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He counted the days and told her.Funny, it seems much longer.
“Great. Past that point, we pull out all the stops. Operation ‘get the girl’ is a go!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Rain and fen stayed fora week, marveling over the way the “mortal realm” had changed.
They used the main bedroom, which had been Eli’s up until recently, so that was a bit weird for Iris, but it was good getting to know her parents. They didn’t eat food, and they drank beverages only to be polite, so that was interesting as well. She still didn’t understand how her own body worked, though come to think of it, she’d never been sick in her life, never had a normal childhood illness or been rushed to the hospital. Even her cuts healed cleanly and quickly.
But that made her wonder. “Uh. I used to donate plasma quite a bit. Do you think the patients who received my fluids are okay?” she asked Rain.
“The binding made you essentially human, dear one. I’m not sure what would happen if you tried to donate now, however. But if you need funds, we can—”
“I’m fine,” she cut in quickly.
She didn’t want them dumping heaps of jewels through the portal, as would doubtless happen if she said a word. The tax laws probably couldn’t even handle sudden largesse from theOtherworld, though maybe they’d just class them as a bequest. But she hadn’t wanted a handout from Eli, and she didn’t mean to mooch from Rain and Fen either.
Her housemates were all fascinated by the impossible door in the basement, and Fen kept offering to take Rowan to the “land under the hill.”
“We’ve always been welcoming to artists,” Rain added with a radiant smile.
Rowan looked a little dazed and more than a bit dazzled. “That would be—”
“When I decide to go, Rowan can come with me. They’re not going off with you all of a sudden,” Iris said for what felt like the hundredth time.
“I’m sure it would be okay,” Rowan said with an enraptured smile.
Well, crap. I think Rowan might want to start a poly relationship with my immortal parents, so that’s cool. Totally fine.
Henry Dale made a disapproving noise. “Don’t be silly. We don’t know enough about these beings yet.”
“We know they love Iris,” Sally said. “And they took care of her problems with the city on day one.”
That was true. Yesterday, Iris had received official correspondence on the mayor’s letterhead. Hopefully, it was the last time he’d be using that letterhead since Leanne Vanderpol-Montgomery was running against Mayor Anderson. The coven had gotten behind her in a big way, and Iris had shared a few posts as well. Hopefully, Ms. Vanderpol-Montgomery could push back against the assholes in HAPI who were stirring up trouble in town.
Today, a formal statement from the freaking governor arrived by special messenger, acknowledging her status as a new supernatural ambassador. State officials would be in touch, apparently, to define her role and see what could be gained through an alliance with the previously reclusive Otherworld.
Fen smiled at Sally, still a faintly alarming expression because their eyes didn’t match the mouth movement. Not in a sinister way, just…alien. “Caution is understandable. We have nothing but time. Any of you are welcome, should you choose to visit with Iris.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Mira said.
She didn’t seem charmed in the same way Rowan was, but she was definitely curious. As a witch, she must be wondering how her magic would function in the Otherworld and what insights she could bring back to the coven. Rowan could hardly contain their excitement.
“Really? You might come with us?” they asked.
“I’m definitely thinking about it,” Mira answered.
“If they’re going, I am too!” Sally declared, never one to be left out of anything.
Out of curiosity, Iris glanced at Henry Dale, who scowled at the whole room as if they’d done him a great personal wrong. “Fine, we’llallgo. And when we drink cursed fae wine and end up indentured for forty years, don’t come crying to me.”
“We wouldn’t let that happen,” Rain protested.
The old man snapped his fingers. “See? That’s basically an admission that itcouldhappen. I knew it! All of those cautionary tales had a basis in fact.”
Fen didn’t avoid the accusation. “We have…made mistakes inthe past, but since our scion has been raised as a human, we’ll do our best to forge a respectful path forward.”
“Scion,” Mira repeated.
