Let's Play!

"Just tuck her in the bath. She won't get into trouble or anything that way. "

And she didn't have to worry about Hale squishing the kitten.

"Plus, Hale won't throw you out of his bathroom as fast if you're with me. "

She pointed out in amusement.

"I was worried about you," he defended as he followed the instructions

Marina pulled him in to the water with her, kissing him and letting him help her.

/ I'm sorry sifting hurt you. /

Though, she wasn't sorry for bringing him, because who knew what sort of struggle he'd have had doing it for her.

"it's fine. It hurt, but you even fixed it."

Ryder reached for a hug, actually to reassure himself as much as her

Marina cuddled right his chest.

"I couldn't stop it. Are you sure nothing else is hurt? "

She gave easier than normal to his touch, and something about her was softer under pressure, like no muscle tone existed. She was looking him all over again, jumping at the distant sound of thunder. The clouds rolling in outside were few and light at the moment?

"you couldn't stop it?"

Ryder was confused.

"What do you mean?"

".... I felt like I was pushing us through a solid wall. I'm so sorry. "

It would have been worse if they'd waited more.

"oh. I thought you were still talking about the healing.

He shook his head and kissed her cheek.

"It really is fine. I'm okay."

Marina nodded and shifted to hand him soap as she started washing her hair.

/hale, darling.... this one is rather soft and tender, I doubt he's gonna want to leave me..... Could you have someone bring clothes for him ?/

She asked him softly.

/I guess. But he's paying me back. I'm not running a hotel here./

/ I'll cover him, love. Thank you darling..... and I know. But something is going on and I'm worried. I'm sorry. /

She apologized.

/that's why you came over?/

Someone might have been distracted during the earlier explanation

Marina smiled to herself.

/ You were the safest place I knew of./

She answered, kissing Ryder.

"Finish up. I'll bring you clean clothes after I'm dressed. "

She kissed Ryder and shut the bathroom door, glancing over Hale sitting on the bed. She smiled and moved to kiss him twice more.

"You make me feel safe. "

She shared, explaining everything to this point as she dressed. She paused between low rumbles of thunder, glancing to Hale. He'd said the weather was sunny. ...

Hale smiled a bit, pleased by this.

"Well, then I suppose that's an acceptable reason."

He pulled get down onto his lap

"What's wrong?"

Marina told him of the off feeling she'd had since waking in the storm. Of how it felt too strange and big. The way it shifted from still and silent to raging and back. The intensity it showed with and led up to the odd happening with the window and even the struggles with sifting through it.

"I don't know what's happening..... but it's not just a rain storm. "

She expressed, tucking herself into him. This was nice. He was so comforting to her sometimes. She shifted up to kiss at him a bit.

"I didn't think it likely anything could touch me in your home with all your precautions. ... "

She felt safe with you. She kissed his cheek and smiled at his he was holding her, unable to help how she jumped when the house rattled a bit with a new wave of thunder.

This time, Hale was frowning by the end.

"Have you run into a djinn lately?"

"Um.... maybe? I don't think so? I've been pretty low since surfacing from Ryker's Den? But other off things have been going...."

From the attack at her children's home in the castle. This storm, even Ryker's behavior. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was off and it was clearly targeting her in some fashion.

"If I have it was in passing and I didn't notice? "

Hale clicked his teeth.

"I don't like the timing."

He glanced at the window.

"Were you alone in his den?"

"I am fairly certain it was just my sex drive, him, and the bunnies? "

She offered honestly as she pushed through the memories. She couldn't help the heat that spread through her.

"Yeah.. that's all. "

She confirmed, trying to not think about how all she had on was a towel.

"...bunnies?"

Hale held up a hand.

"Actually never mind. I'm sure I don't want to know."

He huffed.

"What about before that? Could it have been something from then?"

Marina shrugged and went through things with love before that but nothing was odd or stood out. Aside that book that they both already knew about....

"There was when Ryker came by a day or so ago...."

She did describe that and his almost dual personality, feeling confused..

"But really.... "

She couldn't pin down one incident. She just knew it all added up to something being wrong.

Hale shrugged.

"Well, going by what I know of you, that doesn't really rule anything out. You're attracted to trouble like a Swede to meatballs."

Marina grinned up at him, pulling him to kiss her.

/ Thank goodness I've got men like you to help me. /

She answered easily, going to get dressed now.

"I thought you said it was sunny when I asked.....?"

She asked as a sharp clap had her ears ringing long after it passed.

Ruby's little "no" could be loudly heard across the house as well.

"it was. That's part of the timing I don't like. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.'

Marina glanced to him as she wondered out in a little black slip of a gown, fingers running through her curls.

"Oh that's no coincidence for sure......"

She agreed, glancing to the help and taking the clothes to go give Ryder, making sure he didn't need anything, grabbing Fritz as she made her way back to Hale's lap, curling right into him.

/ So..... sentient storms?/

She asked Ephriam gently. Even if he lived under a literal rock he'd probably have caught buzz by now of the storm that was now off the coast of the US that strongly resembled the one that -just- dissipated over Greece...

/elementals, thunderbirds, storm dragons, Valkyries,/ Ephriam started to list in drifting tones.




"Yeah, and I don't appreciate it. I think I'll send Ruby to one if the other houses."

Marina looked up at him, nodding.

"I'm sorry. ..."

She was concerned he was cross with her, but he had better odds to helping her she'd figured, listening to Ephriam with patient and listening mind.

/ Shadowy, fast.... ominous? Pressing. .... confining? /

She asked, trying to use bits she'd learned to filter some results down.

/did you break a promise?/


"I doubt you did it in purpose "

/..... I can't think of one instantly, but it's always possible..../

Especially with who she was talking with. But she put incredibly weight and expectations on herself to avoid it? She reached to lightly pet Hale's hair, nodding as she looked up to see Ryder walk out, smiling at him.

/ You smell so much better now. /

/Valkyrie, then. They sometimes get offended about people who cheat death./



"So do you."

Marina smiled at the pair, eased as she stepped back to kiss Ryder.

"Love you. The cook here is good. You should mention I'm here if someone else hasn't. "

Strawberries. She shifted to hand him Fritz.

"Sounds like we'll figure out what Valkyries are while you're at it with our princess. "

She slipped back to Hale, feeling much less stressed with more support.

/ That sounds like a party list I'd like to be left off of... /

Marina informed her ex, feeling a bit put out by more make believe being real.

Ephriam didn't respond this time.




"Like myths? Those ones?"

Marina shrugged..

"The information vine suggested looking that direction? "

/ Ephriam? .... thank you. For being here when I'm in need.... even when I'm not always receptive to the help. /

She shared gently to her love, looking up to Hale.

"Don't suppose you have books on it or something? "

That weren't cursed or something would be a great bonus.

"no, but I can make a couple calls."

Hale got up, pulling out his phone.

Marina tugged on him gently.

"I love you."

She wanted another kiss, too. But aside from a response and a kiss she'd let him be to go love on Ruby while the nannies were packing whatever to relocate to a different house with her.

"Isn't she just precious? "

She asked of Ryder as Ruby waived hi to him.

"all your babies are utterly adorable."
.
He gave her a little finger wave.

"Can you imagine what ours is gonna look like?"

Marina smiled at him now.

"I've dreamt it once or twice. They normally have your fiery red hair but curls more like mine. With the most breathtaking little smiles."

She admitted with a soft little dreamy sigh. She still had the dream, even if she didn't think of it ever happening. She kissed at Ruby, smiling as the babe giggled.

"She's so smart, too. A bit sassy though. I think it might be her daddy's influence. "

Yet, it didn't sound negative. It was just a mum proud of their child as she played with the girl. She happily played with mom and Ryder, stealing strawberries when they were brought out to Marina.

She was famished after all the energy spending so was kinda sad to watch the tiny fingers steal bites. She didn't stop it. But the wilty look was still obvious

"nothing wrong with a bit of spunk."

Ryder watched one or two of the bites before reaching for the girl.

"Let's see if we can find some candy to smuggle. You know where any is?" He whispered

Marina looked at Ryder. Confused, then thankful as she watched her lover get up to all sorts of tricks and trouble in a handful of seconds. Ruby was all too delighted to giggle and point. She was leading the way to brownies, not candy..... but like, could you blame her for thinking the two were the same?

Marina was happy to eat in peace. Hale's house wasn't getting that crushing feeling about it like Marina's had, but there was no mistaking everything happening outside matched where she'd been before.

She was even more delighted at the shortcake and fresh whipped cream delivered with.... Gatorade?

/ thanks, love. /

Ryder and electrolytes.

/anytime!/

Ryder stole the while plate and went to hide in the girls playroom and eat way too much sugar with her until E was packed off elsewhere.




"Well, good news is that the myths are overstated," Hale announced when he walked back in.