Page 33 of The Knotty Clause

Liam nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on the bandage wrapped around her shoulder. He reached down and picked him up and the boy immediately buried his head against his neck, his small body trembling.

“Your mother is strong,” he said soothingly. “She’ll be fine after some rest.” The slight weight of Liam’s body in his arms felt right, natural. “How about we make her some soup? Would you help me with that?”

The suggestion worked like magic. Liam raised his head immediately, his worry momentarily forgotten in the face of having a mission to accomplish.

“Can we make the one with the red vegetables?” he asked hopefully.

“Of course. That’s her favorite.”

“Mine too!”

Liam settled down as they cooked and by the time they returned with the steaming bowls he was almost back to his usual cheerful self. Yede balanced her bowl carefully in his hands as he sat on the edge of the bed. Despite her protests that she could feed herself, he wouldn’t hear of it.

“You need to rest that shoulder,” he insisted, lifting the spoon to her lips.

She rolled her eyes, but she allowed him to feed her.

Once she finished, he gathered her gently in his arms, mindful of her injury, and settled back with her against the pillows. Liam scrambled up as well, wedging himself between them with the casual confidence of a child who knew he belonged there.

“Tell us a story,” he pleaded, his green eyes bright with anticipation.

He pulled them both closer, savoring their warmth against him.

“Did I ever tell you about the time my brother tried to catch a Korrith in our mother’s garden?” The memory surfaced easily, bringing a smile to his face. “He thought we could train it as a pet.”

“What’s a Korrith?” Liam asked, settling more comfortably against him.

“Imagine a creature about this big,” He held his hands a foot apart, “with six legs and rainbow-colored fur that changes patterns when it’s excited.”

He described how they’d chased the creature through Kaela’s prized flower beds, destroying half her garden in the process. By the time he got to the part where the Korrith had turned their fur bright pink in retaliation, Liam was giggling uncontrollably.

Gradually, Liam’s breathing slowed and deepened, and Gemma followed him. Her head rested against his chest, her hair spilling across his white fur, while Liam sprawled across both of them, one small hand clutching his arm.

The moment was so peaceful that the last of his fear drained away. They were his family. And he’d protect them with everything he had, even if it meant fighting every miner on the planet.

CHAPTER 19

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow across the bed as Gemma woke. Her shoulder twinged, a reminder of yesterday’s events, but the pain faded when she saw Yede and Liam beside her. Yede’s massive body was curled protectively around them both, his white fur gleaming in the morning light. Liam had somehow managed to wedge himself between them during the night, his small body pressed against Yede’s side.

She smiled happily at the sight. Between the confrontation and her injury, she’d been afraid that Yede might retreat into himself again. Instead, he’d stayed close, tending to her wound and comforting Liam with stories until they’d both drifted off to sleep.

She reached out, unable to resist tracing the strong line of his jaw with her finger. His features softened in sleep, making him look younger, more vulnerable. The urge to protect this gentle side of him surged through her.

As she pushed herself up in bed, a realization struck her. Today marked the Eve of the Longest Night. Back in her village,families would gather to celebrate with feasts and storytelling, sharing warmth and hope during the darkest time of year. Even though they’d never had much money, her mother had always made it special, decorating their small home with evergreen boughs and cooking traditional dishes that filled the house with mouth-watering aromas.

Now she had the chance to create those same magical memories for her own family. The thought made her smile.My family.

She eased out of the bed, careful not to disturb Yede or Liam. Her bare feet padded silently across the floor as she made her way to the kitchen. The morning chill nipped at her skin, but her excitement warmed her from within.

She decided to make kolachin for breakfast, just as her mother always had. The burn in her shoulder faded into the background as she lost herself in the familiar motions of measuring and mixing. Kneading the dough was a little bit more of a challenge, but she managed to do most of it with her uninjured arm. The repetitive motion soothed her, and soon the kitchen was filled with the comforting scent of dough. She set it aside to rise while she made the filling.

She’d just rolled out the dough and was spreading the filling across it, exactly as her mother had taught her, when Yede appeared in the doorway, his worried expression relaxing as he saw her.

“You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

He sighed but came to join her, bending his head to kiss her.