Together, they walked up the path to the small house.

The door opened before she could knock. Larry rushed out and, ignoring Kesh’s instinctive growl of warning—ignoring Kesh entirely—wrapped both arms around her and hugged her so tight, her feet came off the floor.

“Georgie,” he whispered into her hair, voice hoarse and deep. “Oh my God, I thought… I thought I’d never see you again.”

“I know. But I’m here now.” The past several weeks might have put her upbringing into sobering perspective, and she’d finally come to accept that how she’d been made to care for her younger brother as his second mother hadn’t been fair to her. It didn’t change how every part of her lit up and softened at the same time as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and clung on.

“I missed you, Baby,” she cooed, in a tone so soft Larry let out a raspy laugh and pulled back enough to look at her with sparkling eyes, the same shade of blue as her own.

“You know I’ve been half a head taller than you for like… Three years, right? Baby is a bit ridiculous, sis.” His smile softened, the corners of his lips trembling before he finally looked up at Kesh. “You’ve brought her back. That means she’s free?”

Kesh’s eyes narrowed to slits, but Georgia quickly intervened before he could say something that would undoubtedly ruin the mood. “I’m free. As for being back… perhaps we better talk inside?”

“Yes. Of course. Sorry.” Larry finally released her, but reached for her hand as he stepped back to lead them into the house. Kesh let out another disapproving rumble and claimed the other, shutting the door behind them as they entered. The house suddenly seemed even smaller than she remembered it, with his huge frame taking up most of the hallway.

Georgia looked into the living room. Everything was as it had been before she left. The pictures on the walls—mostly of Larry, many with her by his side. More without. Her mother, when she was younger, in pretty makeup and posing for the camera. Mike was an avid amateur photographer, and ever after the pictures of him had been taken down, the ones he’d shot of her through the lens of an enchanted man remained.

“I’ll… make some coffee.” Larry turned to Kesh, hesitance painted across every feature, but politeness won out. “Do you take milk or sugar…?”

Kesh just stared at him.

Georgia gave her mate a minor glare out the corner of her eye, but she supposed she should be grateful he wasn’t currently growling like some sort of overgrown terrier. “Kesh doesn’t drink coffee. But I’ll have a mug, thank you Larry.”

“Oh. Okay. Um… tea?”

“No.” Kesh more or less grunted his response but at least it was a word.

“Right. Well, we’re fresh out of blood of virgins, so…”

Kesh rumbled a laugh—a surprise to him as much as it was to Larry, judging by his raised eyebrows. “I ate before we got here. No virgins needed.”

Larry paled, no doubt imagining every gory way a creature like the big male by her side might eat. Georgia, who knew exactly how he’d fed and how there’d definitely been no virgins involved, smacked his arm. “We’ll wait in the living room.”

Her brother disappeared into the kitchen, and Georgia steered Kesh into the living room.

He took in the small room with a blank expression. “Quaint.”

“Not really. Most people don’t grow up in a palace. This is normal.” She gently nudged him toward the couch. He obediently sat down, immediately making the old piece of furniture look doll-sized and ridiculous.

Then she spotted the throw blanket on the armrest. New.

“I didn’t grow up in a palace. My dad had an estate in Idaho.” His eyes landed on her face, then followed her gaze to the throw blanket.

“It’s new,” she said softly. Then, because putting words to the hollow feeling blooming low in her gut was easier when he was near, she sat down on the sofa by his side and ran a hand over the soft blanket. “My mom was talking about how it would spruce up the room to get a cashmere throw blanket, back before Larry got sick. I guess she celebrated his recovery by finally treating herself to one. I just… I guess a part of me expected everything to stay the same. That she’d be too distraught with my disappearance like she was with Larry’s illness to consider home decor. Which is petty and selfish, of course. I’m glad she’s been able to find little joys.”

“No, you’re not.” Kesh cupped her cheek and turned her face to his. His eyes were calm and gentle. “And that’s okay. You’re allowed to be hurt, Georgia. You’re allowed to expect a mourning period. You’ve not been gone that long. But you know what she is. You’ve known for a long time. You’re simply still getting used to acknowledging it out loud to yourself, and so it still hurts.

“But you’re not replaceable, Georgia. You never were. Ache for the mother you so richly deserved to have—pity her if you must. Once we leave here today, you’ll never feel second best ever again. I promise.”

Wordlessly, she pressed her head into his shoulder and let his warmth wash away the ache of what never was.

Larry found them still tightly embraced when he returned from the kitchen with two mugs of coffee. He hesitated on the doorstep, eyes flicking between them. The question mark painted across his face was nearly audible.

Georgia gave him a small smile and pulled back far enough from Kesh’s shoulder to hold a hand out for her coffee mug. “You can ask.”

Hesitantly, Larry crossed the floor and held out her mug for her to grab. His attention remained mostly on Kesh. “I thought… you made a bargain. Like Rumpelstiltskin.”

“Rum…what?”

“Rumpelstiltskin. Since you… left. I’ve been researching, about demons.” Larry’s lips pinched as he took a cautious seat on the edge of the armchair facing them. “That’s what you are, isn’t it? A demon? That’s what she’s been seeing all these years? She made a bargain with you in exchange for healing me.”

Kesh nodded once in confirmation.

Larry looked back to Georgia, his eyes searching hers. “You don’t seem… in distress, like you did at the hospital. Have you been… magicked? Mind controlled?”

Georgia gave him a soft smile. He was brave, her baby brother, to ask in front of the male who’d just confirmed his demonic nature. And concerned enough about her safety to risk his own. “No. I haven’t.” She shot Kesh a fond look. “He can’t—even if he wanted to. I’m immune, as it turns out. And also… we’re married.”

“Married?” Larry placed his mug on the coffee table with a clonk, eyes wide in alarm. “You married one of them? That was the bargain? Oh, Georgie, no⁠—”

She held up a hand before he managed to say something that might offend her mate. “No, no. Nothing like that. I married Kesh because I love him. It’s been… a bit of a whirlwind. A lot has happened since I’ve been gone, but… it’s been good. This is good.” Then, because there was still a distinct look of alarm on her brother’s face, she added, “I’m happy, Lar. Really, truly, happy. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I promise.”

“You always said that.” His voice was soft. “That I shouldn’t worry about you. You know I always will, right? You’re my sister.”

“Your big sister. It’s my job to worry about you, not the other way around.”

“No. It isn’t. It wasn’t.” He frowned and looked down at the mug in his hands for a moment. When he raised his eyes to hers again, for the first time, she saw the young man he’d become, rather than the child she’d raised. “What happened when we were kids wasn’t okay, Georgia. You deserved so much better. Even if I’ll forever be grateful for everything you sacrificed for me.”

“I know.” Her voice was quiet, choked by the unexpected lump in her throat.

The silence stretched across the living room.

Finally, Larry looked at Kesh. “If you ever hurt her, I will find a way to kill you.”