39. Barrett
BARRETT
I lingered in the hallway for a moment, listening to Damien sing a lullaby to Emilia on the other side of the door. His voice cracked more with each word.
“Damien?” I muttered, tapping my knuckle against the door frame.
He cleared his throat. “Come in.”
I cracked the door open, leaning in, and my eyes fell on the babe, swaddled in a blanket of pure starlight. My heart squeezed at the sight of her, so tiny in his arms. It was the first time I’d seen her since Isla had whisked her out of the room, since Lucia had...
“It was Moira’s when she was born,” he said, running his finger over the blanket, the shimmering light shifting and flickering with each movement, as if distant stars had been trapped within the threads. “She was swaddled in it when we first met. I was only five.”
A lump formed in my throat, and any words I might say stayed lodged within my throat.
“Selene gifted it to us when we learned she was pregnant. Lucia was so excited to see her swaddled in it.” He blinked before sweeping a hand over his reddened eyes, wiping away stray tears.
“Sorry, I, uh... I called you in here for a reason. I need to tend to Lucia’s body, see that she’s brought to Selene’s temple in preparation for the funeral. ”
I stepped closer to him, my attention lingering on the babe, her tiny head covered in a mess of soft black waves just as dark as Lucia’s, her silver eyes moving around but never latching onto anything.
“How can I help?”
“Can you stay with her while Zephyr and I see it done?” he asked. “I don’t want to risk taking her out of the house, and the servants are all busy with other matters after... well...”
“Is Isla around?” I knew what to do yet was unsure at the same time. I hadn’t held a baby since Calliope had been born.
“She’s helping clean up and seeing to preparations if you need anything or are unsure of what to do,” he said, and he looked down at Emilia as he swayed back and forth. “She just ate, so she should be good for an hour or two. I’ll be back before then.”
I nodded. “All right. Yeah, I can keep her company.”
“I know she would have wanted you to hold her,” he said, a sorrowful smile curving his lips, his eyes welling with tears.
He shifted Emilia in his arms, holding her out for me to take, and I cautiously accepted her, holding her to my chest. Gods, she was beautiful, so tiny, yet I could feel the magic welling inside her, could feel and see every bit of Lucia within her tiny face.
“She’s been very calm, but if she gets to be too much just call, and Isla will come to help calm her down,” Damien said, running his hand over her head.
“She’s so tiny.” My eyes remained fixated on her, every part of me in awe of this tiny being. “I remember when my sister was born. She was just as small.”
Damien’s eyes flitted to me briefly before falling to Emilia once more. “You be good for Uncle Barrett,” he whispered, and leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. She squirmed in response before she yawned, her eyes squeezing shut tightly for a moment before looking around once more.
“Selene is already aware, so this shouldn’t take long,” he said, hovering a moment, his hand lingering on the blanket.
“I’ll protect her,” I said, lifting my eyes to him. “I’ll make sure she’s all right. You take care of Lucia.”
“Thank you,” Damien muttered, placing his hand on my shoulder. He leaned his forehead to mine, and we lingered there, letting the weight of our grief anchor us.
“I’d better not hold things up anymore,” he said, the dread of the reality of Lucia’s passing clear as day on his face .
I offered him a half smile. “I promise not to teach her any bad habits just yet.”
His lips twitched, and he rolled his eyes before heading for the door.
My eyes fell to her curled up in her blanket, the galaxies and constellations seeming alive in the fibers. She startled, her face tightening, her hand shooting out as she whimpered.
“Shhhh.” I swayed as Damien had and ran my finger over her tiny palm. Her fingers wrapped around mine, so tiny in comparison. She settled, and I allowed her to keep hold of my finger as I paced toward the window.
The candle’s glow flickered across the room, moonlight leaking in through the window, and I stopped to look up at it.
“See? Everything’s all right,” I said, looking down at her, shifting my weight back and forth as I rocked her. “Nothing will happen to you while I’m here.”
Her eyes lingered on me, never latching onto a detail though, and I smiled down at her. She continued to hold my finger, and I could feel the hum of her magic where our skin touched.
“You’re going to be powerful, just like your mother,” I said, blinking back tears. “She loved you so much. She should be the one holding you, not me.”
Tears dripped onto the swaddle, the galaxies and stars swirling as the droplets turned to stardust amidst the constellations, and I rubbed them away before smiling down at her.
“Would you like to hear a story?” I whispered before looking out the window, my heart twisting as my gaze landed on the empty bench beneath the maple tree in the moonlight. I could almost see Lucia sitting there, smiling as she always did.
“Centuries ago, there was a kingdom,” I said, smiling down at her, “inhabited by beings with powers that rivaled the gods.”
Her lashes lowered, and that she found comfort in my arms flooded my chest with warmth.
“Within the kingdom lived a princess.” My voice quivered as Lucia’s smile flashed across my memories.
“And she was treasured by her people, gifted to them by the gods, blessed with more power than any of them could bear.” Her grip loosened on my finger, and I gently eased her hand onto her chest. “The ruler of the kingdom fell in love with the princess.”
Something fractured deep within my soul, but I wouldn’t let the sorrow capture me, not while I held Emilia. I would share everything with her, help her know the mother who never got to hold her.
“When the princess returned his affection, they united, forming a bond more powerful than the foundations of their realm.” I held her close, feeling her tiny body relax as she slipped into sleep.
I eased into the chair beside the window, unable to take my eyes off her. “It will be a while, but she’ll return to us, I promise. She always does...”