21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Ty
Daylight peeked in through the seams of the tent and Ty could feel the cold seeping in along with it. He knew he should get up to stoke their fire, but he was loath to let Ena out of his arms to do so.
He pulled her closer to him instead, breathing in the smell of her hair.
“Mmm,” she said, letting out a contented sigh as she began to stir awake. She turned around to face him. “Morning,” she said sleepily.
“Morning,” he echoed.
“I still can’t believe you’re here,” she said, reaching out to trace the lines of his face with her fingertips.
“What, last night didn’t convince you?” he asked cockily.
She smiled. “Oh, it did. I just…worried I might wake up to find it was all a dream,” she said, seeming contemplative. “You know, in the nine years we were apart, I used to have this recurring dream about you.”
“You did? What would happen?” he asked, saddened by how much time they had lost during those years of separation.
“I went with you over the Chasm Mountains to find your home in Yalta. We would be hiking through the deep snow, struggling up the mountainside, and I would get stuck, or fall down. I would call back to you for help, only when I turned around, you were gone, and I was lost and alone in the wilderness.”
Ty didn’t even know what to say to that.
It broke his heart that even in a dream, he couldn’t always be there for her—that he hadn’t been there for her.
And it wasn’t because he didn’t want to, but it seemed like, even in real life, there were always circumstances beyond his control.
In that moment, he’d never been more acutely aware of the fact that he was just a man and could no more choose his fate than anyone else.
“Kind of prophetic, I guess,” he said sadly.
“Yes, I was thinking the same thing,” she said, snuggling deeper into him. “But you found me again.”
“I did,” he said, stroking her long hair down her back. “I always will.”
Suddenly, in the raised bump of her abdomen between them, he felt a tiny movement. Almost too shocked to speak, he looked down between their bodies. “Was that…what I think it was?” he asked in awe.
Ena laughed, the sound of it joyful, though not quite carefree. “Yes,” she said. “That’s your child in there.”
Ty’s heart swelled more than he ever thought possible at those words, and at the tiny flutter of movement he’d felt.
“That’s incredible,” he said, placing his hands on her stomach in reverence.
It felt like an absolute miracle beyond comprehension, and he was in awe of her.
“How are you feeling this morning? With the cravings?” he asked, needing to be there for her while she grew him this gift.
“Good,” she said. “Wonderful, actually. I haven’t felt this satisfied in months. I guess…it really is true. I am part stryx, and you’re my bloodmatch. Your blood was what I needed.”
The way she said it made him think that she wasn’t entirely happy about that fact. He understood, of course—it was a lot to find out so late in life that you are something different than you’d always thought you were.
“Does that mean that you can Change, too?” Ty asked cautiously.
“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. I was so focused on getting rid of the bloodlust that I didn’t even consider what else being part stryx could mean,” she said.
“If it’s possible, do you think you would want to?” he asked. In his mind, having another power, especially one like that, would be an asset. Not to mention, it was cool as fuck.
“I…I don’t know,” Ena admitted quietly.
“Maybe you should talk to one of them about it,” he suggested. “So you can see if it’s even possible.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” she responded reluctantly. “I could talk to Max. He was the one who helped me realize what the bloodlust was in the first place. Him and…Kaya.”
Ty’s stomach seized. He’d known, theoretically, that his mother was here, but he’d intentionally avoided thinking about meeting her. He’d been so focused on reuniting with Ena—that had been his number one goal, eclipsing all other thoughts—but now…
His mother was here—out there, somewhere—right now. And he could go talk to her. The idea was so foreign to him, he didn’t even know how he felt about it. Did he want to talk to her?
No. The answer was loud and automatic in his mind. He didn’t want to talk to her. He didn’t want to look at her. The thought of looking at her made him angry, and, if he were being honest, it hurt.
“Hey,” Ena said, sitting up to look at him. Evidently, he hadn’t done a good job of hiding his discomfort. “I know it will be hard for you to meet her, but…from what I’ve seen so far, she seems like a good person. You should give her a chance. An opportunity to explain, maybe…”
An opportunity to explain what? Why she’d left him as a baby? How she’d come to the decision to leave him in a society of daemons where he would have to hide half of himself? Where he’d been pressured to take on responsibility he never asked for, never wanted?
He wasn’t sure any explanation, no matter how compelling, would make any of that any better.
“You should have seen her, Ty,” Ena continued.
“When we told her you were lost. She looked…devastated. Just like Turner and I were. No matter the circumstances of her leaving, it’s clear she has a mother’s love for you.
Whether you want to receive it is up to you, of course, but…
I don’t want to see you push this away forever just because you’re hurt. ”
Fuck, she was right. He knew she was. He should give Kaya a chance, if for no other reason than because it was likely what his father would have wanted.
He’d been close with his dad before he’d died, and the man had never spoken ill of Kaya.
He hadn’t talked about her often, but when he had, it had been painfully clear that he was still in love with her.
His dad probably would have wanted a relationship between them, if it had been possible.
He looked up at Ena—his witch, carrying his child—and realized that the apple didn’t fall very far from the tree.
Only, his parents’ situation had ended very differently than his, and he still wasn’t exactly sure why.
Maybe he owed it to himself to get those answers.
And yet…the idea of doing so seemed like an invitation for more pain.
Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted where Kaya was concerned.
“I hate it when you’re right,” Ty groaned, changing the subject by teasing her. He really didn’t want to think about this anymore.
“No, you don’t. You love it,” she said with an innocent smile.
Emerging from their cozy furs, the two of them got dressed and made their way out of the privacy of their tent.
“There he is!” Turner greeted as they emerged.
He was standing around a nearby fire next to a couple other stryx, a huge smile on his face.
“I wasn’t going to rush you guys—you know, reunion and all—but fuck am I glad to wake up to your stupid face this morning.
” The man immediately pulled him into a hug, which Ty relished. He’d missed his cousin too.
“How are you feeling, Ena?” Turner asked, pulling back from Ty. “I assume you tried…”
Ty had to keep himself from smiling as he peeked over at Ena. Turner likely meant the blood, but both of their minds had gone to the other new thing they had tried last night.
Ena cleared her throat, blushing. “Yes, we did, actually, and it was successful. I feel a lot better.”
“Good!” Turner exclaimed, his positivity infectious this morning. “That is such a relief. You should tell Max.”
At the sound of his name, one of the other stryx, a larger, older man about Cole and Zak’s age, turned towards him. Max extended his hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you, Ty,” he said. “We have heard much about you and are pleased that you’ve found us safely.”
“Thank you,” Ty responded, offering his hand in return. “We appreciate all your hospitality.” It seemed like the stryx had been nothing but welcoming, but he couldn’t stop his ingrained mistrust and caution. There was still so much he didn’t know about these people.
“Did I hear that you believe our theory about Ty being your bloodmatch was correct?” Max asked Ena.
“Yes,” she said. “I believe it is. I tried…his blood last night, and it definitely felt different than the animal blood.” She swallowed as she said that, because absolutely fucking yes it had felt different. It had turned her feral for him, and him for her. Honestly, he was eager to try it again.
“That’s good,” Max said. “And you explained to him the…constraints you are now under?”
Ena nodded. “Yes, he knows we will have to do it every few days, indefinitely.”
Ty really didn’t mind that part, but he could tell it still made Ena uncomfortable.
The conversation stalled then, and Ty wondered why Ena wasn’t asking about her ability to Change. It didn’t seem like her to avoid answers.
“Also,” Ty said, trying to bridge the gap for her, “we were wondering, now that her stryx heritage is confirmed, does that mean Ena might be able to Change too?”
“I suppose it’s possible,” Max said to Ena.
“You are over the age of twenty-seven. But, like I’ve said before, your situation is unprecedented.
The only other half witch, half stryx we know has not had their Awakening yet, so I’m not sure what you will be able to do or not.
But either way, I don’t advise trying to Change until after you have given birth.
It is dangerous to do so when you are with child, since the baby cannot Change with you.
Stryx women never Change during pregnancy. ”
“Wait,” he asked, realizing something Max had said. “There’s another person who is part stryx like Ena? Who?”
“Xena,” Max explained cautiously. “The one who found you. Did she not tell you any of this?”
“No, she barely said anything,” Ty said, frustration creeping in. Then it clicked. “Wait, do you mean to say that Xena is—”
“My daughter.”
Ty turned around to see an older woman approaching them. She had dark-blonde hair and—her eyes. Shit. It was like looking in a mirror. They were the exact same shape and shade as his own.
His stomach bottomed out, at the exact same time his stupid heart began to ache.
Because this…this was his mother.
“Hello, Ty,” she said, her voice gentle as she smiled warmly at him, her eyes filling with tears. “I am so, so happy to meet you.”
She extended her hand, offering to shake, but Ty didn’t take it.
Because, for probably the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to say.
He didn’t know what to do. Part of him wanted to leave and not deal with this, because this…
this was too damn much. But another part had a million questions and wanted them all answered right fucking now.
He felt frozen in place—his mind sluggish as it tried to wade through this new information.
“Xena is my half sister?” he asked, turning his attention back to Max. It was easier to look at him than at his mother.
“Yes,” Max answered simply. “She is Kaya’s and my daughter.”
Ty nodded, anger rising in him—though he wasn’t sure why. He guessed it made sense why Xena annoyed him so much, then. She was his sister.
Fucking Iblis. He’d never had a sister before. He’d never had a sibling before.
“I would love to explain this all to you, and so much more, if you are up for it,” Kaya offered, drawing his attention back to her. “I’m sure you have a million questions.”
Ty gave her a tight-lipped smile. “No, thank you,” he said, shoving down all the feelings of anger and sadness that threatened to bubble up and overwhelm him. “I’m alright. I should—I need to go find my wife some breakfast. Excuse me.”
Maybe it made him a coward, but he couldn’t do this. He didn’t know how to even begin to have a conversation with his mother—this specter who had haunted him his whole life made flesh. And now he had a sister too?
It was too much, and he didn’t want it. So, like a child, he turned on his heel and walked away without another word.