What the fuck is going on?
“Isadora, stop it,” Dominic commanded.
His daughter’s gaze jumped to his. “I’ll kill anyone who touches them. They are mine.”
Mine?
It couldn’t be.
Dominic sent an Alpha call of retreat for his wolves. “Okay, Isadora.”
Once they were far enough away, she let up on the wind show. Isadora turned to the Unseelie. “What are your names?”
“Eiravel.”
“Cynes.”
“Ear-a-veil. Psy-nes That’s cool. I’m Isadora, but Aunt Silva calls me Rosemary.”
Eiravel smiled down at her. “How about Rose?”
“You are not giving my daughter a nickname like some sicko.”
“They won’t harm her.”
Dominic blinked. The voice was … like water. Asherah leaned against Heath’s side, tears still falling down her face as she gripped Silva’s hand.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s Eldcuroth,” Asherah answered.
Silva jerked and turned to Dominic. “Okay, look, big boy. This is going to sound weird, but just deal. Okay?”
Dominic looked around. “This is my house. My pack lands. I am Alpha here, last time I checked.”
“Yeah, I know. Got the memo. But I trump you, dude. I’m Niamh Danaan of the Silver, Queen of the Seelie. Dude, I sooooooooo win.”
Eiravel and the other Unseelie, save for Heath, dropped to their knees.
“Okay, guys, get up. I’m not your queen. The Unseelie still has someone, don’t they?”
Eiravel looked up. “We were … slaves in Seraph. You became our queen.”
Silva swallowed.
Dominic had had enough. “Someone explain this shit to me, or I won’t care anymore about holding back.”
Silva nodded. “Okay, the Eldcuroth means that Eiravel and Cynes,” she winced, “would technically be your daughter’s Foraltins, or Fates. You call it mates.”
“They are not mating my fucking child.”
“Ew. Of course not. That’s why it’s called Eldcuroth, or Echo. It accounts for meeting at the wrong time. Fae live very long lives, and sometimes their mates aren’t born until later. In essence, they’re going to be the most annoying big brothers she’s ever had, complete with the overprotective instincts that will make you proud. And then, one day, if she chooses, it may turn to Fate.”
“We don’t choose mates, Silva.”
“No, but for the Fae with Eldcuroth, the more … mature feelings of a mate bond are not present in any way. Only the protective ones and the bond that could form. It would take a Tirlara to change it to the normal Fate. The younger of the pair would have to initiate that, and the method will be by her choosing, not theirs. They couldn’t attempt to force it if they wanted to. I’ve just never seen it with twins before, but it makes sense.”
Yeah, okay. Of course, that’s what every father wanted to fucking hear. He looked to Eiravel and Cynes. “She is my daughter, no matter what you felt. Do I make myself clear?”
