Chapter 84 #3
Lily took the seat, hands fidgeting at her waist. She stared at the ground, then up at Diem’s statue, then at me, then at Auralie, then down at her waist. We waited for her to speak, but her lips stayed closed, her teeth digging so far into her bottom lip, I was afraid she might leave a bruise.
Auralie shot me a questioning look. I shook my head, equally bewildered.
“Is something wrong?” Auralie asked her.
“Are you in trouble?” I pushed.
“Um . . .” Lily’s mouth twisted to one side, then the other. “Not trouble exactly . . . well, I mean, perhaps . . . maybe with Father . . .”
“You’re an adult now,” I reminded her. “You live by your own choices, not Father’s.”
She sat up straighter. “Right. Yes. My choices. And I’m not ashamed of this one. We discussed it—we knew it might happen. And I don’t care what Father says. I won’t regret it. I could never regret it. Not ever.”
“Lily.” I infused my tone with brotherly sternness. “Out with it. Now.”
She took a deep breath and pressed her hands against her belly. “I’m pregnant.”
Her face scrunched, shoulders hunching inward like she was bracing to be screamed at. Auralie and I gaped at each other, looking like mirror images—stare unblinking, mouths ajar.
“The father?” I asked.
“Teller,” Lily squeaked. She opened her left eye to peek at me, then closed it and opened her right to glance at Auralie, whose eyes had filled with tears.
“You . . . Teller . . .” A sudden, short laugh burst out of her. “I’m going to have a grandchild?”
Lily cautiously relaxed. “You’re not angry?”
“Oh, my sweet, precious girl, I’ve never been happier about anything in my life.” Auralie threw her arms around Lily’s neck, sobbing into her shoulder. Lily looked at me, beaming for a brief second before burying her smile again as she waited for my response.
I curled a hand behind her head and pulled her in, kissing her hair. “I’m happy, too. I’m going to be the proudest uncle in Emarion.” I set my chin atop her head, needing to hide my face and the sorrow I couldn’t keep shielded for one moment longer.
I was happy for Lily. Her spirit had dimmed so much since Teller’s death.
It would be a blessing to her, and to Auralie, to have a piece of him still in the world.
And she had always wanted to be a mother.
I’d hoped she would have many more years before taking that step, but I knew she’d be incredible at it.
Though there would be no replacing Teller as the father, the child would have three devoted uncles—Taran, Zalaric, and myself—to teach them all the things a father should.
Selfishly, I was happy for me, too. Doting on Lily and the baby would be a welcome distraction.
But when the words came out of her mouth, my first thought was of Diem, and how the child would never know the aunt who would have cherished them and spoiled them and teased them and inspired them and taught them about courage in the way that only Diem could.
She would have loved this child with all her heart, and they would have adored her.
And that broke me all over again.
Lily looked up at me and startled. “You’re crying,” she said, her voice turning soft. “You never cry.”
“I was just thinking how overjoyed Diem would be,” I admitted, surprised at the relief I felt at showing my emotions, instead of hiding them away.
Lily sighed. “She would have been such a good aunt.”
“The best,” Auralie agreed, swiping at her own tears. “I can help you find a midwife, if you like.”
“Oh—um, actually, I already have one. She’s from Fortos, but all her friends died in the war, so she’s leaving the army.
She’s going to ask Maura if she can work out of the healers’ center instead.
She’s sooo nice. And beautiful. I think she might be the prettiest woman I’ve ever met.
And she’s really smart. And brave—did you know Fortos makes its healers fight and heal patients at the same time?
It’s so unfair. Diem would have made them change that.
I told Sarla—oh, her name is Sarla, by the way.
I named her, actually. The Fortos Descended don’t give their children names, so everyone just called her Healer 1433-63, which I told her was ridiculous, so she—”
“I can’t wait to meet Sarla,” I said. “She sounds wonderful.”
Lily jumped to her feet. “Will you both come with me to tell Father? He might not be so angry if you’re there.”
Auralie stood and took her hand. “Of course. If he says a cross word about it, I’ll slip some slugs in his next glass of wine.”
Lily giggled, and I smiled despite myself. So much like Diem, I thought again, and though the pain of her absence ached a little stronger, it also gave me joy to know that, with Auralie’s influence and Teller’s parentage, some bits of Diem might live on in Lily’s child someday, too.
“Let’s go,” I said, standing. I wrapped an arm around Lily’s shoulders, walking beside them. “I want to see Father’s face when you tell him you’re carrying a Bellator.”
Lily giggled again, and Auralie flashed a wicked smile. I paused at the door to let them go ahead and glanced back at Diem’s statue.
I hoped she was watching us, after all.