Page 47 of The Doll and The Domination

“DaiSzek.” Skylenna smiles with her eyes closed. “My boy.”

Warrose continues singing, lulling her to sleep with his husky, soft words. A tune that nudges my heart, chips it right down the middle.

She snores lightly against his chest. We’re all silent as we listen.

“That was beautiful, Warrose,” Niles says.

Warrose glimpses over my head, raising his eyebrows at Niles in acknowledgment.

“Did you make that up?” I ask him quietly, careful not to wake Skylenna.

“No.”

“Where did you learn it?”

“It was just a song I learned as a kid. Some people in the Bear Traps had legends of RottWeilen, of ancient spirits, hidden villages, time travelers. Old wives’ tales.”

I smile. “They thought he was a bedtime story.”

Warrose nods.

I watch him from the corner of my eye, studying the way he holds Skylenna like a small child. And she does look small in his massive arms against his brawny chest. I’ve never seen him so gentle, so sweet. He took care of Niles, Chekiss, and me when we were following Skylenna through her journey to learn about her past, but he was so grumpy then.

Now… he looks like he’s afraid to hurt her by moving. Afraid to wake her up. Afraid to go to sleep. Like a father taking care of a baby.

I guess I’ve never seen him in this light.

“I didn’t know you could sing.”

He exhales slowly. “I used to sing Kane to sleep when he was little.”

Something about that statement tugs at my heart, wrapping it in a death grip. When they were subjects, no, prisoners of Demechnef. That’s how he would care for Kane.

“When did you learn you had a beautiful voice?”

“I wouldn’t say beautiful.” He chuckles, looking away in thought. “But when I was three, I decided I wanted to practice and get really good. I wanted to perform at the theater in Chandelier City. I wanted to be the star of their plays.”

“Did you ever get the chance?”

“No. I didn’t.”

Turning my head, I hide the frown pulling at my cheeks. I feel awful for growing up so privileged. And for some reason, I need to know everything. Need to know how he grew up. Need to know if he was happy.

“Can I ask you something personal?”

“Sure.”

“Do you know why you were taken? How old were you?”

To my left, Niles and Marilynn whisper back and forth. It looks like we aren’t the only ones who are having trouble sleeping. But Dessin is worse. He’s slumped in the dark corner of his cage, brooding, seething, waiting for the morning to come.

“I was six. One winter, I got lost in the North Saphrine Forest trying to hunt while my father was sick. My parents found me in a cave, snuggled by White Venom wolves. They’re native to the Stormsages. Anyway, they’re known for being vicious hunters. Especially in winter. But they saved me, kept me warm, and fed me until my parents found me.”

I blow out a breath. “That’s so sweet.”

“After that, I started venturing out to the forests more often. I’d make friends with a lot of the animals. Talk to them because I didn’t have any friends. And just grew fascinated with them, I guess.” He moves a lock of hair away from Skylenna’s face. “Long and sad story short, my parents were very religious and thought I was some kind of devil. They sold me to Demechnef.”

“For being around the animals?” I balk.

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