Jeri laughed as Liri tackled Abe, and the two of them tumbled in the snow together.
“He deserved that,” Trendan said quietly from behind her.
She nodded. “I would have pushed him off the mountain if he’d put snow down my back.” She glanced at him. He was smiling, too. “I like it here.” She looked back out the window. “No traffic. No garbage.” She took a slow, deep breath. “The smell of the fire is much better than anything I’d smell at home.”
“So, you think I should discuss this cabin with Rena?” He was quiet when he spoke, and she knew that even though they were in this beautiful place, he was worrying about everything that he couldn’t change or control.
“That’s up to you.” She turned and rested her hip against the back of the big-armed chair. “It might not be a bad idea to have a secret place to go when you need quiet or rest.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked at her for a moment.
She wished briefly for Kara’s ability so she could hear what he was thinking.
“What about you? Would you come here for quiet and rest?”
She knew her expression reflected the shock she felt but couldn’t have stopped it. “Me?”
Trendan nodded. “Yes. I wouldn’t want a place like this to sit here alone.” His smile was quick and very brief. “Would you like this cabin to be your quiet refuge?”
She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut and looked around. It was so cozy and welcoming. “Who wouldn’t want someplace like this?”
“I will speak with Abraham’s sister.” He gave an abrupt nod.
Jeri looked back out the window. “After Capri took me in, I didn’t leave the building for two years. I’d sit beside an open window when she told me to go outside for fresh air.”
“I’m…”
She looked at him. “Don’t apologize.” She gave him a warning look. “It wasn’t your fault.”
He nodded.
“I was safe in that building with Capri. I didn’t see any souls there—not even Capri’s.” Liri was trying to avoid Abe from catching her, and she couldn’t help but smile at their antics. “We didn’t understand what it was that I saw, not for a long time.” She studied him for a moment. His attention was solely on her. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to leave that building again.”
“I’m happy that you can.”
She nodded slowly; she knew he was watching her, but she was seeing his soul again. “Trendan, why have you fought to help humans all through the years—” She smiled at him. “I’m no history buff, but the change of weapon and clothes give away the period. Why aren’t you anymore?”
“I have a duty…”
“I know, to your realm, your purpose, but what about to you?”
“To me?” He moved away from the window and went over to the fireplace.
She moved around and sat in the chair. “Yes. It’s what you’re happiest doing.”
He used the poker and pushed the wood around. “If I am out doing what makes me happy, then I am missing souls that I’m supposed to be in care of.” He glanced at her over his shoulder. “We already have Bastian all over the place.”
“I didn’t say you have to quit doing that and go out and find fights to be in.” She pulled her legs up. The chair was huge and so comfortable she may not want to get out of it. “The Alterealm royals will need help. Right now, they’re covering Interealm, their realm, and now Solrelm. What happens when they’re in the other three?”
He stood up. “I don’t think any of us are qualified to do much in FaTerra.” He cringed. “Angry Fae are not intimidated by big men with big swords.”
Jeri hadn’t even thought of that. “Okay, maybe not FaTerra, but you know what I mean.”
“I would love to join the fight with the Alterealm royals, but…”
“You asked me to think about some things. Now I’m asking you to.” He watched her intently. “Think about it. You can be the king in waiting, or whatever it’s called a watcher, and you can do what makes you feel alive too.”
He stood there for a long time, just looking at her. “I will consider what you’ve said.” His words were stiff. “Have you thought about what we discussed—” He scoffed. “It feels like weeks ago with so much happening at once.”
“Yes, I’ve thought about it. I discussed it with some of the girls, too, and they have a few different points I hadn’t considered.”
With long strides, he was across the room. He sat in the chair that matched the one she was in. “What points are those?”
“A few of them think fate made sure I was born because Solrelm is going to need someone that can see souls and weed out all the bad ones—” She shrugged. “To wipe the slate clean, I guess.”
His brows furrowed. “That is something I hadn’t considered.” He looked at her and cocked his head to the side. The door opened. “It is possible.”
“What’s possible?” A snow-covered Liri stepped inside. Abe was right behind her. They looked happy with their rosy cheeks.
“Some of the Geminis believe that fate made sure Jerika was born in this time to help ferret out any traitors in Solrelm.”
Liri brushed off her jeans and then stood up. “Someone to make sure all the damage is undone.” She looked at Abe and then back at them. “It makes sense.” She grinned. “And if she’s the queen in waiting, no one can say a word against her doing it.” Taking off the coat, she hung it on the back of the door.
Jeri bit her lip. Every time someone said queen, her heart felt like it hiccupped in her chest.
“Oh look, we’ve terrified her.” Liri kicked off her boots and slipped on a pair of slippers.
Jeri took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s not that.” She closed her eyes and shook her head before opening them again. “Okay, it is that. I don’t see any scenario where I am sitting on a throne.” She dropped her feet to the floor and leaned forward. “I lived on the street, hiding from people after my aunt died. If your people found out…”
“They’re yours too.” Liri went over and opened one of the baskets. “You have Solrelm DNA.” She shrugged and started taking things out of the basket. “Mitz made that hot chocolate.” She smiled at Abe.
Jeri watched her for a moment and then looked at Trendan. He was watching her, but she could see he was thinking about what Liri had said as well. Espy had seen her in a purple robe. She looked down at her hands. She’d forgotten that. Anything that Espy saw, whether from the past or in the future, was like Crissy—it was always the truth.
“Come on. Too much serious talk is bad for you. We’re here to relax before the mayhem that’s going to happen when we announce to the realm that they’ve been deceived for centuries.”
Trendan looked at his cousin. “Wording it that way doesn’t help one want to relax.” He enunciated the last word with emphasis.
Liri smiled at him. “Take one afternoon off from brooding and overthinking, Tre. Just one.” She held out a thermos. “You have to taste this.” She set it down and then took another one out of the basket. “It’s like chocolate heaven on your tongue.”
Jeri got up. “Chocolate heaven?”
Liri nodded. “Mitz’s hot chocolate.” She held out a cup.
“I wouldn’t mind a little heaven.” Jeri accepted the cup from her.
“On that topic.” Abe lifted one brow and looked at his mate for a moment before turning back to them. “After we eat, Liri and I are going to go to our cabin.” He gave Trendan a curious look. “You can use the links to get back?”
Trendan nodded and then looked at Liri. “Do you know if Sigor programmed the link to land in the control room?”
Liri smiled. “Of course, he didn’t. It’s to your quarters.”
He accepted a cup from her. “Good. Jerika arriving in the control room would stir up a lot of questions.”
“Not after tomorrow, it won’t.” Liri sat down and pulled the basket over to look inside it. “I’m starving. Who knew playing in the snow was so exhilarating.”
Jeri went over and sat down. She had a link that took her to Solrelm now. She touched and felt it through the material. This was happening. Fate had lined up all the dots, and now there was nothing any of them could do to stop it. She watched Liri open containers and set them on the table.
Glancing at Trendan, she saw he was looking at her. She focused hard to see just him and no part of his soul. It was easier than it was with most. She loved his dark eyes and could look into them for hours. It was a corny thought, but still the truth.
“You two are so cute,” Liri said. “Did we look like that when we stared at each other?” She turned to Abe as he came over from the fireplace.
“Probably.” He kissed the top of her head and sat down. “Although if anyone else asks, I always looked very manly doing it.”
She grinned at him. “Of course you did.”
Jeri couldn’t help smiling. She pulled one of the containers over and looked inside. Trendan set a plate in front of her. She hadn’t had moments like this in her life, but she had hope that whichever direction she was heading, there would be more moments just like this.