Page 33 of Dreaming of Darkness

I blinked, my mind clearly at her name on Antheia’s tongue. “What?”

“The birthday festival. She has to come.”

“Oh,” I considered it, my body already vibrating with the idea of seeing her again. “Of course.” She would love that. It was the best situation we could ask for, the chance to show off my family, my world, all in a single meeting. No, not a meeting. A date.

The coins were practically burning into my palms as I moved back into my home and straight to my room. Arafel and my brother were closer, much closer than I was to the demon lord, but I still could remember the way he’d looked at me. The understanding he’d seen in my desperation to keep my mate close by.

I hoped it would still hold some weight. Because I needed a favor from the Lord of the Dream realm. Picking up a quill and ink, I leaned over the table by my bed and began to write.

A few moments later, I passed into the main chamber of the home and to the fireplace. My magic, depleted as it might be, swirled to life, brought back to me by the idea of seeing Bailey again so soon.

“To Castle Fel,” I murmured, dropping the letter into the fire. It curled and burned to ash in a matter of moments. But I still smiled. Because even as it burned, I felt the soft tug of my magic being used to push the note through the fire straight to Arafel’s home. I straightened, wiping my hands on my sides as I did.

I could only wait now. Which honestly, I fucking hated. Good thing I had something else to keep my mind off the open-ended letter I’d just sent. Picking up a cloak in case the chill of the night got to me without my additional magic, I walked out the door and went to find my brother. He and Rifa lived only a short walk from our family home, and it took me no time to get there. Even less time to realize that Albtraum was leaning against the outside wall of it, his horned head in his hands.

Nearby a bottle of sine was open. I sniffed loudly to cover up my laugh at my controlled, smirking brother suddenly brought to the ground by the simple idea of his child being born.

But then, I heard it.

Rifa inside, with healers. And she was in pain.

“How is she?”

Albtraum glanced up, and I thought for a moment he might have an arrogant comment for me. But instead, his shoulders rose and fell. “I was trying to feed her strength, but my fear tainted it so strongly that she was more afraid with me there.”

My chest ached at his comment. “She is a strong female.”

“She is,” Albtraum ran a hand over his horns into his hair, gripping it hard. “I just wanted to be strong for her. But I cannot stop thinking about it.”

His eyes found mine. “No new life in the Underworld, and now suddenly all this changes. What if my child is caught between worlds. Or is just not strong enough. I tried to give them everything I could these past months, but I–.”

“Brother,” I pressed a hand to his shoulder, giving him a light shake. Whatever our differences, Albtraum was a good male. I should be by his side, or his mate should they need anything while she brought new life into our home. With a grunt, I crossed my legs and dropped down at his side.

“You gave them everything you can. Rifa is a fine mother already. You will be holding your child by midnight, I bet.”

Albtraum looked around the sky. “By midnight, eh?”

I nodded, “Trust me, I know these things.”

That made him grin, just before he elbowed me hard in the ribs, “They say I am insufferable. Clearly, they haven't met you yet.”

“Either way…pass me that bottle,” I caught the heavy bottle of sine as he passed it to me. A powerful alcoholic beverage similar to wine that originated in the fields near Elysium. My brother rarely indulged which made this altogether too hard to resist. I took a sip, barely covering up the cough that itched to climb my throat. Then trying to act relaxed, I handed the bottle back to Albtraum who took a swig as well.

“Will your human stay? Here in the Underworld, I mean.”

I didn’t look at him. Wasn’t sure I was ready for him to see the raw fear and emotion that followed that question. “I don’t know.”

The bottle was tapped against my thigh as Albtraum passed it back. “No matter what happens, we will find a way to make it right.”

“Make it right?” I took a small sip, experience making me wary from the first tone. “What does that mean? We aren’t going to force her to stay here.”

“No,” Albtraum sighed, his head thudding against the wall of his house, “But there are ways, ways around Arafel, that would allow you to come back to the Underworld.”

My brow lowered, “To come back?”

“To visit,” Albtraum said calmly.

My mind was scattered, and something told me it wasn’t just the sine that was making it hard to focus. “What are you saying?”

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