"How are my girls?" His voice was rough velvet as he crossed to press a kiss to my temple.
"Your girls are managing," I said, though Melaina chose that exact moment to unlatch and cry, milk dribbling down her chin. "Barely."
Aidon's low chuckle rumbled through me as he gently lifted Melaina, settling her against his broad shoulder with the kind of practiced ease that still surprised me. He began patting her back while I grabbed a cloth. "You're doing more than managing, Queenie."
From the living room, Nyssa's distinctive wail joined the chorus. "Spoke too soon," Mom said, wiping her hands on a towel.
"I've got her." Aidon shifted Melaina to one arm—apparently the Lord of the Underworld had no problem one-handing an infant—and headed for the living room. He returned moments later with Nyssa, who was working herself into a proper fit. He passed her to me with the kind of smooth coordination we'd developed over the past few weeks.
I situated Nyssa and felt that now-familiar tug as she latched. "Seriously. I'm a cow. That's my entire existence now."
"A beautiful cow," Aidon said solemnly, those blue eyes dancing with amusement.
I shot him a glare that probably would have been more effective if I weren't sitting there topless with a baby attached to my breast. "You're such a sweet talker, Yahweh."
His grin was pure masculine satisfaction, the kind that made heat pool low in my belly despite my exhaustion. "You love it when I get mushy."
Mom made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a groan. "You two are ridiculous. Tell me about the families you met."
"Ember is intense, but in a good way. Her fire magic is insane. Makes my witch fire look like a birthday candle. And Ash is like a little heater who could probably burn down a city block if he wanted to."
Aidon had successfully burped Melaina and was now swaying with her. Those powerful arms cradled our daughter as if she were spun glass. "They sound formidable."
"That’s why they survived the attack in the first place." I shifted as Nyssa finished, and Mom took her with grandmotherly expertise, already moving her into burping position.
From the living room, Thaniel's cry pierced the air. He'd been sleeping the longest and was clearly done with that nonsense. "I'll get him." Aidon passed Melaina to Mom, who now had both girls, and disappeared. He returned with our son, red-faced and furious at the world.
"Here," Aidon murmured, helping me position our son with gentle hands. "I've got you."
And he did. His hand supported Thaniel's head while Mom deposited Melaina in his other arm. This moment of working together. Of being a team, even in something as simple and profound as feeding our children, made everything feel possible.
"Kaia and her mate built a pool inside their house." I went back to telling them about the families while watching Thaniel's eyes flutter closed as he nursed. His little body was finally relaxing. "Like, a full Olympic-sized pool. Her water magic is strong. She warded the pool to protect them from the Thessmark."
Mom was bouncing Nyssa and moving with the kind of multitasking magic only mothers possessed. "Where’s Stella?"
"She’s coordinating everyone and creating networks for information sharing, mutual protection, and emergency contacts. She's building an army that doubles as a support group."
"You've built something incredible," Mom said softly. “Our family is a true blessing.”
"I don't know what I would do right now without all of you." The words came out heavier than I intended, weighted with all the fear I'd been trying to push down. My free hand found Aidon's leg. "I've never been this afraid. Not when I first got my magic and thought I was losing my mind. Not when I was thrown into this insane, magical world and had to figure out how to survive. Not even when I thought I might lose Aidon." My voice cracked, and I felt Aidon's power thrumming beneath his skin.
"But this—" I looked down at Thaniel, then over at my girls. "The threat to them?—"
"They will not get our babies, Phoebe." Aidon's voice dropped into something deadly. It reminded me exactly who I'd bound myself to. He wasn’t just my mate and the father of my children. He was a Lord of the Underworld. The King of the Dead. And right now, I could see death itself swirling in his eyes. "We will not allow the Thessmark anywhere near them. I swear it on the River Styx itself."
CHAPTER 5
Mom cleared her throat from where she stood bouncing Nyssa. "I should get dinner finished before these three decide they're hungry again."
"I'll help," Nana announced as she and Nina joined us in the kitchen. "Can't fight Thessmark on an empty stomach."
Nina made a beeline for Mom and extended her hands for Nyssa. “I’ll take this little nugget.” She cooed and smiled, looking lovingly at her sister. I was blessed to have such wonderful children.
Before I could get too nostalgic, my gaze traveled to Aidon when he moved to the window with Melaina. The rigid set of his shoulders as he stared out at the darkening sky made my pulse race. I recognized that particular brand of tension. He was thinking, planning, and calculating the odds.
"You're going to see your father," I said quietly.
He glanced back at me, unsurprised. "I want to take the stroller and the residue Ember gave you. If anyone can identify what kind of magic leaves that signature, it's him. Not that I don’t trust what Hecate is telling us, but Hades might be able to tell us more."
