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He paused. “I am asking questions.”
“Very intense questions,” she corrected.
He chose not to respond to that. Instead, he looked back at Ligaya. “You do understand why I’m asking?”
The teasing faded from her expression, and she glanced toward Korinnae, who was happily moving pieces around the board.
“I do,” Ligaya said. “She’s important to you.”
The simple statement caught him off guard. There was no judgment in her voice, no annoyance at his suspicion. Just understanding. “She is.” His arms relaxed slightly.
Korinnae immediately looked up from the game. “I’m right here, you know.”
His expression softened. “Aye, I know.”
“And I can take care of myself.”
“I know that too.”
The little calf smiled before returning to her game.
He felt the familiar ache in his chest as he looked at his niece. Korinnae had inherited so much from her mother: the stubbornness, the confidence, and the uncanny ability to convince people to do exactly what she wanted while making them believe it had been their own idea.
He remained where he was for another minute, watching Korinnae and Ligaya. The calf had forgotten all about him and was happily explaining the rules of the board game. At the same time, Ligaya listened with genuine interest, asking questions whenever Korinnae skipped over an important detail. It eased something in his chest, though not enough to silence the questions lingering in his mind.
He turned to Ria, lowering his voice. “The concert.”
She looked up from where she’d been scratching Cerberus behind one fluffy ear. “What about it?”
“How is Ligaya supposed to keep Korinnae safe in a crowd like that?”
“I already worked it out.” That knowing smile spread across her face.
“You did?”
She nodded toward the little Pomeranian. “Cerberus is going too.”
“As…a dog?” Asterion blinked.
“No,” her smile widened. “He’ll have a human disguise.”
“What?”
Before he could say anything else, she held up a finger. “Don’t even start.”
“Witch—”
“Don’t.”
With a flick of her wrist, she sent a thread of magic toward Cerberus. The glamour rippled over the little dog, a shimmer that moved across its fur with the fluid brightness of sunlight on water. His fluffy body stretched upward, paws lengthening into hands and feet as white fur receded beneath warm brown skin. Within seconds, a broad-shouldered man stood where the Pomeranian had been, his dark hair slightly tousled as though he’d just rolled out of bed. He wore jeans, sneakers, and a purple Velvet Harmony concert shirt emblazoned with all five members across the front.
Asterion stared. “Really?”
“What? He needed the right vibe.” Ria looked entirely too pleased with herself.
“I don’t know how I feel about this.” Cerberus looked down at himself, tugging uncertainly at the hem of the shirt.
“You look great,” Ria assured him.
