She was. As Rónan outlined the rules of the game, she looked like she was stifling a grin at his spirited explanation: “The goal is to own a lot of realms and shite, so people pay rent in talismans and jewels. No cheating, and I always get to be the banker and the dragon token.”
Munro said, “I’m glad one of us is excited about this.” He almost resented the idea of his own child. It meant extra danger and a risk to Kereny that he wasn’t ready to accept.
“But you’ve always wanted kids. At least a dozen of them, you once said. Granted, she’s been through much, but if she can resurrect from the dead, she can do anything.”
Part of Munro still disbelieved she was right there. He feared all this was a hallucination. Soon he’d wake up and find himself trapped in Quondam.
“Will you stop staring at her like you’ve seen a ghost?” Will said. “We’ll handle this. It’s no’ a problem.”
Who was this male? Everything was a problem for Uilleam Andriu MacRieve. Or at least, it had been before Chloe. Once Munro had seen the two of them together, he’d known they were solid.
Will added, “If you’re this unnerved, then what about a plan B spell or something?”
“I mentioned the idea to her, and I pointed out that much more was at stake”—Munro showed Will the text from Balery—“but Kereny was no’ receptive. . . .”
“Munro, I feared a replica like me couldn’t get pregnant. I’m overjoyed about this baby.”
“Even if we dinna have Balery’s fork-in-the-road prediction, there are forces that will hunt our child to hurt us.”
Her eyes shimmered blue, and she bared her fangs. “With my new strength, I dare an enemy to try to take anything from me, much less my child. . . .”
Her palm had hovered protectively over her flat belly, and he’d known no argument could change her mind. “This means she has just months to master her beast. No’ decades. Months. If it rises fully, I’ll lose her again.”
“I can help.” Will clamped his shoulder. “We all have more control over our beast than we ever believed. If the incentive is there, Kereny can learn to harness even newling rabidity.”
Will’s confidence made Munro’s grinding worry lessen a fraction.
When Kereny and Chloe laughed at something, Will grinned. “Ach, they’re getting along. This is grand. Chlo’s going to make a wonderful aunt.”
An aunt. Because Munro and Kereny were having a child. Protectiveness for his mate surged, and a growl nearly left his lips. “We have to get rid of Jels once and for all.”
Will nodded. “Madadh told me that the warlock’s been spotted outside Quondam. I’ll ask Mariketa to scry for us, and we’ll run the prick down.”
“Even with Glenrial’s boundary spell, I’ll be uneasy letting Kereny out of my sight when we hunt.” Not that his mate couldn’t put up a hell of a fight. With her knife-throwing skills, she was a she-wolf without equal.
“Chloe can act as an extra bodyguard while we’re out. If you saw my wee cambion play with a giant caiman’s eyeball like it was a Hacky Sack, you’d have no fears about Kereny’s protection.”
Munro’s need to remain by his mate’s side was strong, but his Instinct overruled it. —Hunt the warlock; extinguish the threat to your mate and offspring.— “Aye, then. We start tomorrow. Along with Kereny’s training.”
When Rónan regaled the group with tales about his witch girlfriend and the spells they liked to do, Kereny wrinkled her pert little nose like a kitten. Could she be any bonnier?
Munro kept seeing some mysterious feline aspect to her lupine, something kittenish about her wolf. Whatever that aspect was . . . it turned his crank like nothing else before.
He finally broke his stare and found Will gazing at Chloe.
“I look at her and it’s like . . .”
“You forget how to breathe?”
Will turned to face him. “We had it all figured out, no? I’d concluded that life was nothing but misery interrupted by bouts of shame. Now it stuns me how mistaken I was.”
And Munro had concluded it was all thankless drudgery interrupted by hollow hedonism.
Could it be any better? His gaze lingered on his mate. It all depends on her and that damned babe.
SIXTY-THREE
“Twins?” Chloe squealed when Ren told her. “You’re for reals having two?”
While Munro and Will were out tracking down Jels, Ren and Chloe sat on a blanket under an oak tree, a cooler of snacks at the ready. The wards practiced knife throwing nearby.
“Uh, yes, for reals.” Though Ren was only a few weeks along, the Instinct had given her the news. She’d been delighted, love for the babies overwhelming her. But she hadn’t yet told Munro.
Chloe’s hazel eyes blazed succubus green with her excitement. “I’m going to have to start organizing a babies shower stat!”