Chapter 24

"Are you okay?" Nora felt a shiver run down her spine as Hayden leaned over and whispered to her.

She nodded her head and hoped to god everyone around the table did not see her blush. Hayden's hand on her thigh tightened under the table as he grinned seeing her flushed face.

Stop, Nora warned him through their mind-link. I know what you are doing.

What am I doing? Hayden asked, playing innocent.

"How many children would you say are on the island?" Clare asked, calling Nora's attention back.

"Maybe about a hundred something," Nora cleared her throat, trying to push Hayden's hand off.

"Hayden can't heal that many children in one go," Ares shook his head.

"No," Maya agreed. "And I can only take a few a day too."

"Shouldn't we be worried about the tree?" Birdie asked. "Save the tree, save them all."

"But do we want to save them all?" Heyder asked. His eyes flickered to Nora before, "Just wondering."

"I don't know about the fey on the island," Nora said honestly. "My interactions have only been with the children."

"So for all we know the adults could be waiting for my wife and son with hot iron rods."

"They wouldn't risk killing off the only ones who can save their children," Clare shook her head. "We need to get on the island before we send anyone."

"Peanut?" Heyder looked at Nora.

"You all promise you won't hurt the children, right?" Nora's chest tightened.

"Of course not," Ares said. "We don't harm children."

"I will go on my own," Clare chimed in.

"No," Ares said at once.

"I can get a better read of the place and the people," Clare ignored her husband. "Tell us where the island is and I will do a check before we send Hayden or Maya."

"Assuming they agree to let us help," Heyder reminded everyone.

"Yes," Clare said. "Assuming that."

Nora slowly looked at Hayden and then at Clare, "Okay...."

"Great," Ares sighed. "We can get sta-"

As the god spoke, a portal opened in the living room, causing everyone to turn in their seats.

"Took you long enough," Heyder snorted as Ali stepped out with Margo.

"Genie!!" a young girl, no more than seven or eight, pushed past Margo and Ali, running straight for Heyder.

"There's my sweet girl!" The jinn held out his arms as Nora watched the little girl jump into Heyder's lap. "Your baba has been hiding you from me again?"

"Daddy says you're too busy," the little girl pushed aside her light brown hair and looped her arms around Heyder's neck.

"Lies," Heyder whispered. "All lies."

"It took us forever to round up all the kids," Ali complained, pulling back a chair for Margo at the table.

"Where's Adan and Zaki?" Maya asked, looking around.

"They're coming," Margo sighed. "I swear I was not this difficult as a teenager."

"I want you to meet someone," Heyder picked up the little girl and rose from his chair.

"Who?"

"You'll see," the jinn grinned.

Nora felt Hayden turn her chair around as Heyder walked over with the beautiful child.

"Nora, this is Caspiana," he said. "Caspiana, this is Nora. She's going to be Hayden's wife."

"Hayden's wife?" the little girl, Caspiana, scrunched up her nose.

"Yes," Heyder laughed. "Sorry, pumpkin. I know you're heart broken."

"It's okay," Caspiana wiggled down from Heyder's arms. "I like a new boy in my class now."

Ali groaned somewhere at the table.

"Hello," Nora smiled brightly at the girl and held out her hand. "It's so nice to meet you, Caspiana."

"Hello," Caspiana smiled and shook Nora's hand. "I'm Hayden's girlfriend. Well, now his ex-girlfriend."

"Do you like her?" Hayden leaned over Nora's shoulder and asked.

"She's pretty," Caspiana looked Nora up and down. "I like her hair."

"I do too," Hayden grinned, moving aside Nora's dark locks and kissing her cheek.

"Oh here come the boys!" Maya looked up as two more figures stepped out from the portal.

Nora looked over and spotted a handsome young man with curly brown hair that hung over his hazel eyes and model-like good looks. He was tall and lean in a sporty way that made the clothes he wore look runway ready. His eyes scanned the table quickly before landing on Birdie and then sifting away quickly.

Beside them, a much younger version appeared. He had a goofy smile on his face as he dropped the duffle bag he was holding and jogged over to the table.

"Good morning, everyone," the taller of the two boys said politely as he walked up to Maya and kissed her cheeks before moving on to Clare.

"Good morning, Adan," Maya smiled. "You need a haircut."

"Nah," Adan laughed as he made his way over to the chair beside Birdie. On his way, he paused beside Hayden's chair and patted his shoulder. "Hey, man."

"Hey," Hayden replied.

"Zaki, baby!" Maya laughed as the boy wrapped his arms around her and placed his chin over her head. "You get taller every time I see you."

"We had to get him a longer bed," Margo laughed. "He's growing like a giraffe."

"Are you sure these are Ali's kids?" Heyder teased. "His family...they don't do tall."

"No, Heyder," Margo sighed. "I slept with my guards while you kept my husband at court doing your work."

"I buy that story," Ares laughed.

"Ha. Ha," Ali glared. "Yes, go ahead and make fun of the poor man at the table."

"Heyder, you haven't introduced me to your daughter in law yet," Margo sassed. "How rude?"

"Daughter in law?" Adan questioned, reaching for a muffin.

"Birdie didn't tell you?" Hayden looked over his shoulder. "She's been telling the whole world."

"No," Adan shook his head. "Birdie doesn't tell me anything these days."

Nora's eyes shifted to the silver haired girl who had her eyes fixed on her breakfast plate.

"You're getting married?" Zaki asked, stunned. "So soon? Dude, that's game over for you."

"Not all can be like your uncles and your dad, Zaki," Margo shook her head. "Some people like to get married young."

"If I had gotten married young, what would have happened to you?" Ali asked.

"I would be ruling the seven seas," Margo batted her long lashes.

"Looks like you got the short end of the stick then," Heyder laughed.

"Never," Margo leaned over and kissed her husband. "Ali over anyone and anything any day."

"Zaki, Adan," Maya called to the boys. "This is Nora. Hayden's fiancee."

"Welcome to the family," Adan smiled, leaning back in his chair.

"Hello," Zaki waved.

"Hi," Nora waved back as Hayden pulled her closer and put his arm around her.

"When's the wedding?" Adan asked.

"Once we save an island full of fey," Heyder said.

"Fey?" Caspiana asked. "Like Birdie?"

"Kind of like Birdie," Heyder nodded.

Nora watched as the little girl walked around the table and climbed onto Birdie's lap. Her brother watched her as Birdie quietly picked her up and went back to poking her breakfast.

Is Birdie okay? Nora min-linked Hayden.

Yeah, He sighed.

It doesn't look like that.

I don't know, Hayden shifted in his seat. She's been like this for the past few months whenever we're around Ali and his family.

"Where's Cara?" Zaki asked, looking around the table.

"She's still asleep," Ares said. "Go wake her up for me."

"I want to go!" Caspiana jumped off Birdie's lap.

"Be careful!" Margo warned. "Don't tease her too much. And stand back if she swings her sword!"

"I have her sword," Ares said. "Don't worry."

Zaki and Caspiana ran up the stairs to the second floor of the lavish penthouse in search of Cara. The rest of the family downstairs began to fill Margo and Ali in on all their planning as Hayden grabbed Nora's hand and stood up.

"Excuse us for a second," he said, dropping his napkin and tugging on Nora's hand.

"Where are you going?" Birdie looked up.

"I'm just going to go help Nora unpack," Hayden lied.

"I'll come with you," Birdie began to rise.

"N-"

"Thank you," Nora stopped Hayden before he could say anything.

Really? Hayden groaned.

She obviously doesn't want to be here right now, Nora squeezed his hand. Be nice, Hayden.

"Let me know if you guys need anything," Clare smiled as they all got up to leave.

"Thank you," Nora said politely before following Hayden with Birdie behind her.

"Are you okay?" Nora took Birdie's hand and whispered.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Birdie nodded.

"You seemed a bit uncomfortable back there."

"No," Birdie shook her head. "Maybe I'm just tired. None of us got any sleep last night with all this excitement."

"Maybe..."

"Okay, so here's the thing," Hayden turned as they neared the guest bedrooms. "I lied. I'm not helping Nora unpack anything."

"I'll be in my room sleeping," Birdie rolled her eyes, detaching her hand from Nora.

"No, Birdie," Nora frowned. "We can hang o-"

"PSA, the rooms here are not soundproof," Birdie said as she pushed open one of the bedroom doors and headed inside.

"Noted," Hayden said.

Nora turned her frown towards him as Birdie shut her door.

"What?" He asked.

"You're a terrible brother."

"You don't know her," Hayden sighed. "Unless she's ready to talk, it'll be impossible to get anything out of her. She's stubborn."

"What a wonderful family trait," Nora rolled her eyes.

"Come along," Hayden ignored her remark and took her hand.

"Why are you so eager to get me away from everyone?"

"Because I haven't had a second alone with you since I put that ring on your finger."

"Hayden," Nora stilled as they walked into the next empty room. "Your whole family and everyone else is right there..."

"As much as I would like to do all the things you are implying, I know I can't," Hayden laughed. "Unless we portal out of here and get a room somewhere else. Some place a bit more private?"

"It's not safe outside right now," Nora shook her head.

"So then we are stuck here."

"Yes."

"What should we do to entertain ourselves?" Hayden stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Nora.

"We can read some fey books that your baba ordered from Court to be brought here," Nora suggested.

"I hate reading," Hayden brushed his mouth along the edge of Nora's face.

"We could..." Nora's head leaned back, feeling Hayden tug on her hair. "We could help with planning."

"Everyone out there is way more experienced than us."

"Hayden...." Nora's breathing labored.

"Nora..." Hayden whispered as he nibbled on her neck.

"We shouldn't...."

"We should," Hayden pulled her closer. "Just be very quiet."

"You're the worst," Nora shoved.

Hayden began to chuckle as he unwrapped his arms from around Nora and stepped back. The way her cheeks were painted made him want to sit her down on his lap and kiss the colors off her lips. Hayden couldn't believe he was going to be hers forever. Was there really a time he thought she wasn't laced into each of his breaths and heartbeats?

"What?" Nora asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just because," Hayden shrugged. "Come here."

Nora took a small step forward, not trusting the mischievous look in the boy's eyes. She peered at him as he took her hand and raised it to his lips.

"You complete me," he whispered.

"I love you," Nora felt the corner of her mouth curve up. "You were my first crush."

As Nora's words made the sparks in Hayden's heart leap up, he pulled her forward and captured her lips. His hands held her face as he turned her towards the bed and sat her down.

"I saw you, you know," Hayden said, pulling back to look into her eyes as Nora laid back.

"What do you mean?" Nora asked.

"I used a time traveling spell to go back," Hayden laid down beside her and took her hand. "I saw you glaring at me in the halls, telling Pia you hated me and it was dumb to have a crush on me."

Blushing, Nora tried to hide her face but Hayden wouldn't let her.

"I was mad," she confessed.

"Why?"

"Because you never even looked at me," Nora frowned. "You were too into Seema or Katherina or Laura...."

"I'm yours now," Hayden frowned. "And forever."

"I know..." Nora lifted her hand and swiped back the curls on his forehead. "I used to watch you on campus....or sometimes put extra pencils on my desk hoping you would need one someday and ask me."

"You also volunteered to tutor me for chemistry."

Nora's gaze snapped up, "Did you see that when you went back?"

"No," Hayden shook his head. "I remembered you....I just didn't realize you were the same person when we started working together."

"Why did you remember tutoring?" Nora asked. "You didn't show up."

"I had an attack that day," Hayden leaned forward and kissed the corner of Nora's eye. "And then I was out for the next whole week."

"I remember that," Nora said.

"As soon as I woke up the next morning after the whole mess, my first thought was about you," Hayden said. "I have Chemistry tutoring. Those were the exact words that ran through my mind."

"Nerd," Nora laughed.

"I tried to apologize when I came back," Hayden explained. "But I didn't know what to say and when I did figure out what I wanted to say, you would walk away from me whenever I tried to approach you in the halls."

"Wait," Nora gasped. "All those times....you were actually coming towards me?"

"Yes..." Hayden nodded.

"I thought I was imagining things," Nora said. "I thought it was all in my head and that's why I would move away because I didn't want to embarrass myself."

"You idiot," Hayden teased. "If only you had not moved....I would have been in love with you since high school."

"How was I supposed to know?" Nora laughed. "Any other time I miss my shot?"

"A few actually."

"Oh really?" Nora arched her brow. "Like when?"

"Your flat tire."

"No!" Nora's eyes widened. "That was you?"

"I didn't want you to leave," Hayden confessed. "And there was nothing else I could think of for you to do in the office so when we were walking towards your car, I caused the flat tire."

"You conniving pi-"

"I also caused the rain that day."

"What?"

"A solid reason for me to drive slow and make sure we didn't get into an accident."

"Oh my god..." Nora said, baffled. "Any other time I should know about?"

"The first time we went to the tree house," Hayden grinned. "I lied when I said I was too tired to use a spell to change your outfit. I liked that skirt on you."

"I can not believe you," Nora shook her head laughing. "Here I was thinking my horrible boss hated me but you were plotting all along."

"I was and I remain obsessed with you," Hayden buried his nose in the crook of Nora's shoulder and kissed her. "I wanted you without even knowing that I was falling hopelessly in love with you."

"I cannot believ-"

Nora stilled as her eyes caught a glimpse of a figure over Hayden's shoulder. She felt Hayden's body tense, watching her eyes and feeling the air shift in the room. He slowly rolled off of her and turned towards the unexpected guest in the room.

"Wha- what is that?" Nora felt goosebumps rise on her skin.

She stared at the figure made purely out of thick gray smoke clouds. She couldn't make out any of the features or sounds as the thing moved its mouth.

"Hayden?" Nora climbed up onto the bed as he moved in front of her.

His eyes flashed silver and his skin began to heat up as he linked his family in the living room.

"Nora..." the smoke called out.

Nora threw her hands over her ears as the piercing sound made her head throb with pain. It was as if someone had scratched their nails over a chalkboard.

"Nora..." came the voice once more.

Hayden raised his hand and summoned his magic just as the door to the bedroom burst open. Ares and Heyder rushed forward, followed by Clare and Maya.

"Nora!" the smoke figure called out one last time before collapsing into a pile of ashes.

"What the hell was that?" Maya yelled. "Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine," Hayden said, jumping off the bed and pulling Nora up.

"Ares, what was that?" Clare looked to her husband.

All eyes turned to the god as he stepped forward and kneeled beside the pile of ashes. They watched him pick up some of it and rub it between his fingers before sniffing the powdery substance.

"A smoke signal," he said, rising.

"Who sent it?" Maya asked.

"A fey," Ares said. "Only they do smoke signals."

"Afet," Nora's heart started throbbing. "It has to be Afet."

"They're calling you back," Ares said.  

What's on your mind? Also we finally met Ali's family!!! 

I have a feeling this book won't be as long as the others.