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THE FOUR HUNG OUT AT THE PARK, King running around, Ember following in tow with a grin.
"What if he gets hurt? What if the kids are mean to him?" Luz gasped. "My parental instincts are freaking out, man."
"He's fine. Look at him. Plus, he has Ember playing with him!" Eda made Luz look at King. King was trying to climb the slide and Ember was laughing at him from the top of the tower.
"It does look like he's having fun." Luz murmured, smiling fondly at King and Ember, "Aw. I wonder what cute little game he's playing."
King was halfway up the slide. "Stand back, cretins." He grunted as he made his way to the top of the slide. "Yes! Yes! This is a throne worthy of a tyrant. Bow to me you snotty underlings. Bow!" King pointed at the kids that were watching him. Ember laughed as the kids stood up on their hands or bend backwards. "Yes, appease your master."
"This isn't for standing, it's for sliding. You try." A kid who had climbed up the ladder pushed King down the slide.
Ember chuckled as she got behind the kid. "Hey, wanna go down together?" Ember grinned as the kid nodded vigorously at her, giggling.
"Yay!" The kid cheered as he sat between Ember's legs and slid down with her as Luz watched adoringly from the bench with Eda.
"Eda! That monster took my throne!" King cried as he pointed at the kid who was now on the spring rider with Ember slightly pushing it back and forth.
"You mean the baby?" Eda smirked.
"No, the usurper. I want you to go over there and blow him up. Kaboom!" King exclaimed.
"Kaboom!" The kid repeated as Ember laughed. She soon walked over to the other three and sat next to Luz.
"Yeah, I'm not using Owlbert to blow up a five‐year‐old." Eda frowned as she unhooked the owl from her staff, making the owl come to life. "He's got better things to do. Like this..." She scratched Owlbert under his wing, making him chirp in content.
"Aw, what a sweetie. How did you get him?" Luz asked, looking at Owlbert then Eda.
"Get? I made Owlbert from the branch of an ancient tree." Eda put her hand down so that Owlbert could hop on, "Oh, he's my palisman and we're bonded for life. I'd annihilate anyone who'd hurt him." Eda frowned in thought as she scratched Owlbert softly.
