Free Embrace the Wild (The Blood Rose Series Book 6) by Caris Roane Page B

a beautiful pile of soft, black curls.
    Malik smiled and held out his arms to the child. The troll toddler smiled back then went to him. For reasons Malik had never understood, children tended to like and trust him and right now, he went with it. “I’ll take her flying, if that’s okay.” Kids loved to fly.
    “One moment.” Vojalie planted a hand firmly on top of his head. Sudden healing waves flowed through his brain, completely reversing the effects of the alcohol. “I have a great deal of respect for you, Malik, but you’re not flying my child anywhere when you can’t even walk a straight line.”
    “You did the right thing.” Glancing at Davido, he added, “I’ll take her to the aviary to see the birds.”
    “That might be best.”
    He switched to levitation, moved over to the right side of the platform, then launched to fly along the path that led to the bird sanctuary.
    Bernice giggled her approval, clearly enjoying levitated flight. Once inside the aviary, the birds fluttered and hopped nearby, hoping for some extra seed. Dozens of Ashleaf night-birds lived within the sanctuary, each a different species and in every color of the rainbow, some with pronounced plumage, others with short bright crowns.
    He’d made one complete circuit when Vojalie and Davido joined him. Davido had sobered up as well.
    Vojalie explained, “All is settled between us, Malik, and I do apologize since I believe the fault may have been mine. Davido wouldn’t have gotten drunk if I hadn’t gotten angry and put that bird-spell on him. I was part of the problem and I admit it.”
    Davido, holding his wife’s hand, looked up at her, “And I apologize again for leering at that troll, my love. Unconscionable.”
    “You are very forgiven, my sweet, and you were quite right; those were a massive pair of knockers.” She leaned down and kissed Davido, an expression of affection that went on and on.
    Malik took Bernice on a second tour of the aviary.
    After a good ten minutes of the sound of distant cooing between husband and wife, Malik heard Vojalie call to him. “Malik, you must come here. I have something to tell you.”
    He returned quickly, by which time Bernice had seen enough of the aviary and wanted her mother’s arms.
    Gathering the toddler back to her hip, Vojalie said, “I hadn’t planned on joining Davido on this trip, but as soon as he left I had another vision, which was almost violent in nature in terms of sensation.”
    Malik wasn’t sure just how much more he could take. His night had begun with a terrible murder, followed by an overwhelming experience in Willow’s bed. And after realizing she was his blood rose, he’d had to contend with Davido’s insistence that the destiny of the Nine Realms would depend on his bonding with Willow.
    He drew a deep breath. “What did you see?”
    “I know there must be some sort of interpretation but not a single one of my usually competent fae intuitions could explain why the very center of your realm explodes in a burst of white light.”
    “What?” His voice sounded dull to his own ears. “What on earth do you mean?” He shook his head several times. “Are you speaking about the end of the Nine Realms? Or just Ashleaf?”
    Davido had drawn close to Vojalie and now had his arm around her waist. He had never appeared more serious as he once more looked up at her. “Yes, my love, I beg you will be more forthcoming. You have left even your husband shaking on his powerful troll legs.”
    Vojalie frowned and shook her head. “I only wish I knew what to tell you because I have no real sense of the meaning. I can only report what I saw?”
    Malik asked, “Can you at least tell me if the vision suggested something evil in this explosion? Will this be the work of one of my enemies? Or even Margetta?”
    Vojalie sighed, settling into her shoulders. “I just don’t know, but I promise you that if I should learn something more I will contact Alexandra the Bad and have