“Severo…that’s…” He grimaced. “That’s not true… I wouldn’t purposely put you in danger, if I didn’t know?—”
“I don’t care what you know! It’s not about knowing! It’s the fact that you did it in the first place. You did it even knowing how I felt!” Severo’s voice cut off, the man’s face pinching, his eyes going glassy. The Dweller took a few breaths before continuing. “It’s the fact that you sat back and let it happen. Actually, you purposely sped it up! Your actions led to the deaths of others. Or do they not matter?! Does Seri being taken and swept away in pain not matter?!”
“Of course, they matter. No one died who wasn’t already fated to. More survived this way, in fact.”
Severo let out a bitter laugh, rubbing his face. “Justify it all you want. The fact is, you should have NEVER done it without warning me what was coming.”
“I couldn’t warn you…it would change things. I know Seri got hurt…but it’s better this way. He is safer being taken this way…”
The option of waiting had been there…but he had seen the results. The repeated traumas that followed. This had been the best option. No matter what Jorah had decided to do, this option was best.
“How about him not being taken AT ALL?! What’s the point of knowing the future if you can’t use what you know to fucking change any of it?! What’s the point of doing ANYTHING, if what you are doing knowingly hurts those around you?! Cyrus, why couldn’t you just let things be?!”
“The burden of being a Fate, being a Grimm, is knowing but being able to do nothing about it.”
Severo let out a frustrated scream and turned away from him.
“Okay, okay, enough, you two. You are scaring the baby. And she wet herself,” Killian said as he awkwardly held the infant out away from himself. The little girl was sniffling, and looking miserable.
“She’s a baby, a wet diaper is not odd,” Severo huffed. Turning to the Siren, the man pulled her into his arms, before taking the earmuffs off her head and slipping them back into his jacket.
She whimpered. “Oh-Oh.”
“Shh, Oh-Oh is here, Skya. I’m sorry, gummy bear. Did I scare you? Oh-Oh is sorry,” the Dweller comforted. The man snagged the discarded baby bag off the ground.
“Oh-Oh,” Skya repeated.
“Take me to your office down here. She needs to be changed.”
Cyrus cleared his throat. “Of course, this way.” He spun and headed to the locked door at the other end of the hall.
Severo glanced around the office as he walked in. It was very bare bones; just a desk, a computer and chair, and a row of filing cabinets against the wall. Something one would likely not see outside any government building.
Severo set the diaper bag in the chair, and with one hand, he pulled a blanket out and spread it on the desk before laying Skya down and getting out the rest of the things he’d need.
Frankly, he didn’t give a fuck if she peed or pooped on Cyrus’ desk. He was only using the blanket because it was cold as hell in the underground, and likely the man’s desk would be uncomfortable for her to lay on.
She sniffled, looking up at him with sad eyes as he opened her onesie. “Dah-Dah,” she whined.
“Aww, Skya. I know. You miss Daddy. I miss him too,” Severo soothed while he undid her diaper.
As quickly as possible, he cleaned her up and changed her. His arm hurt, but not so much that it hindered him. The pills Ender’s people had given him were taking care of most of the pain. As it was, he was just pissed that the injury had cost him an extra day in getting back. The doctor at the compound forced him to undergo surgery.
He now had a nice, new lab-created chunk of flesh currently trying to integrate with the rest of his body. At least…that was the gist of what he understood of what they told him. They must have done a good job of sealing the wound because it hadn’t started bleeding, even after grappling with Cyrus.
Sitting her up on the edge, he moved the diaper bag and sat down in the desk chair. Lightly holding her hands, he turned his gaze to the two men who had been standing, staring silently the whole time—Cyrus and Killian. Well, Killian wasn’t so much staring, but on his phone frowning at something.
“I want a name,” Severo demanded.
Cyrus signed. “Severo?—”
“Don’t Severo me. I want a name, and I want it now. They sold me out. It won’t be long before Preston knows I am here.”
“No one will tell Preston. I cleared out the building of anyone I didn’t fully trust before you got here days ago.”
“But they are here?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to risk him escaping. He has gone past the point of choices. His fate is sealed.”
