They brought forth the Baron of Muzek’s youngest daughter, Leah. She stood between two gargoyles, looking afraid and more than a little hopeful. She was going to try running as soon as she opened the portal, but she wouldn’t get far.
When they led her into the center of the small crowd, the gargoyles released her. “Open a portal to the human realm,” David commanded.
When Leah did so, she immediately tried to flee through it, but one of the gargoyles seized the collar of her shirt and jerked her back. Her feet flew up as tears filled her eyes and screams of frustration tore from her throat.
She nearly fell on her ass, but the gargoyle kept her from doing so. “Let me go!” she wailed.
No one paid her any attention as Scarlet and Ellery embraced one more time. When they parted, Scarlet stroked the top of Lillian’s head. “I’ll be back soon.”
“You better be, or I’ll hunt you down,” Ellery vowed.
Scarlet grinned at her before turning and following Callan into the portal. Samael went last; the only one he looked at before he walked through was me. When I nodded to him, he returned the gesture.
“Close the portal,” David commanded when they vanished.
Still sobbing, Leah did so. Once the portal closed, the gargoyles carried her back to the jail.
With nothing left to do, the small crowd dispersed to go about their day. I kissed the top of Ellery’s head and turned to face Ianto, Tucker, Luna, Ruby, and Billy, who’d remained behind.
Georgie was with the children at the orphanage. Their laughter still filled the air as they continued to chase each other around the building.
“Why don’t you come in for lunch,” Ianto said.
We followed the giant up the newly replaced stairs and into the building; he ducked to clear the doorway. While we settled around the kitchen table, Luna and Ianto prepared a platter of fruits, cheeses, and bread.
The orphanage was well-funded, the larder fully stocked, and the children well-dressed and loved. It was a far happier place than any of the orphanages had been last year, and Ianto, Callan, and Luna worked hard to turn it into a real home.
While this was the only orphanage in the realm right now, and it was full of kids who’d lost their parents, it wasn’t overcrowded.
Over the past months, many amsirah worked to add onto the building. All our tree house building in the forest had come in handy for the orphanage’s expansion, as many of the amsirah who resided with us in the forest had lent a hand.
What was once a small house was now a sprawling place full of bedrooms, playrooms, bathrooms, a library, and a kitchen. Over time, we’d build more orphanages in the other towns and sea villages, but for now, the more, the merrier here.
All the children were loved by those who cared for them and the many amsirah who visited every day. Some of the kids had found new homes, but the others chose to stay here rather than go somewhere else. They were happy here.
When Ellery’s nails clicked against the table, I rested my hand over hers to soothe her, but she’d worry about Scarlet until her friend returned. “They won’t be gone long,” I promised.
“I hope not.”
“So do I,” Ruby whispered.
Ianto and Luna came to the table with the platters of food. More trays remained spread across the countertops.
We picked at our lunch while children ran through the kitchen, grabbed food off the trays, and ran back out to play. Ellery watched them with a big smile while she rubbed Lillian’s back.
I leaned over to look at my beautiful daughter, who was sleeping soundly against her mother.
“Do you want to hold her?” Ellery asked.
“I don’t want to wake her.”
“Nothing wakes her when she’s asleep.”
Ellery carefully unwrapped the binding keeping Lillian secured, and as she predicted, our daughter didn’t stir when she handed her to me. I kissed the tip of Lillian’s nose and stroked her downy hair.
I hadn’t known it was possible for me to love someone as much as Ellery, but when it came to this precious child, I did. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her.
Ellery leaned against my side as she plucked a grape from the platter and tossed it in her mouth. I surveyed the happy faces surrounding us as the door banged open again and squeals filled the air as a group of children gathered handfuls of bread before darting out again.
