Page 31 of Fae Farewells

Freya slapped my back. “Seriously? You couldn’t deliver that news in a better tone?”

“What?” I whisper-shouted. “He’s alive. Gods, Frey. I’m not heartless. I just forgot I wasn’t talking to Sloane.”

“You could have mentioned that sooner.” Nate glared at me with red-rimmed eyes.

“I wasn’t finished.”

“Please,” he quietly snarled. “Do continue.”

I decided to stick to the facts. “He’s alive and well with Charlie and Sam at Amelia’s home in Northern Ireland, or that’s where we left him. You’ll have to take that up with Sloane when she gets down here.”

Nate blew out a breath. “How mad is she?”

“Well, she was livid when the guards took me, but she kept it contained. She feels calmer.”

“For now,” Nate murmured, then glanced at Amelia. “Her temper rivals us all.”

I chuckled. “She’s more like Rig than I would have guessed. I thought she favored Charlie’s temper, Sam’s personality, and your intelligence. But I’m not so sure anymore.”

Nate out-right laughed at me, and Amelia sighed wistfully. “I can’t wait to wrap my arms around her. I’ve missed so much.”

I grimaced again, but the vampire beat me to the punch.

“Amelia, my love, it’s going to take her some time to be that open. She’s quite…” he trailed off, glancing at me for help.

“Frosty?” I guessed. “She’ll have to warm up to you, but it won’t be here, or soon. She’s a different person when there’s a battle on the horizon.”

“She didn’t come here for me, did she?”

Amelia’s question made me pause to really think through my answer.

“Yes and no,” I replied truthfully. “She came to get you both out, but while she’s here, we’re going to free the realm from Alania. Sloane will be cold and distant. That’s just the way she is, especially when threats are around. Once Alric is dead, I’m sure she’ll—”

“No. That’s okay, Vaughn.” She gave me a watery smile. “You remind me of Vex, trying to smooth things over. I’ll give Sloane time. That’s the least I can do. Just being able to see her will be a gift I thought I’d never receive again.”

“It sounds like we need a family dinner when all this is over,” Nate commented, a secretive grin lighting his face. “Jack has a mate? We thought he’d never leave Grim.”

I whistled low. “He didn’t. Blaire is open-minded.”

“Blaire Malin?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.”

Nate turned his grin to Amelia, flashing teeth, fangs, and dimples as she held up her hand.

“Don’t start,” she warned, sounding exactly like Sloane.

Then I was grinning.

“I told you—”

“Don’t.”

“That she would be his mate when we met her.”

Amelia cut her eyes to me, dryly saying, “Thanks.”

“That boy has met his match. Grim too. Blaire is—”