My mates stood around me like a protective barrier, blocking off the harsh wind that slipped through the open area. Cyrus didn’t look convinced that I was okay; he didn’t like my tears, either, but he didn’t chide me for it, and we all walked to the cottage.
This felt right.
A jump inside my stomach agreed, making fresh tears come as I realized that the first things my faeling would experience would be all the things I loved about home.
A FEW DAYS LATER
I HELD up the strange leafy cone Claire had given me. She claimed she was going to teach Vox how to cook it, but it didn’t look all that edible. “What’s this called again?” I asked, testing it with my teeth. It gave way with a hard crunch.
“Sol!” Claire cried out, grappling at my arm and snatching the leafy cone from my grip. She bounced back onto her stool we’d brought into the kitchen so she could stay off her feet while she showed us human food. “You have to peel the husk, first,” she instructed as she ripped off one of the sides, revealing a strange, yellowish, pebbled texture underneath.
I lifted one lip. “It looked better with the leafy cone.”
Claire giggled at me. “It’s corn, silly,” she said as she took a white, oily stick from the refrigerator and swiped it over the corn.
I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Vox, who just shrugged. “So, is this popper corn?” I asked, looking over her shoulder. “You’d mentioned something about that for snacking.” I liked snacks.
She pointed at a canister on the counter. “No. That’s popcorn in the tin.” She bit her lip. “I hope that one’s fresh. I know you just picked it up from the store, but can you check the date on the bottom, Vox?”
He did as instructed, picking up the canister and peering underneath it. “I see some squiggly numbers.”
Claire asked about the last two, which she said indicated the year, and determined it would be safe to eat.
Curious how this popper corn would taste, I left Claire lathering her yellow pebble cone with the white stick while I opened the canister and chomped on a handful of the stuff. This time the crunch was even louder, but the taste was satisfying.
“No, Sol.” Claire choked on a laugh, nearly toppling over her stool as she tried to jump to her feet. She grabbed her stomach, her instincts seeming to kick in to protect the baby from the nearby counter. “You’re supposed to pop it, first.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t eat any more of your ingredients,” Vox promised, guiding her back to her seat before giving me a glare.
“How was I supposed to know? I don’t even understand how these things pop?” I complained.
“Stop stressing her out, you walking mountain,” he muttered. “You’re ruining it.”
“Am not,” I grumbled back, earning a curious glance from Claire.
“Of course you’re not,” she said, smiling cheerfully. “
Can you fill up that pot, Vox? The cobs are ready to boil.”
Vox gave me one more glare before he shoved a pot under the faucet and filled it. “This is for boiling the corn sticks? And then we’ll have a separate pot for the ones we have to pop?”
She chuckled, although I wasn’t sure what she found funny. “Yep.”
I folded my hands in front of me and stood in the corner, resisting the urge to eat more of the raw popper corn. It had tasted just fine to me. Not sure why it needed popping.
I zoned out while Vox and Claire worked, and instead listened in on Cyrus and Exos arguing in the background about the Hell Fae, with Titus adding his loud opinions—ones I matched.
Even though they had enough fae to support the Interrealm Fae Academy vote, Cyrus was insistent on needing the Hell Fae support. I understood why—to make Claire happy. But she didn’t get how horrible those fae could be. They kidnapped their potential mates and forced them into deadly competition with each other. How could Claire want to be involved with beings like that?
I might not understand all of the ins and outs of interrealm politics like Cyrus and Exos did, but even I knew they were bad news. I had no interest in working with creatures like the Hell Fae and would rather smash their faces in for making our mate cry.
But Claire had a heart of gold.
And this was what she wanted.
Hence, the debate in the other room.
My nostrils twitched when I smelled something burning. I turned to find that the peeled leafy husks had gotten too close to the hot coils and were now on fire. My mate was the clumsy sort, but powerful in her elements, so I didn’t jump to her rescue.