Page 74 of Rose and Shadows
“It could very well tread a similar path if you become Commander of The Shadowed.”
“A title you want to retire from, so as to finally be free to be a father.” I eyed him. “And from what I saw with your interactions with Rhyza, perhaps even a true partner to her. Very few people know your real name. You planned to passRemnanton to me. All your enemies would follow would be that name—all they have to go on. And your Ancient Vampire energy, something I, as a necromancer, can falsify.”
“In essence.”
“I get it. But here’s the thing, I’m already marked now. Word has spread about the horrors my father has committed. And people aren’t thinking about him as a person. They’re thinking about him as a necromancer. I’m known the world over as the most powerful necromancer alive. Morien has now turned that into a supremely negative and horrifying thing—a threat.”
“That can be mitigated when you vanquish him. I can ensure word spreads to the right people and with the right narrative.”
Before I could respond, he told me, “Are you aware that the mother of your child wishes to build a safe and happy life free of darkness and danger in afrost castle?”His lips quirked. “Very much out of a fairytale dream, wouldn’t you say? Not a horror fantasy filled with strife and pain.”
I stepped back from the beaker as I waited for the mixture to cure, scrubbing my hand over my face. “This child is born of death magic. An impossibility made possible. It will need to be shielded. Now that can happen in afrost castleor whatever Velra, Lazriel, or Cassius like. But it will be a heavily protected and magically fortified home. If they wish for it to happen above ground, for our child to live a life as though unaffected by being afflicted with this special nature that many will fear, then so be it. I’ll see to it. We’ll all see to it.”
“It will be only an illusion.”
“Sometimes that’s enough. External bullshit comes secondary to love and family. Who gives a fuck about that? This child will have us, will have love from its four parents that Cassius and Velra never experienced, that I briefly had with my mother and sister before it was ripped away, that Lazriel had with his mom, and is now experiencing deeply with you. This child won’t be deficient in any way with that. That’s what matters. All the rest is gravy, as they say.” I sighed. “There’s no perfect fairytale version of this. It’s down to what we make it.”
Remnant smiled—full-on smiled. “You are already thinking like a parent. I wasn’t sure how you’d take to the news of this child.”
“Because I’m a selfish shit?”
“Because you are damaged and deeply burdened already.”
“It’s not a burden, though. Far from it.”
“I wholeheartedly agree. It’s nice to see you going this way, instead of seeing the child as a vulnerability that could harm your seemingly untouchable façade. Then again, you’ve already experienced a change to that outlook through your interactions with my son, first and foremost.”
“He was the first to chip away at that loner disposition of mine, yeah.”
“I fully understand.”
I chuckled. “I don’t doubt it.”
“Now you must see whether Velra views this pregnancy the same way that you do, that Lazriel clearly also does. Cassius is a more difficult read, but I believe him to be enamored with this news as well.”
With all that had happened since the pregnancy revelation, liberating Lazriel, working on this spell, Cassius sealing that motherfucker, Victor, in our own pocket dimension where we’d previously held Sorin, we’d been all action and no assessment. Velra still hadn’t voiced where she was at concerning the news.
“I’m going to suggest that she returns to her normal routine at Wraeven Academy. There’s still time. I studied the baby earlier and from what I’ve gathered of the conception date, its growth is progressing like that of a standard human pregnancy, and we’re only a few weeks in at this point.”
“A sound strategy.”
“Just like that? You’re agreeing to wait?”
“We need everyone at their best. Fractured allies can prove both detrimental and dangerous.”
That was just the half of it. He was worried about Lazriel after his time in that psychopath’s captivity. And with Velra carrying our child, a child that Remnant had already witnessed being so very important to Lazriel, he was duly concerned for her as well.
His phone rang and he pulled it from his leather jacket. “One moment,” he said, as he headed out of the kitchen to take the call.
I sank back against the wall, finding I needed to take a moment.
A child.
Our child.
I hadn’t yet had proper breathing room to wrap my head around it either.
I dealt in death magic, so a baby… creating life… it had never been on the agenda.
