Seek (Book 2 of the Hide and Seek Duet - Completed)

10. Balance

Stone pours LuPa a drink before coming to sit at my side, taking my hand in his. I can see LuPa assessing each of my boys and judging by the scowl on his face he wasn't happy. I felt my power trickling through our bond and around the room as I tried to keep calm but I was protective of my men.

LuPa's eyes lock with mine and his brows raise but I hold his gaze, how dare he scowl at what's mine. I know the boys are watching me, wondering what has set me off but I won't break eye contact, I will win.

LuPa, chuckles and drops his eyes "You win child" he offers and I smile, teeth showing as I utter one word "Mine"
"I apologise " LuPa tells me and the boys and I nod stiffly.
"What are you apologising for?" Stone asks him and LuPa laughs again before telling them.
"I was not happy with the four of you, Vivi saw this and took me to task. I was wrong to make judgements without knowing you."

My boys shared a look and I felt Stone squeeze my hand as their love poured into me through the bond and I relaxed.
"Now, tell me what's happened" LuPa instructs "From the beginning" he adds and taking a deep breath I tell him about mama sending me to safety and Tiana shielding me, leaving and the boys finding me. Then Stone and the boys bring him up to date, while he listens in silence.

"May I see her?" he asks once we have finished and I put my hand on the belt Carnwennan coming forth into my hand as LuPa watches in awe.
"I never thought I would see the day she was free of the table" LuPa whispers and I laugh knowing he was wrong. "Carnwennan was never trapped in the table, she chose to be there" I tell him and he nods. "She speaks to you" he asks.

"Yes, in my mind and my dreams" I tell him and he smiles at me before addressing the boys as I return the dagger to the belt.

"I was wrong to judge you, and I thank you for finding and protecting my granddaughter and myself, I can see you are her true bond mates and balance her, as she will balance you". he sighs "But the council and princes are a problem that will take all of us to bring down. You say you have the Prophet?" Blaze nods "Good, that man needs to account for his actions and your grandmothers were attacked in Faerie, are they safe?"

Chase stepped forward "Yes, they are safe but the Elder Princes are missing, despite the Queens calling them back to court"
"And their sons?" LuPa asked
"All four are now at court with the Queens" Chase tells him and LuPa nods "Good, they will protect them, if another attack comes"

I share a look with Stone, "LuPa, Mathilde told us you argued with a group including the Princes, whose side are they on?" I ask, hoping it's the right one.

"There is a group working towards addressing corruption in the council and in Faerie, the younger princes are part of that group, they have been since Olean..." his voice trailed off and I knew he meant since my family were killed.

"LuPa why did you argue with them?"
"I was frustrated that we were not getting anywhere, I wanted to tell everyone about our suspicions, I wanted to be able to search for you, in the open, not in secret. I wanted to return to Fearie and make Frannie help me search but I couldn't without a portal. I begged the princes to take me to see her but they felt there was too much risk. I threw them out, determined to find a way but the next morning Bennett Graves met me at the gate and knocked me out. Next I knew I was at the Academy and couldn't leave my rooms. For my protection, they told me"

"Sir, why didn't you use your magic?" Talon asked looking a little confused and LuPa growled showing us a copper band round his wrist "Damn Fey Princes, Aeson put a blocker on me, it won't come off till he removes it or a more powerful Fey removes it" he grumbled.

"Who is more powerful than Aeson?" River queries to Chase.
"The Queens, possibly the other Princes could undo it or..." Chase's gaze settles on me. "Octavia"
"I can try" I tell him "but I'm not full Fey, so I don't think this will work". I move across to LuPa and look to Chase for guidance "What do I do?"

"Just put your hand on the band and think.. open.. release... anything like that" he tells me and I do what he says, jumping back as the band breaks, dropping in two at our feet.
"I did it" I whisper in shock, as LuPa pulls me into a hug "Thank you Vivi, you are amazing" he praises and I blush, stepping back into Rivers arms.

"Now what do we do" I ask looking at LuPa.
"I need to see Frannie, Chase can you make a portal" he asks and I wait for Chase's response, not wanting to be left behind.

"We all need to go, Octavia can call a portal for all of us to court, but we need to be ready for anything, so I think we rest up tonight and go in the morning" Chase suggests and I nod, happy to be included, and glad Chase had suggested we rest, recognising now how tired I was.
Chase took LuPa to the spare room, telling us he would sleep on the sofa as my boys led me to our room.

The smell of coffee woke me in the morning, I stretched out my arm, feeling the bed around me empty and frowned. I hadn't heard them get up and damn I missed waking up in their arms. I stretched and felt the soft aches from our love making last night, I could feel each of their marks on my body and smiled to myself.

I rolled out of the bed and headed for the shower, dressing in comfortable clothing and securing Carnwennan's belt around me before I headed to the kitchen for coffee. The room was empty but I could hear their voices through the open back door as they went through their morning work out. I let my eyes soak in the sight of my four magnificent males before stepping out of the door to join LuPa who was sat watching them.

"LuPa, you okay?" I asked softly.
"Oh Child, I am, I didn't every think I would find you, but you found me, you carry Arthur's dagger with ease and I am so proud of the woman you have become. I know. I know your parents would be so proud of you" I held his hand, emotional at his words, as we watched the boys finish training.

"Baby?" Blaze stopped in front of me and I raised tear filled eyes, smiling at him, letting him see I was happy. He smiled back, his hand coming up to cup my chin as he leaned in for a kiss. "We'll get washed up then be ready, Chase is scouting ahead but will be back soon, breakfast is in the warmer if your hungry"

I nodded and watched him go inside with the others "Its beautiful to see you with them, a true bond, its clear they adore you and you them" LuPa told me softly.
"I do" I agreed and we sat in comfortable silence till Chase and the boys returned.

It was time...
I called a portal to the Queens sitting room, where we had met before and clasping hands we stepped through together, Chase and the boys on alert, but the room was empty.
I quickly closed the portal behind us and Chase moved to lock the door and check the windows.

"The Queens will have felt your arrival in Faerie " Chase told me "but your uncles will have too, however, they will not know where you came to, unlike the Queens, so we will wait here for them"
It didn't take long, just a few minutes later a portal opened and the Queens stepped out, Grandma Fran crying out and rushing into LuPa's arms, tears falling down her face, as they sit together on a sofa, arms wrapped round each other in joy.

Grandma Ana hugged me "Thank you, she has missed him far more than she allowed everyone to see, now let's sit" she indicates a sofa and my boys join me as she and Chase take the armchairs.

"Okay now, tell us what's happening, what have you discovered?" Grandma Ana asks and we tell them everything we know.