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The families in the square ranged in race, but sadly none were hybrids. One little girl sat at the fountain with her mother and kept stealing glances at me around her mom’s arm.
Smiling warmly, I waved at her.
She tapped her mom, pointed, and ran across the square towards me. Her mother walked after her, smiling apologetically as they approached.
The little girl, no older than ten, sported blonde pigtails so light they almost looked white. She bowed to us and when she straightened, she looked at me and said, “Someday, I want to be as strong and beautiful as you, Queen Ember! Thank you for saving us yesterday.” She bowed again and ran back to the fountain.
Her mother smiled at me. “We were a few rows back from the bomb when you teleported the man away. She’s been talking about you nonstop since then.” She bowed and said, “Thank you for protecting us. We will always remember your sacrifice.” She looked at Triston. “Thank you for protecting Her Majesty and we are very glad you are safe as well.”
He dipped his head to her.
The woman walked back to the fountain where her daughter was talking animatedly with a friend next to them.
“I know we didn’t really talk about it, but you did great, Emmy,” Caleb whispered and leaned down to kiss the top of my head, leaning his elbows on the back of the bench on either side of me. “Nana Addy told me about you using your shields and your senses. I’m very proud to be such a powerful and smart woman’s mate.”
Tilting my head upside back so I could look at him almost upside down, I said, “Amos wasn’t completely wrong in his accusation that day. It was my fault they were there.”
Caleb shook his head. “No, they would have come that day for Riddick and I, even if I’d never found you or accepted my mantle as king. They’ve been chasing after us for years.”
Ezio growled and our eyes whipped back to where Lily was playing.
A group of them were on the ground, piled on each other, but they all froze as he walked over.
He reached into the pile, pulled out a little boy, and set him on his feet. Ezio squatted down and said something to the little boy who wiped blood from his nose and nodded, turned, and dipped his head to Lily.
Lily wiped blood from her own nose and said something to Ezio.
“Should we intervene?” I asked softly.
“No, let Ezio handle it,” Caleb said. “I want to see what happens.”
A large man stomped over, hands clenched into fists, and pushed the little boy behind him, shouting and pointing at Lily.
Branson started to move forward, but Caleb grabbed his arm. “Just wait.”
Ezio slowly stood, faced the man, and said something to him calmly, but sternly.
The man glanced down at Lily and then at the little boy. After a moment, his shoulders relaxed and he held out his hand to Ezio.
Lily held her hand out and she and the little boy shook hands. Lily looked up at Ezio, said something, and he nodded. Immediately, she grabbed the little boy’s hand and ran back to play with the other kids.
Ezio walked over and winked. “Just a slight altercation. Everything’s fine.”
Seeing that interaction definitely had me feeling less hesitant to send Lily to the werewolf school with him as her guard.
“There you lot are,” Rhys said behind us.
We spun around and I smiled at the pink summer dress Jolie wore, one I had purchased for her.
Standing, I walked over and hugged her. “That dress looks great on you.”
She spun in it and said, “I know! This sweet woman bought it for me. Can you believe it?”
“She clearly has good taste,” I said with a nod.
“I don’t know who is worse, Mom and Ember or Mom and Leona,” Caleb said with a scoff.
“Shut up, you love us,” Jolie said and pulled him into a hug.
