To see Emma so emotional was a rare sight that melted the core of me. My insides turned to butter as I watched her weep over the child. I knew my heart had made the right decision to put Kalina’s life ahead of my own. Emma adored these kids. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had come home without the little one.
“She’s quite well, actually,” Arthur said. In Emma’s presence, the baby had calmed. Her little eyes lolled, like she was about to go to sleep. Emma brushed her hair back and kissed Kalina on the head.
“I’m going to give her a bottle and put her to bed. Little lass had a long night,” Arthur said.
He slipped inside with Kalina. Emma’s shoulders slackened, and she said, “You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I thought for sure—”
“Don’t speak of it. She’s home, and safe, and that’s exactly what we hoped for.”
I’d tell her about Chastity in the morning. We’d had enough excitement for one night.
Emma wiped her face of tears and put on a smile. “But, since you’re back… it’s happened.”
“What’s happened?”
“The best thing.” She took my hand and led me upstairs. There was the sound of another baby— though I didn’t think it was Kazim.
I felt a grin spread across my face as I entered Stefan and Delmare’s quarters. Delmare was lying back on the bed. In her arms was a precious little boy with a mess of black hair. Stefan’s chest was puffed out, like he couldn’t be prouder.
“Ah, so this is why you were busy,” I said as I entered the room. I shook Stefan’s hand and said, “Congratulations.”
“Look at him! Isn’t he perfect?” Stefan boasted.
“He’s so big for a newborn,” Emma said, leaning down.
“Nine pounds,” Stefan bragged.
“And he eats like a cow,” Delmare added. She nuzzled him before she added, “But he’s ours.”
“What’s his name?” I asked.
“Isaak,” Delmare said. “It definitely fits.”
“How are you feeling?” Emma asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.
Delmare shrugged. “Giving birth wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be, and he came pretty quick. I am tired, though.”
Stefan brushed back his mate’s hair with a look of affection. I felt so happy for them. It was a little odd, seeing a friend you’d known since childhood become a father, yet endearing. Stefan had a family now, and another reason to fight for the future. With the birth of Isaak, things felt a little brighter in the world.
Yet tonight could’ve just as easily ended in tragedy. Kalina was safe, for now, but if she was as powerful as Chastity hinted she was, others would come for her. They wouldn’t stop, either. Monsters and villains of all kinds would do whatever it took to have her in their grasp, unless we kept her abilities a secret and did what we could to suppress her magic until she came of age. We couldn’t do that until we knew what kind of power we were dealing with.
It was time to learn exactly what Kalina being a demigod meant for all of us. Before it put her, and the rest of our family, in danger once again.
Chapter Ten
Emma
Iwas glad Ethan had torn into those vampires and left them for dust. They’d taken our Kalina, and gods, if they had doneanythingto hurt her, they’d have experienced the full wrath of the Worldweaver. I thought for sure I was going to lose my mind waiting for Ethan to return with her, but come back he did, and with not a scratch on the baby.
It didn’t surprise me that Chastity had been behind this. The bitch was too bitter to stay in a grave, where she fucking belonged. I was glad that Chastity had been consumed by the flames like the otherstryga. We knew she was dead— she’d go straight to Droga if she wasn’t— but that she’d dared to set a hand on our baby made me want to go to the Underworld and kick her ass all over again.
If she somehow made it out, and came back for our family, I’d utterly destroy her. Chastity’s parents wouldn’t have anything to resurrect once I blew her to pieces. That was a promise.
“What are you reading, Emma?” Odette asked. We were in the nursery, and it was nearly time to get the twins ready for bed. The twins were lying on a blanket on the floor, while Delmare was nursing Isaak. He really did eat a lot— he was like his dad, who was determined to eat my grandparents out of house and home.
“It’s a book on the goddesses,” I told her, holding it up. “I read the chapter on Vesna to see if there were any clues that might help us find the Unseelie stone, but I didn’t learn anything about her that isn’t already taught by the high priestesses.”
“No wonder I was so fond of Magdalina,” Kiara said as she fitted a new shirt on Kazim. “I swore myself to Vesna, after all.”
