Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Time to Go Home
Jiro POV
Thank the Moon Goddess they put Hades in a deep sleep again, with the help of Head Mage Pascalline and the Blackthorns. And, sadly, with Ravyn and Jude joining in.
If it were up to him, Ravyn and Jude would just concentrate on mending and mating and putting this whole unfortunate quarrel behind them, and not bother with Hades. But Jiro observed that they were alike. Both relentless and stubborn in their devotion to duty. Made for each other. Ravyn and Jude looked at each other with that look that plainly said, "You're my mate, my world, my everything. The stars in my sky and the moon when I rest."
When had he become such an incurable romantic?
Garnet gave him a gentle kiss, sensing his feelings through the bond. "I'm happy for them, too," she whispered.
Staring at the body of the woman once known as Melisande and now just a vessel for Hades, Jiro murmured, "And I wish we could let them be happy together for another night in one of those royal bedchambers. But we have to get Hades back to the pack lands. He's a threat to every human in this palace."
Garnet sighed, relaxing. "He's certainly caused his share of chaos among us–without even trying. It's just who he is. A walking storm."
"Exactly. We don't want his thunder, lightning, and hail to wreak havoc in the palace."
Odo and Giselberthe were giving a speech, saying goodbye to the Crestas. Jiro heard Odo single him and Garnet out as the bridge between humans and shifters. A whiff of melancholy clung to the king and queen at having to say goodbye. Ever-guarded, Dane promised to howl at the council and the Shifter Federation until they relented and agreed to let the king and queen make a secret visit to the shifters.
Garnet breathed more easily, shaking off the pall Hades had cast on such a happy occasion,
Taking comfort from the silkiness of her skin as he held her close, Jiro approached Ravyn and Jude as the leaders of the quest. "Headache gone?" Jiro asked.
Ravyn rubbed her temples. "Yes. But I even saw that the king and queen and the new Mrs. Daxius looked pained."
Jiro pressed his advantage. "What do you think we should do?"
"Well, it'd be a shame to miss that lovely speech we worked on. After Odo and Giselberthe give it, let's go home."
Eyes strong and confident, Jude agreed. "It looks like Duffy made it back here in record time." He nodded at the gnome, newly arrived and toasting Daxius and Marieke with a goblet as big as he was. "With him rejoining us, we're ready to go home. Do we teleport?"
"I think so," Garnet said. "It's the only way to travel–and we need to get Hades home as fast as possible."
Jiro noticed that Jude and Ravyn stood close together, unconsciously touching, but he smelled a trace of lingering sorrow. They hadn't reconciled yet. He thought about nudging them, but decided against it. If he knew either of those two, they wouldn't leave things up in the air.
"I think we've been away too long," he murmured.
Anneliese slipped into the conversation. "We need to get Lindrat and Cornelius back to my parents before the little princesses of Lugdunum adopt them."
Jiro glanced over at the little princesses, who were playing with the dragonet and unicorn. A black-haired blue-eyed young boy, about eight years old, had joined the fun, with a white fluffy rabbit in his arms. Lord Blackthorn in miniature. "If that little boy doesn't call dibs first."
Ravyn and Jude smiled, relaxing but still not touching. "He either looks like Lord Blackthorn or a mini-Dane," Jude noted.
Garnet's eyebrows arched in delight. "Can you sense the wolf in him?"
Jiro closed his eyes and sniffed, then made a sound of satisfaction. "Yes. You?"
Garnet nodded. "Very strong. And definitely Sinsworth."
Ravyn growled, "Keep him away from Hades."
* * * * *
Ravyn POV
Her attempts to connect with him had their limits. Letting him get his claws into such a young, innocent boy was definitely one of them.
Jude smirked. "I don't think that'll pose a problem, not in this crowd."
She hadn't had a chance to apologize to Jude, but she wouldn't set foot on the green grass of the shifter lands, let alone Silverpaw territory, until she did. She rested her hand on his strong arm and felt the warmth of his skin beneath the fabric of his clothes.
"We'll do whatever we have to, but he's not getting near the boy," she snarled.
Morgana agreed, staring at her young descendant with a thoughtful expression. "He kicked Melisande out of her own body, the latest in a long line of Goddess knows how many people. This boy is going to grow up free of that."
Sharing a fierce look with Jude, Ravyn assured her, "Count on it."
Talon and Kelara wandered over after toasting Dane, Lilia, and Duffy. Garnet made a fuss over the young pup. "Your son is a Sinsworth. I can smell it, and so can Jiro."
Ravyn detected a wistful, bittersweet flood of emotion from Talon. She knew next to nothing about this stranger who turned out to be family, but she didn't want to pry. He'd mentioned that his son was from his first marriage. Maybe he and his ex-wife co-parented and he had to be separated from the boy.
"He's a tough little pup," Talon said gruffly. "Brilliant. He's doing fantastically well with his lessons. A future lord and Alpha of our estate."
Jude grunted in approval. "I bet he loves being a shifter–and a mage."
Talon's eyes turned the color of a dark sea at night Kelara put her hand on his shoulder. "He's been dying to meet other shifters," she said in her musical voice. "He thinks baby wolves must be so cute."
Jude grinned. "With fourteen pups in the family and counting, he'll probably be in heaven if you ever decide to visit the pack lands. When can we expect you?"
Jiro's and Garnet's faces lit up.
Kelara smiled. "I thought you'd never ask. If you'll all let us stop at our castle first to fetch a few essentials, we'll be ready to make the trip whenever you are."
Sometimes, Ravyn thought, life couldn't get any better. Jude's enormous grin lit up her world, and made her ache to properly apologize to him for their quarrel. With that unpleasantness behind them, they could go home to what would undoubtedly be the biggest homecoming reception yet!
* * * * *
Garnet POV
"You're coming with us?"
The nods and smiles on Kelara's and Talon Blackthorn's face warmed Garnet's heart.
Odo, no slouch politically, glanced at Talon, who puffed out his chest and looked important. "Lord and Lady Blackthorn, will you be our ambassadors to the Shifter Federation, representing the royal court?"
Talon said gruffly, "As Your Majesties wish."
Kelara added, with a sparkle in her eyes, "It would be ever so wonderful if my child could be born in shifter lands, and our son William could get to know his shifter heritage and play with his wolf cousins."
William shrieked and bounced around faster than his little bunny could. "Do you hear that, Flufftail?" he said to the bunny. "We're going to meet little wolves! Our cousins. They're going to be so cute."
The bunny gave a small squeak and cocked her adorable, fluffy head as if she understood, which Garnet sensed that she did. As far as rabbits went, this one had a keen mind. Garnet sensed a spirit bond between the bunny and the boy. Unusual between a rabbit and a wolf.
Dane grinned. "You'll be more than welcome. You'll get to visit Evenhide first."
With his eyes, he dared Jiro to object. Smirking, Jiro allowed his brother this victory. "Just remember, he's a Sinsworth, and no matter where his paws land, he and his Luna will be staying in Red Crescent City."
"AND welcome in Greywolf City," Jude asserted, not to be outdone.
The Blackthorns all beamed. "Just say the word," Talon said, looking as restless and eager as his little boy to be off on this adventure.
Chamberlain Axel Allard darted through the room and beckoned to Odo and Giselberthe. "Your Majesties, the citizens have assembled in front of the palace."
Odo took Giselberthe's arm. "Shall we, my dear?"
Clinging to his puffy sleeve, Giselberthe said, "Let's do this."
With the shifters following behind them, and Ravyn, Anneliese, Lilia, Daxius, Marieke, and Morgana surrounding them, the king and queen headed out the door.
Giselberthe had just reached the door to the parlor when the eyes of a suit of armor glowed an unholy red. Ravyn shrieked, "Your Majesties, get down!"
Too late. A scarlet beam struck the king and queen! They both fell down like toy soldiers.
Garnet sensed hatred. She sprang toward the source, only to see Patch pinning one of the royal mages to the wall. "Explain yourself or I'll cut your throat," Patch growled at the mage, whose hands glowed scarlet, his face twisted with hate.
"Enemies," the mage hissed. "Your lies won't tarnish the royal family!"
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AmandaMadden Ravyn and Jude are having an unusual time as newlyweds! And now a paranoid mage is threatening to ruin everything. What's going to happen?
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