“Ah, he’ll bounce back.” I shrug. Except he doesn’t. Moth fully commits to the bit with the resolve of a high school drama student.
“My flame—” he chokes. There’s the barest hint of a smile at the edge of his lips. “I have been vanquished.”
“Isee that.”
“My foes were many—and fierce.” Clutching his chest, Moth begins to cough dramatically. So cute. The children eat it up, bursting intogiggles.
“Should I avenge you?” I ask, Pepper’s chuckles resonating atmy side.
“Fiercely.”
I let my wings span behind me and let out my best battle cry. Grappling for the discarded wooden sword, I chase a dozen laughing children around the courtyard until Holly returns, her presence replacing my joy with tension. Her arms are crossed, but wait a second—is that a smirk onher face?
“Your form was better that time,” she muses, giving Pepper a knowing look. “Mother is calling for both of you.”
“Alas, with my dying breath, I will send my regrets.” Moth coughs a few times before letting his head fall tothe side.
“Charming.” Holly sticks her nose up, but the smirkremains.
“I think so,” I giggle, offering his faux-lifeless body my hand. To everyone’s relief, he makes a miraculous recovery. “Come on, let’s get some tiny cakes to revive you.”
We wave our goodbyes, getting ready to make our way back to the castle.
“Well, they’re adorable,” I say, stealing a glance back at Moth’s plentiful foes.
“Yes,” Moth responds, with an undeniable glint in his eye. Maybe one day the two of us will have a little winged horde of our own—okay, probably notthat many.But I could imagine us as super cute parents in a decade or so.
I lace my fingers in his, giving his hand a light squeeze. It’s a future that’s fun to think about, though right now, I’m happy with just Sprout.
A girl toddles over—Ruby and Pepper’s youngest I think, the same who had been riding on Moth’s shoulders the day we met. She holds out her hand and gives Moth a piece of paper. When he leans down, she whispers something that causes him to shake with unexpected laughter before nodding at her. Gleefully, the girl jumps, returning to the rest ofthe group.
“Whatis that?”
“A formal request for honey cakes at the party.”
“Ooh, she even added in a leaf.”
“We must take this request before the queen.”
“We must.”
“We are stealing you two as full-time babysitters,” Ruby shouts across the field while Pepper nods in agreement. I’m suddenly glad I agreed to blow off another tea party to be here—though I don’t expect I’ll want to pick up a sword anytime soon.
“Duty calls,” Moth shouts back, the light fading from hisdewy eyes.
“Why don’t you just hang out?” I ask. “I’m sure your old friends wouldn’t mind the help, and I can work on stuff with your mom. We’re probably going to be talking about décor for an hour again anyway.”
“Do you doubt my knowledge of centerpieces?”
“I would never,” I gasp, holding my hand to my heart. Stretching my wings, I flutter up to his cheek, planting a kiss on his warm skin. “Seriously, have fun, okay?”
“Do not work too hard,” he says, holding out the leaf to me. “And remember to honor thisrequest.”
“I’m on it.” I wink, waving a last goodbye before heading off in search of Queen Plume. The laughter fades, but my smile doesn’t. It’s good to see Moth with friends—I just wish we could take them all back homewith us.
11.
This afternoon, it seems like Queen Plume wants company more than help. I ignore the way her shoulders shrink just a fraction when she realizes Moth isn’t with me. Her son—I can’t imagine how she feels after seeing him again. Did he once run around the training grounds armed with a wooden sword and a sharp-toothed smile? Or was he in the library with a book held tightly to his chest?
