#Chapter 42: Meeting the Wolves

That night, my cold had healed enough that I could finally be reunited with Elva. I ran to her, and she ran to me. When she came close, I scooped her up into my arms and held her. Her arms came around my neck and she held me right back. “I missed you, Elva. So much.” “I missed you, Mommy.” Mark and the nanny eventually joined us and I thanked them both profusely for watching my daughter. “Thank you!” Elva said. “Thanks, Uncle Mark!” I blinked. Uncle Mark? I looked at him and he looked embarrassed. “I didn’t teach her that, I swear. She started doing it all on her own.” I had been surprised, but I supposed I shouldn’t have been. After all, it had been a similar sequence of events that had led Elva to calling Anna, Auntie Anna. “Don’t worry,” I told him. “Elva has a mind of her own about some things.” Mark seemed relieved. “Mommy,” Elva said. “Are we going to meet wolves tomorrow?” “’We?’” I looked to Mark for explanation. “Prince Nicholas personally invited M