jerky knee run after Tink that was stopped by a loud, lioness yawn.
“I think she’s going to end up sleeping through the afternoon once it’s her naptime.” Brighton tucked a strand of hair back from her face. “I may end up right with her.”
Not if I had anything to do with that. I planned to make good use of our alone time.
The brownie glanced over at me as his wings beat furiously. “You’re welcome.”
I chuckled. “I owe you one.”
Tink zipped up, narrowly avoiding Scorcha’s grasp as Brighton’s gaze met mine again. I read the unspoken message and nodded in agreement. We really would owe Tink for today. Since he and my brother had taken over the management of Hotel Good Fae, both were busy, and I didn’t think anyone was more surprised than Tink by his dedication to continuing the success of the safe harbor for the fae.
“This is great practice, though,” said Tink. “Since I plan on being the Mary Poppins of brownies.”
“That reminds me. Have Ren and Ivy decided on a name yet?” Brighton asked.
“No,” he answered. “They’re still arguing between two names, and neither will listen to any of my suggestions.”
“Did you suggest they name their son after you?” she asked.
“I did, but you want to know a secret?” Tink hovered far above Scorcha’s head. “I gave them a whole list of names, and one of them was my actual name. They have no idea.”
Brighton’s mouth dropped open.
Shaking my head, I wondered if I should ruin Tink’s day by telling Brighton what his actual name was. But as Brighton attempted to guess what it was, and her eyes narrowed in fond annoyance, I decided that piece of information could be shared at another time.
Glancing over my shoulder at the hotel, it was almost hard to believe just how well Hotel Good Fae was running these days. Things had been a mess after Tanner’s betrayal, with half of the Court considering leaving. If it hadn’t been for Tink and Fabian, I’d have grave concerns about the future of the sanctuary.
Recently, Ren had suggested that we may be experiencing a welcomed lull in the war against the Winter fae, but the truth was, the war for mankind hadn’t really started.
The hotel was invaluable to the survival of the Summer Court. Not just because there were so many expecting females now, who were about to usher in the next generation, or the fact that nearly every room was filled. But because the threat of the Winter fae was still very much a concern, one that would not fade anytime soon.
There were still more Winter fae than Summer. If anything, their attacks had become more violent, commonplace, and senseless. With Aric’s death and the disappearance of Neal, they lacked any true leadership, which was far more dangerous. Numerous Winter fae were doing their best to prove that they were more than capable of stepping up, and that led to even more deaths. Then there was the Devil’s Breath, capable of turning any fae into a monster that needed to be dealt with. Just last week, a youngling had turned and had to be put down. Neal’s disappearance only slowed the supply of the toxic drink. He was still out there, as was the Devil’s Breath, but finally, the Order was working alongside the fae to discover the source of the supply. There were still Ancients, who I was sure, at this very moment, were plotting how to free Queen Morgana.
And then there was Queen Morgana herself.
While trapped in the Otherworld, she wasn’t exactly the most pressing concern, but she was still alive, and I knew she was still attempting to find a way to open the gateway between the Otherworld and this one. Eventually, she would find a way, and that was when the real war would begin, one that would rapidly spread throughout the human world, involving them whether they liked it or not.
But that war wouldn’t start today.
Focusing on the here and now, I exhaled slowly, heavily. Content despite what we may one day face, I refused to borrow from tomorrow’s problems. No one could live like that.
Not even a King.
So, I watched what was most important to me. Right here, a handful of feet away, was my entire world.
Well, minus the brownie.
Although, his babysitting skills were incomparable.
But Scorcha would one day grow older, no longer just our little princess but the Princess of the Summer Court, and she would become as fierce and brave as her mother. She