Chapter 16 #2
For some reason, “separating” felt much more final than “weakening.” Kara found that she preferred “weakening,” but apparently the universe didn’t give a pig’s butt what she preferred.
“What exactly does that mean?” Zara asked. She had shifted in her seat to face the elder more fully, one hand resting protectively over Wadim’s where it had stilled on the table.
Verna turned her head toward the glowing mineral veins threading through the walls, the light catching along the silver braids running through her hair.
“The realms were never meant to stand entirely apart from one another,” she said.
“There are places deep beneath existence where they remain connected, places where the foundations touch.” Her ancient eyes shifted toward Kara.
“The Nushtonia damaged those connections long ago when Raja was first imprisoned.”
Kara frowned. “But Raja was trapped centuries ago. Why would this start now?”
“Because the prison opened,” the Troll King answered grimly.
The chamber quieted again.
“The Nushtonia was never merely a prison,” Verna continued softly. “It was also a seal.”
Oh. Oh, that felt aggressively important.
“Why the heck do we seem to learn things one piece at a time when it is obvious that we should have had all the facts a long, long, long freaking time ago?” Kara asked, her voice raising as she spoke. When she stopped, she realized just how loud she’d been because the quiet seemed sudden.
Verna looked at her with a wide smile. “You’ve got a wonderful ‘mom’ voice. You’re going to have all your kids marching in line like little warriors.”
“Umm,” Kara’s eyes widened. “There’s only one in there.” She pointed to her stomach.
Verna nodded but kept smiling. “Yep. But something tells me there are many more Kara Luisa’s to come, and not all of them female.”
Kara’s mouth dropped open. “How do you know that name?”
The elder female walked over and cupped Kara’s cheek. “You’re not the only one who knows people in high places.”
Nick’s body tightened beside Kara, every line of him going still in the way that meant his wolf was paying very close attention.
Verna reached over and patted his shoulder.
“Easy, wolf. I mean only blessings to you, your mate, and your child. When we said we no longer believed her to be the cause of the rot, it wasn’t just because I’m intelligent.
” Her eyes gleamed in amusement. “I made a promise to watch over Kara and her young for as long as I am called to do so. Of that you have my solemn vow.”
It felt like a profound moment, with everyone witnessing Verna’s words, and yet Kara didn’t know what to say.
Thank you seemed too generic, and yet bowing like she’d just met the Queen of England seemed a tad too formal.
So instead she blinked like a cartoon character because that was what her brain faculties were capable of.
“I will take you at your word, old one,” Nick said, his tone formal, “and if you turn on her, I will slit your throat.”
Kara gasped and turned to look at her mate. “Seriously?”
But Verna just patted his cheek and said, “The Great Luna chose well for these two.” Then she looked back at the others. “Now, that’s settled. Let’s move on.”
“When Raja escaped,” Gavril said slowly, working the pieces together in his head the way he always did, “the seal weakened.”
“Yes,” Verna agreed.
A cold weight settled low in Kara’s stomach. Not fear. Understanding. “The corruption beneath the mountain,” she said quietly. “It’s spreading through the places connecting the realms.”
The Troll King nodded once.
“And if it reaches the foundations completely,” Aphid asked carefully, “what happens?”
Nobody answered immediately, which was answer enough.
Finally, Verna spoke. “The barriers between realms collapse.”
Well. Fantastic.
Kara tilted her head back and stared up toward the carved stone ribs arching overhead for one long moment. “I would just like the universe to know that I officially preferred my life before interdimensional magical infrastructure became my problem.”
Nick brushed a kiss against the side of her head, slow and warm.
“You should have known it was always going to become your problem,” he murmured. “You’re sort of a disaster magnet.”
Honestly?
Rude.
The mountain pulsed again.
Harder this time.
A deep groan rolled through the stone beneath them, low and ancient and wrong enough that every hair along Kara’s arms lifted at once.
The mineral lanterns dimmed, their warm gold light guttering down to something closer to candlelight before slowly climbing back.
Dust drifted down from the carved arches in slow, lazy spirals.
Then her daughter moved sharply beneath her ribs. Kara didn’t feel fear from the child. It felt like certainty. The way someone shifted their weight to brace against a coming blow.
Nick’s hand splayed instantly across Kara’s stomach, his palm broad and grounding through the layers of fabric.
At this point he might as well just keep it there for the duration of her pregnancy because bless him, he didn’t seem to know what to do when their daughter did something in reaction to the mountain.
Verna and the Troll King exchanged a look that Kara did not love.
The elder female’s gaze settled on Kara’s stomach for a long, weighted moment, then lifted to meet her eyes.
“She’s ready,” Verna said quietly. “Even if we are not.”
The mineral lanterns steadied overhead. The mountain seemed to hold its breath along with everyone in the room.
Except Kara, “No offense, Verna, I feel like we’ve gotten off on a decent foot, and you seem way wiser than I am, but could you elaborate on what you mean when you say, ‘she’s’ ready, even if we’re not? ”
The elder troll female’s eyes filled with warmth as she glanced around at the troll children and then back to Kara.
There was so much wisdom and love shining from her amber eyes that Kara swore she could feel it in her own chest. Then Verna spoke, her voice soothing and calm.
“Children born close to the foundations hear things we have forgotten. Your daughter has not yet learned fear. She reacts as creation intended before age, grief, and pride teach us otherwise.” Her brow furrowed a bit as she paused and held Kara’s gaze.
“If you do not believe me, then at least believe the one who showed you the blessing that came from darkness. And remember what she told you.”
Kara felt her heart speed up as she remembered the night the Great Luna visited her and Nick.
Tears pricked her eyes as she whispered the words that she still held deep in her heart.
“A blessing, a reminder that there is no evil that I cannot turn for good. Your daughter will be a living example for others who suffer as you have suffered. A sign that there is life after death, no matter what kind of death it might be. Love her with the love you never had as a child. Protect her as the precious gift that she is. And know that she means more to me than your finite mind can ever grasp. All of you do.”
Tears spilled down Verna’s eyes, down her aged face as her lips tipped up in a small smile. “What darkness means for evil, our Creator can use for good. Hold onto that, renowned warrior.”