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"Oh, please." Amanda huffed out a breath. "Enough of that. Tonight is all about joy. You can be all gloomy tomorrow. "
"It is tomorrow," Kian pointed out. "But you are right."
The party was gradually winding down, and the energy in the room was slowly shifting from lively celebration to a comfortable, tired hum, but people seemed reluctant to leave, maybe because they wanted to remain in the happy bubble of celebration for a little longer. The moment they set foot outside the reception hall, reality would rush back, and the events of the day before would remind them of all the ugliness out there.
Syssi kissed the top of their daughter's head before laying her down in the stroller. "We really should go and put Allegra to bed." She turned to Jacki. "Is there a chance you can show me the amulet before we retire for the night?"
Kian frowned at her. "What's the rush? It's still going to be there tomorrow." He turned to Jacki. "You are not still planning on throwing it overboard, right?"
"I'm not." She grimaced. "But I'm not planning on touching it either. I have it wrapped in a cloth and tucked into one of Kalugal's shoes."
The horrified expression on Kalugal's face was comical. "Why did you use my shoe for that? Now, I can never wear it again."
She smiled sweetly at him. "That's why I didn't put it in mine. There is no safe in the cabin, and I need every pair I brought, while you have three pairs of black dress shoes that are almost identical. Besides, my shoes are not big enough to house it."
Kian stifled a chuckle. "I'm sure we could have found a proper container for the amulet so no shoe would have to be sacrificed on its altar."
Kalugal groaned. "Bad choice of words, cousin."
"It was deliberate." Kian lifted his whiskey glass. "I thought it was quite clever, but I see your point."
"I really want to see the amulet," Syssi said. "I've been thinking about it the entire evening."
"Why?" Kian put his glass down. "I hope you are not entertaining any ideas about touching it."
Given the guilty expression on Syssi's face, that was precisely what she'd been planning. "I just want to see it. I'll get some gloves from the kitchen so I don't touch it by accident."
Annani, who until now had been happy to hold the sleeping Evie to her chest and leave them to their conversation, shifted her granddaughter so her head was resting on her shoulder. "I am curious about the amulet, too. I suggest that we all meet for breakfast in my cabin tomorrow morning and take a look at it together."
The idea of a shared breakfast was appealing. They could observe the artifact all at once and be done with it. Kian could wake up early and find a proper container for it so it could be locked away. A portable safe would be a good choice.
When they got back, he would have William put it in one of his impenetrable lead containers, the kind he'd used to store the alien trackers in. If Jacki agreed, he would also store the artifact in one of their warehouses downtown instead of keeping it in the village.
But all that could wait until tomorrow.
Right now, all he wanted was to enjoy the rest of his night and think as little as possible about future threats from humans, Doomers, and Anumatian gods.
Dagor
The bedroom was dimly lit, the muted light coming from the moon casting a gentle glow through the slightly parted curtains of the balcony doors. If Dagor could tear his eyes away from the slip of a girl lying next to him in bed, the barely perceptible sway on the ship as it glided over the waves would have lulled him to sleep, but even though he was tired, he couldn't stop looking at her.
Propped on one arm, he lay on his side and watched Frankie sleep. Her chest rose and fell with steady, peaceful breaths; her expression was relaxed, even blissful, and her pouty lips were swollen from their kisses.
His heart swelled with emotion that could only be described as love.
The one time he had thought he'd been in love couldn't compare to what he felt for the tiny human, and it was ludicrous given that he had known her for mere days compared to the many years he had known his first and only love until now.
It was time to stop deceiving himself and acknowledge that he was in love with her.
He'd said the words in the height of passion, but that didn't make them any less true.
He was keenly aware of all the downsides of loving Frankie, of all the reasons why a relationship with her was asking for heartache and devastation, but all the cons seemed suddenly inconsequential compared to the alternative of not having her in his life.
As the deep, resonating truth of that settled over his heart, he replayed in his mind all the moments they had shared that had somehow coalesced into something meaningful. Something deep.
She was only human, at least for now, and yet she was more perfect for him than any goddess he had ever met.
The mischief and lightness in her eyes, the innate humor, and the unfailing assertiveness were refreshing. She was gutsy without being reckless, and she was unapologetically herself. He thought of her laugh, the way her eyes sparkled when she was excited, the way she spoke her mind.
