Chapter 150

Theodore’s POV

When I looked up, there was a literal crowd huddled around the car. All my senses went on alert and the hair stood up on my arms.

“Doher,” Violet chuckled beside me. “Look at their smiles. They’re here to welcome us, not attack us.”

She nudged my elbow with hers. “Not everyone’s family is trying to kill them.”

I let out a half-laugh. The truth in her words was painful but fair – and funny in a twisted sort of way. “Sorry, I’m not sure why I got so protective all of a sudden.”

Violet unbuckled her seatbelt. “Maybe the baby is affecting you, too.”

I smiled at my mate, then ran a hand down my face. Looking out the windshield again, we both smiled and waved at the couple dozen people waiting impatiently for us to exit the vehicle.

When we finally did, Bennett held my door open for me. I was relieved to see a familiar face. I wrapped him in a warm embrace that seemed to surprise him, though he quickly returned the motion.

“When you told me you were Violet’s cousin, you failed to mention just how many cousins she has.”

Bennett laughed, leading me to the front of the car and introducing me to Violet’s relatives with each step. There were so many names, none of which I expected to remember except for the youngest of the next generation: a cousin’s six-month-old daughter. The only reason I wouldn’t forget her name was because it was Dahlia.

That and I had never seen such a happy baby in my life. She charmed me immediately.

I was lending baby Dahlia my index finger, which apparently tasted pretty good to her, when Violet made it to my side. I couldn’t wipe the enthralled smile off my face as I glanced at my mate. I could tell by the look in her eyes that I wasn’t the only one imagining a moment similar to this in the near future, except with a baby of our own.

“How the hell am I the last one to get hugged? I’m the oldest. I’m supposed to get first dibs!”

Violet and I both looked up to find a tall, stocky woman who looked vaguely familiar to me pushing people aside gently but firmly to get to Violet. I had to temper my instinctive protectiveness at her aggressive approach. She paused, swinging her gaze to me.

“Calm down, Uncrowned King. That’s my baby cousin you want to protect me from. And I promise I can hand your ass to you with one hand tied behind my back.”

I was so astonished by her directness that I couldn’t help but laugh. When my demeanor relaxed, she took the final few steps to Violet, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Meet Marcella,” Violet pointed to the cousin squeezing the breath out of her. “The oldest cousin in our mess of a family.”

Marcella let Violet go, pinning her with a glare before sending it my way. “It’s Marcy or Mar, unless you’re looking for a black eye, in which case you’re more than welcome to call me Marcella.”

Violet smiled satisfactorily as if she had mentioned Marcy’s full name just to piss her off – and was pleased with the results.

“Pleasure to meet you, Marcy,” I responded, begrudgingly pulling my attention away from baby Dahlia. “You can call me Theodore. I’d shake your hand, but it’s covered in baby spit.”

Marcy eyed Violet. “He’s deterred by a little saliva?”

Then her gaze found Bennett next to me. “I thought you said this new one wasn’t a wimp.”

Violet reached out to take my hand, rolling her eyes. “Give him at least an hour to adjust to our weird family culture before you judge him, huh?”

“Sure,” Marcy winked at me, but it somehow felt like a challenge. “So what’s with these guys anyway?” Marcy poked Violet’s forehead where the shattered band glowed faintly, then eyed the same spot along mine.

“We’re not sure.” Violet squeezed her hand in mine, moving a step closer to me. “It’s one of the things we were hoping to find some answers on while visiting Henosis.”

Marcy snorted. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. How ‘bout you, Auntie?”

As if she had appeared out of thin air, the High Priestess stood over Marcy’s shoulder. I didn’t even know how Marcy had sensed her sudden presence, though I immediately realized why Marcy had looked familiar to me.

She was the spitting image of the High Priestess.

The High Priestess, who I still wasn’t used to being referred to as “Auntie”, spoke calmly over Marcy’s shoulder, her serenity in sharp contrast to Marcy’s boisterous nature. “I also have never seen such crowns before. But more importantly, the food is getting cold.”

I only had a moment to question the High Priestess’ use of the word “crown” to describe the bands, which were in fact shaped like crowns once I thought about it, though I had never considered them as such. Then off we went, being ushered by twenty or so aunts and cousins and cousins’ children as the word “feast” sprang from their lips in unmitigated chaos.

They herded us into a nearby structure similar to a barn, modestly decorated with fern garlands and brightly colored flowers in pink, purple, and yellow. All around, spots of light hovered in the air, moving out of the way as people walked towards them, and moving closer to chase away shadows.

I was mesmerized by the magic – of the lights and the family that was so overjoyed by something as simple as gathering.

And then there was the food.

Three long tables extended the length of the barn, one along each wall and one down the middle. All three were piled high with foods of every variety, some of which I recognized, some of which we also had across the border.

“Typically,” Violet pulled me off to the side as her family flowed in behind us, “people move around at these events. You can sit anywhere you like for as long as you like, then get up and sit somewhere else for a bit. Whatever you want!”

I pulled her closer, kissing her ear. “I want to be next to you.” As grateful as I was to be finally visiting Henosis for the first time, I was still recovering from a month of separation from my wife.

She looked perfectly happy with my response.

Taking my hand, she dragged me to the nearest table, and my stomach grumbled in response to the delicious smell. “Food smells better here,” I noted as I began making myself a plate.

“It’s the magic,” Violet explained. “It heightens everything. The longer you’re here, the more you’ll be able to sense.”

I took a bite of a miniature sandwich that appeared to be the same one I’d had a million times before, but each flavor hit me harder. I groaned in delight.

Violet smiled as she finished a bite of something green, purple, and crunchy. “It won’t just be the food either. Soon you’ll be able to see love and smell fear and taste the incoming storm.”

What she was describing sounded impossible and fantastical. I couldn’t imagine why my father had decided to outlaw magic if it made life so much more vibrant.

I immediately let go of all thoughts of my family. For now, I had the honor of being welcomed into Violet’s.

I had the gift of time with my mate.