Maurelle lets out a little laugh in surprise. “Now that is something we can agree on.”
I smile at her. Eh, maybe she isn’t so bad. “So, how much longer?” I ask, pointing at her bump.
/> “A few months yet,” she says.
“Boy or girl?” I ask and then my cheeks flame with my stupidity. What is with my mouth today, running itself off all over the place?
“Well,” she says caustically, “as it was so pleasantly pointed out to me, I am incapable of giving my husband a daughter, so I am guessing it’s a boy.”
“I’m sorry, Maurelle,” I say hastily. “That was a mean thing for me to say.”
She sighs. “I gave you reason to get defensive. I was full of hatred and jealousy and I took it out on you.”
I guess that was an apology of sorts, I don’t really expect to hear the actual words, so I’ll take it.
“Can I trust that you will remain here until your father returns?” she asks. “I am feeling weary and this has been a trying day.”
“Yes, I’m staying. For now.” I make it very clear that this isn’t a forever kind of deal. “Go and rest.”
She nods and then says, “You must allow Kalen to be Delinda’s father.”
“I haven’t decided yet,” I say stiffly.
“If you don’t, it will be a disaster, Aeval, not only for the reasons that your father stated, but also that the Dark, your people, will take offense on your behalf and they will go to extreme lengths to right the wrong that has been done to you. Delinda is to bring peace and unity, Aeval, not to tear us even further apart. Please think about it,” she presses.
Well, I suppose when you put it like that…
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” I say.
“Thank you,” she says and then disappears.
I pace the hall frantically after that as I await Drake’s return. What in the blazes is taking him so long? He should have zapped Her with his magick and then told Her to piss off. I can see CK still hovering in case I should change my mind about going anywhere, but he stays back when Drake suddenly reappears.
“What did She say?” I yell at him the second that I see him. “Did you tell Her about Delinda?”
“Calm yourself, child,” Drake says and frowns at me and my barrage of questions. “I did not tell Her about Delinda, I am not putting her life at even more risk.”
“What?” I shriek. “I thought you were going to take care of this?”
“I did,” he hisses at me. “She went away. I cannot have Her throwing Her magick at the Faerie Ring trying to forcibly break Her way through into the Realm.”
“That’s all you were concerned about?” I ask sadly. “What about Delinda? If Tiamat doesn’t know she is the Fae child, She is going to keep coming after her.”
“I will tell Her in time,” he says cryptically. “For right now, just trust me.”
Fucking famous last words. I glare at him and clamp my lips shut as he has an ominous look on his face that I would rather not deal with.
“Fine.” I sulk and turn on my heel to think up a plan myself to get Tiamat to back off. I was quite prepared to go to war with Her to stop Her from taking Delinda back, but now that isn’t necessary. I just have to somehow protect her, my unborn child and myself in the process.
Chapter 5
Back in my bedroom, while I reject yet another plan of action, Tabetha pops her head around the door followed by Devon. “Delinda wants to see you,” she says.
“Of course,” I say and smile at her and hold my arms out as she races in. I hate that I haven’t been able to spend any proper time with her since we arrived here. It is getting late now, but I haven’t the heart to tell her that it’s bedtime.
I exchange a smile with Devon and indicate that he should sit.
“I want to see Grams,” Delinda says to me as she snuggles onto my lap, giving Devon a shy stare.