A/N: Sorry, not my best chapter. A xxx
I stretched, enjoying my ability to move without pain. The number of donors willing to serve us had only just started increasing again and few liked braving the city streets to get to Milbank, yet Conn had managed to persuade a mortal to make the journey from Alnford Hall to Milbank House. Thanks to that service, my body had healed with no negative aftereffects of channelling so much power. My spirit still felt as though it had been put through the wringer, but the constant prayers of those who worshipped at the ash, or who recognised me in the wake of the big reveal, were at least soothing that ache. By dawn I would be fully recovered.
"What time is it?" I asked as Conn came in carrying a tray piled high with every breakfast item I could desire plus two steaming mugs of coffee.
"It's already gone midnight. Once your donor left you slept the night away and straight through the day into the next. I didn't want to wake you while you were recovering," Leof answered as I sat up, then he slid the tray onto my lap.
I grinned at the assortment of pastries, crumpets with chocolate spread, cereals, and even a bacon butty. "You're a good husband."
He laughed and kissed my cheek as he sat beside me. "I know. I decided you deserved breakfast in bed."
"If this is how you treat me for killing your enemies then please, point me at the next one," I teased, then took a huge bite of bacon sandwich, around which I barely managed to say, "On that note; we need to go to Ésageard."
"Smaller bites, love," Conn chided, but his lips twitched in an amused smiles. "We'll pick a day to retrieve our bodies but it won't be tonight. You'll need your strength for calling the Bifröst. Recover tonight, then we can decided what to do about reclaiming our divinity."
I made a brief effort to daintily nibble my breakfast, then gave up and wolfed it down with all the elegance of Gífre and Frec, although I made the effort to swallow before saying, "For once I'll comply without argument. Do you want any of this? I know I'm a good eater but even I have limits."
"I thought you'd never ask," said Leof, picking up a croissant and admitting, "I'm starving. It didn't seem right having breakfast when you were still unconscious so I thought I'd wait for you to wake. But you slept. And slept. And slept."
Chuckling, I picked up a coffee mug, taking a sip and cradling it in my hands before saying, "You're a strange one. And adorable. Very adorable."
"I'll take adorable over Incredible Sulk," he answered, winking in a way that melted my heart. Leof was my man and I adored him. "On that note, more Marvel tonight? Will we have an Avengers marathon as I'm recuperating?"
"Sounds like a plan," Leof agreed.
Only we didn't make it past the title screen of The Avengers before Gunner knocked on the door and then barged in without waiting for us to answer, announcing without preamble, "The brick factory is under attack."
The brick factory had been among those shelters warded by the fae and alarm shot through me as I looked up at our Second. "How? When?"
