Page 71 of Curse of Ancients

“Hi, West. Me no wide in pwane.”

“No, you didn’t ride this time. I missed you.”

“Abah home.” Juni reached back out for Bayu. Carleigh and her parents joined them, with Carleigh hugging them both and puckering her lips. Bayu obliged, kissing her gently.

“Welcome home.”

“How did you know what time we’d land?”

Carleigh looked over his shoulder. “Silas texted my dad. They were discussing Steven moving here, and he mentioned that you were close.”

“Me go see Cwuz?”

Celeste held out her hands. “I’ll take you. He’s missed you too.” Bayu watched after them until they were safely up the stairs.

“I need to get the scroll.”

“I have it.” Warren held out the rolled-up parchment. “I figured you’d be in a hurry.”

Bayu bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, Warren. For that and for coming with us. Silas is capable, but it made Carleigh feel better that I had extra security.”

“Eh, that was a piece of cake compared to sitting in the woods with a drone. I take it you haven’t heard anything from the other Black Lotus?”

“No. Violet made good on her word and gave me a potion blocking my whereabouts from them.”

“Does that mean you no longer want me hanging around?” Silas asked.

Bayu silently asked his mate, “Is it necessary? I will leave that up to you.”

Carleigh replied to Silas, “Maybe for a little while longer, unless you’re tired of hanging out at Casa de Stone?”

“Hell, no. I wouldn’t mind if you hired me permanently. Good food, better company, and you have a Juni.” Everyone laughed, but they all knew it was true.

Cruz waltzed down the stairs with the cub in his arms, and Celeste was right on their heels. They said their goodbyes, and Gemi rode back to the house with Julian and Kat in Silas’s vehicle, while Bayu, Carleigh, and Juni rode with Silas in her parents’ car since that’s where the car seat was.

Juni babbled the whole way, filling Bayu in on some movie they had watched while he was gone. Bayu was surprised the cub had sat still long enough to get through a complete film, but Carleigh assured him through their bond the boy had enjoyed it along with handfuls of popcorn they were still finding between the sofa cushions.

When they arrived, it was past Juni’s bedtime, but no one said a word when he climbed on the sofa with Bayu and curled up in his lap. Juni fell asleep with one hand fisting Bayu’s shirt and the other holding Harry. Carleigh was pressed against his side with her head on his shoulder. Her parents sat on the loveseat together, and Gemi and Juniper were in armchairs, listening as he recounted his trip.

“The stone circles were the same, but everything else from my dream was different. It was much farther through the woods than I anticipated, not to mention there was no clear path. Warren and Silas took to the sky since it was dark, helping to scope out the way. The scroll talked about my father’s many tasks without listing them specifically.” Bayu’s eyes threatened tears, but he blinked them away before continuing. “I was wrong in assuming he left us as often as he did just to get away. After speaking with Baekyo, I feel honored to have been chosen as Nuhuala, but it is my fear I, too, will be asked to leave my family behind.”

Carleigh looked up at him. “There’s a difference, like your god said. My family and I have skills that may help in your tasks. Maybe your mother didn’t want to go with your father. I will always be willing to travel with you if it is something that isn’t a danger to Juni. If you haven’t noticed, we have more than enough willing babysitters. Once the cub is comfortable being away from us, you and I can tackle all your tasks together.”

Julian stood and pulled Kat to her feet. “Yes, please. We have bought our own jet, so who knows? We might make your tasks a family affair.” He pointed at each person in the room. “We can fly to wherever your responsibilities take you, then we can holiday somewhere before returning home.”

Bayu inclined his head. “I have no issue with that. Gemi? Are you up for traveling?”

“I will go wherever my family goes, and that includes West Virginia. I am looking forward to seeing these mountains.”

“First, I must finish reading the ancient manuscripts. I will be ready whenever Baekyo calls on me. For now, I think we should get the little one in his bed, and I am ready for mine.”

Everyone said goodnight. Julian and Kat disappeared outside, most likely to look at the stars. Gemi remained in the living room with Juniper, while Bayu and Carleigh went upstairs. Juni only stirred a little when they swapped his clothes for a pair of cute pajamas with dinosaurs on them. They both kissed him, then retreated to their room. Carleigh didn’t close and lock the door, so Bayu took it to mean they wouldn’t be having sex. He was okay with that. All he needed was to hold his mate to be satisfied.

The next day, Bayu, Carleigh, Juniper, and Jon went to Bayu’s apartment. With four of them, it didn’t take long to get everything packed and loaded. What they were taking to their house they put in the back of Jon’s truck except for the artwork. It was carefully loaded onto the back seat. They decided to donate his furniture to a local shelter, so they packed those items in a moving van. Juniper followed Jon so he could return the van, then ride back to the house with her to get his truck. Since Bayu was taking his car, Carleigh drove the truck home.

Carleigh and Bayu got his stuff unloaded with the help of Julian, and while they waited for Juniper and Jon to arrive, Bayu shared with Carleigh the photos in the lock box. He told her stories about his parents and sister, and she held him while he cried. One day, when Juni was older, Bayu would share the photos and stories with him as well.

When Jon and Juniper got there, they joined them downstairs. Jon had brought his swim trunks so he could hang out with Juni. It amazed Bayu how everyone doted on the cub.