Page 219 of Curse of Darkness
It’s a question, and I suddenly realize that this little girl may have spent her entire life thinking I was until a few days ago.
Only to have that knowledge torn out from under her.
And I feel that.
All those years wishing for someone to come and rescue her. All those years wondering who I was, why I wasn’t there for her. Mouthing my mother’s vile platitudes. Living in fear within Clydain’s walls, and yearning for someone to protect her.
She may as well have been Amaya.
And it occurs to me that while I may never carry another child myself, it doesn’t mean we won’t have more children.
You will never bear another child,the Mother of Night once said to me.
But I feel it—I feel that click of destiny—as if she knew this moment awaited me. And her choice of words was clearly deliberate.
“No, I am not the mother who gave birth to you.” The breathless sensation stretches inside me. It’s too soon to spring this upon her, and perhaps I need to discuss this with Thiago first, but Iknowthis child will be mine too. “But if you’d like to, then you can stay here with me and Thiago. You’ll be safe here.”
Her lip trembles, her eyes darting.
And Theron—of all fae—goes to his knee before her, taking her hands. “Remember what I said back in Hawthorne Castle? The woman who raised you was evil. Adaia was a wicked queen, right out of the fairy tales. And she lied. A lot. Prince Thiago is not the monster she told you he was. And Iskvien begged me to save you, because she is kind and she worried about your safety. Adaia was the monster. But now you’re free. Now you’re safe.”
May gives me a wary look.
But she nods.
“Why don’t you come and we’ll see if we can find you something to eat?” I whisper, holding out my hand to her. “I’d like to introduce you to my other daughter, Amaya. I think the two of you could become very good friends.”
“Okay,” May whispers, curling her fingers in mine.
And as our eyes meet, I know I’ve never felt more right about a decision in my life.
* * *
The soundof two little girls squealing with laughter echoes through the castle.
Thiago rests on the parapet beside me, his mouth soft with an almost-smile. “Thalia’s having the time of her life.”
Indeed, Thalia’s blowing bubbles of magic into the air while the girls try and catch them. They run through the gardens, giggling and squealing as they try to pop the bubbles. Every time they do, a fragment of song escapes—all that’s left of Thalia’s voice.
“And you?” I wrap my arms around his waist.
“It feels strange….” He pulls a face. “Strange to hear laughter through these gardens.”
The whole castle feels like it’s changed in the space of a day. I’ve caught the servants laughing more, and cook’s already bustling honey cakes out of her kitchen as if there’s a renewed demand for them.
This has been my home ever since the curse broke and my memories returned, but I know what he’s saying: It is strange to realize that barely a month ago, neither of us even knew Amaya existed, and now we couldn’t imagine a life without the sound of that laughter.
This was always home, but now it feels likehome.
“I’m also wondering what my wife is up to,” he muses, cutting me a look with that eyebrow. “Because you have a certain look in your eye.”
I can’t help focusing on the girls. “May has no one, Thiago. Andraste said she was an orphan she exchanged for Amaya at birth. She’s spent her entire life thinking I was her mother—that we were her parents. Maybe she grew up fearing us, listening to the lies my mother told her about us. But there’s a little part of her that has to have wondered about us. About whether we truly were as my mother painted us. This has to be hard for her.” I finally confront the truth I’ve been avoiding for far too long. “And I cannot give you another child.”
He draws back, examining my face. “You know I don’t care about that. We have already been gifted with one daughter.”
“I know….” I just… hoped. I never got the chance to hold Amaya in my arms when she was a baby. I missed out on so much. “I wanted more. And it would be nice for Amaya to have a sister. She’s been through a lot—they’ve both been through a lot.”
He strokes his thumbs up my arms, glancing once more at the girls.
