Oh no. That’s not where I wanted this to go. Dracul looks smug as he says, “I’m not sure, sweetness. That is up to your mother and her…extended family.”
I interpret that as a big, fat no. No way would he let all of us troop to the Dragon Realms to live out happily ever after. Also, he knows that I wouldn’t. That I can’t, so he has effectively boxed me in and made this my decision. My fault for abandoning her. I chew my lip as I contemplate all the ways in which to kill my brother. None of them would work though, so what’s the point of even fantasizing?
“Well?” Delinda demands, her hand on her hips.
“I can’t, baby,” I whisper to her. “The time shift is too great. Arathia’s father would miss her too much.”
“So why can’t CeeKay come too?” She frowns at me.
“It is not his place.”
“Oh, he isn’t a Dragon,” she says nodding her head.
“Not really, no.”
“Hmm.” She taps her chin as she ponders it. “Well, I can visit all the time. Uncle D can bring me.”
“Why don’t you want to stay?” I ask her, wishing that Dracul wasn’t here to influence her answer.
“It’s dangerous,” she says seriously. “And I can’t be who I am supposed to be.” Her frown is fierce, and she really believes what she is saying, but they aren’t her words. No child would ever say that off the top of their own head.
I give Dracul a scathing look.
“Besides, now that Daddy is dead, I need to be somewhere where they can’t find me,” she continues to my absolute horror.
“Wh-what?” I stammer.
Delinda gives me a penetrating look and then shifts her glance to her uncle. “I know that Daddy is dead. And I know that the Light Fae will want me even more now. I don’t like it there; I don’t want to go back. Don’t make me, Mama, please.” Her plaintive plea stops my heart. That is her talking now. She is scared stiff of going back to the L.F.K. and I don’t blame her.
“No, of course not,” I say to her, cuddling her to me tightly. “You don’t have to go back there. Uhm, about Daddy…” I cast a glance at Remiel. His lips are tight indicating that he is less than happy about Dracul telling her all of these things, but still he says nothing. He is useless for the gods’ sake!
“It’s okay,” she says with a shrug. “I didn’t really know him, and he was kind of weird. Really intense and distant. I am happy with you and Papa.” She breaks away from me to beam at Remiel and fling her arms around him. I choke back all of my emotions, ranging from sorrow to absolute fury.
“You had no right,” I hiss at Dracul.
“I had every right. She needed to know that there is nothing there for her anymore and where her future lies,” he says, and for the first time I see the Emperor behind his green eyes.
“But I want to live in the Dragon
Realms,” Delinda pipes up, pulling away from Remiel and going back to Dracul. “It’s so much fun and everyone is like me.”
I blink back the tears. She seems so happy when she talks about it. How can I force her to stay here where there is danger, and where her enemies can get to her? Does it make me a bad mother to let her go or to make her stay? I don’t know. I look to Remiel again and he gives me a look that says it all. I have to let her go. He knows she will be safe and happy there. But he can visit her whenever he likes. It’s okay for him to let her go.
“I promise we will visit regularly,” Dracul says, knowing that I am seconds away from giving in. “I do not wish to replace you, Aefre. I would never want Delinda to forget you.”
His words are harsh, even though I know he didn’t mean them that way. I nod, trying to hold onto my composure.
“But no suitors,” I bark out.
“Aefre…”
“No,” I say. “She doesn’t meet with anyone of that nature. Do you understand me?”
“What’s a suitor?” Delinda asks.
“Nothing,” Remiel mutters, giving Dracul a fierce look that says he agrees with me.
“Agreed. For now,” Dracul capitulates, knowing he has won this battle, but the war is going to be long. He picks Delinda up. “We will return soon.” I nod again and give her a sound kiss, stepping back for Remiel to do the same.