angel would like me to change a soiled cloth or two. I also have a feeling that I will want to do so, not only for her, but to fully experience fatherhood.”
“Changing diapers is the best way to do that,” I say. “All the diapers.”
He frowns and flips through the book. “I’m quite certain it doesn’t say that.”
“I’ll write it in.”
He laughs softly and turns me to face him. “So yes, these books are to me from me. My way of saying that I intend to be a complete and active participant in your world”—he holds up the phone guide—“and in our household”—he lifts the cookbook—“and in our child’s life. While I know you’d expect me to do more than a man of my time and background, you might also make allowances for my time and background. That is unnecessary. We are in this together.” He puts his arms around me. “You, me and our child-who-will-not-be-named-Melvina.”
“I actually had some thoughts on alternatives.”
He exhales dramatically. “Thank you.”
“I was thinking Amelia. Amelia Judith Thorne.”
A moment of silence. “After my mother and your aunt.”
I nod. “Is that all right?”
“It is very all right. However, if Judith is more common in your day, we could reverse the order.”
“I like Amelia Judith.”
“Might we sneak in Dale? As a second middle name?”
I smile. “We could do that.”
“Amelia Judith Dale Thorne.”
“It’s quite a mouthful.”
“A beautiful mouthful.” He bends to my stomach. “Happy Christmas Eve, Amelia.”
My eyes fill with tears, and I twist to hug him.
“Happy Christmas Eve, Lady Thorne,” he says.
“Happy Christmas Eve, Lord Thorne.”
Also by Kelley Armstrong
Rockton thriller series
A Stitch in Time gothic series
Cainsville paranormal mystery series
Otherworld urban fantasy series
Nadia Stafford thriller trilogy
Standalone Thrillers
Wherever She Goes
Every Step She Takes
Young Adult
Aftermath
Missing
The Masked Truth
Darkest Powers paranormal trilogy
Darkness Rising paranormal trilogy
Age of Legends fantasy trilogy
Middle-Grade
A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying fantasy series
The Blackwell Pages trilogy (with Melissa Marr)
About Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong believes experience is the best teacher, though she’s been told this shouldn’t apply to writing her murder scenes. To craft her books, she has studied aikido, archery and fencing. She sucks at all of them. She has also crawled through very shallow cave systems and climbed half a mountain before chickening out. She is however an expert coffee drinker and a true connoisseur of chocolate-chip cookies.
Shapeshifter Prince Rhyian doesn’t especially want to spend the Feast of Moranu at Castle Ordnung. First of all, it’s literally freezing there, an uncomfortable change from the tropical paradise of his home. Secondly, it’s a mossback castle, which means thick walls and too many rules. Thirdly, his childhood playmate and current nemesis, Lena, will be there. Not exactly a cause for celebration.
Princess Salena Nakoa KauPo nearly wriggled out of traveling to Ordnung with her parents, but her mother put her foot down, declaring that, since everyone who ever mattered to her was going to be there to celebrate the twenty-fifth year of High Queen Ursula’s reign, Lena can suffer through a feast and a ball for one night. Of course, “everyone” includes the sons and daughters of her parents’ friends, and it also means that Rhyian, the insufferable Prince of the Tala, will attend.
But on this special anniversary year, Moranu’s sacred feast falls on the long night of the crystalline moon—and Rhy and Lena discover there’s more than a bit of magic in the air.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to beta reader Emily Mah Tippetts for a fast and insightful read. Tons of gratitude to Darynda Jones for the daily sprinting sessions, listening to ideas on this novella, and a final beta read full of the best kind of squees. Also hearts to Grace (Darling) Draven for the long conversations and excellent advice.
Thanks and love to Carien Ubink for reading, looking up All The Things, and “general assisting.” I’m sorry this isn’t the Zyr novella you were looking for.
To Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, and L. Penelope—thanks for trusting I’d get this done in time. I’m thrilled to be sharing pages with you amazing authors.
As always, love and immense gratitude to David, who is there every day, and who makes everything possible.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the products of the