When Harlin kissed her, they walked hand in hand to the gardens behind their castle. It was magic too. Instead of using the land on one level, someone had stacked layer after layer of land atop one another to grow many things at one time. When there was a need for whatever was on the top, a person only had to touch that layer, and it would come to the ground level for you to pick from. There were saplings growing in the same kind of ground system too.
“You’d think if they were able to make this work, a simple thing like having running water and electricity would be an easy thing for them.” Harlin told her this had been the working system here forever. But to them, electricity and indoor plumbing were still new. “I suppose. I do remember when we had to learn how to put on clothing. It was a nightmare for a while. We never got the hang of wearing a corset. I thought them to be stupid, but society back then required women to be in one. We compromised on it, I guess you could say, and only made our bodies look like we were in one.”
He was still laughing when they came upon Basil and his mom. They were holding a bundle, and Remi wondered what they were doing. It wasn’t until the baby started fussing that she realized they had a baby with them. Basil handed the little girl to her, then asked them to have a seat. He explained what had happened last night and how he was going to raise the little girl with Alma.
“That’s wonderful. I wonder where she came from.” Remi put her hand on the little girl’s heart and found out everything she could about her. Looking up at the older couple, she was so happy she could help them with this. “Mother Earth said you are to raise her. She’s the one that put her in your bed so you’d find her. Pixie’s parents are indeed dead. They were killed by her for misdeeds done to her kind. I do know the child was considered an innocent and has been given all that was left behind by her parents. There wasn’t much left. There is a house not far from where we are, and that is yours to keep her in. Mother Earth is hoping you’ll wish to take on other children like this one that only needs good and loving parents to show them right from wrong. I have to say this is sort of freaking me out, the kind of shit I’m getting from a single touch.”
They all laughed, and she looked at the little girl. There wasn’t an ounce of meanness in her from her parents. While she knew the reason they had gotten this little girl now, Remi saw no reason for her new parents to know. Pixie’s biological parents deserved to die and so much more, but she’d not been in charge of that part of Pixie’s life.
They all played with her. She seemed to be about three months old and was enjoying the attention she was getting. It wasn’t until Harlin took Pixie in his arms that she realized this was going to be his little sister. Remi glanced at Alma when she cleared her throat.
“I was worried you’d not take it well to have a sister so young.” Harlin said he didn’t care so long as she was happy. “I am too. Thank you for that, son. I am very happy. We’ve been looking for ourselves a home close to you, but if the one this child has is close, I see no reason for us not to enjoy it. Don’t you think?”
Basil kissed Alma on the mouth when she turned to him. “I think it’s a splendid idea, my dear. Splendid. We’ll have all the makings of a big family before too much longer, and this little one will be able to play with her niece or nephew when they come along.”
Again, Remi hadn’t thought of that. Putting her hand over her still flat belly, she thought of her own child growing up around here. It had been a wonderful place for her, and she was sure that Harlin had had a good life here as well. Snow joined them just as they were deciding they were in need of something to eat. The lunch hour had long since passed.
“I believe I have it, my lady. Yes, I think so.” They were headed to the house when both of the brownies Harlin had been working with caught up with them. “I’ll show them the house, Jack and Jill, then I will let you show them the greenhouse. This is a wonderful day, I think, to have someone so interested in what can be done again.” Snow looked at Basil. “I am sorry, my lord. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. But you have been ill for a very long time.”
“No need to be sorry, Snow. I know I let things slide. I’m better now, and I’m hoping you can find someone to help me bring my home with my mate up to standards too.” She said she knew just the person. “Good. No time like the present if you ask me. Let us go and see the house. I’m excited to see what changes have been made to it.”
Remi was almost too afraid to look. When it was pointed out that the kitchen building was going to be used for storage, she headed there first. It had walls now, thick ones. There were several lights around, and she could see that shelving had been added to hold things.
“There is power, what it is called, running to the building now. There is room for many things to be put inside to keep fresh. I spoke with Mandy at the other house, and she explained to me how to make it so that fresh things would not freeze, but things that needed to be frozen will be taken care of that way. Magic is very nice for something like this, she told me, or we’d have to have many such buildings to keep things around for eating.” Remi told her she liked that idea. “I’m glad, my lady. It was very good of you to send me to the other house. I was able to learn a great deal from there.”
Walking into the back of the castle, they were stepping into what she thought of as a mudroom. There were shelves on each side of the wall, and it looked to her like someone had mentioned that shoes could be placed under the small bench. She was happy to see her shoes there and that someone had shined them up for her. They left that area to step into the kitchen.
“This is it, Snow. I can see me working in here.” She walked around the room, touching the surfaces that were as smooth as stone. Remi realized that they were stones and that they had been used instead of anything else to work from.
In the center of the room was a long butcher’s block, made of wood of every kind she’d ever seen. Remi knew it was from her sister, Blaze, and cherished it all the more for her thoughtfulness.
The two refrigerators side by side were stainless steel, and she loved that there would be plenty of room for anyone to enjoy food from them. Opening up the one closest to her, she was so happy to see that they’d filled it with things she was beginning to crave. Taking out a bottle of juice, she drank it straight down and grabbed another one to walk around with.
It wasn’t just the kitchen that had been improved, but the entire house. Gone was the long room that she could see serving no purpose, but now was a part of the open area that led to the living room. A large fireplace was the replacement for the pit in the middle of the room that had terrified her on so many levels about someone falling into it. She knew that they’d have fun sitting in this room for decades to come. As soon as they found some furniture.
The other rooms had been redone too. The dining room, a place she knew would need to be large to hold their growing families, spilled out onto a covered walkway that had wisteria growing in long vines that nearly touched the ground. There was a large fire ring that could hold a cord of wood and warm the place for hours on end. The view, one she’d never get enough of, looked out over the sea, and even as late as it was, she could hear the frogs making their sounds, along with all the faeries out closing up the blooms that needed to be sheltered from the evening.
Their bedroom was the last one they checked out. The same view from the dining room was echoed from their windows, as well as the back yard and the mountain tops behind. As she was staring out the window, thinking of all the beauty that was now hers to look at, Harlin wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“I can tell that you like it. But you should say something to Snow before she explodes. She’s looking a little worried.” Remi did just what he asked her to do and told Snow she loved every part of the house and grounds around their new home. “Now we have to go and see what we have in the way of a greenhouse. I can only hope it’s half as lovely as you are. Then I’ll be set for life.”
Another kiss, and they went to the place where the greenhouse was to be put in. As they moved closer to it, Remi could tell that there were changes going to be made on it. Not that Jack and Jill didn’t get it right, but to work on the scale they were planning, there would be a need for stronger water flow, as well as more room.
“I still need to speak to the two of you about what you are.” Remi nodded as Jill explained to Harlin what they were doing. Basil cleared his throat, then continued. “It’s really important, Remi. I think the sooner you know what will happen, the better.”
“I know. But for today, I just want to bask in the newness of this all. If this were to go all to shit tomorrow, I’d at least have this memory to sustain me. All right?” He nodded, but she could tell that Basil wanted to get his part in this finished. “I promise you, Basil, we’ll talk to you first thing in the morning at breakfast. All right?”
“Yes. So long it’s first thing. Yes, we’ll be here for breakfast.” She asked Alma what was going on as Basil made sure Harlin was sure about the meeting. She said she didn’t know but would find out.
“Thank you for that. I think the more information we have beforehand, the better we’ll be able to handle things.” She asked her if she’d found the book of bylaws. “I have, but it’s been translated too many times for me to figure out. I’m going to—”
“Just put your hand on it and ask to know them.” Remi asked her if it would be understandable then. “Yes. You know fae and any other language that it might have notes in, but you only need to ask it to help you, and it will. Everything will help you. Even the soil we’re standing on. I’m sure that will give you more than even Basil will be able to tell you.”
“Thank you. I will do that as soon as we leave here.” She looked at the greenhouse, then back at her mother-in-law. “Are you happy, Alma? I mean, very happy?”
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been, child. I promise you. And having you mated to my son gives me so much more happiness that I can’t put it to words.” She hugged her. “You’re wonderful for this old woman. I want you to know that I’m here for you, either of you, whenever you need me.”
Chapter 6
Harlin wasn’t sure he wanted to hear anymore, but Remi was looking a little bit pissy, so he tried his best to pay attention. But what she was telling him and what he wanted to believe were two different things entirely. Like he knew he was going to live forever and not be killed, but to know that there was nothing manmade or magical that could even harm him was a little too much to take in.
“Are you listening to me?” He nodded, then shook his head. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Either you are, or you’re not. I’m not going to explain this all to you again and have you asking me what I said. Again. Listen to the words coming out of my mouth.”
“I am. I don’t understand them right now. Not that you’re talking gibberish, but I’m taking this the best way I can. To know some of the things—are you sure we can stay underwater indefinitely? I mean, what the hell would that help?” She told him. “Okay, I guess it would be good to be able to look and see what is down there, but why would I care? Do you?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do care. What if I was looking for a body or something that was hidden away? Don’t you think it would be better in finding it rather than waiting around for a diving team to get geared up and such before we knew?” She glared at him. “Here is one that I just thought of and realized it wouldn’t happen. I could stuff you in a cave and hope you drown when the sea waters come in. You don’t need to have a way to use the shit I’m telling you, Harlin, only that you can do it. There are millions of things that could go shit up, and some of this might come in handy. But to sit here and give you a reason you might need to use it is going to take all fucking night. I’m exhausted. You said you wanted information before Basil got here. Well, I’m trying to give it to you.”
“This is the way I work.” She told him to work someplace else and to let her tell him the rest. “I don’t want to know anything else. I’ve decided it’s just too much for us both to know, and you learned it. I’ll turn to you when I need you.”
“You’re going to be shit out of luck when I’m the one doing this shit to you, and I have the answers but won’t give them to you.” He thought she was being terribly mean to him right now but grinned. She was certainly adorable when she— “Damn it, Harlin, I’m going to hurt you if you don’t pay attention.”
“I’m sorry. All right. Just tell me one thing at a time, and only the really important stuff. I’m overwhelmed if you want to know the truth. I’m sure you are as well, but I just need a few minutes before you give me too much more.” She nodded. “How were you able to get this stuff anyway? Did the book finally pan out for you?”
“Mother Earth gave it to me.” She snapped her fingers and sat up on her knees. “I can do that too, I just realized. I can make sure you have it while I’m not getting pissed off at you for trying to explain.”
Before he could tell her that he liked her way of doing things, she touched her fingers to his forehead. He heard her saying something, but it was blocked out by the information seemingly downloading in his mind. Everything suddenly became crystal clear. Not only that, but he had an understanding of being a fae much better than he had before. Looking at her, when his mind seemed to slow a bit, he watched her.
“You understand now why it was so important that he gave us the information. We’ll be bombarded now with other kings wanting to take our kingdom away from us. Much like, from what I gathered, the men did to other castles when they were invaded. We’ll need to take a stand from the very start and not fob it off as no real threat. It will put out there that we’re too soft and that anyone can take this should they want.” He asked her if she knew how to do that. To take a stand. “I do. I worked with Dante and the others on this sort of thing. What we need to do is establish a power when the first king arrives and let them see how we work shit out.”
“So….” He wanted to have her tell him how to do it so he could keep her safe, but he also knew that even if he had all the knowledge she did now, he’d never be able to pull it off. Not without a great many people and creatures they were taking care of getting hurt. “You do what you need to do, and I’ll be right there with you. I’d ask that you don’t second guess yourself in thinking I need to be involved. I would love to be, but I know nothing of warfare and even less about having to take a stand against a fleet of boats or whatever comes here than I do about what to make for dinner for the two of us.”
The kiss on his mouth made him feel better. However, it didn’t lessen his worry about her getting harmed. He loved her. Remi was his life. And should anything happen to her or their babe, Harlin didn’t know what he’d do with himself.
“We can’t get hurt. Remember that. Keep telling yourself that over and over. We’re too powerful to get hurt. That doesn’t mean we can’t be run out of the castle if we do this wrong, but they can’t harm us.” Harlin told her he needed to remember that. “Yes, you do. Now, I’ve called the birds to let them know we’ll need them to help us and told them what I might need from them. There is no point in keeping it a secret that we have them when a great many lives are at stake. All right?”
Only an hour had passed by the time they’d worked out a plan to make sure that no one could take their castle and lands. They’d then go over it in the afternoon with the other birds to let them know what their parts were. When Basil arrived at seven after seven, Harlin felt that he was as prepared mentally as he was ever going to be. Basil sat down at the table, and without any kind of built-up, told him that someone had arrived to make war.
“So soon?” He nodded. Then he bowed his head. “We’re ready for whoever comes this way, Basil. We’re prepared and can defend almost any place surrounding us.”
When the earth shook, even the stone floor he was standing on, he knew the birds in
all their glory had arrived. The faeries and fae, along with all manner of smaller creatures, came into the castle keep. He looked at the birds when he went to the yard and thought he’d run as fast as he could in the other direction if they were someone he had to fight in battle.
“Are you ready?” Instead of answering her with babbling, as he was sure would happen, he kissed Remi on the mouth and held her hand to his heart. “We’ve got this. Mercy knew the first candidate had arrived earlier this morning. She sent word out to all the other people around to keep hidden in their homes. Also, Duncan has given us his army of faeries to use as a backup. We’re not just an army to reckon with, Harlin, but a force to behold.”
He knew that too and let out the long breath he’d been holding. Walking to the now open gates of their castle grounds, he saw the troll with his own army seemed thrilled that they were coming out to greet him.
“So you’re just going to lay down your arms and give in to me. I like that in a way. Takes a great deal of fun out of it for me and my men, but I do like it when a person knows they are defeated right at the beginning. I will make provisions for your—”
“I’m sorry. Why would you think such a thing from us?” Harlin didn’t know where his bravado was coming from at the moment, but he was glad he was able to speak to the man. “We’re only out here to find out who we should notify as your next of kin when you are beheaded. You do know when you come to a land that has been claimed by a king and queen, the person who tries to take it is to be killed. Are you? Are you ready to be beheaded?”
“Of course not.” The troll looked at his men and women lined up behind him. They were armed with large trees as battering rams. Pick hammers that seemed bigger than Harlin was. When the troll laughed again, he looked directly at Remi. “I heard that you are with child, Lady Remi. It would be a shame to have to harm you and your child today. Why don’t you toddle on home and let the men take care of this? You’ll be safe from harm until after the child is born.”
Remington: Queen’s Birds of Prey: Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance Page 10