the wretched monster’s eyes. But he didn’t have time to be impressed, because the beast still charged, too stubborn to realize it was already dead.
Piper’s hands were a blur. Before he could register what she was doing, she had drawn and fired again.
This time, she struck the creature in one of its front legs, breaking its gait and causing it to stumble.
Its momentum carried it forward the last few paces and it collapsed, twitching, at their feet.
Killian let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, and suddenly felt much better about her choice to hand him the baby instead of the bow.
9
Piper
An hour later, Piper sat on the soft ground, nursing Kieran while Killian fussed with the hunk of boar meat roasting over the fire.
A week ago, she wouldn’t have believed she would want to eat an animal that had just attacked her. But right now, she was hungry enough to eat almost anything. And this particular, slow-roasting beast smelled delightful.
“I know your kind doesn’t typically like this much intimacy with its main course,” Killian said, as if reading her mind.
“I’m getting dinner and revenge at the same time,” Piper joked. “What could be better?”
“Literally anything cooked by someone else, with the proper tools and spices,” Killian said gruffly. “I’m doing my best, but my cook at court would make this indescribably delicious.”
“Well, I’m indescribably hungry,” she told him. “So I’m sure it will be delicious to me.”
It was hard to be mad at a man who was cooking for her.
And harder still to be mad while she was feeding the baby, which always made her feel cozy and peaceful.
Kieran fell off her breast and she slid her shirt down and got him up on her shoulder where he let out a terrific burp.
“That feels better,” Piper praised him.
“What’s wrong with him?” Killian asked, sounding a little horrified.
“That was just a burp,” she said.
“Wasn’t it… kind of loud, with him being so small?” he asked.
“It was one of his quieter burps,” she said, laughing. “After you spend a little more time with us, you’ll see.”
“Hm,” Killian said, rubbing his chin.
“What does that mean?” Piper asked.
“It means I think I might have found a way around our disagreement,” he said.
“What disagreement is that?” she asked.
“You know,” he said. “What to do about the baby.”
“There is no disagreement,” she said. “This is my son. I’ve raised him, and I’m not giving him up. If you mean you’ve found a solution that prevents you from trying to kidnap him and getting yourself shot again, I’m all ears.”
Killian sighed.
But Piper didn’t feel a bit sorry for him. He had a lot of nerve, acting exasperated when he was the one trying to take her child.
“Listen, woman—” he began.
“Piper,” she corrected him.
“Listen, Piper,” he said. “I think I know what we can do. You can come home with me to the Autumn Court and you can stay with the child. But not as his mother - as his wet nurse.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but then shut it again. That actually wasn’t the worst idea.
“That way,” Killian added, “you could still spend most of your time by his side.”
“What happens when he stops nursing?” she asked.
“We’ll deal with it when it happens,” he said. “But it will be a while. Fae children nurse until their third birthday.”
“So I spend the next two years nursing him and taking care of him when you and your wife don’t want him?” Piper asked.
“My betrothed, not my wife,” he said. “And yes, exactly. She won’t want him often. She’s not fond of children. Or most adults, frankly. Your real job will be to endear yourself to the court so that when the time comes, you’ll be kept on as his nanny.”
“And how do I do that?” she asked.
“Damned if I know,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “The Autumn Court can be rough. You have to understand that. We deal in loss and transition.”
That didn’t sound good.
“But we’re also… sentimental, I guess you’d call it,” he said. “Your devotion to the boy will appeal to many.”
Great.
“Will you do it?” he asked. “Will you come with us?”
Something in his expression reminded her of her son for an instant, and she nearly gasped.
“Please, Piper,” he said, crouching down before her and wincing at the pain in his leg. “It’s the only way. I’ve got two kingdoms on the brink of war. Please, help me.”
She had been ready to turn her back on him forever. But that