“I mean, it’s not what I was anticipating. He is an asshole, remember?”
“That’s my human you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, your asshole of a human.”
“Ember.”
“Coal.”
“It doesn’t matter now. We found him.”
“I’m not sure I like where we’ve found him.”
“They’re fated mates, Ember. It was bound to happen eventually.”
“I don’t think he’s groveled enough yet.”
“He might have groveled a lot last night.”
“It’s going to take more than a good dicking for her to forgive him.”
“For her or for you?”
“She deserves the best.”
“And he is the best.”
“At fucking shit up, yes. At treating her like the damn mystical goddess that she is? Definitely not.”
“It’s not up to us anyway, Ember. Just let them go with the flow.”
“I will. As long as that flow involves Archer Bowen on his knees, begging for forgiveness.”
“I can get to it right now, Ember. Do you want me to get dressed first, or would you prefer to humble me with a naked apology?”
My eyes dart open at the sound of Archer’s voice cutting through the chaos that is Ember and Coal. I clench my fingers around the sheet barely covering my chest as I blink at the flashes of red darting above us.
Ember grins as Coal hangs his head. “A naked apology is the least of your concerns, Archer Bowen, but I’ll save you for now. Besides, I don’t think a simple pair of your boxer shorts suffices as adressedapology. Especially since they’re in tatters,” she states, glaring at the floor where I can only assume the material lies.
Archer stretches out beside me, amusement flashing in his eyes. “You can grab me something more if you wish,” he offers, and the menacing smile on Ember’s face is undeniable.
She vanishes as Coal clears his throat. “Don’t encourage her maniacal ways, Archer,” he grumbles, avoiding my gaze as a flash of red reappears, along with a ripple of pale pink and baby blue.
“I couldn’t decide what your best color would be,” she sings, nodding toward the two dresses that fall across the bed.
“That’s not what I meant,” he grunts, running his fingers over the material as his attention spans to me. “Would it work?” There’s uncertainty in his eyes, and I can’t deny the fact that I like it, but I shake my head.
“It would be great entertainment, though,” Ember insists, swirling between us as Coal clears his throat again.
“We’ll leave you both to it. I was just worried when I couldn’t find you.”
“Did you need me?” Archer asks, calm and collected as he glances at his sprite, and it startles me how soft he is with him.
I don’t know what I expected, but I’m so used to Archer’s firm voice that anything else knocks me off kilter.
“Your father can’t get hold of you,” Coal mumbles quietly, as if the words aren’t meant for me to hear.
“Thanks, Coal. I’ll take care of it.”
