Page 120 of Fae Farewells

Tilly paused, glancing around the entry in confusion. “Why hasn’t anyone tried to come in?”

“Hellhounds make great guards,” I commented absently.

Vaughn slowly turned his gaze my way. “You didn’t—”

“No,” I drawled. “I didn’t. They posted up on the front steps when the battle ended.”

“What are they doing there?”

“Do I look like I’ve been wrangling hellhounds?” I shrugged. “If I had to guess? Probably enjoying the bones after cleaning up our mess.”

Palmer snorted. “I’m sure that would stop any sane person.”

“Demons wouldn’t even think about going near a hellhound with a bone,” Stone stated. “Especially knowing it was fresh.”

Briggs grunted. “Shifters, too.”

“Well, that’s a fantastic way to start this celebration,” Ruby dryly announced. “Welcome to a new era. Don’t mind the dogs. They just want a nibble.”

Novak cackled. “They’re trained better than most of the people I know.”

“Just don’t piss off Helios,” York added.

“I like Helios,” Vaughn mentioned. “He doesn’t have a temper with me.”

“We are talking about those, right?” Vex asked, pointing at my boys.

Though the doors lay on the floor in a pile of rubble, the hounds held everyone at bay. They were in their true forms, leathery skin on display as fire-tipped tails lashed about. The sun reflected against the raised skin on their left sides, the Devil’s seal easily seen from our angle.

Cronus and Helios perched on the edge of the stairs, their posture caught somewhere between the way a dog sat and a gargoyle ready to pounce. Atlas lay in the center of the destroyed doorway, all the poise of a sphinx, except he had a bone between his front paws. The grinding of his teeth grated on my nerves until I flashed forward and snatched the chew toy out of his grasp.

He rolled his massive head to stare at me. I scratched his neck, avoiding his slobbery jowls.

“You can have this back when we get home,” I commented quietly. “I don’t think the fae appreciate you gnawing on another fae in front of them.”

Vaughn stopped beside me, shaking his head as I used my magic to push the bone all the way to our home in Nashville.

“We’re clear to pass?”

“Atlas doesn’t act like he’s sensed anything deceitful.”

My fae motioned his sisters forward, but Cronus bound toward them, blocking their path. He flicked images of Freya and Tilly into my mind, soothing purples playing in his thoughts.

“What’s he doing?” Ruby asked, hesitantly holding her out for him to sniff.

I moved to stand with them, whispering so low I wasn’t sure if they heard me. “He wants to restore their power.”

“Why?” Tilly asked.

“Because he wants to.” I shrugged. “This is his gift. The hellhounds understand more than they get credit for, and I’m assuming he senses how weak you are right now. If you’ll hold your hand out, he’ll do the rest. He won’t hurt you.”

“Okay,” the youngest sister mumbled, her hand outstretched as Cronus towered over her.

“You too,” I told Freya.

As she held her hand near Tilly’s, Cronus pushed against them. Their skin brightened by the second, going from faded rose and sage to more vivid versions of the pastels.

Tilly placed her small hands on Cronus’s cheeks, staring into his eyes as she said, “Thank you. I haven’t felt whole in a very long time.”