Page 85 of Fire Forged

Epilogue

Nerxtouchedthekutadown on the co-ordinates his father had sent him.In the display vids, their quarters sat, alone, with tundra rolling out to the Gaelsi Mountains.He punched the button to open the door, then bounded out of his seat, eager to unbuckle Britta and Lily.

“It smells good,” Britta said, drawing in a deep breath as if to prove it.

“Welcome to your new home,” he said, kneeling to free her.

She kissed his head, then passed him to the ramp.

Lily squirmed, kicking her legs as she waited.He lifted her off the chair and set her down.She scampered out the door, sprinting past Britta to squeal, “Granddaddy.”

Nerx smiled at how much Lily and his father had bonded.Time spent with both her grandfathers had gone a long way to cement her place in the world.She now loved them and without hesitation or fear.

Nerx held Britta’s hand and ushered her toward his father.

His stomach wrenched, but he let it calm.Over the last week, he’d come to see his father in a different light.Easy to do now, when Father held Lily with one arm and pointed at the mountains and the house, even as Lily jabbered questions.

He laughed, then met Nerx’s gaze.“Welcome home, son.”He glanced at Britta.“And daughter.”

She sniffled, hesitated, then hugged him and Lily.“Thank you,” she said, stepping back to wipe her cheeks.When she smiled at Nerx, she missed his father’s shock.

“They cry when they are happy or sad,” Nerx grumbled, too low for Britt to hear.

“I welcome her with open hearts,” his father said.

Britta frowned at Nerx.“You okay?”she asked.

He cleared his throat.“I am well.”He laced their fingers, settled beside her, and came face to face with the male he’d hated for decades.He raised their clasped hands to kiss her knuckles.“Before we go farther, I need—”

“We’re going to explore our house, right, squirt?”Britta took Lily from Father’s arms, strode past him, and disappeared into their home.

Father stared after them, then gestured to Nerx to walk with him in the opposite direction.“The day your mother died, my void expanded at an alarming rate.It is no excuse for the way I treated you, but I could not spare the emotion.Kyerx expected affection, your mother’s influence.So I suffered, making sure he did not notice a change in me.I could not bear to love you and lose you too.So I pushed you away the only way I knew how.”Father paused to gaze at the mountains, his eyes glistening.“When Kyerx died, I feared the worst.I meant it when I said I can seek the void.That I need not live like this anymore.”He smiled and twisted to stroll toward the house.“But my daughter is right.Let me meet these Viqrians first.Now that you have brought joy into my life, I find I no longer want to die.Not yet.”

Nerx rolled his lips.Years of nurturing his anger disintegrated with one realization—he too had felt the void’s expansion and become a hard male because of it.

“News of your accomplishments was met with pride.You far surpassed my expectations.But I had not heard you adopted a daughter or found your Dar Eth.The Maker has truly blessed you.”

“And continues to do so,” Nerx said, clasping his father’s forearm.“Britta bears my son.”

With a yank, Nerx found himself in his father’s embrace, strong and crushing.He blinked back tears and tightened his arms, returning the hug.

“A son…” Father chanted between chuckles.

“We will name him Kyta.”

Father thrust Nerx back to grin at him.“Perfect.”He spun to throw an arm around Nerx’s shoulder as he led him into the house.“Tell me, how did it feel when Prince Citus honored you so?I was both shocked and impressed.”

Nerx chuckled.“You saw.Angry, stunned, close to tears.The Ethera unravels years of control.Now… Now Ifeeleverything.”

Father paused.“And the void?”

“A bright light.”

A single tear slipped down Father’s cheek.“I am…pleased.”

“Nerxie, come see my room.”Lily skipped to him, grabbed his hand, then tried to drag him.

He laughed.“All right,minus susa.”

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