“It wasn’t, love, they had a say. In all of it. And it was you that made that so. It was you who asked them what they wished to do and listened,” he reminded her.

She took a deep, broken breath.

“And now you will be gone, and I will have to go back to him and that life and…” She again gave him her gaze. “It is just that, I will miss you.”

“No, you will not,” Faunus decreed.

Her body jerked, her eyes narrowed, and so did Teddy’s as he swung them up to Faunus.

“Faunus,” he hissed.

“She will not, for she’s coming home with us.”

Teddy again stood still.

Faunus cast his gaze Moira’s way. “Saturn wishes you in his bed.”

“Faunus!” Teddy bit.

Faunus looked down at him. “He does.”

“Stop speaking,” Teddy demanded.

He did not stop speaking.

He turned again to Moira and declared, “That is your decision, your desire to take him or not. He is randy and he is lusty, and I see this in you as well. If you were to accept him, you would be a good pairing. But if you do not, that is your choice and it does not affect our plans. You will come home. To Firenze. Where it is warm and where you will know affection and respect. You will be Teddy’s sister. He will see to you. Through Teddy, you will be my sister, and I will see to you as well. And you will be Nyx’s sister, most likely, for she has a bent to adopt the Dellish.”

Slowly, Teddy turned to Moira to see she was gazing up at Faunus with her lips parted.

“It’s true,” he said, and her eyes skittered to him. “I do not have much. I am a teacher. I had not quite settled my life there, but I intend to find a dwelling, and if you come with us, I will just find one that has room for you.”

“You would…you would…” she stammered.

“Of course I would,” he said.

Tears sprang in her eyes.

“Oh, poppet, come here,” he murmured.

She did, falling into his arms.

He closed them around her tightly.

She sobbed into his neck.

At that, Faunus’s arms closed around both of them tightly.

She sobbed again.

“Hush,” Teddy cooed to her. “There’s nothing to cry about, love. Nothing’s changed. We’re doing what we’ve been doing since we met. We’re off on another adventure.”

“If Mama had b-been able to give me a b-b-brother, I’d want him to be just like you,’ she said into his neck.

Teddy closed his eyes as the silk of that slid through him.

He opened them and teased, “I would not choose you as sister, for you’re too bloody stubborn.”

He heard her hiccup a laugh before she sobbed again.

He then met Faunus’s gaze.