Chapter 51
Though the faces were tired and dirty, Lyv was met with too many smiles to count as she walked through the sea of people, arm in arm with both Bence and Ada. Roshan and Erly were flying up above, heading for the palace, where they would land and rest for the night in the front courtyard.
While Jai, Gideon, Thia, and Allel were following behind them with her sisters and brothers-in-law, Kalla and the rest of the Dalcaine and Blackloch troops were settling in and setting up their own camp. Kalla would come to the palace later that evening whenever they were settled.
The calls of greeting and laughter came whenever they met with those troops from Ayveri who had been there already with Camilla and Soren. Lyv was surprised at how many she knew and remembered from before, but they all knew Jai and Gideon the best. And while Lyv continued on, the two of them lagged behind to talk with them all before Lyv called down the bond to Jai.
The only time Lyv had ever seen the streets of Escarral as packed as they were was during market days. She had a feeling those hadn't been going on for several weeks, though, given what was happening throughout the land. But even though people looked exhausted from traveling from both Oria and Inder, whenever they saw Lyv and Ada those looks turned into even more smiles.
Of course, they had known Lyv before, but that was years ago whenever she had still been under the glamour her mother Bridget had put on her as a baby. Now, with her Fae heritage on full display with the sharpness of her features, the silver streak through her burgundy hair, and not to mention the delicate pointed ears, they couldn't look away from her. There was no fear in their gaze, only wonder.
"I've never been prouder of my people before," Bence told them both then after he stopped them for a moment to help load up a wagon full of supplies. Everyone was preparing to leave at a moment's notice. "They've come together in a way I could have never asked for, especially those here in the city. They've taken people into their homes and shops just to give them shelter and have fed, clothed, and treated them as if they were their own flesh and blood."
"I guess that's what happens when they have a king like you to look up to and setting an example," Lyv told him, tightening her hold on his arm.
"We all learned from the best of us," Ada added with a wink to him.
"Don't go starting on that like Sora and Rhea have. Every chance they get, they tell me something along those lines."
"Of course, we tell you," Rhea sighed as she and Sora came up on Bence's other side. "Why would we not?"
"They're not wrong," Lyv grinned. "Just look at all four of us. You raised us to be the fierce females we are today."
"Fierce and spectacular," Sora noted, then looked down at her clothing. Again, it was something Lyv herself would have worn – a loose fitting tunic, fur-lined cloak, and leather leggings. Rhea was wearing the same, though where Sora's cloak was a dusty rose color, hers was emerald. "And by the way, Lyv, I think I can say this for all three of us, but I completely understand why you never wanted to wear dresses. This is so comfortable."
Lyv couldn't help but laugh as she looked up at Bence. "See? The children aren't the only ones I rubbed off on like you've always said. But then again, you might have been the one to rub off on them, too, since you've been neglecting your fancy clothes lately. I think I've said this to you before, but I like you better like this, though."
Bence grinned as he kissed the side of her head. "Well, don't go saying things like that too often or else it'll go to my head. But you know, if you think about it, I've raised two future queens and two Ladies of Escarral and, like I've always said, you have been the best things to ever come into my life. You four have strength I could have never even dreamed of hoping for. You're compassionate and caring and would do anything for your family and your people. Plus, you've given me the chance to actually have sons in the men and the Fae male you've brought into our families. And, of course, have given me grandchildren, all of which I love and adore." He paused for a moment, thoughtful, before his grin stretched across his face once more. "Never mind, I did raise some fierce and spectacular females, didn't I?"
All four of them laughed, their smiles spreading to everyone else they passed as they headed for the palace gates.
While all of the Escarrali citizens who had come from Oria and Inder were staying with others throughout the city, the guardsmen were staying closer to the palace, including within the courtyard. Large tents were set up around the inside perimeter, complete with one set up for the swordsmiths where everyone was testing out new blades of various lengths. There were even several healers Lyv recognized from years ago, some that had traveled to other territories when they were needed elsewhere other than the city.
There was obviously enough room for Roshan and Erly to land. Actually, they made their own room, knocking over two tents that guardsmen were already putting back up a little further away. No one seemed upset about it by the grins on their faces as they looked at the two dragons. Especially Roshan, who had lowered his head with his gray eyes wide and apologetic.
As soon as he saw Lyv, though, Roshan came over, footsteps making the ground shake beneath their boots, and poked his nose into her stomach. Having not really gotten to say hello to Bence, Rhea, and Sora, he moved to do the same to them, humming deep in his chest.
"Hello, Roshan," Bence smiled as he rubbed the spot along his jaw where her dragon loved most. He'd already gotten the same treatment from her sisters, but it seemed he loved Bence just as much as Lyv did. "You've definitely gotten bigger since the last time we saw you. I thought your momma Lyv said you were done growing?"
Roshan hummed his answer, looking up at him with smugness in his gaze. Lyv fought rolling her eyes, knowing there was another certain dragon out with the Eld riders Roshan wanted to impress as well. The dragon seemingly knew what she was thinking, though, and looked over at her to roll his eyes.
"My little baby Ro has a crush on an older lady dragon, don't you, sweetie?" Lyv laughed, leaning down to kiss Roshan's brow. "He likes that he's getting bigger. Thinks it'll impress her."
Bence's bolstering laugh echoed around the courtyard, even with the chatter and clanking of steel. "None of that now. You're too young for that."
Rhea elbowed Lyv in the side, grinning. "That's what he said about you when Ada accidentally told him about you and Balian years ago."
"What?" Lyv cried out, her face immediately flaming as she turned her narrowed eyes on her oldest sister. "Why did you do that?"
"I didn't mean to!" Ada said just as loudly. "And I only told him about what happened after your birthday, nothing about that time when you two came up to Ceron and I caught you in the training area you totally forgot to lock..."
Lyv growled, quickly covering Ada's mouth with her hand. "Don't you dare."
Her sister's hazel eyes sparkled with laughter as her shoulders shook with it.
But then there was Gideon.
"Well, she and Jai are no better. I'd say even worse. Don't even get me started on when they were first mated and I walked in right when he..."
"Stop!"
Jai, Mother hold him, was going on, grinning mischievously. "I can't help it that she can't keep her hands off me. And I get a high-five for a job very well done. Anyone else?"
Ada wasn't the only one laughing at her then, but everyone else as well.
Including Jai.
"I hate you all!" Lyv called out, now slapping her hands over Bence's ears. "You do realize this is our father we're saying all of this around, don't you? Ugh, stop being so embarrassing!"
Ada merely shrugged, putting her arm around Gyver's waist when he finally came to a stop beside her. "Lyv, darling, I thought you knew your big sisters would forever embarrass you around Father?"
With everyone still chuckling and Lyv's hands over Bence's ears as her father rolled his eyes at her, Gyver looked confused.
"What in the Mother's name is going on here?" he asked.
Bence was the one to answer since they all, excluding Lyv, burst into laughter again.
"Everyone apparently believes I don't know how my grandchildren came to be in this world," he said with a sigh. "I'm not that old, you know. And you know I can still hear right now, don't you?"
"Can we stop talking about this, please?" Lyv groaned then, stepping back and crossing her arms over her chest. "Please?"
"You know we all love you, Lyv," Jai grinned at her. "And love to embarrass you, too."
She pointed a finger at him, narrowing her eyes. "If you continue on, the only physical contact you'll be getting from me is a fist to the stomach."
Jai strode forward as he laughed and shook his head, pulling her toward him with his hands on her hips to lean in to kiss her. But Lyv put up a hand between them, pushing his face away.
I hate you, she told him through the bond as she narrowed her eyes at him.
All he did was grin smugly. I love you, too, princess.
Lyv gave him a rude hand gesture and stuck out her tongue before she turned and strode toward the palace doors to go inside.
And then he had the nerve to send very specific images of what he planned on doing to and with her as soon as they were alone in her rooms.
Everyone caught sight of her tripping over her boots, making her catch herself on the massive carved door itself, and she blocked out the sounds of their laughing and teasing that followed.
The only laughing and screaming she was hearing then as she pushed open the doorway was from her nieces and nephews as they ran down the staircase from the floor above. As soon as she saw them, Lyv completely forgot about everyone behind her and dropped to her knees, holding out her arms for all of them.
Sora's son Benson was the first to tackle her, followed by his brother Piers and the twins Penny and Rowland. Even Eleana, Rhea's almost three-year-old daughter, was toddling down the steps. They weren't the only ones to come down, though. Little Balian, Evelien and Merek's son, was following close behind Eleana, his hand reached up to keep hold of the railing. Lyv still felt a pang in her chest seeing him since he looked so much like his biological father Balian.
"You all need to stop growing!" she told them as they hugged her tight and she kissed every one of their cheeks. She dropped to her knees, wanting to be eye level with them to get an even better look.
Balian finally reached them then and Lyv couldn't help but give him his own hug and kiss. He gave her a bright smile. "Hi! I've gots a new baby sister! She's so pretty."
"I heard!" she told him excitedly. "I can't wait to meet her and see your momma and daddy again." She looked around at all of them again. "Have you all had fun running around?"
"We always have fun here, but Momma and Daddy said we're gonna have to leave soon," Piers smiled. "And everyone from Oria came with us, too!"
Benson nodded, but since he was a little older, it seemed he knew a little bit more about what was going on. "Momma said we wouldn't be able to go home, but she didn't say if we ever would."
Lyv reached up and brushed his cheek with her thumb. "Hopefully sometime soon. That's why we're here. To make sure everywhere in Escarral is safe again. And we went to get your Aunt Ada, Uncle Gyver, and Avice, Elia, and Dain, too."
Six-year-old Penny wiggled in her arms, giving her a toothy grin and showing off the front one she must have recently lost. "Is Uncle Jai, Gideon, and Thia here, too? What about Elys? We miss him!"
Uncle Jai. "What's got you all calling Jai 'uncle' now?"
Penny was quick to answer. "Momma and Daddy said you got married!"
Lyv sighed and rolled her eyes, noting to herself that she'd have to have a talk with all of her sisters then. "Not quite yet. But if he keeps being annoying like he is right now, that might not happen for a long while. And as for Elys, he didn't come along. He's in Ayveri with Jai's momma and daddy and looking after Posy. I wish I could have brought him along, but..."
"Will we get to go see him soon?" Rowland questioned, cutting her off before she had to think of a reason to tell them. "Momma and Grandpa said we're gonna get to go to Dalcaine! He's there, right? That's where Ayveri is, isn't it?"
She nodded as a lump formed in her throat. They already knew they were leaving Escarral, but didn't know as to why. Her sisters and father wanted to tell the children why they were all here, but did it in a way that wouldn't worry or scare them.
"Yes," Lyv choked out, looking between them all again. "You're going to get to come with us back to Dalcaine. I'll even show you around Ayveri and take you to my favorite bakery. The fairy Sherine makes the best chocolate mousse cheesecake and I'm sure she would give you all as much as you wanted."
Eleana gasped as her eyes sparkled with wonder. "She's a fairy?"
"She is," she smiled at her niece. "And she's a very dear friend."
"But as for the cheesecake, you're going to have to eat it before your aunt does, because it's her absolute favorite and she's notorious for stealing from other's plates."
All six children looked toward the door as Jai strode through. Gideon, Thia, and Allel were close behind, followed by Lyv's sisters and brothers-in-law. As soon as they caught sight of Jai, they all squealed happily and rushed for him just as they did Lyv. Pushing herself up to stand, Lyv watched as they not only attacked Jai with hugs, but also Gideon and Thia, then Ada and Gyver whenever they came inside as well. Jai was introducing them to Allel, who they all immediately loved and gave hugs to, while holding Balian and Eleana in his arms with Penny clutching one of his beltloops, the three of them looking at him in wonder.
Gods, he really needed to stop doing things that made her not want to be mad at him.
Jai looked at her with a smug grin as he winked.
I hate you, she told him through the bond, but the love conveyed in her tone said anything but.
Two low, happy hums echoed around the courtyard outside, making all of the children look toward the open doors. When they caught sight of Roshan and Erly being loved on by their cousins, their eyes widened.
"You brought Roshan and Erly!" Piers cried out in excitement. "Can we go see them?"
Lyv smiled, nodding toward the door. "Go on then. But don't think you can fly off without me!" she called out as they all ran for the doors.
Their squeals of delight, followed by even deeper, happier hums from the dragons, told her they'd be occupied for a while, Ada's lady's maids staying behind to watch over them all.
"Merek, Evelien, Camilla, and Soren have been lost in the maps in my office while we were out checking on everyone," Bence told them then as he walked with everyone down the hallway toward it. "They probably don't even know you've arrived, even with all of the commotion outside. Camilla and Soren have been more help than I could have asked for, especially in getting everyone here."
As they walked the palace hallways, their bootsteps stifled by the ornate carpeting, Lyv looked around at her home since she was a baby. There were more staff milling about than she'd seen before. What they were doing caught her off-guard and had a lump forming in her throat she had to quickly swallow down. They were taking all of the royal family portraits down from where they hung and everything of historical and cultural value...which just happened to be everything.
"To save what we can of Escarrali culture, we're having anything and everything we can take down to the vault beneath the dungeons," Bence said quietly. His expression conveyed exactly what Lyv was feeling. "I realized we wouldn't be able to take it with us, so I had to think of the next best thing. Artwork, artifacts, hundreds of texts...they're all going to be locked up and will hopefully be spared whenever Escarral..."
He couldn't get himself to say the words.
Whenever Escarral falls to darkness.
Lyv cleared her throat. "I didn't even know we had a vault beneath the dungeons, though I never really wanted to go down there when I could help it."
Her father nodded, reaching over to clutch her hand. "Guinevere didn't know about it either, which is why I'm having everything brought there. It's several hundred feet below the palace in a cavern that used to be filled with water centuries ago. Hopefully, that way Escarral won't be completely erased from history."
"That will never happen as long we we're here and the generations continue on," Lyv told him, squeezing his hand in response.
Whenever they made it to Bence's office, low voices sounded from inside before he pushed open the door. Lyv paused as soon as she stepped foot inside, the breath leaving her lungs. Every single text from the massive bookshelves that lined the walls were gone, leaving dust in their places. The ghostly outlines of where the frames had been struck out at her. Even Bence's ornately carved desk she used to play under as a little girl was gone.
The only things that seemed to be in the room were what looked like an old dining table and several mismatched chairs. Three people were standing around that table, looking down at the maps that spanned across it. One was sitting down while she listened to the others, though her attentions were also on the small bundle in a cream-colored blanket in her arms. There was one tinier creature standing on the table, walking across the maps to help push little figurines around and put them in the right places.
The silver-haired pixie Jett was the first one to spot them as he leaned against a palace figurine that had been turned over on the map in the territory of Ceron. His eyes widened when he saw Lyv, Jai, Gideon, and Thia and immediately jumped up. Flying as fast as he possibly could, he slammed right into Lyv's cheek, his arms automatically hugging her as best he could. Lyv could feel his sparkling tears on her face as she reached up for him to stand on her palm.
"Hello, sweet Jett," she smiled whenever she was able to shift him away to look at him.
Jett was furiously swiping away his tears as he beamed at her. He then peered at both of her shoulders, expecting to see another pixie there, but she wasn't. His crestfallen face lifted to hers then.
"Posy's not here," she told him. "But you'll get to see her soon."
And at that, his face brightened before looking over at Gideon, his other favorite person, and attacked him just as he did Lyv. Those hugs were then given to Jai and Thia.
"Hopefully, you've been good and not causing chaos," Gideon told the pixie whenever he went back to sit on his shoulder.
Lyv was pulled into someone's embrace before she even looked forward again, blinded by the blonde hair that covered her face then. Camilla held her tight, her tears muffled, and didn't let go for a long minute before she leaned back to take Lyv's face in her hands. She didn't know why she would have thought she'd changed, but the general was still as devastatingly beautiful as ever.
"Thank the gods," Camilla laughed, reaching up to swipe away her tears. "You have no idea how worried we were, Lyv! Soren and I have been here for months helping the search in Escarral, but then when we got Jai's letter saying they found you and got you back..."
The general looked like she was closer to going to pieces again, so Lyv pulled her in for another hug. "I'm all right. Promise. But thank you for being here in Escarral. To think what might have happened if you and the guardsmen from Dalcaine weren't here..."
She didn't even finish the sentence. Didn't even finish the thought, actually.
Soren was next to get her, still as calm as he ever was, but Lyv could see his dark eyes misting over before she went in for a hug.
"She hasn't been too crazy, has she?" Lyv grinned, nodding over to Camilla, who was hugging Jai, Gideon, and Thia then.
"Always," he chuckled. "She's already vowed to never let you leave her sight again, though I think that'll be an issue quick, so she's settled with being in close proximity instead. In other words, she's moving into your and Jai's rooms in Ayveri, so be prepared."
"Like hell she is," Jai mumbled, causing Camilla to attack him again.
Lyv's laugh echoed around them, especially when Camilla piped in that Soren was telling the absolute truth.
It was Merek Lyv was looking at next, one of her closest friends who had stuck by her through everything during Guinevere's short rule looked different yet again. His hair had gotten slightly longer on the top, but he had it slicked back yet slightly tousled from running his fingers through it over and over again. Even though he was dressed for comfort in a tunic, pants, and boots, he still wore his sword on his hip. In fact, all three of them were.
Even though he looked the part of Captain of the Palace Guard, the emotion shining in his eyes and the slight tremble of his bottom lip as he looked at her made him look like the guardsman fresh out of training who Lyv beat up after he got a punch to her jaw.
Lyv immediately went to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as she buried her face in his chest. Merek held her tight, shaking slightly.
"Hello, friend," Lyv whispered into his tunic before looking up at him with a smile. "Still taking care of my father and all of Escarral in mine and Gideon's absence? Or am I going to have to beat you to a bloody pulp for not doing so?"
Merek laughed, discreetly wiping his hands beneath his watering eyes. "No beatings for me today," he told her, shaking his head. "Gods, it's good to see you again, Lyv. Are you all right? When Bence received the letter of your capture..."
She nodded once, reaching up to wipe away more of his tears. "I'm all right. Promise. I'm still...working through some of what happened during my time away, though. I'm getting there." She squeezed him once more before her smile turned the corners of her mouth upward. "Now, do you mind if you and your wife introduce me to the newest addition of our nonconventional family? I'm in need of baby snuggles after not having Archer for a few weeks."
Merek laughed again as he nodded, turning them toward where Evelien was, now standing just behind them with baby Imrie nestled in blankets in her arms.
Lyv's smile was bright as she beheld her healer friend she'd known for years. Evelien was still as beautiful as ever, even with her blonde hair twisted into a messy bun on top of her head and her eyes tired.
"It's so good to see you again," Evelien cried as she hugged Lyv, careful to no squish the bundle between them. When they pulled apart, she put a hand on Lyv's cheek. "You're certain you're all right?"
"I am," she nodded, smiling at her. "How have you been? I see you haven't killed Merek yourself yet. He can get a little overbearing, can't he? Especially with the new little one?"
Evelien laughed. "I would never do that, but he definitely can."
"And Balian...he's gotten so big!"
"He is. And he's becoming more and more like his fathers by the day. Just like the both of them, he's very protective of this little one."
Lyv finally looked down at the tiny baby in her arms, one little hand against her cheek while the other escaping her blanket.
Evelien passed the baby to her carefully, smiling as she introduced her. "Meet our new little one, Imrie. Imrie, this is Lyv."
Lyv brushed her fingers along the tuft of blonde hair on Imrie's head, then down her chubby cheek, and to the back of her hand. She was so soft and warm and completely adorable. She wiggled in her arms, letting out a yawn before waking and looking up at her with bright blue eyes.
"Hello, Imrie," Lyv cooed. "I have a feeling we're going to get to know each other really well. Mostly because I will more than likely steal both you and your brother from your momma and daddy. I don't think they'd mind too much, especially when I bet you keep them both up at night."
Imrie's bow-shaped lips curled up into a smile as she wrapped her little fingers around Lyv's.
"Oh, I know that smile. It's one filled with trouble...which makes you my kind of person."
Everyone had their turn in being introduced to the newest, littlest member in their family. Imrie was awake during the whole time she was being passed from one person's arms to another. Her favorite, of course, was Lyv, though those who came in a close second were Jai and surprisingly Allel.
The shapeshifter had been greeted by Camilla and Soren, though it was still a tad strained between them. They hadn't had the time to get to know her as Jai, Gideon, and Thia had. But Camilla and Soren relaxed a little more when they saw how well she fit into their family, especially since Gideon and Thia had welcomed her into the fold. Meeting Merek and Evelien went a little smoother, even though they had known about Allel's past with Corliss and Guinevere.
"So, what were you planning out whenever we got here?" Jai asked, nodding over toward the maps spread out on the table.
Lyv was having a hard time focusing her attentions on their answer, especially whenever Jai had taken Imrie once more from Thia. When Lyv had tried to monopolize the baby and take her from Jai, he stuck a finger in her face, grinning, and told her that she got to hog Archer, so now Imrie was his.
She didn't know whether to kiss him or knock him unconscious.
They all walked back over to surround it, looking down at the maps. Jett landed by the figurine he was pushing across it before, looking down at the route that was outlined and the scattering of red all throughout. The worst of it was along entire stretch of eastern coastline, stretching from Oria to Inder.
"As far as we know, the east coast is a wasteland," Merek told them, pointing to all of the red. "We've been talking about evacuating the continent, but with our easiest access to Shoal's Crossing being completely decimated, we have no choice but to head west whenever we decide to leave the city."
"The capital is closer to the west coast anyway, so it's only a few days journey. But with the amount of people we'll have, it'll take longer. And one of the biggest problems is the lack of ships," Camilla sighed, sitting down in the chair she'd been by whenever they came.
Jai had taken the chair beside her and adjusted his hold on Imrie, who had quickly fallen back to sleep against his chest. Lyv had taken the seat beside him and tried to look at the map, but was having a very difficult time focusing on anything other than Jai with a baby. "And there's no way of getting word out to Dalcaine?" he asked. "Because the ships should be along the coast within the next few days if all went according to plan. Getting them to the western shore adds almost another two weeks as well."
Bence shook his head as he sat down on the opposite side of the table from him. "All of our correspondence gets destroyed, so there's no getting anything out."
Thia pointed down at the map then, at the drawn lines of what seemed like routes to the eastern shore. "Have you been sending scouts at all to see if there are any clear routes?"
With the posed question, everyone who had been in Escarral over the last few weeks went quiet.
Finally, Merek was the one to answer. "The first scout we sent out...he didn't come back alive. He came back, dropped right on the front steps of the palace from the sky, but he was...ripped to shreds and unrecognizable."
Soren continued. "We sent out others – human, Fae, sorcerer, and sorceress – but only on a voluntary basis. None have survived. The last..."
"The last was killed right when both Oria and Inder people finally made it here a few days ago," Rhea finished for him. "She was running, screaming, and was taken by those things."
"Oskurreia," Lyv told her. "That's what they're called."
"All I know is it was one of the worst things I've ever witnessed. Her body being torn limb by limb, even when she was still screaming. They...devoured her. All that was left were her bones."
Lyv cursed under her breath. She hadn't heard of Corliss's dark creatures feasting on their prey before. An uneasy knot formed in the pit of her stomach, one she couldn't easily get rid of.
"We've got the dragons here now," Gideon said then, nodding to Thia, Lyv, and Allel. "We can send out several at a time."
"We're not going to risk one of our biggest assets, though," Lyv cut in. "I know how the oskurreia work, so I'll go out on Roshan. Maybe can even try and control them since I..." She swallowed back her thought, not wanting to let them know she'd had a part in making them. "But as for Thia and Allel, I'm not risking their lives."
"And if we want to risk our own?" Allel questioned, raising an eyebrow. Thia stood beside her, arms crossed over her chest as they both looked at Lyv like she'd said one of the stupidest things she ever had.
"Don't think you're going to be the only one going out," Thia nodded. "We can keep Donovan and the other riders back here to help guard the city. You know the two of us would follow you anywhere, including into unfriendly skies."
Lyv shook her head at her two best female friends. "You two are impossible. There's no way of convincing you to stay back here whenever I go out."
Thia snorted, rolling her eyes. "That will be a hell no."
Jai sighed, shaking his head as he looked over at Lyv. "There's no way to get you three to not go is there? Not even when it's two males who love you all very much trying to convince you otherwise?"
Lyv looked at him for a long moment and suddenly it wasn't Imrie he was holding in his arms and they weren't in Escarral on the verge of war. They were in their bed in Ayveri with Elys between them, all three of them looking down at a certain little princess named Dessa in her gold and pink blanket and white bow headband.
No, there wasn't convincing her otherwise. Because that's what she was going to be fighting for. A future of her with the three of them, one that wouldn't come to be if they didn't stop Corliss and Guinevere.
"I'm not risking anyone else to go searching on foot," Lyv told them then, looking around the table at every single one of her family. "Even on a voluntary basis."
Jai knew there was no changing her mind, even if he tried. "Then do you mind going out tomorrow? Because I think all of us could use some food and rest and time just to be together. Can I at least convince you of that?"
"That, my love, is something you can convince me of. Because I'm starving."
***So many reunions! I'm so happy Lyv's back with her human family, even under the current circumstances!
What did you guys think of the chapter? Comment and vote!
Happy reading!
- Ansley***