Page 63 of My Eternal Light

The man fell forward, practically putting his forehead to the floor. “I swear to serve House Eirson faithfully for the remainder of my days. I will be a shield for its children and a sword for its people. If blood is to be spilt it will be mine over theirs. This, I do swear eternally.”

Oron went to the man and helped him stand. “I thought they killed you.” He pulled the squire into a fierce hug.

Kyrn pulled back and cupped Oron’s face to look into his eyes. “I am so proud of you. I never got the chance to tell you, but gods above! I prayed for you every day.”

The queen raised her hand and Cord was at her side. “Help him set himself to rights and bring him up to date on what our trials have been and what our plans are for the children. He has a house to put in order.”

Cord looked like he was two seconds from weeping himself. He walked over to the returned squire. “Come, my old friend, let us catch up.”

Kyrn bowed to Oron. “I would like to speak with you later Master Eirson.”

Oron shook his head. “I’m Vi’Eirlea now.”

Kyrn smiled. “You will always be Oron Vi’Eirson to me.” He bowed again and followed Cord to the kitchen.

Meryn yawned and kept her face pressed against Ryuu’s vest. Smiling down at his charge. “Back to bed with you.”

“Had to come, Izzy is my ride or die,” she said, then yawned again.

Ryuu steered her from the room.

Zadie exhaled. “Thank god she didn’t see I had her coffee.”

Oron pulled his mate into his arms. “Thank you, my mate for thinking of getting Meryn. As usual she was able to shortcut us to where we needed to be. I feel like we would have gotten to where we are eventually, but maybe with more hurt feelings.”

“I’m just glad it worked out. I could see how much he meant to you. His face appeared regularly in your drawings,” Izzy said holding him tight.

Oron looked tired but happy. “I won’t have to worry about the kids with him at the house. He was an amazing squire, not quite as good as Cord, but damn close. He served House Eirson before I was born.”

“I never would have sentenced him into exile for failing to stop the men of House Eirson. To me the larger crime was leaving Oron alone,” the queen said, staring at the door leading to the kitchen.

Cas spoke up. “I won’t speak for him, but I can see why he did what he did. My parents chose to fade rather than lose themselves. In his mind he believed that leaving Oron in your care would protect him from whatever he was becoming. It was the only way he could keep Oron safe.”

Zadie spoke up. “I hated my father for abandoning my mother and I when I was a child. Later, I found out that he was an addict, like my mom, but when he was high, he was violent. I was told that on his deathbed the only thing he had been proud of was walking away. He never hurt me. It was his way of keeping me safe.”

Brie nodded. “He did the right thing. I saw way too many calls where the father didn’t walk away. Those were never good days.”

Kincaid turned to her. “You said you were in Foster’s Care, is that because your mother was also ill?”

She shrugged. “I guess you could call addiction an illness, but yes. Child protective services removed me from my mother when I was fifteen.”

“Gods above honey, how old are you now?” his mother asked.

“Thirty. I was in the system for just a couple years, then got bounced out to make it on my own,” Zadie replied.

Kincaid’s father looked at his son. “Fifteen years ago? Wasn’t that when you said you came into your second element?”

Kincaid nodded absently, then what his father said sank in. He sat back. “I always thought it was because Giles had been born. I had a sibling to protect.”

Zadie took his hand. “I have a feeling, with you, it was probably both. Let’s go shopping, then check in with the warriors at the house. There’s a lot to do there to get it set up for the kids.”

He stood. “I know just where to start.”

“Baba’s.” More than one person said at the same time.

“Have fun kids,” his mother said.

“We will,” she promised.