Chapter 51 Luka
LUKA
It was late afternoon when they walked along the streets of Idalia, back from their trip to other areas of the kingdom.
Along with the Fae city to the west, they’d been taken to the Anala Estate.
Axel had gone to see Cressida while the rest of them had gone to a city farther south.
They were headed to their rooms to relax and get ready for the dinner they’d be having later this evening with Kyra and her family.
His father was anxious where he strolled at his side, while Razik hung back several paces behind them with Eliza. All three of them were lost in their feelings as they waited for the same person to appear.
“Are you warm enough, Tessa?” Luka asked.
“Mhmm,” Tessa hummed from his right, lifting a hand and letting her power drift along her fingers. The bands of light on her arms glowed brighter too, and she sighed. “It’s beautiful here.”
And it was. It wasn’t the sleek and modern buildings of the Arius Kingdom or the opulent marble architecture of the Achaz Kingdom.
The Anala Kingdom was grand brick structures with a simple and practical elegance.
Lamp posts lined the streets, burning even in the daylight, and he was certain that even in the winter months, the chill was never truly felt here.
Theon was a few steps ahead with Axel and Kat, listening as Axel filled him in on his visit to Cressida and meeting Kasdeya, but he’d glanced back at Luka’s question.
Tessa had lost her gloves and coat, Theon carrying them now.
She was left in a long-sleeve dress that matched the color of her eyes.
She’d lost her shoes at some point too, those now dangling from Theon’s fingers.
The sun was out and shining, and Kyra had commented more than once about how unusually warm it was today. Luka was pretty sure it had to do with the mother and daughter in their company.
Akira had stayed close to Xan’s side, but since her arrival, Tessa had made an effort. He’d seen it. Theon watched it. They’d both monitored it down the bond. Tessa was still hesitant, keeping her distance, but there was a relief there too as they watched Akira struggle with her magic and fury.
“Will you stay here, Xan?” Tessa asked suddenly.
Luka went rigid, and Xan nearly stumbled at the question.
“What?” Xan asked.
“When this is over, if we all survive, will you stay in Devram?” Tessa clarified, her chaos now twisting in her palm.
“I…” He glanced at Luka sidelong before looking away once more. “I can’t answer that. To have children in different worlds and a Ward in yet another, not to mention a home world that will someday be reborn, I don’t know.”
“What do you mean a home world that will someday be reborn?” Luka asked in confusion as they approached the building they were staying in.
But Xan didn’t answer him, and it took Luka a second to realize why.
Why the male was shoving past them. Past Theon and the others ahead of them. Why his strides were long and purposeful. Why he was moving like a dragon locked in on his prey.
Because that was a female doing the same.
Her brown hair was pulled back and tied up, and she was tall.
Creamy skin a few shades lighter than Luka’s own slightly tanned complexion.
She was toned, carrying herself with the grace of a trained warrior in fitted black pants, shirt, and boots, with only a single dagger strapped to her thigh.
Neither his father nor the female spoke. Xan only grabbed her face in his hands and brought his mouth to hers.
When he finally pulled back, his brow pressed to hers, and Luka could hear him murmuring.
He didn’t understand what was being said though.
The words were in a different language, but whatever he was saying had her turning to look in their direction.
Her eyes moved from him, then past him and back again, and Luka watched as tears filled her eyes.
She said something else in that same language, and Xan nodded.
“She asked him if he brought both her sons to her,” Akira said simply.
Tessa peered around him. “You know what they are saying?”
Her lips pursed. “I am fluent in many languages of the stars. Achaz made sure of that.”
His parents were walking towards them. Both of them. And gods, the moment was surreal. Only months ago, he’d thought them gone. Nearly a year ago he thought he was the only one left of his kind, and now he was watching a resurrection of dreams that had died long ago.
They came to a stop in front of him, Xan’s hand on her lower back. “This is—” he started, but she interrupted him.
“I know who this is,” she said, her eyes drinking him in. “I’ve had to watch you grow up from afar, unable to be there when you needed me most. For that, I am so incredibly sorry, Luka, but I am so proud of who you’ve grown to be.”
She was moving forward then, wrapping her arms around him, and Luka was clutched her back. An embrace he hadn’t felt in twenty-five years. An embrace he’d forgotten despite trying to cling to the memory of it.
“I am sorry for the life you were forced to endure alone,” she whispered, her tears seeping into his shirt.
Luka hugged her tighter. “I wasn’t alone. I had brothers. We survived together.”
She nodded, but Luka knew it wouldn’t be enough to assuage her guilt. Nothing ever would.
She stepped back, holding his shoulders. “We have much to talk about, but I need to—”
“I know,” he said, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek before he stepped aside.
Tessa was there, looping her arm around his and leaning her head on his biceps. Are you okay? she sent down the bond.
Yeah, baby girl. I’m okay.
His mother had sucked in a sharp breath as she stared across the few feet separating her from her other son. It may as well have been a chasm for the way Razik was staring back at her. The same hard apathy in his eyes that was always there.
Then she moved, not seeming to care that he was rigid and giving every signal to stay the fuck back. She wrapped her arms around him, and Razik didn’t return the embrace. The male hadn’t seen her in centuries, and he couldn’t even return a hug?
Their mother didn’t seem to care though. She stepped back, holding his broad shoulders the same way she’d done to Luka. Her gaze raked over him, taking him in.
“And for you, I missed everything. I couldn’t even watch from afar.
I could tell you I fought for you. I could tell you I thought of you every single day.
I could tell you any manner of things, but none of it will matter or make up for the memories stolen from us.
For that, I am so incredibly sorry, Razik,” she said, her words clear and steady.
“Some day, I wish to know who you have grown to be, but I understand today is not that day.”
Eliza reached over, intertwining her fingers with Razik’s. Luka could only assume she was speaking down their bond. Their mother must have assumed the same thing, and she took a small step back as she said, “I’m Aiyana.”
“Eliza,” the Fire General answered. She glanced up at Razik before looking back to Aiyana. “His—”
“Mai dragocen,” Razik interjected. “That’s who she is.” Aiyana nodded, and then her eyes went wide when Razik spoke in that same language she and Xan had spoken in.
Back and forth they went, and Tessa sighed beside him. I wish I knew what they were saying, she grumbled down the bond.
Luka huffed a laugh. Why?
Because I’m curious.
Theon barked a laugh, having come up beside her. Maybe we should give them some time. He glanced at Luka. You could stay too. Tessa and I can go get ready for dinner.
But as much as Luka wanted to spend that time with his mother, this dinner was important.
They would be telling Kyra of Dagian’s offer and requesting her permission to bring Dagian here for Akira to perform the transfer.
They were in for a long night of discussion, and he could find time to spend with his mother later.
“Stay, Luka,” Tessa murmured, pushing up onto her toes and pulling him closer so she could press her lips to his jaw. “Theon and I are fine. Take your time.”
Take your time.
Everyone kept acting like they had all the time in the world, but he was staring at his mother. His brother. His father. A family who had lost all that time and maybe would never see it again if they couldn’t find a way to mend all this.
“All the Ladies?” Tessa cried, the door not even fully closed to their room when they returned from a very long dinner.
The sun had set long ago, and Luka had felt Tessa’s emotions rising all evening.
She’d done well though. Keeping her poise and control.
They’d expected the pushback and debate.
Kyra had eventually relented to allowing Dagian to come to Idalia.
However, they hadn’t anticipated Kyra informing them that not only would Dagian be here in the morning, but so would the other Ladies. She would send them word tonight.
“It’s not all that surprising,” Theon said calmly, removing his suit jacket and loosening his tie.
“And what are we going to do if they oppose this? We don’t have days and days to debate this, Theon.”
She was already pacing.
“It doesn’t really matter if they oppose it,” Theon said. “It is Dagian’s choice. Not theirs.”
“It is theirs,” she retorted. “We can’t simply go against the wishes of the kingdoms. We’re trying to change one or two people getting their way. Not just…do what we want.”
“Tessa,” Theon cut in. “We are doing this tomorrow. You’re right.
When things are different, more opinions will be taken into account.
But not with this and certainly not with the same four Ladies who have had every opportunity to push for change for decades and have done nothing but preserve their own seats of power. They will not alter a godsdamn thing.”
“This is… What if something goes wrong?” she demanded, having moved to the wall, dragging her fingers along it.