^“How is she?” Eira asked, pacing back and forth around her small kitchen.

“Not good, I don’t think she’ll ever recover,” Leth answered, closing the door to the fae realm with an odd expression on his face.

“Oh.” She looked away, already feeling guilty about it. It was her fault that his Mother was in the situation after all. Leth strode over to her and circled her waist with his arms, pulling her close and dropping a kiss to the top of her head. Leth’s reaction once he’d come around properly, had been surprisingly mixed. He wasn’t as against the Queen as Rueben was, but he also couldn’t quite understand why Eira had let her be. Even so, she was pretty sure he was secretly relieved that she hadn’t passed on, while being grateful that his sister was being crowned the new Queen of Summer within the week. It’d involve another ball, and she was not looking forward to it. Though maybe she could make a habit out of sneaking down corridors with her men during them. That would make the events far more bearable.

“It’s not your fault, Frostie. She brought it on herself. And if it hadn’t have been you, then it’d have been our little one.” He touched her stomach gently and she swatted it away.

“I’m not pregnant you ass.”

“Yet.” He winked, and she laughed despite herself. It was often hard to forget to be mad.

“For a while, Leth. I’m serious. Could you imagine us dealing with a baby?”

“Yes,” a female voice said from the doorway, and Eira looked in that direction to find an oddly familiar woman looking at her. Though she couldn’t explain why she looked that way. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m Reagan, Josh told me I could walk right in.”

“Of course, he did,” Eira muttered, causing Leth to laugh again. “I’m Eira, this is Leth,” she introduced them to the woman she now realised was Josh’s sister.

“You don’t have to worry about babies yet. It’s a couple of years off.” Reagan sauntered into the room, seemingly unconcerned that she’d just dropped something so massive on them.

“Years?” Leth said, sounding disappointed.

“Yes, years. But there’ll be several.” She plonked herself down on the sofa. “A cup of tea would be great. Milk, no sugar.”

Eira stared at the other woman for a moment, completely flabbergasted, but flicked her hand towards the kettle anyway, grateful that Josh had begun teaching her about her new witch powers.

“Where is Josh?” Eira asked, surprised that he wasn’t here to actually introduce his sister, it wasn’t very like him to be absent from important events.

“Work, I guess? I’m not really sure. Sometimes I just get feelings I need to go somewhere. It’s a pain in the ass, but when you live with the Sight, it’s just something you get used to.”

“The Sight as in…” She was pretty sure she knew the answer, Izzy had precog powers after all.

“As in I see the future. Sometimes. If and when the future wants to be seen.”

“Useful,” Leth said under his breath.

“Very. How much would you like to know about your children?” Reagan asked as Eira made her tea. By hand this time. Josh had advised her against using magic when boiling water was involved.

“Everything,” Leth said.

“Nothing,” Eira overrode him. She wanted children, just not yet, and she certainly didn’t want to have any preconceived notions about them.

“How about a compromise?” Reagan was smirking now, not unlike Josh did when he knew he was winning. Unlike Josh though, Eira didn’t feel that she could tell the woman off for doing so.

“Fine,” she conceded.

“I’m sure you’ve guessed that the chances of your sister having an heir are slim?” Reagan asked, looking straight at Leth, who nodded. Which made no sense. Why on earth was she talking about Leth’s sister?

“I hope she doesn’t, it means things worked out for her.” Eira smiled at Leth’s assessment, completely agreeing. It would be better if Rose never had a child. For Rose’s happiness that was.

“That’s where your second daughter comes in.”

“What?” Eira demanded, without thinking.

“Your second daughter. She’ll be Rose’s heir.” Reagan sat back clearly proud of herself, whereas all Eira could do was open and close her mouth in quick succession.

Her second daughter was going to be the heir to a throne. More than that, Eira’s daughter was going to be the Fae Queen of Summer one day. She was sure there was some irony there, maybe one day, she’d get used to that. Leth reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a gently squeeze.

“It’ll be alright Frostie.” He grinned at her, and she laughed. Yes, it would all be alright. So long as she had them.