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“Everybody decent?” Henry yelled from outside the door right before it opened. “Guess not.” Henry hopped off Blu’s back, falling to the bed and dramatically rolling, all the while cackling like a fiend. “Fuck, that’s fun!”

Vi and Blu dove at us, not bothering to gently land in their haste and excitement. With an “oof” Keir caught Vi as she slammed into his chest. “Careful,” he lightly scolded before scooping her up and nuzzling her face.

Similarly, Blu slammed into the side of my face, her claws digging in as she wrapped her arms around my neck. The joyous rumbles coming from their chests made up for the interruption. Keir’s happy laughter as he held his hand out for Blu, snuggling both girls to his chest, was everything.

Eyes slipping closed, I thought of my sister, Vidia. I would always miss her, and I would always regret she’d been robbed of raising her own offspring. But I wouldn’t tarnish Vidia’s memory by allowing those regrets to diminish the joy the girls brought me.

“Pew,” Henry climbed up my leg, settling on my hip. Nose scrunched and mouth twisted, Henry looked like he’d tasted something bitter. “Elvira’s right. It smells like a damn brothel in here.” Dramatically waving a hand in front of his face, Henry’s lips twisted into a mischievous little grin. “Good work, Laz. About damn time.” Throwing his head back, Henry wildly cackled before sliding down the sheets, off the bed, and scurrying toward a crack in the wall.

I watched the little house dweller until the tip of his tail disappeared behind the wall.

I couldn’t argue with Henry. It was, after all, about damn time.

Naming ceremonies were an important wyvern tradition. They typically occurred within a few days of hatching so Vi and Blu’s was a little delayed, but Thalia graciously said she understood.

We were currently inside a room I’d never seen before. Keir informed me the room had been present as long as he could remember, although he also admitted it had changed significantly since the last time he stepped foot within.

According to Keir, the larger room had been used for celebratory events and when gatherings were needed. The last time it had been utilized was the day the remaining members of the Magical Usage Council had laid their fallen comrades to rest.

“Are you certain you are okay with this being the venue?” I leaned in and asked Keir.

He nodded. “I am. I have more good than bad memories of this room. And besides, the magic has changed it so much that it hardly looks like the same place.” Keir’s head tilted up and from side to side, his lips parted in awe. “This is amazing.”

I didn’t disagree. The room oscillated between shimmering shades of violet and aquamarine. Two fireplaces mirrored each other on opposing walls. Low lights and candles lit the area and the walls sparkled with tiny crystals that looked like diamonds. Every shade of purple and blue glimmered, falling from the ceiling and dissipating like pixie dust before reaching the ground. Two tables were laden with food—everything from fixings for a meal to seven different types of desserts. There was also an ice sculpture in the center of one of the tables that Blu was currently wrapped around.

“This is beautiful,” Jima said as he walked by, his mouth open as he stared around the room. “Did the magic do this?” he asked while taking a quick glance Keir’s way before going back to ogling the room.

“Well, it wasn’t me,” Keir answered.

“Me either,” Tabitha sang as she walked by, evidently recovered from her earlier exhaustion. “I must say, having the compound infused with magic certainly does have its advantages.”

None of us commented on the pixie that had lost their life for this to be possible. No one could go back in time and save them. Not a single soul would have hesitated to give up the magic if that meant that pixie’s life could be saved.

“Is that strawberry cheesecake?” Jima didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he sped off toward the table like an eager child.

“Not until after the ceremony,” Martin scolded, already heading Jima’s way. I could vaguely hear them getting into an argument regarding the merits of waiting until the end of the ceremony when Jima was hungry now.

“Ohhh… Now this is nice. Don’t you think it’s nice, Niki?” Hikaru suddenly appeared to Keir’s right, Warlock Holland crowding his back.

“It is very sparkly,” Holland deadpanned.

“That’s what makes it so nice,” Hikaru pressed. “Maybe we should see about getting a home-and-hearth pixie.”

Holland coughed into his hand. “I do not believe one simply gets a home-and-hearth pixie. It’s not as if they are sold in the local marketplace.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Arms crossed and eight tails wildly flicking back and forth, Hikaru all but pouted. “I’m just saying, having one around might be nice.”

“One would certainly be welcome. I tire of cleaning up your mess.” Holland’s voice lacked even an ounce of malice and held far more fondness than the mere words alone would lead one to believe.

Nose to the sky, Hikaru trounced off. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Holland’s lips quirked into a grin as he watched Hikaru’s tails slash through the air, his aggravation obvious.

“I have a feeling you’ll pay for that later,” Keir said.

Holland nodded. “I certainly hope so.” Keir’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened as he stared up at the stoic warlock. “By the way,” Holland continued as if his previous statement were simply a figment of imagination, “I hear congratulations are in order.” Turning his attention on Keir, Warlock Holland glanced at Keir’s mating mark. “I was pleased to hear the news.”

Stepping closer to Keir, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders. “And I was pleased to share the news.” I was more than pleased. I wanted to send out an announcement to every thunder and flight known.