CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Deena’s family started showing up the next morning. They showed up in a big ol’ rented minivan, driven by a young man who looked human but had the distinct whiff of magic about him. When he jumped out of the minivan and immediately grabbed Deena for an off-the-ground whirling hug, Josh stopped what he was doing to watch with narrowed eyes and a small growl that only Ray could hear.
They’d been out in the barnyard practicing sword forms since the sun had risen, getting in a few hours of work before the relatives showed up, but Ray hadn’t counted on them arriving so soon. Ray took Josh’s practice swords—sticks that Ray had whittled down to the approximate size and shape of swords to use until they had suitable equipment sourced and sent here through circuitous channels—and prodded his son to go meet the in-laws.
“That better be her brother or he’s going to lose a limb,” Josh growled under his breath as Ray patted him on the back and sent him on his way.
Evie came over to watch the proceedings. She’d exited the house with Deena when they’d heard the minivan pull up, but like Ray, Evie had hung back to allow time for Deena to greet her family before springing the new in-laws on everybody. Ray put his arm around Evie’s waist after he stowed the improvised practice swords into a corner of the barn where nobody would stumble across them accidentally.
They weren’t dangerous or anything, but they did look more like swords than sticks now. Best to keep them away from those who might ask too many questions. Ray wasn’t sure how open Deena or Josh could be about their callings with her family. In fact, he didn’t know much about her family at all except that they were magical. Some were human, some were mages, and more than a few were servants of the Goddess.
“They look like a fun bunch,” Evie observed, smiling as they watched Deena introduce Josh to her family.
“Good thing that tall one is Deena’s little brother. Josh is rather protective,” Ray observed wryly.
“The mating is new. The wolf is very protective. Especially now,” Evie explained. “Cut him some slack.”
“Oh, I wasn’t criticizing. I know just how Josh feels. When I first saw you interacting with Fred, I wanted to rip him apart,” Ray admitted.
Evie turned to look up at him, wonder on her pretty face. “Really?” She paused a beat, searching his expression. “I’m flattered.” She turned back to watch the family reunion, but not before Ray caught a rather smug smile of satisfaction curve her lips.
It wasn’t too much longer before Deena looked around and motioned Ray and Evie over to meet her family. Josh was off to one side, deep in conversation with the brother, so Ray and Evie got to meet the others first.
“This is my mother, Melanie, and my dad, Peter,” Deena introduced them as they smiled and offered handshakes and hugs. “My sisters, Barbara and Laurie, and my aunt, Gladys, and her husband, Geoff.”
Ray offered to help the men with the suitcases as Evie settled in for some girl talk with the ladies in the group. If Ray didn’t miss his guess, each and every one of those females was a priestess at one level or another. All had that fey influence on their energies, as did the brother, who came over to help with the bags. Josh introduced him as Gabe, and Ray was able to take the younger man’s measure a bit, through their handshake.
The other two men were married into the family line. They were both humans with magic of their own, though Ray would have to be around them a bit more before he could gauge how much power each of them could command. He could do it with a quick magical query, but that was considered rude among friends, and if these men were married into a family so heavily laden with priestesses, Ray was pretty sure they were all right. The Mother of All kept a special eye on Her servants, as he well knew. Ray had no doubt the Goddess had Her hand in both of the older ladies’ marriages.
It didn’t take long to bring in the bags and set them in the rooms Deena had prepared on the other side of the big farm house. Every spare inch was serving as guest space now that there were three other couples and three singles staying here with Josh and Deena, and a few more were expected to trickle in over the next day or two until everyone was gathered for the Solstice celebration.
The day was spent catching up with, and learning more about, Deena’s family. Wedding plans were discussed in some detail, and when that kind of talk started, the men found excuses to go outside and do manly things.
“The last thing I want to do is talk about matching the tablecloths to the napkins,” Geoff muttered as the five males went out into the cold of the day, ostensibly to check the barn and see if anything needed fixing.
Josh was greeted by the critters around the barn as if he was their papa, and he spent a few minutes patting noses and stroking coats. Ray stood back and watched, marveling at how the small herd of mismatched animals had come to welcome the protection of an apex predator.
“I’ve never seen anyone but my sister be so accepted by her little tribe. Even the other girls don’t get that kind of reception,” Gabe observed, leaning one foot on the fence rail a couple of feet from where Ray had stopped.
“Josh is their protector,” Ray said. “And perhaps they sense the wild spirit in his own soul.”
“But he’s a wolf, right?” Gabe objected. “I’ve never seen anything like that before, between a predator and its prey.” He gestured toward where the two alpacas were eagerly receiving scratches behind their fluffy little ears.
Ray had to chuckle as the female alpaca leaned forward to nibble on the ends of Josh’s hair. She certainly was friendly toward a being she probably should’ve been running from. But then, the animals had probably learned over the past weeks that Josh was there to keep them from all harm, not cause it. What he hadn’t really expected was that Josh would take to the animals as much as they apparently took to him. That had been surprising to Ray.
“My son is still very much a mystery to me, but even the simplest creatures can recognize friend from foe. He’s won them over. How? I’m not really sure,” Ray told him.
The other two men had finished wandering around the barnyard, gazing up at the roof and checking the hinges on everything, then circled back to the fence where Ray and Gabe leaned. They also leaned against the sturdy wooden split rail fence, their breath hanging in the air as a frosty cloud each time anyone spoke. The weather had turned overnight, and it was starting to feel downright chilly, but nobody seemed to mind. It was a glorious day with not a cloud in the sky and temperatures cold enough to send an invigorating chill through a man’s skin.
“We really have no excuse to stay out here,” Deena’s father, Peter, observed. “Josh seems to have repaired anything that might’ve needed fixing. Usually, that’s our job—and our excuse to get out from underfoot when the ladies want to chat on their own.”
“I’m pretty sure they figured that out long ago, Pete,” Deena’s uncle, Geoff, replied. “Don’t worry about it. If they want us to come back in, they know where to find us.”
“But it’s cold out here,” Pete replied, grinning.
“That’s easily remedied,” Ray said, waving a hand and bringing a small bit of warm air from the surrounding area to puff gently around their little group.
It was a negligible use of magic that wouldn’t draw any attention, especially as they were well within Deena’s protective wards here, and the small kindness might help Ray make friends with the in-laws.
Three sets of eyes turned to look at Ray wearing various expressions of astonishment. Hmm. Maybe he’d overdone it? Or miscalculated how readily these men might accept Ray’s magical nature? Probably the latter.
“You really are fully fey, aren’t you?” Gabe blurted out. Of the three men, he seemed the least fearful.
“I’m afraid so.” Ray frowned a bit, regretting drawing such attention now that his little trick hadn’t gone over the way he’d intended.
“It’s cool,” Gabe replied nonchalantly. “Grandma does stuff like that all the time. It’s just a little spooky to mere mortals who don’t have that kind of command over the natural world. Weather work is a specialty among human mages. My dad is a potions master,” Gabe nodded toward his father, Peter. “And Uncle Geoff specializes in teaching the younger generation about spell work.”
“I taught you, didn’t I?” Geoff scoffed back jokingly at his nephew.
Gabe had to be in his mid-twenties, but as the youngest of the family, he was treated as if he were the baby. Ray suspected they’d be in for a surprise if a crisis came their way. Gabe radiated a vast power that impressed Ray, now that he was close enough to feel it.
“That you did, Uncle Geoff, but you know my heart isn’t really in reciting long litanies or chanting my head off. I’m a little more…uh…direct than that,” Gabe complained, but Ray could see it was all in fun. The men of Deena’s family had a good relationship vibe among them, which boded well for Josh’s eventual acceptance among them.
Ray shook his head and sighed dramatically. “I don’t think Josh would sit still long enough for me to teach him spell work,” Ray commiserated with Geoff. “At this stage, he’s more a man of action, like young Gabe here. So, I’m teaching him sword work instead.” Ray figured he might as well bring that out into the open since they’d probably seen Ray and Josh earlier that morning when the family had pulled in.
“I’d wondered about that,” Peter admitted. “What’s that all about? Is there a need for a werewolf mage to use a sword in this day and age?”
Josh must’ve heard because he came over, leaving the animals, though some of them followed at his heels, rubbing against his legs. They really loved him, and it was both heart-warming and amusing to watch.
“Deena and I talked about this…” Josh began. “And she decided it’s not her place to say whether or not you’re all told the exact nature of my power. You can confirm this with her, of course,” Josh said politely, “but her intention is to let the Mother of All make that decision.”
“What?” Peter looked confused.
“How?” Geoff asked at the same time.
“At our wedding. If the Goddess wills it, you’ll all see my true nature. And if not, then we’ll know for certain that some secrets are still to be kept,” Josh finished mysteriously.
“Very cagey, young man,” Peter said, giving Josh a side-eyed look.
“It’s only fair though, Dad.” Gabe came to Josh’s defense, somewhat surprisingly. “The Mother of All will decide. That’s the best way to go. You already know She wouldn’t have allowed Deena to mate just anyone. Josh has already got the Goddess’s blessing. That should be enough for us. Anything else is just curiosity on our parts and maybe not any of our business.”
Ray felt his eyebrows rise as the young man spoke. Very wise words for one so young, he thought. This Gabe would bear watching. He had the fey blood, like the rest of his female kin. Perhaps he had a bit of empathy—or some higher calling—that would reveal itself in time.
Josh grinned. “Glad to hear you say that, Gabe. For now, I guess we’ll just say my father is kind of an old guy, and back in his day, things were done with swords. Seeing as how we’ve only just met, I’m humoring the guy and learning something that’s always intrigued me.”
All eyes turned to study Ray again, and he did his best not to fidget. It was Gabe who broke the momentary silence.
“You’re a full-blooded fey, which means you’re pretty much immortal by human reckoning.” Gabe’s voice was hushed with wonder. “The things you must’ve seen. Were you really around during medieval times?”
Ray decided to indulge Gabe’s curiosity. For one thing, he was trying to make friends of these people. For another, it was a good way to take the focus off what Josh might or might not be.
“Back in those days, it was much easier to travel between faerie and the mortal realm,” Ray admitted. “I made regular visits here going back even further than that, but the most time I spent here was during the great war with the Destroyer. Humans call that time the Dark Ages. The only weapons we had back then were the old-fashioned kind. I fought with a dual sword style that few ever emulated, but Josh is doing well learning it. And I fought with magic, of course. Back then, mages were more plentiful, and the magic of this realm bubbled much closer to the surface.”
Peter cleared his throat, drawing attention. “This seems like a natural point at which to confess that I looked you up in the family archive.” His expression was a bit sheepish.
“Archive?” Josh asked. “Deena didn’t mention her family had an archive.”
Peter stood a bit straighter, no longer leaning against the fence. “My side of the family has been producing magical offspring since ancient times,” he said with only a hint of pride in his voice. “The Llewellyn Archive is open to her, and to all my children, but she’s never shown an interest in it.”
“Wait a minute. Deena’s family name is Llewellyn?” Ray asked as, suddenly, pieces of a puzzle he hadn’t known he’d been working on clicked into place. He felt a grin coming on.
“Well, yeah,” Josh said. “I thought you knew that.”
“Actually, I didn’t, but it explains a lot.” Yes, he could feel the grin spreading over his face, but did nothing to stop it as he turned to Deena’s father. “I knew a Peter Llewellyn many centuries ago. If I look closely, I see his influence. You have his shade of gray-blue eyes.”
“Then, you really did know my ancestor?” The modern Peter seemed truly touched, his voice subdued.
“I knew him, respected him, and fought at his side many times over. He was a great man and a superior mage.” Ray walked over to Peter and put one hand on his shoulder. “He was also a good friend.”
A moment passed while Ray’s words hung in the air between them. Peter placed his hand over Ray’s.
“I hope we can also be friends. Especially considering that we’re likely going to be sharing grandchildren.” They all laughed then, and Ray let go of Peter’s shoulder, moving back a bit.
Things were easier between them now. He could feel the bonds of friendship starting to form. It would still take time, but this was a very good start.
“So, what did it say about me in your archive?” Ray wanted to know.
“Well, there was a great deal of information written by my ancestor Peter about his friend, Lord Rayburne. He speculated that you were not of this realm, but he didn’t seem to know for certain.”
“Och, in those days, it was never wise to advertise if you were fey. The townsfolk didn’t like my kind. It was a lot easier to cross the barrier between the realms back then, and some fey who came through did some rather nasty things here. Stealing children. Beguiling people’s wives or husbands. Playing dirty tricks on the humans. A lot of the uncomplimentary old legends about fey have some basis in truth, unfortunately.” Ray frowned.
“Are you really a lord?” Josh asked.
“In a manner of speaking. I was a fighting man, and back then, if you were good at that sort of thing and pledged your sword to a decent king, if you lived long enough, he’d give you a title and some land. I didn’t live on the lands I was awarded for long, but I tried to be good to the people who lived there.” Ray shrugged. “I didn’t care much for titles, but it opened doors and helped me get things done back then. For one thing, it made it easier for me to raise a decent army when Elspeth’s forces came against us. That’s when I first met your ancestor, Peter. He was a powerful mage, and he came in with a fighting force of his own. All the members of his family were blessed with magic…and lots of it.”
“So, not all of Deena’s power comes from her fey great-grandmother,” Josh observed, looking at Peter with new respect.
“No, not all,” Peter said modestly. “Though you should know, I’ll be adding your name to the family archive in due course,” he warned Josh with a grin.
“Now, that’s true immortality,” Ray observed wryly and they all chuckled.