A iden, I love Shay to death, but I'm not ready to
be the father of anything. You did notice I don't
have a Wah cat, you do. Did you ever think that
maybe it's because I'd make a lousy caregiver?" Liam
looked up at Ty who had moved to his favorite spot on
the rafters overhead. He almost wished he could be up
there with him.
The girls had left an hour before, leaving Shay
with his father. Liam knew it was to make him want to
have a child of his own. They said nothing more after
explaining just why they had picked Liam to father a
child with Rosalie, feeling that Liam needed a few
days to think about their proposition.
"Liam, sit down." Shay said. "Make Shay
wiggly." He patted the sofa where he had been sitting,
watching Liam's dramatics.
"Make Aiden wiggly too." Aiden grinned. "And
not in a good way."
"Shut up." Liam said and then sighed. He'd used
every argument he could think of but all he got from
390 Magical Moonlight
Aiden and Shay were identical foolish grins. "Okay
I'll do it, but you and I both know that mom will shit
bricks when she finds out. Wahjee are NOT supposed
to mix with humans. Look what can happen." He
pointed at Shay, who was now playing with his Wah
cat Doug.
"I admit my superior genetics helped make a great
kid that you no doubt won't be able to match." Aiden
leaned over to kiss his son, only getting a mouth full
of cat ear instead, making Liam giggle. He went to
push Doug to the floor but stopped when the cat
growled and put her ears back to let Aiden know what
she thought of that idea.
"Hey Sonny Boy, control your cat." He looked up
at Ty. "Ty, I thought you were supposed to watch over
me. You were going to let this little girl cat scratch me
up?"
"Da, no touch Doug." Shay laughed as he pulled
the cat's ears making her purr. He pushed Doug to the
floor himself and stood up on the sofa so his eyes
were level with Liam's. "Li, make baby for Shay;
Doug says make baby for Shay."
"Dawg says that, does she." Liam laughed. "I'm
your own personal baby maker kind of guy so you can
have some one to play with." He rolled his eyes and
laughed again.
"Maybe you should practice baby making later on
me." Aiden whispered and wiggled his eyebrows.
Liam at first looked startled and then beamed
Aiden a smile that was blinding. "I'll see what I can
do." He said solemnly.
ER Bryant 391
In Victoria, Morgan finally found a parking
space. The commotion inside the birdcage had settled
down. The two hours spent on the ferry to Vancouver
Island hadn't been pleasant for any of them. She had
to give Frances some credit for helping. Perhaps she
could make his life a little more pleasant. Maybe a
larger birdcage or perhaps a dollhouse of some kind
with working facilities. Morgan was sure she'd seen
something like that somewhere. She'd talk to Frances'
wife about it.
Not sure if she should approach the woman with
the birdcage in hand, Morgan headed up to the house,
leaving it in the car.
"Aunt Morgan." Marcie opened the door. "Where
is Frances? I've been worried sick. Liam called and
said he was hung up and couldn't come home for a
while. And then he told me some rather bizarre story.
"
"I'm sorry, I need to talk to you about that."
Morgan stepped inside the tidy house. "I'm afraid that
Frances was rather naughty and let his love of money
supersede his love of family." It took Morgan nearly
an hour to make Marcie understand what had
happened and why Frances was now being held in the
birdcage. "I know Frances will appreciate you
watching over him."
"Aunt Morgan, I still don't understand why my
husband would do something like this. He knows the
consequences of going to the dark side. It doesn't
make any sense."
392 Magical Moonlight
"Well dear, you'll have a lot of time to ask him.
And Marcie dear, please don't reverse the spell Liam
has placed on him. It wouldn't bode well for either of
you. The position of watcher is one that has been
established and revered, Frances did forsake his vows.
Liam is the next in line for Grand Wizard no matter
what; Cecil was merely acting in his place until he
came of age. Grand Wizard is a heredity position.
Cecil has overstepped too many times. I've long
suspected he was siding with Zane Chambers."
Marcie was unnerved by what Morgan had said.
Married to a watcher of someone as high up as Liam
Taylor, she was well aware that what a member of that
family said and what actually was meant were often
two very different things. They were all masters of the
understatement. She feared for her foolish husband's
life. Liam would never go to the dark side and take
Frances' life, but he'd make him miserable enough
using white light and magic. It was all in the
interpretation.
"Aunt Morgan, I'm not sure what you expect of
me. I apologize for my husband's actions. I want you
to know I had no idea whatsoever what he was doing.
I like Liam and I like Aiden. I think they make a great
couple no matter what the High Council says."
"Marcie, I wouldn't bring Frances back to you if I
thought otherwise." She sighed. "So often messes are
left to the women to clear up. It's like that with
Wahjee and I suspect it's like that with humans." She
paused. "And there will be another small
complication. Apparently one or the other of my boys
ER Bryant 393
has managed to give Frances a companion in his
captivity. A human companion who doesn't
understand the complexities of Wahjee punishment. I
haven't heard the whole story behind this small
complication, but I'm afraid you will have two birds
to contend with. Will you be able to handle it?"
"A human, Aunt Morgan. Isn't that forbidden?"
she looked over her shoulder expecting to see a
member of the High Council listening.
"Yes of course it's forbidden, but I can't picture
either of the boys doing this unless there was a good
reason. It's going to be up to you and perhaps Frances
to discover that reason. You might talk to your
husband, it would be a way of redeeming himself if
this human has been up to no good with Liam in
mind."
"I like that." Marcie beamed. Perhaps she could
spring her husband from his caged hell, with his help.
"Now about the two in the cage, do you want me
to arrange for something larger, less austere than what
they have?" Morgan was all business.
"Oh, I can do that. It'll be like when I was a little
girl playing dolls."
"Keep in mind Marcie dear, these dolls can bite."
Morgan laughed. "Come on out to the car and get
them. I need to return to Vancouver and have a talk
with my son."
