Chapter 34 #2
“No.” She shook her head. “He always wanted a son and would have rushed over there in a heartbeat if he’d known. Of course, he loves his daughter, but that’s all his wife was able to give him before the fever took her.”
It was the same sickness that killed Sariyah’s mother and grandmother sixteen years ago. Nearly every place was affected, but for some reason, more women died from it than men.
Loden glanced between us, mouth opening and closing as he tried to form words. “My father is here? And I have a sister?”
“Apparently, I’m also your cousin,” I said, giving him a genuine smile. “That must be partly why I liked you first out of this group.”
Darrow shot me a mock wounded look. “Truly, wife?”
“Loden doesn’t use his powers to pin me into walls or trees,” I said primly.
He let out a slow smile. “Don’t pretend as if you don’t enjoy every moment of it.”
I blushed and turned away from his knowing gaze, only to find my grandmother’s lips twitching as she watched us. “Fated mates always have the most passionate relationships. They often have little in common, yet they fit together perfectly. It explains your parents, Aella.”
“Can we get back to Loden and my uncle?” I asked, unwilling to discuss my complicated marriage or my deceased mother and father.
Idamay snorted. “Very well, but he should be along shortly. He’s organizing the group that will help move the ring.”
Well, that would save us some trouble. I braced myself to ask for the favor. “There is something we need in return if you’d be so kind.”
“I should have known you wouldn’t come here for the ring only,” she said, shaking her head.
She’d always find fault with me, it seemed.
Sharp pain came from my palms where I dug my fingernails into them. “We need the graystone so that Darrow can get into Damwith Royal Prison. Karganoth took it over, and we fear they may have released some of the prisoners.”
She turned her attention to my husband. “You do realize the dangers? The stone will only work for the bearer, and while it will allow you to breach even the most powerful wards easily, it can’t protect you from anything.”
“I am an expert at defending myself,” he said grimly.
My grandmother nodded. “So I’ve heard. Unfortunately, I haven’t had any visions about the matter, but I would caution you to take care. One way or another, I want the stone back once you’ve restored the Naforya Fountain.”
I was surprised she knew about that, but then I remembered my sister would have told her. “You’re letting us keep the graystone for that long?”
“As I said, I haven’t had any visions on the matter, but I do get the sense that you’ll need every advantage you can get in the coming months.
Considering our entire world is depending on you to succeed, I have no choice except to help you as best I can.
” She paused and gave me a hard look. “Even for garden destroyers.”
I was saved from replying when a large figure appeared in the doorway. “Mother, I’m here. What was so important that I had to rush over after my meeting?”
Yorick was the town's mayor, so he was often busy. It was the reason Idamay would have chosen him to organize the ring transfer. Everyone looked to him for guidance, and he rarely had trouble getting people to help with anything he organized. Of course, moving the ring would be a top priority for most people, but it weighed a lot, and we’d have to cross the dying zone.
I didn’t want to go back through there myself.
Idamay stood and gestured. “Loden, meet your father. Yorick, meet your son, who was born over forty-three years ago in Veronna.”
My uncle’s gaze swung across the room to where his mother had pointed, shock and hope in his gaze.
He took a step forward, as if he felt a natural pull toward his offspring.
I finally saw the similarities now that they were in the room together.
Both had the same medium muscular build, short brown hair, and Loden’s skin was only a shade darker than his father’s.
They even had the same light brown eyes. How had I not noticed it before?
Through our bond, I felt Darrow’s happiness for his friend.
My husband knew him better, and all the trials he’d gone through growing up.
A child with no father was vulnerable in our world.
I knew from losing mine. Loden had likely thought he’d never meet his sire, yet we were watching something close to a miracle.
It was a mere chance that I’d brought him today.
He moved toward Yorick slowly as if he thought he were in a dream. His face was in awe, and yet I caught a hint of terror in his gaze as if he thought he’d wake up, and it wouldn’t be real. He stopped halfway toward his father, closer to me.
I stood and hugged him tightly. “Welcome to the family, Loden,” I whispered, fighting tears because the moment was overwhelming for me, and I wasn’t even at the center of it. How did it feel for him? “It’s okay. This is real, and if you want to embrace him, he’ll welcome it.”
Letting go, I pulled away and gave him a nudge.
A moment later, the two men crushed each other.
For how long had my uncle bemoaned that he felt like he should have a son?
I didn’t see him often, but it seemed like he mentioned it almost every time.
Did he have a touch of his mother’s magic?
Enough that he knew something was missing, but he couldn’t figure out what exactly?
I caught my grandmother brushing away a tear.
The look of gratitude she gave me said all was forgiven, though I had no doubt she’d ever let me live the beetles down.
Still, I’d brought her son happiness and given her a grandson.
It hadn’t been my plan, but this moment shone through all the darkness we’d faced lately.
A father and son meeting for the first time after over four decades was indescribable.
They moved together to the round table and began chatting. Both seemed to have a million questions for the other. My grandmother pulled me, Darrow, and Jax toward the kitchen to give them space. We sat at the table in there as she prepared lunch.
“We’ll have a nice meal, and then we’ll get to work on that ring,” she said calmly. It had been so long since I’d been able to sit in her home and not think about how to escape the fastest.
For the first time since I was a child, I didn’t want to leave right away.
Darrow gave me a meaningful look. We couldn’t read each other’s thoughts, but sensing each other’s emotions gave us a good idea of what the other might be thinking.
Also, sometimes we would catch intentions.
I was still trying to figure out how it worked, but it was unnerving how much the bond affected us.
The emotions roiling through me were difficult to describe, bouncing from fear to worry to sadness to relief, and on it went. I could see my husband’s hand twitching in his lap. More than once, he started to reach for me before pulling back. He tried so hard to respect my space.
In that moment, I didn’t want to push him away.
The future was still very uncertain, and I was terrified to trust him fully, but I wanted one minute—just one—where we could simply be husband and wife.
I slowly reached out my hand while keeping my gaze on my grandmother’s back.
As soon as it came close to him, his palm clasped mine.
The relief and happiness that poured from him stunned me.
How could such a simple thing mean that much to a man like him?
I turned my gaze to meet Darrow’s, easily reading him now.
I was his, and that would never change, no matter how much or little we touched.
There would be no escape from him in this life or the next.
His emotions might be limited, but the ones he had were as strong as they could get within his limitations.
Swallowing, I turned away before I drowned from the sheer intensity of him, but I didn’t take my hand from his.
I wanted that connection, however fleeting and dangerous.