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I twisted around. Nic and Robby came out onto the porch, heading our way. Robby held a sandwich and a glass of water. Oh, right. I was supposed to meet them back in the garden. Casey had distracted me.
“Robby!” I jumped to my feet and threw my arms around him. He managed not to spill the water on me, or drop his sandwich. Nic took them from the jester so he could hug me properly.
“You’re not dead!” I blurted, forgetting Casey was there for a moment.
“No, princess, I’m quite alive.” He retrieved his plate from Nic and sat next to Casey at the table.
Her eyes widened, and she looked down at her plate.
Robby didn’t act like he noticed, but he probably did. The jester was, by his very nature, highly observant. It made him a fantastic manager for my aerial business.
Nic sat next to me, and I touched my leg to his under the table. My shadowy prince was making an effort to remain fully solid since we were around others. Normally, he shifted in and out of shadow. Sunlight was hard on him, too. Fading him out to flat shades of gray unless he put forth the energy to look human. Some of his features shifted with his mood. He currently had his black hair longer, and tied back in a tail. High cheekbones and tawny skin accented his angular eyes and handsome features. Nic was a prince of Nightmare, but he spoke with a light Kiwi accent I loved.
Casey studied Robby, probably wondering why I’d been amazed he was alive. I could understand why she liked him. The jester had wavy brown hair that looked soft and very pettable. His brown eyes were gentle with laugh lines at his temples and his neatly trimmed beard and goatee didn’t hurt his appearance any. Robby was taller than Geraint, but not nearly as tall as Nic, and both men were leaner than my knight by a fair bit.
I was dying to ask him what news he had, and his eyes twinkled mischievously. I hoped that his light mood meant the news wasn’t terrible. Of course, with him, it could be, and he was simply amused at making me wait.
“Casey,” he said, voice almost too smooth. “How are you enjoying summer camp?”
She swallowed, visibly gathering herself. I hid my amusement by taking a drink.
“It’s good. I’m enjoying teaching the kids, and Ember’s parents are every bit as fantastic as I thought they would be.” She turned her smile on me.
I nodded. “They are pretty cool.”
“Yeah, having a glimpse of what it’s like living with supportive parents is eye opening.” A sad smile flitted across Casey’s lips.
Robby put his hand over Casey’s. She nearly melted. He had to know she was interested, but how he’d figured it out when I’d only just learned, I didn’t know. Unless Nic had been spying and relayed it. Which, considering I’d said I would meet him in the garden, and I’d ended up here instead, wasn’t out of the question. Maybe I should tell Robby not to break her heart.
“You’re an amazing talent, Casey. Don’t let anyone hold you back.” He fixed her with his most charming smile. It wasn’t quite as good as Geraint’s panty-melting one, but it was effective.
“Thanks,” she stuttered.
Nic smirked. I just shook my head.
“Ember, do you have a minute?” Nic stood and held out his hand.
“Yeah. Catch up with you two later.” I slid my hand into my prince’s and let him help me stand. We left Robby to his flirting and went back inside.
Nic sighed in relief once we were in the darker air conditioning, and I let him drag me back toward my room, where he immediately dissolved into shadow for a few moments, before stepping out of them and sinking into the rocking chair he shared with Geraint.
“You okay?”
“Yes, of course. It’s simply a relief to be out of the sunlight. The jester has news. Dio is most certainly in the conscious realm. The real Baz is still missing, but the jester has promising leads. The fake Baz is growing more unstable by the moment, and things are getting awful for everyone in Nightmare. Robby isn’t sure how we will return. He just barely got out, and the Lady in White is no longer able to help him. She’s not captured, but they’ve corrupted the arches between realms and she barely got this one to function.”
“If the arches are broken, how are they getting through?”
Nic shook his head. “I wish I knew. I believe I mentioned that some powerful dreams and nightmares can simply leak through to the conscious realm. Beings with a lot of human belief behind them. They are likely the ones we have to contend with. I have no idea how Baz got the hounds through.”
“Okay.”
He held out his hand again, and I took it, letting me tug him into his lap. He wrapped me in his arms, coiling shadows around my waist and legs, and rested his cheek against my head.
I let him hold me, sharing my energy with him. As his princess and mate, we could help revitalize each other this way. He ran his fingers over my arm, and I snuggled into him, content to sit here for a while.
A soft knock on the door interrupted us a little while later. Geraint came in, Robby right behind. Geraint sat on the bed, and Robby leaned against the door frame.
“You’ve gotten cozy while I’ve been away.” Robby mock-leered at us.
