I gave her a kiss on the cheek as I passed. “Thanks…you’re a good mother, you know that?”
“No, but I’m a functional one,” she said. “I know I’m not the kind of mother that daughters hope for, but I hope that I’m the kind of mother that stands by her children.”
“You’re the mother I want with me when I’m in a jam,” I said. Sleepy, I rested my head on her shoulder for a moment, then motioned to Kipa. “Come on, Wolf-Boy. Let’s go to sleep.” As we headed into the bedroom, I thought again about my father, and how he was coming home. I didn’t know when, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I fell asleep almost before my head hit the pillow, and I slept through until morning.
Early morning, Kipa woke me up by throwing open the bedroom window and letting the icy air invade the bedroom. I stared at him, blurry eyed. He seemed all too chipper and cheerful.
“What the hell?”
“Get up, woman! We have places to go and people to see.” He grabbed my hand and launched me out of bed. I grabbed for the covers but too late—I found myself standing in front of him stark naked, my nipples greeting the cold air with a high-and-mighty salute.
“It’s colder than a witch’s tit, and mine are proving it,” I grumbled, trying to worm my way out of his hold.
Kipa pulled me to him, wrapping me in his arms as his hands slid over my back and my butt. “Oh, woman, I love it when you talk that way,” he murmured, laughing. “Kiss me, wench, and then get dressed before I rethink our trip and bed you again.”
“You can bed me later, though it would be a lot warmer than standing here in the icy air.” I was about to ask him why he was in such a good mood, but then it dawned on me—he was going home. He was going to see his homeland, and that always brought a smile to his face. I relented. It wasn’t that I wasn’t looking forward to the trip, but being woken up so rudely wasn’t high on my list. “Okay, love, kiss me and then let me dress.”
He did, long and slow and sultry, my hair in his fist, and then he slapped me on the ass again. “Get dressed. I’ll go help your mother make breakfast.”
As soon as he was out the door, I shut the window and slid into my robe. Figuring out what I wanted to wear was easy. Kalevala in winter was even colder than Annwn in winter, and there would probably be even more snow. I opted for a thick pair of leggings, a pair of gauchos—long out of style but still in my wardrobe—their hem an inch below my knee, a turtleneck sweater over a cami for extra warmth, and a pair of knee-high lace-up boots that were flat-soled, non-skid, and waterproof, since we’d no doubt be wading through deep snow. I also packed an extra pair of socks and underwear in my backpack, along with some hand warmers that could fit in my gloves. Finally, I added earmuffs, and a ski hat that had purple and black stripes.
When I entered the dining room, I saw that Phasmoria and Kipa had made breakfast. Oatmeal with dried cranberries and brown sugar, and sausage, along with copious amounts of coffee. Raj came over and nudged me and I gave him a hug. I thought about calling Apollo to see if he could stay with Raj for the day, but then decided no, because if the aztrophyllia decided to return, Apollo wouldn’t be able to fight against him. His talents and powers lay in the Prince Charming department, not the fighting side. But…
“I’m calling Trinity to see if he’ll sit with Raj. He can fight against that creature if it returns or get Raj out of here if he needs to,” I said, pulling out my phone.
“Good idea,” Kipa said. “Trinity can take care of himself.”
I wasn’t sure if he’d answer—Trinity worked on his own schedule—but he picked up on the second ring. “Hey Trinity, I need a favor, if you have time.”
“What’s going on?” Trinity had one of those soft, seductive voices that always made me shiver. He was known as the Keeper of the Keys and the Lord of Persuasion. So he, like Vixen, was a Charmer, in many ways.
I explained what I needed and why, and he immediately agreed. “I’ll be over in half an hour,” he said. “Raj will be fine with me.” Trinity might be shady in a number of ways, but when he gave his word to me, I knew that I could trust him.
Feeling much more secure, I dove into my breakfast. Raj would be safe while I was gone. “Is there anything I should know about traveling to Kalevala?”
“Watch out who you piss off,” Kipa warned me. “Louhia comes from that area—though she’s in Pohjola—and there are a lot of sorcerers, bards, and witches in Kalevala. A number of them aren’t very nice.”
Phasmoria snorted. “Telling Raven to watch what she says in front of other people is a lost cause, and actually, after the other night in front of the Banra-Sheagh, I’m rather proud of that. But having said that, my daughter, Kipa knows his homeland the best. So try to watch yourself.”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “ ‘No more wire hangers!’ ”
She looked bewildered. “What did you say and why do I have the feeling that’s an insult?”
I laughed then. “Mommie Dearest. A movie. And it was sarcasm, not an insult. Yeah, I’ll watch my tongue. I don’t want any more problems than we already have.” I paused. “Say, you can’t take care of the aztrophyllia for me, can you?”
It was Phasmoria’s turn to laugh. “No, I can’t. My screech might do it in, but it would also kill your friend and I don’t think that’s your end goal.”
“True enough. My end goal is to keep him alive. I keep forgetting you’re not a one-woman army. Though sometimes it seems that way, and that, Mother, is a compliment.” I leaned back, staring at my plate. I had finished everything but I was still hungry. “Is there any more?”
Kipa laughed. “Yes, there are more sausages and more oatmeal, if you want.” He reached for my plate and bowl.
I handed them to him. “I do want. Thank you.” I turned to Phasmoria. “So, seriously, all joking aside, you can’t do anything?”
She shrugged. “I could try, but I could also make it worse. I’m powerful, but some astral creatures are more than a match for me. Bean Sidhe—even the Queen—are not all-powerful. And we do have specific functions we use in service to the Morrígan, so it’s not like we’re out there tooling around the world. As I said, I could try, but I have a feeling things might go south, and that’s the last thing you want.”
“Right. Okay, well, I guess that doesn’t matter. I’m looking forward to learning something new anyway, if Väinämöinen will teach me. And I’m also looking forward to seeing Kipa’s homeland.” I paused as Kipa brought in my plate and bowl. The oatmeal was creamy, and the cranberries gave it a lovely tang that was countered by the savory sweetness of the brown sugar. And the sausages mirrored the brown-sugar flavor with an addition of sage and whatever else they used. All in all, it seemed like the perfect breakfast.
By the time we were done, Trinity arrived. He was his usual goth boy chic, with jet black hair pulled back into a braid and guyliner that made him look mysterious and sexy and yet, very slightly feminine.
He gave me a hug and waved at Kipa and Phasmoria. “Hey. Where are you off to?”