51. Baby and blessings
51
Baby and blessings
Talon
I took his arm and brought him close to me, pulling him up for a kiss. Our last one.
I rested my forehead on his. “Thank you. For helping me realise how to live. To figure out what truly matters.”
“And that’s me, of course.” He grinned. I smiled back, though my heart ached.
I turned to Nidori, kissing her as well. “Thank you. For reminding me what’s good in this world.”
“And that’s me,” she said, with a grin that matched Kaine’s.
Fuck, I didn’t want to leave them.
“All right. Let’s get that baby,” I said, turning to the pod, shoving down the grief that was threatening to ruin this moment.
We approached it, Nidori slipping her hand into Kaine’s.
I reached forward, my hands slipping through the outer layer, like it wasn’t there. My hands reached it, cupping the soft, warm form carefully. I gently guided the baby out of its suspension, into the cold, crisp air with us. As I did, my arm throbbed right where the nagai had grazed me. I adjusted my hold automatically, moving to cradle the small babe in my arm. It coughed and took in a deep breath of air. Its eyes were closed, its chubby cheek pressed against my chest plate.
As I gazed down at its soft face, I knew this was the right thing to do. I had cheated death once when I was ten, and again, two weeks ago. Yet it all brought me to this point. The final chapter of my old vow. I had been trying to right a terrible wrong, and now I could say I had.
The baby squirmed, a small cry escaping its lips. I rocked the infant, trying to soothe it, the motion coming back like second nature.
Percie had been fussy; I had helped rock her to sleep many times. She had only just started sleeping through the night when I had lost her. Lost all of them. The memory struck the old wound of grief, but I soothed it this time. I’d be with them again soon.
The baby blinked blearily and looked up at me. Its eyes were pure white. Its tiny fist had grabbed on to my sleeve and it wouldn’t let go.
I smiled down at it. “You’re free now.”
It cooed and pulled my sleeve into its mouth, trying to eat it. My heart swelled.
My arm was starting to burn. It seemed my borrowed time was coming to a close.
“Aww,” said Nidori, standing on her tiptoes to get a look. “It’s so squishy. I just want to eat you up. Yes, I do. Yes, I do,” she said, tickling its cheek and getting a delighted laugh.
“May I?” she asked, holding her hands out. I passed the baby to her, and she held it close with a sigh. “I never got to hold any of the podlings,” she said with a sniff. Her eyes were starting to tear up. “They were everyone else’s. Taken away from me as soon as they were big enough.” She rocked the baby, and it cooed at her, its chubby arm folding up so it could suck its hand. “I had to leave them all. But not you. I get to save you.”
“Okay, little one,” I said, walking over to Kaine and helping Nidori slip the infant into his arms. I had to help him as he took it; he clearly had never held a baby before. I adjusted it upright, resting over his shoulder, but he still looked so stiff.
For a second, he didn’t move. The baby lifted its wobbly head, trying to get a look at this new person. It cooed again, smiling and bringing its chubby fingers up to Kaine’s face.
“I guess you are kind of cute,” he said, sniffing. “When you grow up to be a mighty deity, don’t forget who saved your life, hmm?”
The baby let out a string of babbles before pulling Kaine’s face down and sucking on his chin.
“Oh, Gods,” said Kaine, eyes wide. “What do I do?”
“I think you just have to let yourself be slobbered on,” I said, and Nidori laughed.
“Can someone please call Cirae?” he said, freeing his hand and sticking it towards us.
Nidori pulled out her dagger and made a small nick on his palm. The baby stopped trying to eat Kaine’s face and started sucking on his scarf instead. It was staring at him with its large eyes.
“That’s better.” Kaine wagged his finger at it. “We don’t eat people. That’s a good lesson to learn early.”
The baby beamed at him with a mouthful of scarf.
A cold breeze blew into the room, and dark mist formed in front of Kaine, growing and shifting into a tall, dark figure.
The baby stared at the new arrival, expressionless. Cirae had snakelike eyes and long, pointed ears. Their features shifted, blurring, constantly changing. They looked at me and blinked- sideways- before turning to Kaine. Well, I wasn’t one to judge people for the way they looked.
Kaine lifted the infant, pulling his scarf out of its mouth .
“Bye bye, little one,” said Nidori, coming and planting a kiss on its cheek.
Cirae took it, resting the baby on their shoulder like I had seen mothers do. The baby snuggled in, closing its eyes and letting out a small sigh.
My limbs were feeling heavy, and my heart was fluttering in my chest.
“Thank you,” said Cirae. “It seems my trust in you was well-founded… I’m afraid I must confess, I can’t say the same.”
“What do you mean?” Kaine asked, and I felt a spike of panic. “If you can’t break my bond—”
“No. I cannot break it. I already destroyed it two weeks ago,” they said mildly.
The baby giggled. Kaine gaped at him. Nidori jumped to her feet, grabbing his hand.
“Hey!” she said. “What the fox?!”
“Yeah. What the fuck?!” Kaine stepped right up to Cirae. “You’re telling me I’ve been free this whole fucking time?”
Cirae nodded, blinking their eyelids sideways. I felt sick. Perhaps, if we’d known this…but no. There was no question that freeing the baby was the right thing to do.
“You would not have come if I told you,” they said.
Nidori harrumphed.
“You bastard,” Kaine said, fuming. “What was the point of helping you, then?”
“I shall anoint you.” They held out their hand, palm glowing a vibrant gold.
“Oh. Right.” Kaine glanced at us, hesitating. I gave him a reassuring smile, and he took Cirae’s hand .
A golden glow enveloped him, shimmering as he stood before us. The glow faded, and Kaine looked at his hands. His eyes had changed from blue to a magnificent gold, marking him as anointed.
“I don’t feel much different. What kind of power will this give me?”
“Even I don’t fully know what exactly will manifest when I grant you this. We’ll have to see. Rest assured, it will be extremely powerful, indeed.”
“But I can walk in the sun again?” he asked.
Cirae nodded. “Yes. But that is not my doing. Freeing this child will undo Lydes’ curse. And that is only the beginning.”
“Wait,” I said. They turned to look at me. Questions burned in my mind, and I wasn’t sure which one to ask. “What happens now?” I managed to say. “Who is the baby?”
They gave us a smile. “She is someone very important.”
Without another word, they turned and disappeared back into a cloud of mist, taking the baby with them.