Basil (The Brinnswick Chronicles #3) - Michele Notaro Page 0,103
“Woah.”
“Woah is right, baby girl.” I kissed her cheek.
Basil smiled at us. “Just a reminder. Everything about half a mile around the house in any direction should be safe, as in, it won’t eat you. But that doesn’t mean you should touch anything—you hear me, Rasha? Don’t touch anything without asking me or one of my brothers first, okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded with a serious expression.
“I mean it. It could be poisonous. The plants and things around the house are safe, but we can’t keep bugs and animals out without messing with the ecosystem, so we don’t. Bugs and animals can travel freely. Also… don’t even swat things away. Some of the bugs look small, but when they open their mouths, they have like a bazillion sharp teeth.”
My eyebrows went up. “Should we even be here?”
He snorted. “I’m sorry, I’m making it sound worse than it actually is, I just don’t want you guys getting hurt. Rasha, until you know the area and creatures better, I don’t want you going anywhere alone, okay?”
“Okay.”
I added, “I don’t think I wanna go anywhere alone, either.”
Basil smiled at me. “I like that plan.”
“Good.” I gave him a nod. “Is it safe for Rasha to walk?”
He laughed. “Yeah, yeah. I promise it’s fine. Just don’t touch shit and you’re good.”
Rasha giggled. “You said a bad word.”
“I always say bad words,” Basil said, but still added, “Sorry.”
Rasha giggled again.
Shaking my head, I put Rasha down and asked, “Where’s the house?”
Basil pointed up a tiny hill to a small cottage. It was so small and blended in with the very pink area so well that I hadn’t even noticed it at first. “All of you fit into a one-bedroom cottage?” Jesus, we were going to be sleeping on top of each other. I didn’t want anyone sleeping that close to Basil.
He laughed at my frown and said, “Nothing in Faela is what it seems. The land, people, and creatures here are pure magic, and illusion magic is very prominent. Nik specializes in it, actually. He set up our house to look unimpressive so it would be looked over if anyone came searching for the Three. The inside of our house is actually really big. We each have our own room, and last time I was here, I, uh… I added on a bedroom so Rasha would have her own room if she didn’t want to sleep in ours.” His cheeks flamed, and I couldn’t help but lean in to kiss one.
“That sounds good, love,” I said. “Right, Rasha? You can stay with us or in your own room if you’re comfortable.”
She smiled up at me, then at Basil. “Can you take me to the butterflies now?”
Basil laughed. “How about we take our bags into the house first and make sure everyone else is settled?”
Rasha pouted. “And then we can go see the butterflies?”
Basil turned to me, and I nodded, so he said, “Sure, sweetpea. We’ll go right after.”
She grinned so big you woulda thought he promised her the moon.
We made our way up to the cottage, and Rasha asked what every single thing we passed was called. Every pink blade of grass, pink tree, pink bug, pink bunny-looking thing that was fluffy but apparently evil. And Basil answered her each and every time, even helping her sound out the strange Fae’lee words, and not once did he show any sign of being frustrated or annoyed. He was really good with her, which… he had so many siblings and obviously a caring father figure, so it wasn’t all that surprising once I knew him. My first impressions of him had been so far off base.
Walking inside the cottage was a strange event. I knew he’d said it was bigger than it looked, but holy hell, it was huge. It was like a goddamn mansion. Seeing the tiny building from the outside, then walking into a huge house had me reeling. It was like a kids storybook or somethin’.
“You okay?” Basil asked quietly as Jorah helped Rasha with her bags.
I nodded. “Yeah, just takin’ it in.”
“Fae magic can mess with your head.”
“Yeah… damn.”
He grinned at me, so I leaned in and pecked his lips, making his smile grow.
Once everything was set, Basil led Rasha and me outside down a path that led under the fairy arches—trees that made an archway where a billion fairies lived, apparently—to the butterfly garden. I’d known the butterflies were going to be big, but actually seeing them was an entirely different story. Giant butterflies,