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Claire didn’t know if any of them had really slept well last night judging by the state of the group the next morning. Claire certainly had not, instead tossing and turning in between Desmond and Malcolm. Holly didn’t look much better. The only one that looked awake and alert was Cody which was driving Bethany crazy if the death glares were anything to go by.
Kallan and Kieran met them in the kitchen. Claire saw them sneak concerned glances at Holly who edged Desmond out for a seat next to Claire. Claire leaned her head on Holly’s shoulder while Malcolm and Zack made everyone breakfast. The twins politely declined the plates of food Zack offered them. Zack shrugged and slid an extra plate to Cody and Everett.
Claire pretended not to notice Cody sliding the extra bacon onto Bethany’s plate when she wasn’t looking. Bethany had her own relationship things Claire was going to have to ask about as well. Especially when she gave Zack an uncharacteristically soft smile when he placed a plate of breakfast in front of her.
“After you eat, we will take Claire out to our private training area,” Kallan said. “The rest of you will have to stay here.”
“Yeah, I don’t know if that’s going to work for us,” Desmond drawled. “I’m not necessarily thrilled at the thought of my Soul Flame in unfamiliar territory surrounded by people we don’t trust.”
“You can trust her with us,” Kieran argued.
“It’s a moot point anyway,” Kallan said. “The things we need to teach her are for the Fae’s knowledge only.”
Everett frowned and looked at Claire. The protective feelings coming down their bonds were strong but they didn’t have much negotiating power here. As much as she wanted to believe her cousins were noble, their help was the only thing that was going to give Claire a fighting chance in the Traditio. They couldn’t risk pushing on this.
Puck jumped from Everett’s shoulder to Claire’s lap, twisting around till he was comfortable, his tail laying across her knees. Puck would stay with her, it would be fine.
Claire looked at Kallan and nodded. “Sounds good to us.”
“Well, we are going to need something to do while we wait around here,” Cody said with a wicked smile, “Wouldn’t want us getting bored and causing mayhem while you are out.”
Kallan looked pained for a fleeting moment before he masked it. “And what are you proposing?”
“You have a library here, right? We need to identify these four ingredients the Council is after and corroborate some things in a few journals,” Cody said. “Let us have access to the library and we promise to stay out of trouble. Well… unprovoked trouble of course.”
Claire hid a smile as Kallan looked at her. She gave a small shrug. It was a fair ask. Her Triad still didn’t feel thrilled about leaving her alone with her cousins. The twins would have to give up something as well.
“Fine,” Kallan sighed. “There shouldn’t be anything in there that will get you into trouble anyway.”
Bethany laughed. “You haven’t met Cody. He can create trouble out of anything.”
Instead of protesting, Cody shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”
* * *
After gettingthe others set up in the library, Claire followed the twins out of the back of the mansion. Desmond had pressed a kiss on her head before whispering “Give ‘em hell.” Malcolm growled softly as he hugged her but had reluctantly released her to Everett who had kissed the tip of her nose, making Claire smile.
She was still thinking about them and smiling when Kieran looked back at her with a strange expression on his face.
“What is it?” She asked, her smile falling as a frown took its place. Puck in his familiar perch on her shoulder, powered his head so his cheek brushed hers as he also stared at the Fae.
“Your mother’s Notus used to sit on her shoulder in the same way,” Kieran said softly, watching her expression carefully as if he was afraid the words would upset her. The Fae had weird things about emotions didn’t they?
A sad smile crossed Claire’s face as she thought of Toan’s similar words. “So I’ve been told.”
“We were still young men but I remember her Notus well,” Kallan said, a far off look in his eyes. “It was the sweetest thing until Winona was threatened. Then it fed off her power and became a force of one’s nightmares.”
Puck rubbed her cheek with a soft purr as if pleased by the description.
“That’s why your men are okay with leaving you alone,” Kieran observed.
Claire nodded. That and she could handle herself usually. And if she couldn’t, their unusually strong bonds would alert them to trouble.
“You haven’t bonded yet though?” Kieran observed again.
Claire blushed. This wasnotsomething she felt comfortable talking about with them. “Not yet. There never seems to be enough time,” she squeaked out.
“Please ignore him,” Kallan said, rolling his eyes at his brother. “He oversteps.”
