Free My Soul to Take by Amy Sumida Page A

easily. “You hear that, little prince? The Captain just got knighted.”
    “I will squish you like a terny,” Fearghal said casually to Roarke. “I don't care if you're a king, you're not my king.”
    Roarke went pale, his fire eyes losing a little of their spark as they stared up at the towering red cap.
    “You're face!” Fearghal laughed boisterously and pounded Roarke on the back. Roarke stumbled and gripped Hunter tightly. “What is it that you always say? Oh yes; Bazinga! I got you Fire-Cat King!” Fearghal strode away laughing. “Heh heh heh, like a terny. Squish.”
    Hunter thought this was the most wonderful thing ever and added some clapping to Fearghal's laughter.
    “Traitor,” Roarke grumbled down at his son.
    “What's a terny?” Thor asked. “Is that short for tournament?”
    “It's an insect,” Roarke made a disgusted face. “They're round, red, and look a lot like jigga berries, which are a delightful treat. Unfortunately, ternies tend to hide among the berries because it's such a good camouflage for them and if you're not careful, you'll end up crunching on a terny instead of a jigga. They pop open just like the fruit but taste like goblin ass.”
    “Goblin ass!” Hunter declared and Roarke groaned. “Goblin ass, goblin ass.”
    “And that's why I'm trying to get everyone to watch their language around the twins,” I observed, looking to Thor as he shook his head disapprovingly at Roarke.
    “Children are like little sponges,” Thor agreed.
    “That's not a very good camouflage,” Vali mused and we all looked over to him. “The terny thing. Why would you camouflage yourself to look like food?”
    “Nobody said they were smart,” Roarke grimaced and then glared at Hunter, who was still reciting goblin ass over and over. “You know what's a fun word; daddy. Why don't you say daddy ?”
    “No!” Hunter declared and giggled. “No, no, no.”
    “You're a wicked little kitten,” Roarke bared his fangs at Hunter and the child laughed and hugged his father like it was the best compliment ever.
    “Serves you right for messing with a red cap,” I shook my head at Roarke. “Don't cat-sidhe parents teach their children never to play with prey too big for them?”
    “Don't cat-sidhe parents teach their children never to play with prey too big for them?” Roarke meeped my words mockingly back to me like a three-year-old, while his son, the actual three-year-old, stared at him in wonder.
    If you've ever been mocked by a child, you know what I mean when I say meeped ; meep-meep-meep, like a baby chick, they tweet at you, turning your own words into a scathing attack while making dumb faces to add insult to injury. On a scale of 1-10, this type of mocking ranks around 9 for me but if you add cat-sidhe attitude to it, it soars to 12.
    Thankfully, the sound of trumpets prevented me from having to dignify Roarke's behavior with a response. We all looked up to the window in the Flight Tower, where Arach was now standing, holding Rian aloft.
    “I need to be up front for this,” I looked to Roarke. “Take care of my guests.”
    “Yes, my Queen,” he bowed his head and Hunter bowed with him. All of his childish behavior vanished under my command.
    “Thank you, Hunter,” I tapped Hunter on the nose and hurried up to the edge of the lava moat while Roarke sputtered.
    “Yes, my Queen!” Hunter called in his little voice and Roarke sputtered more.
    “Daddy,” I heard Roarke cajole the child. “Two syllables. If you can say my queen, you can say daddy. Come on, Hunter.”
    “Queen, queen, queen,” Hunter sang. “Yes, my Queen.”
    I chuckled as Dexter and I reached the edge of the moat. I suppose it was to be expected that Roarke's son be as sassy as Roarke but it made me worry about what I had to look forward to with the twins. Would they take after me or Arach? And which would be better?
    The heat rising from the meandering magma moat eased into my bones and made me sigh. I let go of