“She doesn’t even have teeth yet,” I say to her with a smile. “Maybe later on. We will have to see.”
“Hm, okay,” she says and picks at the bed cover. “Can I go swimming again?” She is obviously bored already.
“Marguerite, would you mind?” I ask her.
She shakes her head but bites her lip at the same time. “I don’t think you should be alone,” she ventures.
“I’ll come down,” I say to her, wanting her to feel at ease. She looks as tense as they come right now. Probably because she knows that CK will, irrationally, hold her, along with Devon and Frederick, responsible if anything happens to me or his child.
Marguerite nods and relaxes slightly.
“I know this isn’t what you signed on for here,” I tell her gently.
Her brown eyes go to mine sharply. “I will do my master’s bidding, however that may take form.”
“You are a good woman,” I say, and she smiles at me, taking Delinda by the hand and leading her downstairs. I follow but stop to place the once again sleeping Thia back in her crib and then I Astral outside with it.
I sink onto a sun lounger, happy that Devon and Frederick are here on the lookout and that at least one threat has been extinguished. By me, no less. It makes me feel powerful.
And also, sleepy.
I close my eyes and drift off.
I awake when I hear Delinda shouting, “Papa! You have to come in!”
I open my eyes and the first thing I see, melts my heart. CK has his daughter cradled in his arms, the look of awe and adoration on his face makes me want to weep.
“Hi,” I say to him as I stand up. “How long have you been here?”
“About twenty minutes,” he says, not taking his eyes from Thia.
“You should have woken me,” I reprimand him. “I wanted to be the one to present you with your daughter.”
He looks up at me with a smile. “She is…oh, Aefre…there are no words.”
“I know,” I say and hold out my arms for her.
CK gives me a slight frown and turns away, refusing to give me my child back. I glare at him, but he has no idea I am even here now. He is totally absorbed in his daughter. I shouldn’t resent it.
But I do, dammit.
I am used to his undivided attention. I know he warned me this would happen, but I didn’t really think it would.
“So?” I ask a bit coldly, Astralling on a hoodie to stave off the sudden chill. “How did it go?”
“As well as can be expected,” Remiel says, joining us with Delinda in his arms, wet as a fish and drenching his white shirt, which clings to him.
“You will have to elaborate,” I press.
CK tears his eyes away from Thia. “They were shocked, of course, but not angry about it. Rather, they just need to verify what we can bring to the table before they will discuss it further.”
“Meaning, Vito,” I say with a frown. “You didn’t let them take him, did you?” I hiss at him.
“Of course not,” he scoffs at me, but at my raised eyebrow he continues mildly, “They took a sample to test.”
Oh, the gods, it makes me feel sick. “Is he okay?”
“He is fine, Aefre.”