Catching Faete

by Elena Kincaid

  Chapter Five

  “I think you two beasties may have gotten more food on me than actually ended up in your tummies.” Leo sighed as he stood from his seat in front of the two highchairs and went to rinse out the washcloth that was covered in pureed pears, along with his shirt and jeans, which had collected most of the mashed peas and squash.

  He was still getting the hang of feeding the babies from a spoon. Bottles were certainly much easier to handle, especially once Finn had figured out that blowing a raspberry when his mouth was full of food made his sister laugh every time. Leo had to turn away more than once when he couldn’t stifle the smile in response to his son’s antics, more so when it was followed by the sweet trill of Ellie’s irresistible giggles.

  “What is going on in here?” Ben laughed as he walked into the kitchen, taking in the carnage. Leo was scraping the baby food out of his hair. “It looks like a food bomb went off!”

  “That’s one way of putting it, isn’t it, squirt?” Leo looked back at Finn, who then decided to show Ben his new trick, blowing what was left of the food in his mouth all over the place, causing both Ellie and Ben to erupt in laughter. “Ben! You can’t laugh. Then he’ll think it’s hilarious and do it all the time.” Leo sighed in defeat.

  “Well, I’m sure that Mommy will dissuade him of that notion soon enough. For now, let’s get these two cleaned up.” Ben reached for the clean washcloth that Leo held out and proceeded to wipe Ellie with it since she was the cleaner of the two.

  When all the soft pink skin was finally fresh once again, Leo and Ben plucked the children out of their chairs and wandered into the living room. Erica was dealing with some Royal Court issues this afternoon, so Leo was looking forward to some quality daddy-baby bonding time.

  They settled the twins on their backs under their favorite mobiles and watched as their quickly developing brains took in all the little toys dancing over their faces. It was so amazing to him how he could see them changing and growing every single day. What a miracle babies are, he thought.

  Ellie started to fuss a bit, so Leo grabbed her favorite stuffed giraffe out of the toy bin, and her chubby little fingers grasped onto it as she cooed, as if telling it a story of her own.

  It didn’t take Finn long to spot the toy his sister was enjoying and with a furrowed brow, he tried to reach for it, but their little girl was having none of it. Ellie kept making her happy gurgling noises at the giraffe, completely ignoring her brother, who was now making quite a fuss.

  “Where’s your lion, Finn? You don’t want Ellie’s silly old giraffe,” Leo murmured as he dug through the toy bin, looking for the stuffed lion that Finn took to bed each night. “It’s not in here, Ben. Did we leave it upstairs in their room this morning?”

  “I don’t remember. I’ll run up and check.”

  “Maybe I left it in the kitchen?” Leo jumped up and peeked his head around the corner into the other room, searching the kitchen chairs for the fluffy little lion. Seconds later, his hackles rose and Ellie’s sweet little voice had gone quiet. He turned back and gasped as he saw only one baby lying on the play mat. Finn, now happily gurgling, the giraffe firmly in his grip.

  “Ellie!” he yelled, his heart felt like it was up in his throat as he searched the room for her. Unless she’d spontaneously started to crawl, there was only one other option. “Ben! This isn’t funny. Do you have Ellie?”

  He heard his brother’s frantic footsteps thundering down the stairs, and his mind knew that he hadn’t heard anyone enter the room while he’d looked into the kitchen. Hell, there was no being on Earth or the Veil that could have moved quietly enough to sneak up on his wolf.

  “What do you mean, do I have Ellie?” Ben’s face reflected the same fear that was rapidly blossoming in his chest. “Where is she?”

  “I just stuck my head in the kitchen, and then poof she was gone!”

  Ben raised his nose and inhaled deeply, a look of confusion crossing his face, and then he quickly moved to each possible exit from the room and repeated the action. Of course, in Leo’s shock and panic he’d forgotten to use his most natural sense to look for his daughter. He inhaled deeply himself, taking in the faint sweet smell of the babies’ lunch, then the scent of his son, and then… What the hell? Ellie’s scent was still strongest right where he’d left her, next to her brother on the play mat.

  “I don’t understand. I can smell her still right here.” Ben reached out and gently laid a hand down on the mat, but still, there was no sweet little girl. “Her scent hasn’t gone past any of the entryways into this room.”

  Leo looked over to where Finn was happily playing with the toy, seeming not at all concerned with the shouting they’d just been doing, which in and of itself should have seemed a bit odd, since they generally didn’t raise their voices around the babies.

  “Finn, do you know where Ellie is?” Leo cautiously asked his son.

  Ben softly gasped when Finn stopped playing for a second, his eyes briefly looking to where his sister had been playing, and then he went back to ignoring them, chewing on the giraffe’s soft head.

  “Do you think … that Finn … that this is some kind of Dark Fae thing?”

  “I don’t know, but every instinct I have is telling me she’s still right there on the mat and we both can sense that she didn’t leave through any of the doorways.”

  “What should we do?”

  “Well, I guess we should call in the reinforcements.” Leo grabbed his phone and quickly dialed the one person he hoped could help them. “Aneena? We need you at the house right now. We’ve got a problem with the twins.”

  Ten minutes later, the young Dark Fae burst through the doors, looking ready for battle.

  “Where are the babies? What’s wrong?”

  “In here,” Leo called out from the den. After what happened, there was no way he or Ben were going to take their eyes off Finn for even one second.

  Aneena walked into the room, and her head tilted slightly as if she was sensing something they could not see. Her eyes took in Finn, laying there happy as a clam, and then she looked around the room. “Where is Ellie?”

  “That’s our problem. I stuck my head into the kitchen for a moment to see if I could find Finn’s toy because he wanted the one Ellie had, and then suddenly, she vanished. When I looked back, Finn had the giraffe, but Ellie was gone, even though Ben and I can clearly both scent her as if she hadn’t even moved.” The words rushed out of him. Leo tried to temper the panicked tone in his voice, but he was way out of his depth here when it came to Dark Fae magic. What if those members of the Dark Fae council who had opposed them adopting the twins had been right? Were they really prepared to raise these children? Would they be enough?

  Aneena knelt down next to the spot that Ellie had last been seen. She closed her eyes and her hands hovered over the area. Leo watched as her brows furrowed for a moment, and then he was baffled as one side of her mouth turned upwards in a slight smile. She spoke low, a string of Fae words that neither himself nor Ben could understand, and then suddenly, just as abruptly as she’d disappeared, Ellie’s sweet little body was right back where they’d left her on the mat. There was a surprised look on her face, and then she saw her toy in her brother’s hands and her lower lip began to quiver right before she began to wail.

  “Oh, thank the Goddess!” Ben scooped her up and hugged her tight, trying to soothe her.

  “What happened, Aneena?” Leo had to walk over and touch the soft hair on his daughter’s head, just to make certain that she was truly there. His heart was still pounding a fierce beat in his chest. He didn’t want to imagine what they would have done if Aneena hadn’t been with them.

  “My best guess is that Finn’s talents are emerging. It appears as though he phased his sister from this plane of existence just enough that she could not be seen, heard, or touched, but not completely, as you were still able to scent her presence.” The Dark Fae eyed Finn speculatively. “It’s quite a talent to have, but it will
require a firm upbringing, to be certain.”

  Those words terrified Leo. Did this incident mean that Aneena was going to recommend the twins be raised by parents that could match the magic that was developing inside of these two children? He loved Finn and Ellie with all his heart, and he only wanted what was best for them, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t tear him apart to have to let them go.

  “We could, perhaps, place a binding spell on their magic until they are old enough to enter into instruction?” Aneena offered quietly.

  He looked up at Ben’s face as he took in the Dark Fae’s suggestion, and then he looked at the faces of his children.

  “No,” Leo answered, “I don’t want to bind their magic. It’s part of who they are, and we will just have to learn how to deal with it. No one is placing spells on my children.”

  Aneena simply nodded once at him before taking her leave of the room. Leo had no idea what she’d thought of his answer, and he didn’t care at the moment. He knew in his heart that he wouldn’t let anyone take away any part of what made his babies special. Leo, Ben, and Erica had been warriors before they were parents. They’d defeated unspeakable evil and saved their people from enslavement. Surely, they could figure out a way to stop two babies from turning their lives upside down with a little magic? He supposed the bigger question was would the Dark Fae council still give them a chance to find a way?

  Chapter Six

  “I’m going to throw up,” Erica said as she squeezed Ben’s hand tightly. “They won’t even let us hold them.”

  “It’ll be all right,” Ben said, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  Leo did the same to her other cheek. “Just remember, Erica, that none of this will be on you should they decide against us. I was the one watching her.” His voice was a pained whisper. Ben could almost hear his heart breaking.

  “No, Leo,” Erica whispered back harshly. “You did nothing wrong and everything right. You two are the best fathers any child would be lucky enough to have.” She turned to Ben and squeezed his hand again.

  Their two weeks were up, and the trio found themselves once again in the Dorum meeting place, awaiting the judgment that could either seal their happy fate or crush them so completely, that Ben feared neither he nor his brother nor their mate would ever recover. Gabe, Braxas, Corrine, and April and her mates were there for support, as well as Ishaya and Graham. No one else other than the council members were allowed in attendance. While it was also mandatory for Finn and Ellie to be in attendance as well, Leo, Ben, and Erica were not allowed to hold them this time. Aneena sat up front with her High Dorum cousins holding Ellie, while Alak held Finn. Ben imagined the council members staring at their children, mentally looking for any damage they inflicted on the babies. Assholes!

  He and Leo moved in closer to Erica and held her between them. She could not stop shaking as Aneena recounted her observance of them for the past two weeks. The crowd erupted in laughter as she told them about the diaper explosions, all but the mated coupled who had sneered at them the entire first meeting. They sat silently shaking their heads, waiting to pounce on anything they deemed an infraction, and they got their chance when Aneena began her report on the incident of Ellie’s disappearance and Finn’s budding Dark Fae powers.

  “Two weeks and already they lose a child,” the vile woman named Rhana scoffed in clear disgust.

  Her mate, Lomer, then added, “We knew they would not be able to handle the powers of the Dark Fae.”

  “Silence,” Aeron warned, piercing them with a deadly glare. “You will respect these proceedings. Speak out of turn again, and I will seal your mouths shut indefinitely for your defiance.”

  The couple widened their eyes and shrank back in their seats. Ben could see that the threat was not an empty one and that it was well within Aeron’s abilities to deliver such a punishment. Aeron then looked at Aneena and nodded at her to proceed.

  “They did not lose her.” Aneena rolled her eyes. “With their sharp senses, they were able to determine that Ellie was there the whole time.” She took a deep breath. “The powers our Dark Fae possess are certainly ones that may be hard for the trio to manage.”

  Ben heard Erica suck in a deep gasping breath at Aneena’s words. His own heart beat frantically in his chest. This did not sound promising.

  “The wolf shifters were with the children at the time, but were at a complete loss of what to do, so they called me,” Aneena continued. “I suggested that perhaps they could bind the twins’ powers.”

  Loud gasps by the council members rang around the room, including Clementeen, the woman who had proposed the trial period, and it had seemed by her facial expressions throughout the proceedings thus far, that her support had been garnered.

  Rhana stood. “I believe that I am not out of turn to speak now.” She stabbed the air with her pointer finger as she spoke, and all the while her mate wore a smug look on his face. “To infringe upon the growth of these—”

  Aneena interrupted. “They said no,” she stated plainly, looking directly at the woman. As Rhana continued to stand, Aneena went on. “Actually, the shifters looked at me like they wanted to tear me limb from limb for even suggesting to put a spell on ‘their’ children.” Rhana took her seat. “And as I said, Leo called me. He knew full well that I would report this, and yet he called me anyway.”

  Aneena turned her gaze back to the front of the room, addressing all the members once again. “I read a human phrase once in a book I was studying about the inhabitants on the other side of The Veil, and it said that it takes a village to raise a child.” She looked at Erica, Ben and Leo. “And they have one. They have the support of true friends. The people they govern adore them, and they have me to help guide them. I have pledged my life to these children as their Duva Matra, a binding oath I intend to keep, but I am not their mother. She is.” Aneena pointed at Erica with her free hand. “I have seen the love of a mother shining through her eyes since the day I saw her with those children. I have seen her wear worry, and joy, and motherly pride. And them,” she said pointing at Ben and Leo, “they are the fathers. I have seen them act ridiculous as they learned how to change a child properly, laughing at one another in the process. They went to great lengths to make their children laugh and smile, and even told them stories about their heritage as if imparting it to their children like it was part of their heritage as well. And I can say without a doubt that their unselfish and unconditional love for their children will always be at the center.”

  Ben couldn’t help the elation he felt at this moment. He looked over at Erica to see tears of joy pooling in her eyes. Leo held a hand to his chest, meanwhile.

  “Are you ready to proclaim your decision, cousin?” Alak asked her.

  “I am,” she said. “I have spent two weeks observing a family, and so I believe they should remain.”

  “And you faithfully agree to serve as the Duva Matra for these children, assisting in their education as well as serving your duty on this council?”

  Ben knew this was the formality part, and truth be told, he couldn’t care less what they were saying at the moment. He smiled widely as he looked at Ellie and Finn, both of whom were wide awake and looking around the room. He could have sworn that it was for their mom and dads, for them, they were looking.

  “I faithfully agree,” Aneena said. “I shall work out a mutually convenient schedule with the Queen and Kings of the Light Fae.” She turned to Erica and smiled. “I also don’t mind babysitting once in a while,” she added with a wink.

  “So it shall be,” Alak said, passing his ruling.

  “So it shall be,” Aeron repeated. “If there is no cause for objection to address, then I would like to continue on to the final oath from—”

  “We have an objection,” Rhana said, pulling up her mate to stand with her. “I suggest you reconsider.” Looking amongst the members of the crowd, she added, “That you all reconsider.” Turning back to face the front, she continued. “Will they need a
babysitter as well?” she spat, referring to Erica, Ben, and Leo. “As a Duva Matra, Aneena will no longer be in residence with them. A few hours a day, several times a week at best, does not prevent incidents from occurring the rest of the days.”

  Ben had had enough. He stood and faced the evil bitch of a woman. “And we are capable of handling any situation, even if handling means asking for help. Do you and your mate have any children?”

  Rhana pursed her lips. “No, but I don’t see how that is relevant.”

  “And I can see how you wouldn’t,” Ben said. He gave Erica a gentle squeeze to her hand, letting her know he’d got this. He felt the anger rolling off her, but the last thing they needed right now was for Erica to blast the woman out of existence, despite how much he wanted to see her do it. “I see a bitter, prejudiced woman, who cares nothing for these children, and a mate who only knows how to parrot her. I look at the other council members and can respect that they wanted us to prove ourselves worthy enough to claim these children as our own. Hell, we wanted to be worthy enough. The three of us will spend the rest of our lives proving ourselves worthy to be Ellie and Finn’s parents. You and your mate are the ones I deem unworthy of looking out for anyone’s best interest but your own.” Ben sat back down as Rhana and her mate continued to stand.

  And then the room erupted in arguments, all against Rhana and Lomer, except for whatever garbage Rhana was spewing back. Ben had had his say and just tuned her out. He tuned everything out until two loud cries erupted from the front of the room. Ellie and Finn became inconsolable, kicking their little hands and feet out. And then something amazing happened. Wisps of mist emerged from the twins, and they formed them together. The three images they produced out of them were that of two wolves and a smoky apparition of a woman with short, dark hair and blue, electrifying eyes. The sound of arguing had completely stopped.