Page 60 of Stolen Princess's Secret

‘Because you love me?’ She could get used to such devotion.

He smiled and it was just for her. ‘Now that you mention it, yes.’

EPILOGUE

BABY SOKOLOV MADE her way into the world at thirty-four weeks and six and a half days, by way of Caesarean section. She greeted the world with wide eyes followed by a lusty bellow, and her father was there to hold her and fall in love, and later place her gently to her mother’s breast.

It had been a mammoth effort to keep mother and child healthy and thriving these past few weeks, but Tomas had put in more effort for less during his time as a falconer, and every moment had been worth it. There was a potter’s wheel in the corner of their hospital room and a view of the city skyline out of the window. They’d made all the plates, bowls and vases they would ever need and every one of them was misshapen.

Their daughter, though, she was perfect, with a shock of silky black hair and eyes just like her mother’s. They stared steadily at him as she nuzzled at the breast and finally latched on and wasn’t that a sight to fill a heart to overflowing.

‘What do we call her?’ They’d made a list. They’d made a lot of lists during their time indoors.

‘Oreah.’

From the Greek: my mountain home.

‘Oreah Alya Ana Sophia Lor—’

‘Stop.’ They couldn’t do that to a child. ‘Oreah Alya will do.’

‘Oreah Alya Sokolov. She’s so beautiful,’ Claudia whispered. ‘Look at her.’

‘I think we should keep her,’ he suggested.

‘Your father thinks he’s such a wit. You’ll get used to it. I actually think he’ll return to normal once we return him to the mountains.’ She leaned closer. ‘Too much time in a small room.’

He would show his daughter the mountains soon enough, and the stars in the sky and the falcons. She would meet Silas and Lor, her honorary grandparents. She would be passed around to her aunt and uncle and only years later would she discover that they ruled a small country. She would meet wolfhounds and ponies and sleep in a tent in the far northern mountain passes and think she was on a camping trip. She would groan at his dad jokes and he’d hug her to pieces.

He climbed onto the bed as he’d done so many times these past few weeks, and tucked in behind Claudia so she could lean on him and because loving arms meant safety and safety was important. ‘Welcome to our world, little one.’ And what a brilliant world it was. ‘You’re going to love it.’

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