Page 20 of Endless
Rori took her cup in both hands, and I refilled my water from the sink before heading to the couch to sit. We weremostlyquiet for a few moments, the only sound being Rory's noisy drinking as she nestled into my side.
"Daddy?" she piped up.
"Yes, my dearest daughter." I curled one finger through a lock of her hair.
"Did the monster give you all your owies too?"
I froze. My mind came to a screeching halt, body tensing up so abruptly that Rori noticed it immediately. She shifted around, wearing a puzzled expression as she tried to get a better look at my face.
I knew our kids were smart, perceptive. But, fuck me, I was not ready to talk about this. When it came to the kids, I didn't know if I ever would be. I had been younger than them when the Sisterhood first started cutting me.
Becoming a dad for the first time, and seeing firsthand how fragile and innocent children were, made me want them to never experience even a mere sliver of the suffering I had endured.
Rori once fell from a play structure and cut her chin on the pavement. There was so much blood, and I panicked. I rushed her directly to Mari at the hospital, where I proceeded to spiral and freak out some more. I told Mari I couldn't do it. I couldn't be a father, I let my childget hurt. Rori had screamed and cried bloody murder the whole way over because I failed to protect her.
Mari then calmly explained that it wasn't my fault. Kids fell all the time and sometimes got hurt. It was normal. Their bodies were constantly growing, and it was how they learned their limits. Rori was fine after a few small stitches and a lollipop. As fragile as they were, children were also resilient.
I should have known. Somehow I survived to adulthood, after all.
While I learned to be less extreme in my reactions, it didn't make answering my daughter's question any easier. I brushed my fingers through Rori's hair, still trying to find the right words.
"No monster is ever going to hurt you." A flash of anger burned through me and I found myself growling. If that fucking cult got within a mile of my children, no force on earth or among the gods would stop me from annihilating them.
"Sometimes monsters look like nice people," I went on. "Sometimes they'll pretend to be your friend. So if anyone makes you sad or scared, or they just give you a weird feeling in your tummy," I poked Rori's belly for effect, "you don't have to be friends with them, okay? That goes for now and when you're a grown-up. Anyone at all who makes you feel bad."
"Okay, Dad," she said quietly, her eyelids drooping.
I huffed out a soft laugh and leaned down to plant a kiss in her hair. "Finish your milk, then let's go back to bed."
Once she drained her cup, I returned our dishes to the kitchen and went to tuck her in.
"Your dads will protect you from monsters," I said, bringing her blanket under her chin. "Your mom too, she's fought plenty of them. You can always come to us, Ror-meister."
Rori's eyes blinked heavily, moments away from sleep. "Daren said he would watch over me too."
"Yeah, your brother is going to be big and strong one day. Just like your dads, huh?" I kissed her forehead and started to get up from her bedside.
"No...I mean, uncle Daren..."
My heart jumped into my throat as I stared down at her, stunned. "What did you say?"
But Rori had already fallen asleep.
Nine
REAPER
"There's the trailhead." Jandro pointed through the windshield.
"'Kay. Let me find a place to park."
"Bro, you can stop literally anywhere. There's no one around." Jandro turned in the passenger seat to grin at the kids behind us. "We've got the canyon to ourselves, guys! Are you excited?"
"Yes! Can I get out?" Rori kicked in her carseat, fumbling at her seatbelt.
"Rori, no," I told her. "Wait 'til I stop the car, you know the rules."
She stilled with a pout while Daren made signs with his hands.
