Shadows & Secrets part 10
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D
Deryn sat beside his brother, but for once did not feel dwarfed by him. His friends sat before him attentively as he launched into the tale of the Great War, his brother adding in details as he felt prudent.
Deryn had been a young kitten when the Call had rung out in the manor, the equivalent of a six or seven year old human child. His father had rallied troops and headed off to fight beneath Gwythyr’s banner, but he and his brother had been left behind. Pedr had sulked, feeling denied the chance to prove himself, but Deryn had seen the empty manor as a chance to play and eventually had gotten his brother to join in. Days turned to weeks, weeks became months, and then eventually years past. The battles were brutal and heavy losses occurred on both sides. There were numerous times when the brothers feared their father lost amongst the casualties, but news would eventually follow that he was well.
The fighting had confused Deryn at first since the only creatures he knew about besides the Fae were humans whom he had been told were far weaker than his kind. Pedr, being older and more connected to the court, had heard of the creatures across the water and the invasion they had launched. They were much like the Fae, but darker, both in complexion and temperament. Dusky gray skinned creatures with large all black eyes and razor sharp teeth were the main group attacking. Dorchae, the Fae had dubbed them, ‘dark ones’. In battle, once blood began spilling a frenzy would blind them and they were as likely to maim and kill one of their own as any Fae creating a chaotic bloodbath.
Gwythyr and Arianwen were caught in such a frenzy during the final push to drive the Dorchae into retreat and Arianwen went down in the chaos, bleeding heavily. Gwythyr was also badly wounded, but with his remaining troops, managed to force the creatures to flee to their strange ships. Gwythyr had been taken to healers after the battle and the outlook had been good, but over the next few months his health had declined steadily instead and he soon joined his daughter in death.
Whispers had surfaced briefly after the funeral that the death had not been from the injuries or his grief at losing his daughter, but from poison. Their father had been quick to quell such rumors as he took Gwythyr’s place as High Lord of the Cat Sith.
“So let me see if I have this right,” Cáit said as he finished, “your father took over after Gwythyr because Arianwen fell to these Dorchae creatures, leaving him without an heir, but…” Deryn watched her pause, steeling herself. “I’m technically next in line for the position, at least, I am if I Settle.”
“Indeed,” Pedr agreed beside him. “Which makes you an easy target if our father discovers you before then. Once you’ve Settled, we can work on building alliances. No Fae can be trusted with knowledge of your lineage before then.”
“So she goes back to her father,” Lonán suggested, “hides amongst humans like she has before.” Deryn shook his head sadly.
“Unfortunately, I don’t believe that she will be able to. The Fae here view you three as a threat to our secret and will not accept you returning and possibly sharing our weakness with other humans.” He watched them stiffen as he continued. “It would be best to take all three of you to the manor and hide Cáit’s lineage behind the excuse of containing a secret.”
“Father will wonder why we did not merely kill you all,” Pedr added, “but he’s aware of Deryn’s interest in humans and I can make it seem like I’m humoring my little brother as a reward for a mission accomplished.” Deryn bristled at his brother’s words, knowing it was precisely the kind of thing Pedr would do, at least, before he had discovered his possible true mate among those said humans.
“Won’t your father find out if we are staying under the same roof?”
“Not under the same roof,” Deryn corrected Maeve, “after he took the title of High Lord, he moved out of our manor into the heart of the court. He hasn’t visited the manor since and I doubt he would do so because of a handful of humans.”
“It would only be us five at the manor,” Pedr added, “all the servants moved out when our father did. Adding you three into such roles would not raise questions.”
“If you expect to be waited on hand and foot…” Deryn stifled a chuckle as Maeve’s fiery temper was aimed once more at his brother.
“Certainly not, Mo’lasair,” Pedr agreed smoothly, “though I would gladly cater to any and all of your desires should you wish it.” Deryn watched Maeve blink owlishly in response, her ire snuffed out and replaced with a soft blush. He was a bit surprised the flirt had worked coming from his brother in his malk form, but remembered how she had gushed at his own malk form before. Perhaps there was something to his brother’s suspicion.
“How far is it to this manor?” Lonán asked. Deryn turned to his brother, hoping Pedr had a better idea on the distance. With his shadow travel, it had taken only a few days to get so far south, but they would not be able to shadow travel on the return trip.
“That would depend on whether we can acquire transportation or not,” Pedr answered, “on foot we will likely take 10 days or so depending on the weather. On horseback, we can likely halve that time.”
“Will horses tolerate…” He smiled as Cáit let her question trail off.
“Horses do not typically mind Fae riders,” he assured her, “there are a few that they will not tolerate, but Cat Sith are not one of those.”
“I can get us horses,” Lonán volunteered. “I’ll go by myself and meet the rest of you at the main road.” Deryn nodded along with the others and began packing up their supplies.
C
Cáit followed the others as they made their way out the remaining section of forest. Her thoughts were as tricky to navigate as the path before her. She had somehow known she wouldn’t be returning home, even Biddy had seemed to know, yet she had mixed feelings about Maeve and Lonán also being unable to do so.
On the one hand, she was thrilled to have her best friend beside her on such a grand adventure. Heading off practically on her own into an unknown land full of creatures she had mostly only read about had honestly terrified her. On the other hand, she felt horrible taking not one, but both siblings away from their father and into such a dangerous-sounding situation. Their father had been nothing but kind to Cáit and had already dealt with the loss of his wife, just like her own father. She hoped her father would understand and not take out his anger on Biddy for allowing her to do this. He was not a man given to temper, but this would sorely test that.
The trees ended and Cáit stumbled into the evening sunlight. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, Cáit gauged how long they had until dark.
“We can probably get two, maybe three, hours of riding in before we need to stop for the night.” Cáit nodded, agreeing with her best friend’s assessment. She noticed Lonán clasping Deryn’s arm and headed over to offer her own farewell though they would reunite soon enough.
With Lonán off to get them horses, it suddenly felt more like a double date, especially with both brothers having shifted out of their malk forms. Maeve smirked beside her, obviously thinking the same thing, and Cáit watched as her friend gave a wink before strolling boldly up to Pedr.
“It is a lovely evening for a stroll, isn’t it?” Cáit nearly choked as Maeve’s question was practically purred to the Fae.
“It is indeed,” Pedr replied calmly, though Cáit caught a slight pink dusting his cheeks, “an evening spent in the company of such a beauty makes it all the lovelier.” Cáit turned her attention towards the other brother who looked rather baffled by the pair.
“They shouldn’t be the only ones enjoying themselves,” she told him. She watched as confusion gave way to a wide grin. Taking the arm he gallantly offered in response, she strolled along the forest edge towards the main road.
The main road was a fairly wide stony road that ran straight through the square of town so that travelers coming from the north or south were immediately greeted with the bustling market shops and the inn. While the inn had stables, it would not be where Lonán would be. Horses were generally available at the ranch just south of Lonán’s cabin. Cáit hoped there would be enough for sale for all of them and that Lonán could afford them. Being neighbors would help some, but Lonán having a hand in making much of the shoes and tools used would likely help more. It was uncommon for hunters to also know how to work a forge, but Lonán regularly helped out because he was family. Maeve had sulked mightily when her uncle had denied her the same opportunity, but eventually stopped when she realized how much work it actually entailed.
A soft squeeze brought her out of her thoughts and she turned to Deryn, surprised to see him looking so sad.
“I’m sorry you won’t be here to enjoy the Autumn festival,” he said softly. Cáit smiled reassuringly.
“We shall simply have our own little Autumn festival,” she said cheerfully. “Maeve and I know how to handle the pies and other desserts while Lonán has helped with the cider making for quite a few years now. It won’t be exactly the same, but we can make it fun.” Cáit was pleased to see excitement dance in Deryn’s green eyes at her words.
“The manor does have an apple orchard,” Deryn supplied, “it’s a bit overgrown from lack of tending, but the apples should be usable. I’m not sure if the kitchen will have all you’ll need, but either Pedr or I can acquire anything you’re lacking.” Cáit nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“How long do you think we will need to wait before I Settle?” she asked. She watched as his brows furrowed and a small wrinkle formed on his nose as he considered her question.
“It unfortunately depends,” he replied, “generally it’s at the age of maturity, but that often varies among the Fae. I would expect you and Maeve to Settle in the next five years while Lonán may Settle in just a year or two.”
“What happens when a person Settles?”
“That also depends on the Fae,” he replied with a wry chuckle, “the transition can be sudden or take a week to complete and it’s different even with the same type of Fae. Lonán and Maeve will Settle similarly, but will likely have different powers thus go through different experiences. Your Settling will likely be quite different from theirs not just because you’re different Fae, but because you’re also High Fae in addition to that.” She watched him suddenly frown. “Lesser Fae are more volatile, with fire Fae being the most extreme, and that impacts the way they Settle. I worry for them.” Cáit knew he didn’t want her to spend the next five years fretting about her best friend so kept her next question unvoiced. It would do little good now to know if anyone had died going through their Settling.
A chilled breeze brought the acrid smell of charred wood to her nose and soon the remains of the Murray’s farm came into view. Cáit could barely make out the men already hard at work clearing away the destroyed timbers and hauling in fresh ones. She knew the barn was far enough from the edge of the forest that they didn’t need to worry about being spotted, but she wondered what kind of conversation Maeve would be having about it… and how loud it might get.
D
Deryn knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop on his brother, but when the charred remains of the farm came into view he couldn’t help it. He had been rather surprised his brother’s conversation had stayed fairly pleasant as he answered Cáit’s questions as best he could.
Now though he could tell things were getting heated. Maeve seemed to be reigning in her volume, though that did nothing to soften the vicious tongue lashing she gave his brother. His brother accepted it in almost complete silence which surprised him. Any fight he’d had with Pedr, even when he was right, had not been so one-sided.
“I have already promised they will be provided for,” Pedr finally said softly, his voice barely audible to Deryn. “I should not have acted without all the information. What occurred was unconscionable and I will take great care to ensure it does not happen again.” Deryn nearly tripped in shock at his brother’s very genuine apology. He knew Fae did not apologize easily and his brother was especially unwilling to admit any fault even in private. Beside him, Cáit lifted her head and raised an eyebrow in silent question.
“My brother just apologized,” he whispered to her, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard him apologize for anything before.”
“Do you think he’s being genuine?” Cáit whispered back, “Not just with the apology, but also his interest in Maeve.” Deryn nodded.
“He has no reason not to be,” Deryn said softly, “he is going completely against expectations by pursuing her at all and Mo’lasair is never used in jest.”
“I’d say I’d rip him to shreds if he hurt her,” Cáit stated with a chuckle, “but the chances of there being anything left to shred after he does are slim to none.” Deryn chuckled along with her as they continued their way past the farm.
Deryn found himself a bit disappointed when the large paved road appeared shortly after they had left the farm behind. He had enjoyed strolling along with Cáit tucked snugly against his side. Once they reached the stony pathway, Deryn caught the sound of hooves. He turned his head towards town and Cáit perked up, pulling upright and away from him slightly. He fought back a whine at the loss and awaited his friend.
C
Cáit watched as a figure on horseback approached. She noticed Lonán was leading only two horses and a smaller mule. The mule was already laden with supplies which likely explained the smaller number of horses. This was confirmed when he reached them.
“Had to get supplies for this longer trek so we’re going to need to double up,” Lonán explained. Cáit felt herself flush as he took in the obvious pairings before him and rolled his eyes. “Guess we already know who’s riding with who,” he muttered. “If he annoys you sis, you can always ride with me.” Maeve smirked and nodded.
Cáit helped redistribute their pack items onto their horses and into the numerous saddlebags they now had while Deryn took her violin and strapped it to the mule’s load. She swung herself up onto the tawny mare feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. She startled at the feel of a hard, warm body pressing into her back, but quickly relaxed into Deryn’s embrace. Glancing to her right, Cáit saw Maeve was equally relaxed looking on a dappled gray mare while Pedr’s expression looked a mix of delighted, smug, and extremely cautious.
Maeve’s gray took the lead seeing as Pedr knew the way best and Cáit silently noted she and Deryn had front row seats for when Maeve’s temper flared. She imagined Lonán following both pairs on a black gelding with the mule trailing would be spending most of the trip rolling his eyes at the lot of them.
With Deryn controlling the reins, Cáit spent the time dozing and enjoying the warmth of his embrace. Her sleepy inattentiveness was interrupted by an indignant squawk from Maeve and the sight of Pedr being shoved backwards off the horse. She watched as he landed flat on his back on the stones, but instead of pain-laced groans, he was… laughing. Cáit looked down at him in shock as Deryn stopped beside his brother. Pedr was grinning from ear to ear and laughing uproariously. She watched, utterly baffled, as he caught his breath and shifted. Cáit felt the horse twitch beneath her at the sudden appearance of a large predator, but Deryn had their mount well under control. Pedr didn’t seem to notice, too busy chuckling and dashing to catch up with the redhead that was irked by whatever he said or did.
“It’s good to hear him laugh like that again,” Deryn commented behind her, “it has been far too long.”
“How is he not hurt?” Cáit asked, “That wasn’t exactly a gentle landing.” She felt a chuckle rumble through her.
“Fae aren’t nearly as fragile as humans,” Deryn replied, “there’s been a time or two he’s been shoved out a second story window by a girl he’s annoyed.”
“Sounds like quite the charmer,” she quipped, earning a full laugh in response.
“He is quite charming until he gets bored,” Deryn admitted. “Then the mischievous prankster takes over.” Cáit couldn’t help laughing at that, knowing Maeve was as mischievous as her tongue was sharp.
“Good grief they’re a pair,” she said, “and we’re going to have them living under the same roof for years,” She suddenly found herself hoping Fae buildings also were not as fragile as human ones.
D
Deryn felt his heart squeeze at the sound of his brother’s laugh. Pedr had an array of them, but this joyous, free one hadn’t made an appearance in decades. He wasn’t surprised by Pedr ending up thrown off the horse nor was he surprised his brother was unhurt. That laugh though, that surprised Deryn greatly. He was also overjoyed to see this version of his brother back on display. With all the training and time at court, this Pedr had vanished and Deryn had sorely missed the big brother he loved dearly.
He watched as his brother prowled beside Maeve’s gray. His curiosity was piqued, but he respected his brother’s privacy, especially since it seemed the Pedr he missed had actually returned. Whatever was said had Maeve stopping so Pedr could shift and hop back up behind her.
“Seems he’s forgiven for now,” Cáit mused from her place tucked in front of him. Having Cáit pressed up against so much of him constantly was both highly enjoyable and utter torment. He was unused to so much contact and every brush of her skin against his had him remembering the taste of her lips, the feel of her chest pressing against his, and the blissful way her nails would scrape along his scalp as her fingers raked through his hair.
“For now,” he agreed, knowing that while his brother was perfectly capable of keeping his interactions with Maeve calm and subdued, Pedr would enjoy riling her far too much to do so.
As twilight eventually blanketed the stony path before them, Deryn noticed that things had gone surprisingly quiet ahead. He noticed Pedr glancing about, likely looking for a place to camp for the night, but there was no sign of the redhead that was with him. With a small flick of the reins he urged his horse alongside Pedr’s. The answer to his question brought a smile to his face for, like Cáit, Maeve was curled up and dozing away.
“There’s a stream up ahead,” Pedr whispered and Deryn nodded in agreement, his ears barely catching the sound of water. He knew that even with fresh supplies, taking advantage of the stream would be wise. He let his horse slow, pulling beside Lonán to share the plan. The hunter nodded.
“The girls will appreciate being able to bathe,” Lonán murmured, “though possibly a bit chilly with autumn approaching.”
“It’ll get colder the further north we travel as well,” Deryn added.
“Which is why when I made a stop back at the cabin I collected warm cloaks and blankets in addition to extra clothes.” Deryn smiled, pleased his friend had thought to grab such things. Fae weren’t generally bothered by the cold so it was a new consideration for him to have. Whenever he was chilly, he merely shifted into his malk form, his fluffy coat and smaller size generating enough extra warmth for him.
The path curved steadily eastward and eventually came to the stream. It gurgled happily in greeting and Deryn noticed there was a wide clearing perfectly situated for their camp. He watched Lonán lead his horse towards a fallen tree. As Deryn looked closer, he saw the tree had been cut, presumably for the exact purpose Lonán was using it for. Pedr came beside them and tossed his reins to Lonán who almost argued, thinking the gesture rude, until he saw his sleeping sister. Lonán tied the reins without a word then reached for Deryn’s. With a grateful nod, Deryn handed them over and focused on dismounting with a sleeping Cáit in tow.
C
Cáit felt her bed shift and shake and let out a groan in protest. Her bed had the audacity to rumble in response and she slowly opened an eye. Instead of her blankets and pillow, a black shirt and smooth skin greeted her.
“Enjoy your nap?” Deryn practically purred into her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck. “We’re setting up camp for the night, so as pleasant as holding you is, I’m sure Lonán would appreciate not being the only one doing so.” Cáit raised an eyebrow at that.
“Is your brother too high and mighty to help?” A chuckle rumbled through her in answer.
“He’s got his hands full,” Deryn replied, “take a look.” Cáit shifted in his arms and Deryn set her down. Looking around the clearing she spotted Pedr, who did indeed have his hands full. He had plopped himself on a log and was currently staring at the bundle in his arms with a mixture of awe and adoration. Cáit smiled, her opinion of the older brother improving as she realized he genuinely did care for her best friend who was currently oblivious to the male’s rapt attention.
Cáit hated having to ruin the sweet moment, but she was not as skilled in the kitchen as Maeve. She moved towards the pair and Pedr’s reaction was immediate. His green eyes instantly locked on her and she could feel him quickly gauge if she posed a threat, not to himself she was sure, but to the obvious precious girl in his arms.
“She’s the better cook,” Cáit told him, “would you like to wake her or shall I?” She debated telling him that whoever did would likely get smacked, but decided he’d probably actually enjoy it given his early reaction.
“I shall wake her,” Pedr replied, “it will likely prove… interesting.” Cáit nodded, leaving him to his task and holding back a chuckle at his wording. She joined Deryn and Lonán and helped take stock of their supplies.
“There’s usually plenty of fish in the waters here,” Lonán mentioned, “we could extend our supplies if we can catch some for dinner tonight.” Cáit agreed and turned to Deryn.
“Would you like to catch us dinner?” She knew that while Lonán was capable, he wouldn’t have mentioned it if he planned to do it and he knew well enough that she’d be hopeless at it like the numerous times in the past. Deryn nodded enthusiastically at being given the task before leaning close to her ear.
“Your mighty hunter shall happily provide for you,” he whispered, his warm breath and softly rumbling voice sending shivers through her. She watched him stroll off towards the stream and found herself unsure if her legs would continue to hold her upright, warmth suffusing her even as her knees turned wobbly. Cáit knew wording mattered a great deal to the Fae so didn’t miss the fact he’d referred to himself as hers in addition to using Maeve’s term for him. Her cheeks must’ve given her feelings away because she heard Lonán’s soft chuckle beside her. Grateful for a distraction, she turned her attention to Maeve’s normally reserved brother.
“So now we just need Maeve to help me with…” Cáit trailed off as a loud slap echoed across the clearing. She was not surprised to hear hearty laughter follow. Glancing towards the log, Cáit saw Pedr’s legs sticking up on the other side of it and a sulky, sleepy-eyed Maeve stalking towards her. She was not sure what the male had done to wake her friend, but judging by the slap, she suspected it was not the gentle shaking she would’ve employed.
As she set up the cookfire with Maeve, Cáit waited for her friend to speak. It was rare for the redhead to be quiet long so Cáit knew to be patient. When Maeve did speak, however, it was more subdued than she expected.
“He…” Maeve stammered softly, “he licked me… on my neck. Then he bit my ear… not hard, just a nip, but…” Cáit watched her friend’s cheeks slowly turn a deep pink.
“That was quite the slap,” Cáit commented, giving her friend space to process what were obviously complicated feelings about his chosen method of waking her.
“Not hard enough,” Maeve griped, “the audacity of that laugh of his.”
“You don’t like it?” Cáit challenged gently.
“No, I…” Maeve paused and Cáit watched her friend’s eyes soften, “I love his laugh.” Cáit let the conversation turn to what they’d be making and how best to portion out the supplies they had. Deryn returned as they had a pot of vegetables over the fire. Cáit found herself impressed at the large number of fish he had managed to catch.
“Mighty hunter indeed,” she praised with a smile, accepting his catch. His answering grin was stunning, his joy at her simple compliment lighting up his face, and Cáit felt her heart flutter happily at the sight.
Dinner was a simple affair of grilled trout and a medley of vegetables, but with Maeve’s skill with seasonings, Cáit doubted even Biddy could make it better. Tangy lemon and spicy black pepper made every bite of the flaky white fish a delight on her tongue. Beside her, Deryn was practically moaning in ecstasy at the meal and she found herself curious at what his brother thought of it.
Pedr sat almost on top of Maeve, excitedly stabbing and displaying each of the vegetables in turn on his fork. Cáit noticed Maeve was blushing and smiling at the behavior and decided it was best left alone.
“Huh,” Cáit heard Deryn murmur behind her, “I’ve never had a potato before. I had been told the plant is poisonous.”
“Most of the plant is, yes,” Cáit explained, “the tubers have the least concentration of toxins and are generally safe for consumption, especially when cooked properly.”
“It’s all delicious,” he complimented, “and I think my brother has just discovered a new appreciation for humans.” Cáit glanced back at where Pedr and Maeve sat and had to agree. Though they kept their conversation too low for her to hear, she could tell Pedr was likely praising her friend’s cooking and asking for more. A smiling Maeve was happily granting the request, ladling more of the vegetables onto his plate as Pedr’s eyes sparkled with pleasure.
“Just wait until she has a proper kitchen,” Cáit said, “Her cooking is amazing, but Maeve’s baking is mind blowing.”
“She’s won the pie competition every autumn since she was old enough to make them herself,” Lonán added from his spot on the other side of Deryn. “Her berry cakes were always my favorite though.”
“I still haven’t figured out how she gets the cream to thicken like that,” Cáit admitted, “just whip it she says, but it’s still a sad puddle no matter what I do.” Lonán chuckled and nodded.
“I overheard Biddy once say even she couldn’t do it,” he commented, “so don’t feel bad.” Cáit enjoyed the easy conversation with her friends as they finished their meal and began cleaning up. To her surprise, Pedr volunteered to take the dishes to the stream and wash them. Cáit raised an eyebrow at Maeve, silently questioning the behavior.
“I may have mentioned that when my mother cooked dinner our father always washed the dishes,” Maeve answered, a smirk proving it hadn’t been an unintentional mention.
“I don’t think my brother has washed a single dish in his life,” Deryn warned, “once the servants left the manor that was always my job.”
“I will make sure everything is properly cleaned before it’s put away,” Maeve assured them. Cáit had a feeling Pedr would not hand her a single dish that was not flawlessly cleaned, but nodded anyway.
Feeling the exhaustion from the day’s numerous adventures catching back up with her, Cáit made her way to her bedroll to collect her night clothes. Deryn walked beside her, seeming to be trying to work up the courage to ask her something.
“May I…” Deryn started, his head ducking shyly, “may I sleep with you?” The question sent heat rushing to her cheeks immediately though that wasn’t the only part of her that heated. She was about to reply when he continued in a rush. “In my malk form because you said it was…”
“Ok,” she said, cutting off his embarrassed babbling. He gave her another of his radiant smiles and she couldn’t help smiling back. Collecting her clothes, she joined Maeve and they went into the trees to change.
D
Deryn watched Cáit head into the trees alongside the road. It was by no means a forest, but would provide the girls with the privacy they needed. He shifted and waited on Cáit’s bedroll for her to return. He wasn’t sure what surprised him more, the fact he had dared to ask such a bold request or the fact she had actually agreed. He felt giddy at being allowed to spend the night in her arms after hours of her being in his.
He didn’t have to wait long before the girls returned wearing outfits made of looser, softer looking fabric, but retaining modesty. Deryn was torn between disappointment and relief that Cáit wasn’t wearing a shift like he’d seen her in before. It would hardly be practical in colder weather anyway, he told himself, though a small voice in his head whispered back that he would happily keep her warm.
Cáit slipped into her bedroll and opened her arms in silent invitation. He felt his purr kick in as he snuggled up against her, his head using her arm as a pillow. Deryn drifted towards slumber as Cáit’s body heat soaked into him. His ears picked up the sounds of the others readying their own bedrolls, but it was the soft clanks of dishes that had his attention.
He had been completely honest about this being his brother’s first time with such a chore to his knowledge. He doubted it was part of his training, but from the approving murmurs he heard from Maeve, Pedr had done well regardless. He pushed his luck though from the sound of things shortly after as Maeve bluntly refused whatever Pedr had asked for. He wondered if Pedr had dared to request what he had. Judging by the disgruntled huff Deryn heard, Pedr had shifted before heading off to sulk. Deryn refused to let his brother’s displeasure ruin the bliss of his evening and turned his attention to the way Cáit’s fingers had decided to gently knead into his fur even though her breathing indicated she was already fast asleep.
Continue Reading: Part 11
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