The other men went silent, staring from Re to me and then to the ring.
“So, who gave you ze ring, Tima?” Kirill finally asked. “Dragon or monster?”
“It wasn't a dragon,” I murmured. “I'm not sure what he was. He wouldn't tell me. But he offered me his help.” I met the worried stares of my men. “To fight another war.”
“Another war?” Azrael asked warily.
“He wouldn't join my army when I was the Dark Star. He said that his people wouldn't fight in that war.”
“Implying that there will be another,” Arach concluded.
“Yes,” I agreed. “He said that when I needed them, I should smash the jewel in this ring, and they would come.”
“Then you'd best hold onto that, Vervain,” Odin said grimly.
“Maybe on another finger?” Azrael suggested with a smile.
“Really?” I looked around. “You guys think I should keep this thing? What if it's been manipulating me? What if it's evil? We don't know who these people are.”
“It's not evil,” Brevyn announced.
We all looked at my son.
“They're not evil, Mommy,” Brevyn said firmly. “I think you should wear the ring.”
I immediately slid the ring onto my right hand. If Brevyn said I should wear it, I was going to wear it. He smiled brilliantly at me.
“Do you know what he is, Brev; the man who gave me this ring?” I asked him.
“I can't see that.” Brevyn shrugged. “I just see light. Bright light that protects you.”
“That's good enough for me,” Viper announced. “I approve of anything that will protect you.”
The other men murmured their agreement.
“I wish I didn't need protection,” I whispered. “I just finished fighting a war, I don't even want to think about another one.”
“I don't either,” Azrael said. “So, let's not think about it now. Instead, let's focus on this.”
Azrael slid my wedding ring onto my finger. The diamond, formed from locks of my husbands' hair, glinted up at me, happy to be home.
As was I.
Chapter Fifty
We spent the day celebrating outside; there were simply too many of us to keep the party in the Palace. My lions took quickly to Viper. Probably because he made an effort to go out among them and ask to be included in their games. Just like a new kid on the playground, Viper made friends through sports. Volleyball, football, he even went swimming. I watched all the activity from the veranda with Vero in my arms, nursing under a baby blanket. I had missed precious baby time with him. The weight of him in my arms, so much greater than when I'd left, served to remind me of that. But he didn't seem to hold it against me. Vero had made gleeful baby sounds when I took him from Mrs. E, and he hadn't stopped murbling happily ever since. Even as he ate, he murbled.
All of my children huddled around me now, including my furry one. Nick had braved the cacophony of the party for me. Although, I'm not sure that being curled up behind my feet and beneath my chair with the wall against his back could be considered brave. Whatever the case, I was glad he was there. It was therapeutic for both of us.
Kirill was with Viper, helping him acclimate to the Pride, and I loved him so much for that. My black lion could be as alpha as any of my men, but he was also the most generous as far as sharing me goes. I think it came with him being Intare. The magic that sustained him was the same magic that compelled me to live this way. Sharing me felt natural for Kirill.
Trevor had calmed down too, following Kirill's lead for once, and was at the grills with Horus and some of the Intare. But the rest of my men sat around me, still processing this new turn of events as well as my abrupt homecoming. The fact that Vainamoinen's evil was gone, along with all of the horrors I'd wrought as the Dark Star, was enough to make anyone's head spin. But add Toby's dramatic exit to Viper's even more dramatic entrance and it made for a very rough ride. Odin was right; it would take time for the dust to settle and true acceptance to come, but I had confidence that it would.
I just wasn't sure when the ache of Toby abandonment would pass.
“He'll be back,” Re murmured.
“What?” I looked over at the Sun God.
“Toby,” he clarified. “He'll be back. Don't cry for him yet, Argentina.”
“I'm not crying.” I laughed despite myself. “I'm happy to be home, surrounded by the people I love. I'm relieved that the Star was able to fix everything. My magic sacrificed a lot to make things right, and all of you sacrificed your anger to make me happy. How could I cry after I've been given so much?”
I glanced at Mr. T and Mrs. E, huddled together by the pool in a spirited conversation. They had taken the news of Toby's departure well. A little too well in fact. They never liked the idea of their son being with me. Oh, they loved me, but they didn't want this life for their child. Now, they were starting to look a little upset. I assumed that they were beginning to realize that even though they had wanted this, Toby didn't, and he would be hurting. They seemed to come to a decision and started walking back to the palace.
“But you lost someone you love,” Arach noted. “We understand, A Thaisce. It's okay to be sad.”
“Are you sad, Mommy?” Lesya asked me, her father's big blue eyes staring up at me from
