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She’s seated at the vanity on the far wall, her side profile to me. Her slender fingers put pin after pin in her hair, attempting to tame her wild curls. With the last one in her hand secure, she turns to me and smiles wide.
It’s impossible to not smile back. “I hate you. I’m trying to brood.”
“Well, you do a damn good job of that every other moment of the day. I promise one smile isn’t going to damage your reputation.”
Maevie, her daughter, bolts up from the couch in the living room, no doubt hearing my voice. Her red curls are just as wild as her mother’s, and her amber eyes zero in on me. She squeals and sprints across the room, and my lips stretch into a grin so wide I fear every tooth is visible.
She slams into my legs, wrapping her little arms around me as tight as she possibly can. I have to stagger to stay upright. Without a second thought, my fingers thread into her hair, hugging her to me, and when she finally releases my legs, she grins up at me with big, beautiful eyes full of stars.
“I missed you!” Her head barely reaches my hip, and with her staring at me this way, every worry melts into the ether.
My heart glows, and for a short moment, I’m her entire world. “I missed you too, little mouse.” Hooking my hands under her arms, I lift her up, and she clings to my torso, nestling her head into my shoulder. Carrying Maevie, I cross the room toward Alice, meeting her gaze in the mirror when I come up behind her. “Where’s Lucian?”
Usually, wherever one of their children is, the other is nearby. As they would put it, it’s a twin thing. Yet, as I turn in a tight circle, scanning the room, Alice’s son is nowhere to be found.
“He’s with Eva in the dining hall.” Alice adjusts the same hairpin for the tenth time.
“Ah, precisely where you should be.” I tease, taking a seat next to her on the tufted bench.
The moment I connect with the seat, Maevie pulls away, gathering a brush and two hair ties off the vanity. Tools in hand, she spins on my lap so that her back is to me, and without aword, commands me to do her bidding. I let her wave them a moment, waiting until she peeks over her shoulder in question to take them, knowing exactly what she’s wanting me to do.
It’s become our thing. One I sort of look forward to.
She doesn’t know it, but Maevie has filled a void—as much as one can, anyway—created by losing someone just like her. And for that, I’ll happily do anything she asks me to.
“I’m good for more than braiding your hair, you know,” I say, parting her messy red curls down the middle.
She eyes me in the mirror reflection, too adorable for her own good. “You act like I’m not aware of your talents.”
I chuckle as I twist strands or crimson hair into a perfect braid. It took me years to master it, but I’ve had plenty of practice. “What exactlyaremy talents, then?”
“You’re a good cuddler.” She ticks her little fingers off one by one. “You make thebestice cream sundaes. You read to me,andyou braid my hair without me having to ask.“ Her eyes meet mine in the mirror and I get an eye roll full of attitude. “Well,most of the time. Still, that’s just my top four.“ Maevie wiggles her fingers for me to see.
“I suppose you’re right.” Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Alice adjusting the same pins in her hair.Again.I swat at her hand and she shoots me a death glare that would make most shrivel. “You’re going to primp yourself bald.”
Alice’s scowl deepens as she purses her lips, but ultimately she decides to listen. “Why exactly are you here and not downstairs? Please tell me you did not abandon the girl in my castle.”
“Fine. I won’t tell you, then.”
She gapes at me, exaggerating a blink as she shakes her head. “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking. She’s anelf.”
“I’m incredibly aware of her pointy ears, thank you.”I stroked them last night.
“You can’t just leave her alone, Asmo. She’s an elf and we’re technically at war with her people. You brought her here.You protect her. End of story. Oh, and let’s not forget that your life is still tethered to hers. The last thing I need is you keeling over because some asshat didn’t look past her ears.”
“You and I both know my death would be temporary.”
Alice takes the brush out of Maevie’s hand—she’s been holding it for me as I’ve twisted her hair—and before I can react, the back of the brush cracks over my bicep.
“Um,ow.”I rub at the spot, meeting Alice’s blazing eyes. “What happened toviolence isn’t the answer, Asmo?Hmm?”
“That’s not the point. What is going on with you? You’re acting like your Hogwarts letter got lost in the mail.” Shaking her head, then bends over the vanity, fixing her makeup.
“If that happened, I’d be crying. Do you see tears?” I get back to work on the last half of Maevie’s head, while her little fingers toy with the tail of the first braid.
“You can either tell me, or the next time I go home, I won’t bring you back books.” Her red eyebrows arch in checkmate.
“You would hold such a thing over me?” My hands freeze. She doesn’t look away. Doesn’t speak.
