward. “Here, milady. I’ll change her.” She skimmed a peeved grimace over Shadow. “And I don’t want to be knowing how it is that you were sniffing around two-year-old garbage.”
Acheron laughed.
Shadow was not so amused. “Go ahead and laugh, you Atlantean asshole. Have you checked your daughter lately?”
Acheron sobered. “Where’s Simi?”
“Yeah … Valteri’s probably missing some horses.”
“Oh dear God.” He went running for the doors.
Ariel shook her head at Shadow’s play as she handed Daciana over. “You’re terrible. Thank you, Mildred.”
Mildred took the baby and headed off to change her swaddling.
Shadow passed a smirk toward Valteri. “You say that, but last I saw, Simi was getting ready to eat a couple of those, and this is a direct quote, ‘yummy beasties that Akri didn’t say weren’t on Simi’s no-eat list.’”
Valteri turned pale. “I best go check on Ganille.”
“Yeah, big guy. You go do that. He was probably the first one she went for.”
He rushed for the door.
Ariel shook her head. “You are such a beast, Shadow. Why do you love to rib people so?”
“I have no idea, but it’s so much fun.” His gaze went to an attractive maid who was eyeing him. “Speaking of…”
Ariel laughed as he made straight for the poor woman.
Thorn, who was off to the side of the room with Wace, exchanged an amused look with her.
Grateful for her family, Ariel saw a small shadow in the corner.
Cecile sat alone, bathing herself.
Making sure that no one was paying attention to her, Ariel went over to the cat. She picked the cat up and glanced around. Assured that the humans were occupied with other things, she placed her hand over the cat’s eyes.
Her body warmed and her hand glowed.
Cecile hissed.
“Shh,” Ariel soothed. Then, stroking the cat on the ears, she smiled down at the animal.
Cecile gave a yowl and her uncrossed eyes sparkled.
“There you go.” She set the cat down, and watched her run across the floor in a straight line.
Someone tsked behind her.
Turning, she saw the tall, dark-haired version of Valteri standing there. He was the one who’d really worked the bargain to free her, but she wasn’t allowed to tell a soul about it.
That had been part of the deal.
“You know you’re not supposed to be doing that.”
She smiled at her father-in-law. “I only interfered a little. Besides, ’tis not a human life.”
Jaden shook his head. “I’m going to regret that I unbound your powers, aren’t I?”
“Never.” She patted his arm reassuringly. “But you should introduce yourself to your son.”
“No. Trust me. It’s better this way. I’ve too many enemies who would harm him if they knew he existed.”
Which was why he’d unlocked her powers.
And Valteri’s.
Her husband just hadn’t learned about that yet, either.
“Besides, too many years separate us. Let him have his hatred of me and his love for you. I would rather be the bad guy.” Jaden kissed her knuckles and stepped away. “Take good care of him, Ariel. Thank you for letting me know he was here.”
“Don’t be a stranger.”
Jaden laughed. “You want me to be a stranger. Trust me. But don’t worry. I’m never far away.”
Good, because she had a feeling that trouble would be the same way.
But that was all right with her.
It was life, and she’d fought hard to have this one.
So she was going to savor every single moment of it. She had no idea what they’d be facing. No one ever did.
But whatever hell came for them, she’d be ready.
An Arel and a demigod.
And their daughter.
The world had no idea what it was in for.