Page 67 of Curse of Ancients

“I appreciate the offer, but I would like you to stay here with Juni. I want all eyes on him while I’m gone.” Bayu dug into his pancakes, and Gemi turned to clean up the mess she’d made. He wasn’t ready to leave his mate and cub, but he wanted to get the trip over with. He was ready to clean out his apartment and close that chapter of his life.

Silas and Carleigh got back to the kitchen at the same time. Silas headed to the laundry room, and Carleigh plopped down on her stool. “You’re good to go. Cruz will have the jet ready tomorrow morning, but he needs to know where he’s flying to. I only knew it was somewhere in Japan.”

“I need to get to Kazuno City, but I’ll have to look up the closest airport.”

“I’ll do that while you finish eating.” Carleigh climbed back down from the stool and headed toward her office. She returned with a laptop. Bayu had barely finished one bite before she said, “Got it. I’ll text Cruz.”

Silas walked back in and grabbed his cup, downing the coffee in a couple of sips. “I’m going to run home and get that over with so we’ll be ready to leave whenever Cruz tells us to be at the airport. Do you need anything while I’m out?” Everyone told him they were good, and the guard left via the back.

Carleigh closed the lid on her laptop. “I think we should have another Gargoyle go with you.”

“Do you not trust Silas?”

“Absolutely, but we don’t know everywhere the Black Lotus is located.”

Bayu set his fork down and turned toward his female. “Baekyo said to trust Violet.”

“I do… sort of. I would feel better if you had more than one guard though.”

Bayu grasped her hand. “Then call Tabitha and see if she has an employee available. I will not ask anyone in your family to do this for free.”

“But that’s what—"

“—family does, I know. That is my concession.”

“Fine.” Carleigh left the room again muttering about stubborn tigers.

Bayu could be stubborn when he needed to be. And in that moment, he needed her father and Dominic to remain with Carleigh and Juni. He would not leave his little family unprotected.

Chapter 23

Carleigh wasn’t ready for Bayu to travel across the globe, with or without her, but she had to get used to him fulfilling his responsibilities. Baekyo told him Carleigh and her family would be useful to him, so hopefully, this was a one-off. Then again, with Juni, it would be hard to travel often. Not that he was a difficult child. If anything, he was close to perfect for a toddler, but she wanted him to have a normal life.

When Juniper returned, she had several photos printed off in various sizes, and Carleigh got online and bought frames for them all. Granted, she had to fight her mom for some of them until her sister promised to have more printed. They spent the rest of the day around the pool since that’s where Juni was happiest. Gemi fixed another delicious meal for supper, then they all gathered in the family room to watch an animated movie and share bowls of popcorn. Juni was fascinated and laughed and clapped even if he didn’t understand all that was happening in the film.

Bayu requested they leave their door open that night in case Juni wanted to join them. Through their bond, Carleigh sensed Bayu’s reluctance to leave them behind, and sleep was a long time coming for both of them. Around midnight, the little cub jumped on the bed and settled between them. Carleigh didn’t know if sleeping in his tiger form was comforting or something he did when he was scared.

Bayu and Silas left before the sun was up. They were meeting Warren at the airport, where Cruz and Celeste were waiting. Carleigh didn’t bother trying to go back to sleep. Instead, she grabbed her laptop and a cup of coffee, taking both to the patio. She hadn’t been out there long when the door opened and her dad joined her.

“I’ve been thinking,” he started as he sat next to her with his own coffee. Carleigh arched a brow, waiting. After taking a couple of sips, he said, “I think we need to buy our own jet. Your mom and I are going to want to visit often. Bayu can use it for his duties, and Juniper can use it when she flies out for a job.”

Carleigh chuckled and angled her laptop so he could see her screen. “I totally agree.” While snuggled with her tigers, she’d had the same thought. “We need to find a pilot.”

“Silas’s brother, Steven, is one, and he’s ready to relocate from the West Coast.”

“So, this wasn’t a recent thought.”

Julian shrugged. “Nope. Your mom and I talked about it as soon as we first met Juni. Don’t think we love him more than you and your sister, but there’s something special about him.”

“You don’t have to convince me. I fell in love with him the second Gemi handed him over.” Carleigh passed him her laptop. “I know nothing about planes, so I’ll let you choose one you think is best for all of us. But don’t think you’re paying for it on your own. Bayu and I have plenty of money, and if this is going to be a family jet, we should all chip in. I already own half a helicopter with Lydia.”

“You and Juniper can each donate a quarter, and I’ll pay half. June has already offered, so I’m not speaking out of turn.”

Gods, Carleigh loved her family. “Deal.”

Carleigh’s phone chimed, and she expected it to be Bayu. It wasn’t. It was a text from her Queen.

Dakota: If you don’t bring your mate and cub to see us soon, your King might revolt.