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Aeson chuckled. “Now, you sound like your mate.”
She looked over Aeson’s shoulder and down the stairs behind them, where Matthieu was supporting a grumpy Gage on one side.
Out of respect for Gage, Aeson set her down in front of their bedroom door. Smiling, she nodded her thanks. Gage hobbled forward away from Matthieu, and she wrapped her arm carefully around his waist.
“Goodnight, you four,” Leon said, waving.
“Goodnight,” she responded, then looked down. “Yuki, can you grab the door? Ame, can you pull the covers down?” The boys nodded and quickly began to help.
“This is humiliating,” Gage mumbled.
“You nearly died. I think it well within your perceived acceptable macho behavior to be assisted into bed by your mate and sons.”
Gage grimaced at her admonishment. “You’re right.” After that, he dropped the strong facade he had been maintaining. She got him into bed and pulled up the covers. “Your father gets a pass on his bath since he was hurt. However, you two do not.” She pointed to the bathroom. “Do you need help?”
The boys shook their heads and raced to get ready for bed.
She sat down next to where Gage lay and brushed the hair from his forehead. Leaning down, she kissed him gently.
“I wish I could make love to you,” he whispered.
“We have the rest of our lives. Thank all the gods, we have the rest of our lives for that.”
“I thought of you in that cave. You and the boys.”
“I heard you made Aiden and Darian leave.”
He opened his eyes. They were full of grief. “I had to stay.”
She nodded. “I know. As much as I wanted to scream to the heavens how unfair it was, I knew you made the right decision.”
“I didn’t make it lightly. I wouldn’t give up you or the boys for anything.”
“I know,” she repeated.
“Zoe, I almost couldn’t do it,” he admitted, closing his eyes.
“But you did. You’re too strong to let fear rule you and I will be eternally grateful that fate gave me an honorable mate like you.”
“I’m just going to rest my eyes for a bit. Remind me tomorrow. I have to talk to Oron,” he said, before passing out moments later.
She changed into her nightgown while the boys washed up. When they emerged, she kept both of them on her right, so they wouldn’t jostle Gage in the middle of the night.
“Good night, my little loves,” she whispered.
“Good night,hahaue,” they answered.
Snuggling close, it wasn’t long before they all fell asleep.
*****
Zoe gripped Gage’s hand as they walked through the hallways of the palace. She now had to use the gorgeous emerald wrap Gage had gotten her from Baba’s. The city was dimmer, and there was a bite of cold in the air.
That morning she and Kincaid managed to recreate a warming stone for the warrior villa, which kept it comfortable, but once you stepped outside, the change in temperature was drastic.
Portia saw them coming and nodded before falling in step with them. “Ari and the rest of the Tau unit are here.”
Gage nodded. “They left before us. We were getting the boys settled.”
