Page 85 of The Night Firm

Matilda and Lily come in just as we’re settling down, bearing a plate of food for me and goblets of blood for the boys. The old woman is all smiles as she hands me a dish full of baked greens and ripe cheeses, then gives a hug to each of her grandsons.

Lily places a hand on my shoulder, beaming proudly. “I knew you could do it,” she says.

“Save the trial?” I ask in between bites, feeling ravenous after such a long and grueling night.

“Save my uncles,” she says, her eyes a tad watery as she looks at the Night brothers. Then she wraps me in a tight hug and I almost drop my plate, putting it down beside me.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” I say. “Your delay of the court proceedings was perfect.”

She shrugs, and when she pulls away, Matilda takes her place. She hugs me long and hard. "You did it, my girl. I knew you would. You brought light back into my boys."

“In lumen et lumen,” I whisper.

I feel wet tears on my neck and then she stands to leave, wiping her face with her hand. I invite them both to the slumber party, but they graciously decline. Lily will sleep in her tree as usual and Matilda says she is too old for such ways, but I think she secretly wants me to spend more time with the boys alone. She's a crafty one, that old lady.

It doesn't take us long to set up everything, and Sebastian surprises me with two gifts. "Tomorrow is the Midwinter Festival," he says. "And…well, here."

The gifts are both wrapped in gold and purple ribbon and I open the first, finding a book of poetry within. My eyes light up. "You remembered."

He nods. "You aren't the only one with a good memory," he says with a shy smile.

The second box contains my heart's desire. Gourmet chocolates.

I throw myself into his arms. "Thank you. This is perfect."

He holds me tightly, and I rest my head on his shoulder, enjoying the solidness of him, the assurance of having him in my life. He is my rock. My mountain. I know he will have my back no matter what.

There's so much to explore with him. With each of them. I'm rather overwhelmed by it all, but there's time.

Now that they've decided to stay, to give life a second chance, there's time for it all.

* * *

Derek is tellinga story about a great serpent that wraps around the entire world when sleep takes me. My dreams are not easy things. A wolf devours a lamb, spraying blood on the golden bell of the Broken Cathedral. And the wolf has a face I would rather forget.

When I wake, it is with a gasp, my body covered in sweat.

And I find four men on the alert, ready to comfort me, to hold me, to let me cry.

"It's not your fault," Sebastian assures me, pulling me back into his arms as Liam uses his power to give a fresh blaze to the fire.

The flames steal the chill from the air, and I scoot back under the furs, enjoying the feel of Sebastian and Liam close to me, with Elijah and Derek on either side of them. I could stay like this forever. Perhaps I will.

Something moves at the corner of my eye. A fire iron poking at the fireplace, igniting the wood into brighter flames. But no one else is here, The fire iron moves mid-air on its own. I freeze, clutching Liam’s hand.

“What’s that?” I ask, pointing at the fire iron. “More of your magic?”

Liam follows my gaze. “What, them? They’re just the castle ghosts.”

“Ghosts? You mean, there’s ghosts in the castle?”

“Yeah, who do you think cleans and cooks and does all the work around here?” He says it so casually, I can’t help but laugh.

“I had wondered about it,” I say. “But this wasn’t what I was expecting. Who are they?”

“These two are called Mable and Cili,” says Liam.

Derek rolls his eyes. “You call all of them Mable and Cili.”