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“Thank you,” I whispered as tears sprouted to my eyes.
Then she turned around and skipped toward Minsi, who was still running around the dancing roses.
I turned to Thea, my eyes wide.
She shrugged. “Don’t look at me. She’s my child, I have rarely been away from her, and she still finds ways to amaze me.”
“She heard us and then she brought me a solution.” I placed the bunny on my lap. “Amazing.”
“I worry about her, though,” Thea said, surprising me. “With her being who she is, the future Queen of All Witches, I can only wonder what kind of great destiny she’ll have. We already seem involved in some conflict or other every few months. How will it be when she’s older?”
I shook my head, unable to imagine it. How would I handle having a seven-year-old with so much promise ahead of her? I would probably hide her from the world. “That must be hard.”
“And now there are the night terrors,” Thea said.
“Shane told me about that.”
“It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, the entire castle shakes. It’s insane. Every time, we evacuate everyone, afraid the castle will come down.” Wow, the chaos that might be. “We’ve tried spells, elixirs, meditation … nothing works.”
I reached over to her and squeezed my hand. “I don’t know what to say other than you and Drake are amazing parents, and if someone can figure this out, that someone is you. You’ve got this.”
Thea offered me a sad smile. “Thanks.”
A giggle came from the rosebushes and I was delighted to see that it came from both girls. Aurora was back to behaving like a happy seven-year-old girl, and Minsi, despite being older, was having a great time too.
Seeing her like this warmed my heart.
Footsteps came from the side of the garden. Lucille and Hugh walked toward us.
“I heard you guys are having a party,” she said.
Hugh waved at us, but turned toward Tyren. Knowing the two of them, they would spend the entire time hovering close by, but not close enough, on phones either playing games or on social media.
“Not a party, but a get-together.” I patted the blanket and she sat down beside me.
She looked at me. “I heard you’re sick.”
I waved her off. “No talk about anything depressing like that. I forbid it. We’re here to have a good time.”
“A good time, you say?” Lavinia asked. I glanced toward her voice. She, Almae, and Chef Morris walked out of the castle, carrying large trays. They set the trays right in the center of the blanket.
Chef Morris picked up a plate from one of the trays and offered it to me. “Just as you asked, ma chérie.” It was the warm bread with the herbs and oil dip.
My mouth hanging open, I took the plate. “This is amazing. Thank you so much.”
“Anytime, ma chérie.” He smiled at me, bowed his head slightly, did the same to Thea, and returned to the castle.
“Is he always like this?” I put the bunny aside before I got it dirty, and set the plate on my legs.
“Morris? Never!” Thea shook her head. “He practically doesn’t leave the kitchen, much less talk to anyone.”
I smiled, happy for this small thing. I ate a piece of the bread dipped in the oil and almost moaned. I put the plate in the middle along with the other delicious food—pastries and finger foods I had never seen before—so everyone could have a little.
I looked around. Lucille, Lavinia, Thea, Almae, Minsi, Aurora, Tyren, Hugh. They all seemed content in this little improvised picnic, and that made me happy. We were missing our men or this little party would be even more perfect.
It saddened me that Shane was handling this situation worse than I was, but If the situation was reversed, I would probably lose it too. I just hoped he came around before it was too late.
For now, I enjoyed the company of friends, old and new, and family. Knowing Minsi and Tyren had so many people who would watch over them after I was gone was a big relief.
