After I cleaned up the mess we’d made, I gathered up the princess for her much-needed bath. As I was walking past the windows, I thought I saw movement among the trees outside. Shaking my head, I decided I needed to quit imagining things and stay focused on the task at hand—no need to borrow more trouble than I already had.
Chapter 5
Finnegan
Finnegan: When is Ameria’s birthday?
The text was sent on the private and secure group app, Magecaster, that Luna, one of the Nightshade Guild Mages, had built so we could communicate without fear of hackers. I had only used it once to tease one of the other Mages, Nic, about putting what looked like rune tattoos on the baby. I’d snapped a pic and texted it to the others when I’d gone to get the baby, saying I’d known she would do something crazy. She was a well-known paranormal tattoo artist, so it was natural to yank her chain about. I’d known they were temporary, but the others didn’t. It was fun seeing their reactions until she’d shut it down. I hadn’t thought I’d need it, but I had no one else to ask about this, and surely one of them would know. While I waited for a reply, I tried to shake off the exhaustion that had hit me this afternoon.
I felt like hell.
I’d felt drained all evening, ever since my walk into the old-growth forest. I had gone out to recharge, and I had felt fine on my way back until I got that scratch on my leg.
I looked down at my calf. The long thin cut looked worse now than it had earlier. The redness all around looked like it had gotten bigger. I was supposed to be able to heal something like this in minutes. I heard the notification sound ding repeatedly, so I picked up the phone and tried to focus on the conversation I had started.
Sunny: Isn’t it this month?
Cale: No idea. How’s she doing?
Isla: It is this month, but I don’t know the day.
Morwen: Her first birthday is this month? We should celebrate somehow.
Demi: We can’t celebrate and keep her a secret.
Isla: Demi’s right. All eyes are on all of us right now. Any suspicious moves and the word will get out where she is. We’ve still got paras watching us.
Jemma: I can have her a little party next month when she’s with me.
Charlie: Her first birthday. That’s so cool. Wish I could make her something now. I’ll plan something for when she’s here in May.
Luna: It’s good to see you know how to use the app for something other than giving Nic a hard time and giving the rest of us a heart attack, Finn.
Finnegan: I know how to use it, Luna. I just prefer not to. Never had any use for technology, you know.
Nic: Oh, we know, big guy. You love the old ways, that’s your red wagon, and you’re sticking to it.
Cale: Where you been, Nic? And where’s Arios?
Arios: Dammit, why do you always start a chat when I’m trying to sleep? This tour schedule is killing me.
Finnegan: Nic’s probably been busy with her new men.
Sunny: What?! Is that meant to be plural?
Demi: Go, Nic!
Serena: Sorry, guys, I was out for a swim. I don’t know what day her birthday is. Who could we ask?
Finnegan: Nic, ask Ameria’s uncle what day her birthday is for me.
Charlie: Who’s her uncle?
Isla: How would Nic know her uncle?
Nic: Um, Marik is Ameria’s uncle. He’s also one of my men.
Jemma: Who’s the other one? That vamp?
Demi: Wait, a vamp? You can’t be serious.
Finnegan: Mages of the Nightshade Guild, could we please focus on business and not gossip about who’s sleeping with who.
Cale: *Whom.
Finnegan: You’re an asshole, Cale.
Nic: Good one, Cale!
Sunny: Well, to be fair, Finn, you did text about a birthday.
Finnegan: The birthday for the princess. That’s business.
Luna: Sunny does have a point, though.
Finnegan: Grrrr.
Nic: Okay, before this goes anymore off the rails, Marik says her birthday is the 25th of this month.
Finnegan: Thank you, Nic, and thank Marik for me. As for Ameria, she’s fine. She can touch you and send images and feelings to you now, very vivid images. She can also touch you and make you feel calm.
Isla: Awww, she’s growing so fast. Her powers are too.
Finnegan: Yes, and she took her first step tonight. I need to get back to her and get her ready for bed. I’ll check back in if I need anything.
There was a flurry of congratulations and awwws for her first step, but I shut off the phone and hooked it back up to the charger. I didn’t love texting. Technology was so impersonal. I preferred to see someone’s eyes when I talked to them or at least hear their voice. My mind flashed to Henry coming on to me earlier today, and my cock gave a twitch. I’d had to rush outside when the baby interrupted us, or I would have jumped Henry right there in the living room. He was a temptation that I couldn’t indulge, no matter how much we might both want it.
I knew he was upset when I came back. The sadness was rolling off him in waves. I had wanted to pull him into my arms as soon as I’d come back, but he’d run away. There
