Chapter 165

Charles

"Holy Crescent Fall," he whispered. "You're--"

I chuckled. "Charles, usually."

"Your Majesty... I..." He flushed as a woman came towards us. Her gaze went straight for the playpen, and she cooed.

"Oh, she's made a friend. I didn't think she would. She doesn't like people. Who is this charming young man...?" She looked up at me, and her eyes widened. "Uhm... Your Majesty?"

"A pleasure."

They blinked and looked awkward.

"Don't get awkward," I laughed. "The kids will think something is up if you do."

The little girl growled playfully, stacking a block. Richard reached for a block with both hands and looked at it strangely.

Another pair came to join us, not looking at me.

"Cecil hasn't had much interaction with kids her age, if any," I said. "Her mom... well, I don't think she knew how important it is... She was probably just doing what her parents had done."

Cecil rushed across the field, laughing with the rest of the children.

"She's half lycan?"

"A three-quarters."

The man's wife let out a low whistle. "I can't imagine... I suppose her mother is a werewolf?"

"Half," I smirked. "Technically."

She tutted. "She probably has no idea... My brother married a werewolf once. It crashed and burned like a bonfire. The culture shock was too much."

"That bad?"

She pursed her lips. "She said some... offensive as hell things. Mom almost clawed her face off. They got divorced. He was lucky they didn't have any children." She shook her head. "He's much happier now."

She frowned and winced. "Not because he's not with a werewolf anymore, it's just--"

"I got what you were saying," I said and considered my next words. Inter-species marriages could be messy because of the laws, especially if there are children involved.

"I take it no alimony was owed?"

"Oh, I'm sure she wanted there to be, but she didn't want to have to show up in Lycan Court for it, so she went home without much fuss."

I nodded. "Sadly, navigating the legal system on either side does tend to be a deterrent..."

I wondered if Grace would have pursued any form of justice under lycan law if I hadn't come. Probably not. Where would she have started, given her poor education about lycan culture?

"Are they adopted?"

"No," I said. "She wouldn't part with them. I'm just watching them for a few hours... She's recently divorced from a lycan. Infidelity."

The man made a wounded sound. "What a way to set us all back. Werewolves already think we're savages. I hope he regrets it."

"He will... much more than he does right now," I said. "He's done them more than just a small disservice, and I am doing what I can to make it right."

I glanced at them. "In the spirit of that, I'd like to hold a proper birthday party for her this year. I promised her a Tea Party, but as I'm watching her, I'm pretty sure a raider game could be organized."

I looked over at them. "Any chance you and your children might make it? It's the Heart Moon."

The man's eyes softened. The woman looked a little apprehensive, but her friend looked down into the playpen where Richard was stacking his block with the other little girl's blocks and then out to the field where they were playing.

"I'm sure the kids will be thrilled," she said after a moment. "It's not every day they can raid in a real castle."

I laughed. "I'll make plans to set up a proper battlefield."

After the game, we rallied the children to tables and ate with the rest of the fairgoers. Whatever uncertainty and anxiety she'd felt when we arrived was gone. As we left, I could hear her tentatively inviting kids to her birthday party, and every kid wanted to come, even without being told it would be at the castle. It made her smile seem brighter as we headed back to the car with her little ice cream cone in hand and Richard napping in his stroller.

"That was so much fun, Uncle Charles!"Cecil said. "Way better than the museum."

"How does eating lunch with your mom sound?"

"Really?" Cecil asked, bouncing in her seat. "Do you think she'll have time?"

"I'm sure she will. We'll be at the company waiting for her when she gets out of class."

"Awesome!" She said. "I always wanted to see where mommy and daddy work. Is Daddy going to be there?"

"No," I said. "He's away for now."

She nodded, eating her ice cream. "Daddy is always away...Do you think mommy gets lonely?"

"I'm sure she does," I said. "But I know you and Richard make that go away."

"I wish Daddy would come home soon," she said. "And be nicer to mommy... And play with me and Richard..."

I swallowed past the tightness in my throat.

"I know it won't be the same," I said softly. "But at least, while I'm here, I'll play with you whenever you want."

She smiled up at me. "I'd like that, Uncle Charles. You're fun to play with."

She looked down at her shoes. "Thank you for taking me to the fair... Can we go again soon?"

"I think we can make that happen. Maybe we'll take your mom and Eason too next time."

"And Kelly, too?"

"If she wants."

Her eyes sparkled. "Do you think she'd play raiders with us?"

I chuckled. "I'm sure we could get everyone in on a game, and we can teach you to play properly."

Though, knowing the attention of four-year-olds, I doubted that would happen. Still, Cecil seemed happy about the thought and chattered the entire ride to Wolfe Medical.

When we arrived, she practically jumped out of the car, and all the energy she should have expended running around earlier seemed to be back in full force.

Cecil's eyes beamed as I got Richard out of the car and set the stroller back up. I took her hand and led her into the building.

The receptionist smiled at us, a new young woman whom I'd never seen before.

"Hello, and who is this?"

"I'm Cecil!" She pointed at the stroller. "And he's Richard. Uncle Charles is going to take us on a tour."

She grinned at me. "Well, have fun; make sure to take the scenic route!"

"Has Grace arrived?"

"No, Alpha Wolfe called in to say she'd be in about an hour from now."

I thanked her, and Cecil waved goodbye as we headed toward the elevators that looked out onto the city. Cecil pressed her hands to the glass and gasped as we moved up.

We went up floor by floor. Cecil bombarded me with questions about the various departments and their functions. The staff were happy to answer anything and everything I couldn't about the company.

It was probably three times better than going to the museum in some ways. As we reached Grace's office, I stood in front of the portrait of Grace and Eason's father with her. She looked up at the portrait with a frown.

"How come this man's picture is here?"

"That's your grandfather."

She frowned. "Like you?"

"No," I chuckled. "This is your mom's father."

Cecil hummed. "Mommy never said I had a grandpa. Where's he?"

I winced. "He's no longer living."

She dropped her gaze. "Oh... Kelly says not living is like taking a really long nap. Do you think he's having good dreams?"

I looked up at the portrait. "I think so... Probably of you and Richard--"

"And me, hopefully."

She turned around and cried, "Uncle Eason!"

I turned. He was striding toward us in a suit. There was a bracelet on his wrist I recognized as an embedded tailoring spell. Eason crouched down to give Cecil a hug.

"You smell like the outdoors... And children?"

"Uncle Charles took me to the fair!"

He chuckled. "That so. Did you play warrior games?"

I frowned, surprised that Eason knew about the games.

"I did! I had a sword, but I wasn't very good at it."

"Maybe your mom can teach you... or your Uncle Charles." He grinned. "I was only good with a bow and arrow."

"You were an archer?" Cecil cooed and grabbed his hand. "You have to come next time! Our archers got trounced!"

He laughed. "I'll make sure to put it on my calendar. Are you joining us for the meeting?"

"A meeting?"

"Of course, you didn't come all the way to Wolfe Medical not to be a part of the meeting, did you?"

I chuckled as Cecil bounced on her toes.

"I wanna be in the meeting!"

"Well, let's get your papers, young lady." He flashed me a grin. "Grace is on her way, and George should be up in a minute."

I nodded, listening to Eason explain the principle of a working meeting to Cecil while I got Richard settled in the conference room. They came back with a stack of printed pages for Cecil and a package of crayons for her. He adjusted a chair for her and pushed her up to the table before taking a seat. George came in with Eason's laptop.

Just as he settled into his seat, the door swung open.

"Mommy, we're having a meeting!"