Page 53 of Rage of Her Ravens
Aurora wiggled like a moth trying to escape its cocoon. “I’m squished.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” I said to her. “Only a few more days, and then we get to go to their big house where you’ll have lots of room to stretch your legs and play.”
“Is it bigger than Pappo and Yaya’s house?” Ember asked while hugging her doll to her chest.
“Oh, much bigger,” Nikkos said, “and much nicer.”
Ember gave him her prettiest smile before sucking on her thumb.
I nervously fidgeted with their hair, smoothing it behind their ears. “Now remember to do what Uncle Blaze says and let him know if you feel like you’re slipping.”
“Uncle Blaze?” Aurora squinted up at him. “Are you our uncle?”
Blaze’s jaw dropped and he looked at me as if I carried the moon and all the stars in my eyes.
“He’s my mate,” I said, my cheeks flushing, “so, yes, that makes him your uncle.”
“Is Nikkos our uncle, too?” Ember asked me.
“He is,” I said.
“What about Draevyn?” Aurora asked.
“No,” I grumbled, refusing to look at my mates. “Not him.” I gave each of the girls a kiss and double-checked the knots on the sling for good measure. I was keenly aware of Blaze’s heat radiating all over me, his feral scent clinging to my skin, and his dark eyes piercing my soul as they followed my every move. “Remember to be good,” I whispered to the girls.
“Yes, Auntie,” they answered, tucked tightly in their sling like little birds in a nest.
“Don’t I get a kiss?”
Heat crept into my cheeks as I looked at Blaze, his feral gaze nearly taking my breath away. “Maybe later.”
He splayed a hand across his heart. “I shall be looking forward to ‘later’ with anticipation.”
Nikkos held open his arms, bowing like a perfect gentleman, those dimples in his cheeks deepening. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
“Thank you.” I bit my lip, letting him lift me into his arms. As he shot into the sky, clutching me tightly, I knew I could be content to live several lifetimes with my two mates. Yet, a blade twisted in my heart at the thought of Draevyn’s rejection.
He’d left us, and for that I didn’t think I could ever forgive him.
* * *
Despite the frigidair that blew back my hair, I was nice and warm tucked in Nikkos’s arms. We’d only flown for a few hours, the sun midway up the sky. We’d already had to stop twice, once because Aurora had to tinkle and another because Ember was too squished. I feared our flight would take longer without Draevyn helping us. Curse him.
Blaze flew beside us, my nieces whining and fussing in his arms despite my admonitions. Blaze tried to assuage them, but I could tell their constant bickering was wearing him down. Finally, my mates agreed to stop for a repast. They landed beside a pretty stream that I feared was too tempting for the girls to resist. This time I took off their stockings and let them splash in the ankle-deep water.
Mindful of the spiky thorns, Nikkos, Blaze, and I picked plump berries from thick brambles alongside the stream. The air was fragrant with their sweet smell, making them too hard to resist. The tips of our fingers turned purple as we ate while picking, though I saved a pile in my pocket for the girls.
I hummed a tune while working, reminded of the many times my mother, sister, and I had gone picking berries. Our mother would boil the berries after we filled our baskets. How we loved when she made jam and syrup to warm our oatcakes. Our mother always sang to us to make the work more tolerable. Always. Her voice was so lilting, so pretty. I recalled one song in particular that brought a smile to my face, so I sang it while pocketing berries.
‘Feathers for her nest
Warm flames for her heart
Strong arms for her rest
Raven and maiden never shall part.’
“That’s a pretty song,” Blaze said before shoveling berries into his mouth. He still wore the girls’ sling around his chest, Ember’s straw doll nestled inside. What a good uncle he was.