//space song - beach house
Kymra and Oren were the first to go after I convinced them I would be all right.
"All right," Kymra said hesitantly. "But only because you're insisting."
I smiled then hugged her. "Yes. I insist. Please, enjoy your time together."
When I pulled back, I noticed Kymra watched as Oren shook hands with Damien across the room.
She seemed anxious maybe a little on edge, almost like she was ready to get it over with, but not scared.
I sighed deeply. "I never thanked you, for everything you've done. For taking my place with Robyn, for coming back for us and helping us--thank you."
Kymra smiled warmly. "It's my sworn duty to protect you, Alteaza."
I shook my head. "You don't have to call me that--"
She smiled again. "I know, Emmy. But I know no one else that's worthy of it. Saving you and helping you, it was the right thing to do."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. It was the right thing to do. Not because she was using me for my power, not because it benefited the Underworld.
She helped me because it was the right thing to do. I wasn't sure if anyone had told me that before.
Somehow, I was able to hold back my tears. "Thank you, Kymra."
She looked over at Julian, who stood next to Oren and Damien. "I've never seen Julian this happy. Not in decades." She looked back at me. "Well, all things considered." She smiled. "I'm glad I went to him when I did to find you after Robyn took you."
I watched her as she smiled back at Oren who approached her.
He raised his eyebrows as he looked at me. "You and Julian."
I smiled and nodded slowly. "Me and Julian."
He looked at Kymra who playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "I told you," she whispered.
Oren sighed as if in relief. "You'd told me about yourself and Damien. I didn't know about Julian."
I frowned. Right. Oren was really the only person we told we weren't together after Paris. Until I told Julian.
Oren only looked at me with a knowing smile. He nodded toward me and when I smiled back, they disappeared from in front of me, presumably spectering to their chosen location.
I sighed deeply once they left, watching Julian and Damien deep in conversation. I leaned on the dining room table as I watched them. Who knew how well they'd get along after all?
I looked at Leah as she approached. "Where do you think you'll go?"
She shook her head. "Nowhere. I'm staying here with Damien. My parents wouldn't like it if I left the house to someone they don't really know."
I snorted. I didn't look over at her as I spoke to her. "Right."
Leah tensed at my sarcastic response. "Y-yeah, you know, they wouldn't like it!"
I laughed quietly. "No, I understand." I looked back at her. "So, you and Damien, huh?"
She had her fingernails in her mouth. She looked so nervous! "No!" She paused. "Well, nothing official. We were just talking and one thing led to another and we kissed. You know, a couple of times." She sighed. "If anything official does happen, I want to take it slow this time, you know? No pressure to marry or anything like that."
"Hmm," I responded. "That was a lot of pressure, wasn't it? For both you and Damien."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. We went too fast." She laughed. "But that goes without saying."
I laughed quietly with her and watched her as she looked over at Damien. Maybe she wouldn't admit it but I could see she was trying desperately not to fall for him again. "You know," I said instead. "I wish we could have been friends before all of this."
Her blue eyes glanced at me. Her shame was as plain as the nose on her face. "Me too. There were too many wasted years. When we get through this, we should be friends."
When we get through this, not if. I admired her optimism.
I nodded. "Yeah, I think we should."
Julian and Damien approached us.
Damien gave a small smile. "You're both overdressed. You'll be uncomfortable where we're going."
I looked at him, frowning. "Where did you take my parents?"
•••••••••••••••
"I look ridiculous."
Julian laughed as he stood next to me. "You look fine."
I tsked. "Stop lying."
The wind picked up slightly, making the large floppy hat on my head almost fly off. I put my hand a top of it to keep it from blowing off. "This is ridiculous."
"At least you're not wearing khakis, Emylin." He looked at Damien, sighing. "Was this really necessary?"
Damien looked more than comfortable in his outfit even if it was a flower print shirt, shorts and flip flops. "Yes. We need to look like tourists, not four fae from the Underworld. Imagine if Asmo was in his usual heavy black coat out on this beach town, we'd attract more attention than necessary. We need to blend in."
And blend in we did. We were in a little beach town overrun with tourists. Shops lined along the sandy shore selling store after store of trinkets and brightly colored keychains. It seemed gimmicky like the kind of town that was set up just for tourists with "authentic" experiences.
I sighed, smoothing down the flower dress I had on. "Whatever."
"Waiting under an umbrella on the beach for Damien's contact in flip flops." I tensed slightly as Asmo spoke behind us. "Gods, this is beneath me."
Indeed, seeing Asmo dressed as a vacationing tourist in a black wife beater shirt and shorts was not something I ever thought I'd see.
Julian snickered. "Nice ankles, Asmodeus."
I thought I saw a muscle jump in Asmo's jaw. He didn't look at him as he spoke. He kept his eyes fixed on the beach and the people enjoying themselves. "Say that again, Lord of Skryen, I dare you."
Julian looked at him. He spoke clearly and slowly, enunciating every syllable. "Nice. Ank-"
"Oh, knock it off," I snapped. I looked at both Asmo and Julian. "Both of you."
Damien chuckled as he took pictures of something off in the distance with a camera. He had a smile from ear to ear. "This is everything I thought it would be."
Mehnit meowed excitedly next to me as if to agree.
Julian changed the subject immediately. "I'm glad you could visit your parents."
I sighed, smiling. "Me too." I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry we couldn't see Naida, though."
He shrugged. "It's for the best. She'd want to help and I don't want to put her in danger. She's probably huge by now too."
I smiled again. Julian was right. It wouldn't be fair to involve her and Axel. "We'll just have to make it back to see your new nephew."
Julian nodded. "Right."
I gripped Damien's hand next to me when I recognized a man in the distance. I would recognize his sense of style and salt and pepper hair anywhere.
I looked at Damien. "Is it safe? I can go to them?"
Damien was frowning for a moment before he gave a smile. "Yes, they're all right to meet."
I moved out from our hiding space unable to hide the grin that spread when my dad finally noticed and recognized me.
I felt my knees almost give when I saw his relieved face. I could tell he had been worried and I wondered what Damien told them when he took them to safety.
I chided myself for letting them worry so much about me.
"Emmy," he breathed while he hugged me tightly. "We've been so worried."
My heart constricted.
Damn Mal, I cursed. Damn her.
This would never happen again. I would never let them worry me about me like this again.
"I'm all right, dad," I said back, my voice surprisingly steady. "I'm okay."
He pulled away, his shaking hand on my cheek. "Let me look at you."
I laughed as my eyes met his. He laughed with me and I could have sworn I saw a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders.
He kissed my forehead just as I heard my mother shriek my name.
When I turned, I saw her drop all of her bags to the ground and run towards us.
She hugged me too, kissing my forehead and saying the same things my dad did.
"We didn't know what happened, Damien just left us here middle of the night we didn't know what to think!"
I hugged them each again in turn. "I'm all right, I promise."
My eyes moved from them to the young woman standing behind them. "Chelie?"
She was glowing. Her smile was infectious. "Hi Emmy!" She extended her hand high above her in excitement. "Surprise!"
I was flabbergasted. "Y-You've been watching my parents?"
She nodded excitedly as she approached. "It's been an honor to watch over the Queen of the Underworld's human parents!" Her two large burly guards on either side of her bowed in my direction.
I tensed.
"The Underworld?" My father asked.
"Is that what you're queen of, Emmy?" My mother asked.
I laughed sheepishly, almost braying. My cheeks warmed. Queen or not my parents could make me feel like I was a kid again and make it seem like I was in trouble for keeping something from them. "No?"
Mehnit meowed in disapproval.
I looked at her eyes wide.
I looked at Julian who was looking at me with adoring eyes. "You're blushing," he teased. "It's adorable."
Chelie clapped her hands looking at Asmo. "You even brought me a present!"
My eyes widened. "Um..."
Asmo crossed his arms. Asmo always wore long sleeve shirts or coats and I never noticed how muscled his arms were beneath them. Did all of the men in the Underworld work out? "Respectfully, Queen Ix Chel, no."
I felt my mother's hand tense on my arm. She turned to Chelie. "Chelie, you told us you were a tour guide!"
Chelie?
Chelie smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I may have fibbed a little bit." She was clearly very excited to say exactly who she was. "Who else better to be your tour guide than the Queen of Autumn, whose blood runs of the Mayan gods?"
I opened my mouth to speak but Chelie turned to Damien. "What brings you here today, Dark Prince?"
I flinched. I felt as if a spear would hit me every time the words queen, prince or Underworld were brought up. Damien and I had always been careful of what we spoke about in the Human world. Chelie, on the other hand, didn't care at all.
Damien sighed, the care-free attitude he had previously was suddenly gone. He looked out to the shore. "It's time. Tonight." He looked at her. "The Underworld queen wanted to see her parents. We risked a lot to be here." He gave her a knowing look. "We wouldn't have come otherwise."
Chelie smiled slightly. The child-like excitement was gone and I wondered how much Damien told her. She changed completely in a second and only a small smile hinted her lips. "I understand." She looked at her guards. "We should go back to Chichén Itzá." She looked at Damien again. "Will you be joining us?"
Damien shook his head. "No. I must go back. Asmodeus too."
When Chelie looked at her guards again, they nodded in unison. They each placed a hand on each of my parent's shoulders. When Chelie took my hand, Asmo grabbed my shoulder and pulled me towards him so hard I almost fell.
I yelped as the back of my head hit his chest and his fingers held me firmly on my shoulder.
Mehnit hissed, her hair on end. Julian and Damien were on him immediately. Each had a hand on the arm that held me in place.
I watched Damien's arm flex from the effort he was putting into it. "Asmo, trust me. She'll be safe."
"I am not leaving my queen in another queendom with just your word, Damien," he all but hissed. "Not with what's happening at the Keep."
Chelie didn't seem offended. She spoke calmly. "Come with us then. It'd be an honor to host a prince of the Underworld as well."
She extended her hand to him but he didn't move.
I placed my hand on the one that held me in place. I was able to turn to look at him. "I'm spending time with my parents today. Stay with us or go, I'm doing this."
Hesitantly, he let my shoulder go, nodding quietly. I took Chelie's hand.
When Julian and I held hands and Mehnit pressed herself against my leg, we spectered.
••••••••••••
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