Enchantment (59 page)

“He’s
in
the
den.”
Threeo
an
s
wered
her
question.
H
i
s
feathers
puffed
out,
and
she
could al
m
ost
see
a
s
m
ile
form
on
his
ti
n
y
m
outh.
“
Threeo
w
ould
like
to
s
how
y
ou
the
baby
Threeos,” he
blurted
out.

“You
have
babies,
Threeo?
Where
is
y
o
ur…
u
m
m…
u
hhh,
spous
e
?
Meeka
sheepish
l
y inquired.

“Oh,
no—Threeos are born
in a
pod. Kerrigan
and
I
hatch
the babies’
pods here.
We
care for them
until
we
find
a
great
co
m
pa
n
ion
for
each
of
the
m
. J
u
st
like
Kerrigan
and
m
e
.
”

W
h
y
does
he
have
to
be
so
damn
perfect?

O
f
course
Kerrigan
w
ould
care
for the
Threeos.
He
was
wrapping her
heart
around
his finger and
he
didn’t
even
know
it.

“Threeo,
I’d
love
to
see
the
babies.”
She
swallowed
against
the
faint
hope
s
he’d
catch
a gli
m
pse
of
Kerrigan.
“
Will
Kerrigan
be
there,
too
?
”

“Threeo
doubts
it.
He
st
a
y
e
d
up
late
last
night
and
w
oke
ear
l
y
this
m
orning.
He’s
not
in
a good
m
ood.”
Threeo
j
u
m
ped
onto
the
floor.

“If
y
o
u’d
like
to
freshen
up,
I
can
lead
the
w
a
y
.
Kerrigan
gave
m
e
instructions
to
sh
o
w
y
o
u ever
y
t
h
ing
.
”

H
ow
nice
of
his
highness

She
pouted,
disappointed. “Thank
y
o
u
,
Threeo.
I’d
be
grateful. Catz,
would
y
ou like
to
co
m
e with
u
s
?
”
Meeka
chuckled;
Catz
was
alrea
d
y
on
the
floor
b
e
side
Threeo.

She
looked
at
Threeo.
“I’ll
lead
the
w
a
y
, feather
brain.”

Threeo
m
ade
an
abrupt
stop
and
glared
at
Catz.
“
Excuse,
m
e
fur
ball,
but
this
is
my
ho
u
se. Get
out
of
my wa
y
!”

Meeka
tried
to
hide
her
s
m
ile at
the
friend
l
y
bickering
back
and
forth.
What
she
got
in
return were
very
i
c
y
stares
from
the
two
the
m
.
“You
two
can’t
bla
m
e
m
e
for
laughing.
You
sound
like an
old
m
ar
r
ied
couple.”

Threeo
e
m
pha
t
ica
ll
y
stated.
“
N
ot
on
her
life,”
and
continued
walking
out
the
door.

Meeka
followed
Catz
and
Threeo
through
the
e
m
pt
y
ho
u
se.
His
house
w
as
enor
m
ous.
She
w
ould
definite
l
y
get
lost
if
not
escorted.
Endless
staircases
lined
with
plush
red
carpet
led
from room
to
roo
m
.
Each
room
was
m
ore
elaborate
than
the
last,
with
lavish
l
y
carved
furniture
and unique
decorations.
On
Earth,
he
would
be
one
of
the
wealthiest
people
alive.

Final
l
y
,
Threeo
stopped
on
a
large
landing
flanked
by
two
curving
stairwells.
A
shadowy corridor stretched
b
e
y
o
nd
Meeka’s
vision on the
left,
the faint glitter
of lights
at
the
end pricking her
interest.

“Here
we
are.”
Threeo
nudged
open
the
door
on
the
right
to
reveal
an
opulent
bathro
o
m unlike
an
y
t
h
ing
s
he’d
ever
seen
at
ho
m
e.

“This
bathro
o
m
is
j
u
st the
sa
m
e as
Padd
y
’s and
Todd’s.”

Meeka
twisted
her
head
from
side
to
side tr
y
i
n
g
to
peer
down
the
long hall. “What’s
d
o
wn
there
?
”

“It
leads
to
the
lagoon
and
underground
river.”
Threeo
explained. “Is
it
safe
?
”

“Oh,
of
course.
This
is
the
Enforcer’s
ho
m
e.
Ever
y
t
h
i
n
g
here
is
safe.
Kerrigan
sleeps
down there
s
o
m
e
t
i
m
es
.
”
Threeo
stared
into
the
m
urk,
his
e
y
es bright
with
happiness.

Meeka
s
m
i
l
ed,
t
r
y
i
ng
to
hide
her
uncertain
t
y
. “Right.”

“I’ll
wait
j
u
st
outside
the
bathroom
door
for
y
o
u.
When
y
o
u
’re
done,
we
can
go
see
the babies.”

The shower was
uneventful
and welcome
as
the
w
armth
slid over
her bod
y
,
washing the d
a
y away
with
it.
Where
w
a
s
Kerrigan?
Could
she
possibly
m
iss
hi
m
? Yes,
actual
l
y
,
s
he
did.
She
w
a
s
m
iserab
l
e
with
him
and
miserable
without
hi
m
.
Things
w
ere
happening
s
o
quick
l
y
.
She
couldn’t deny
the
things
that
had
happened
between
th
e
m
in
those
few
da
y
s.
Th
e
y
were
attracted
to
one another,
and
both
of
th
e
m
knew
it.