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Aeson whooped. “We have babies!”
He cupped his hands around his mouth. “Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi, and Omega unit fall in!” he bellowed.
Above them, the trample of feet that sounded like a herd of elephants heading their way was the men as they responded to Aeson’s order. Gage quickly pulled them to one side as the men entered the room at a dead run.
“Aeson, did we get orders?” Corrin, Psi’s unit leader asked, zipping his tactical vest.
“No, even better.” Aeson waited until the men were either sitting or standing in their respective spots in the dining hall. “Men, we have babies,” he announced as if he were a proud new father.
The men’s mouths dropped open around the table.
Corrin looked at Zoe. “Doesn’t that usually take longer?”
Rolling her eyes, she lifted both arms. “Boys?”
Yuki, then Ame, stepped forward to stand next to her. She wrapped her arms around their thin shoulders. “Gentlemen, this is Ame, and this is Yuki. They will be living with us from now on.”
She heard more than one warrior suck in his breath as they turned to look at the boys.
Govannon, Omega’s unit leader, turned to his men. “Brogan, Kane, Colin, Jacque, you’re on furniture detail.” The men stood and hurried out the door.
Corrin looked at his unit. “Head out to the shops. You all are in charge of clothes.”
Aeson, not to be outdone, turned to the Chi unit. “Gentleman, scour the Border City for toys and books.”
Balder stood and stretched. “Come on, men. We’ll clear the storage rooms closest to Gage for the boys.” Upsilon happily marched behind their unit leader up the stairs.
Nerius shook his head. “Guys, let’s get the food on warmers for the idiots that flew out of here without thinking.” Laughing, Kael and Bastien headed toward the kitchen while Jace and Ian started pulling out warmers from the cabinets along the wall.
Zoe stood and had to wipe her eyes. These men were the sweetest and most considerate people she had ever met. Ame and Yuki looked up at her, almost appearing to be scared.
She knelt down and pulled them close. “The men that live here are the warriors that protect the city of Éire Danu, but more than that, they are kind and thoughtful. They want to ensure that you feel welcome here because they cherish those younger than themselves.”
Ame looked down at the ground. “We are older than we look,” he confessed.
Nerius chuckled. “Are you over a thousand years old?”
Both boys shook their heads.
“Then you’re still babies to us,” he replied.
Zoe laughed. “They did the same for me. This is a city of immortals. Everyone here is way older than us.”
Both Ame and Yuki relaxed. She realized they had been worried it would be seen as deception if their ages came out after so much effort was expended to spoil them.
Ari pointed to Yuki. “Our unit commander will be creating a training regiment for Yuki. He wants to learn how to fight so he can defend Zoe and Ame.”
Nerius nodded. “Then we will see it done.”
Zoe stood and led the boys over to where she had sat next to Gage that morning. “Let’s get you two something to eat. Soup is good, but it doesn’t stay with you long.”
Jace held up a dish. “We have pulled pork and fixings for dinner. Is that kid friendly?”
Zoe pointed down. “Ask them.”
Jace swallowed, then walked over to kneel down to talk to Ame and Yuki. “Do you guys like pork?”
Ame nodded, then tilted his head. “Why did you kneel down?”
