Chapter 98: Preparing for the Party of the Year

Kyon POV

When his paws hit the earth, he felt a rumbling beneath them. Maybe he imagined it. Maybe it was the news that Cyran just brought. 

Escaping the council, Kyon had run out into the night, beneath the stars, to release all this restless energy and let the wind ruffle his fur. While he raced over the rolling green field north of New Moon City, Cyran had caught up to him, a scarlet streak breaking the growing darkness, and delivered the joyous tidings.

"They signed a friendship agreement with the royals of Lugdunum. And they're coming home–with members of the royal court. They may be here as early as tomorrow morning after a stop in Wildefell."

A friendship agreement?

Impossible! Would Dane, Jiro, and Jude really open up the shifter lands that easily? He smelled an approaching fire on the horizon.

"Who did you hear this from?" he asked.

"Patch," Cyran responded, his eyes glowing like fireflies in the darkness. 

Kyon lifted his nose, smelling wildflowers. "I'd check his facts if I were you. Patch sometimes gets his messages muddled."

"But he's a spymaster."

"He's also more excitable than a roomful of pups," Kyon responded. "You should know that after all this time."

Cyran tried to communicate with Patch, as did Kyon. They could only sense his excitement, like a bubbling fountain. "He's not answering."

"It doesn't matter if Patch garbled the message in his over-exuberance. I know Dane," Kyon asserted. "He wouldn't just open the shifter lands to the humans. Nor would Jiro. And Jude is as cautious as the two of them put together. Maybe these 'members of the royal court' are some of the royal mages they befriended?"

Cyran nodded thoughtfully. "It wouldn't surprise me–I for one would have a difficult time adjusting to the strong smell of humans. Mages would be easier."

Kyon grunted in agreement. "We should welcome them home with the entire pack in the town square, musicians, a blessing by the three wise women, the works–like we do normally. When are they coming home?"

"Patch says they're probably coming home tomorrow morning. They're staying the night in Wildefell," Cyran responded.

"Perfect. We have time to get ready."

Cyran flashed his sharp teeth in a grin. "You don't ask for much, do you?"

Kyon thought about Ravyn and Jude in particular. 

Aside from the incredible battle on the island, which all of his family had described and left him wanting more, and the friendship with the human royal court, and returning home in one piece, Kyon wanted to celebrate the bond between Ravyn and Jude. 

Oh, they'd said all the right things after Ravyn and Jude mated, but it had all gotten lost in worrying about the danger the newly mated pair might be heading into. There had been too much going on to stop and celebrate.

Kyon and Cyran headed back to Cresta House, shifted, and threw themselves into preparing for the party of the year. The celebration for Dirge and Thessalia certainly had raised the bar, but Kyon was determined to make this one the best blowout yet. 

"Alpha Caden Wolfbane of the Wolfspeaker pack is going to be here tomorrow," Kyon noted. "He can join the festivities."

Cyran's lip curled. "Dealt with him when I was Alpha. I'd rather deal with Marcus Mond of the Wintertail Pack."

Kyon grinned. "Dane and Jiro say Alpha Caden is a strong leader."

"Hmph. I suppose he is. Excuse me while I check in with Patch again, just to get a clearer idea of who's coming from the human court."

As Cyran sat, a study in scarlet, he let out a low whine, and Naomi rushed over from the table where she'd been looking over the security arrangements. She laid her copper-skinned hand on Cyran's head, and he shook it off, then stepped back and shifted.

His voice was steady, but Kyon heard the rumbling beneath the still waters.

"Hades is coming back with them."

Naomi growled. "I could kiss you and smack you for wanting to help him."

Cyran heaved a deep sigh. "You'll have to, because I can't do it myself. Not properly, anyway."

Kyon draped a big arm over his shoulder. "He's our best weapon against the Dark Goddess. And this move proves you've got guts, both of you."

He only hoped they didn't all live to regret it.

* * * * *

Thessalia POV

Thessalia Bearpoplar Cresta waited for the room to stop spinning. She blocked out the faint, disgusting smell of her dinner that had come up with a vengeance. Lying on the bed with a cool cloth pressed to her forehead, she wondered why no one ever told her elves could get morning sickness. She must have missed that lecture from Healer Alwin of the Brighmere Elves.

Dirge's bright, concerned voice sounded far too loud, even though her heart needed his comforting presence. "Can I get you anything, Thessi?"

"Hold the room still for a second."

Thessi felt him curl up beside her. His warm arms surrounded her. "I'd rather hold you."

They lay for a few minutes, just being together. The comforting heat of his body was instantly addictive. "How about you hold me every minute that I'm pregnant?"

"Dane didn't let go of Lilia the entire last month of her pregnancy. Kyon holds the record, though–a month and a half with Azandra. Have you ever tried to get out of one of his hugs? He narrowly beat out Jiro, though. Jiro can hang on."

Thessi snuggled with him. "You all turn everything into a competition. Talk to me. Distract me."

Dirge stroked her hair. She loved the way he touched her. She loved his lean, compact body. Good things came in small packages. "Right now, we're decorating the square to welcome everyone home tomorrow."

With relief, Thessi smiled. "Then they're actually on their way? No problems with humans?"

"Oh, there was some excitement. Patch couldn't get everything out–he was trying to tell us everything. The problem is, so much has happened …"

A soft smile spread across Thessi's face. "Who would have thought Ravyn and Jude becoming bonded would be the LEAST exciting thing lately?"

"Oh, it's still plenty exciting." Dirge pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "We'll be celebrating that. They didn't even have a party. Every couple in this family gets one when they bond. We had two!"

Thessi smiled. "I'm not THAT sick. I remember."

"How is your tree holding up, here and in the Brighmere Grove?"

Mentally, Thessi communed with the tree. She could feel it holding steady despite the emotional and physical turmoil inside her.

"It seems fine. And it's not as if wood elves haven't been pregnant before."

She heard the mischievous grin in Dirge's voice. "Not with shifter babies, they haven't. The baby should start moving in another month or so."

Thessi's eyes widened. "Elf babies take far longer before you feel that first flutter inside you."

Dirge yawned. "You know what's amazing about the bond?"

"Everything?"

"Yes, and now add one more thing. I can feel your tiredness right now. I can feel your joy."

She hugged him tightly, crushing him in her embrace. "Shouldn't you be helping with the celebration?"

"YOU come first."

* * * * *

Azandra POV

Tulaska's guest bedroom had been recently tidied, unlike the rest of the house. Since Cyran, Naomi, and their children often stayed in the cozy room, it tended to be cleaner.

"No one in their right mind would disturb Hades here," Tulaska said.

Azandra circled the square space. One exit, and a door to the bathroom. Not a lot of places for Hades to go. "Do we need to get some of the gamma enforcers to stand guard when Hades arrives? You can't keep him asleep all the time."

Tulaska gripped the medicine rattle. "I have Evenhiders, Crimsontails, and Silverpaws lining up to park themselves outside this door and drink gallons of my herbal tea."

Azandra was used to the smell of herbs so strong that they'd make your eyes water and your nose run. "Are you going to give him the same strict diet you did Cyran?"

"And then some. But not the mothering." Tulaska's voice had a hard edge to it. "Don't you worry about me. Hades Ombra won't know what hit him."

Azandra hugged her mentor. "I hope you're right."