Page 32 of The Demon's Secret Baby

"Volezimir," I whisper, reaching out to touch the mark. "What happened?"

He glances down, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. "Ah, that old thing. It's from an arena fight, years ago. A gilak demon caught me off guard, shattered my ribcage."

I wince, imagining the pain. "It looks like it was terrible."

Volezimir nods, covering my hand with his own. "It was. For a long time, the memory haunted me. The pain, the shame of being injured so badly." He pauses, his gaze meeting mine. "But now, after losing you for so long... it seems insignificant."

My throat tightens with emotion. "Oh, Volezimir..."

He pulls me close, his arms enveloping me in warmth. "Having you here, safe, makes everything else fade away. You and Kaelox are all that matters now."

I lean into his embrace, feeling truly at peace for the first time in years. As we settle into bed, Volezimir's steady heartbeat lulls me towards sleep. The past may have left its scars on both of us, but here, in each other's arms, we can finally begin to heal.

I wake to the gentle sound of birdsong filtering through the treehouse windows. For a moment, I'm disoriented, unused to such peaceful mornings after years at sea. Then I feel Volezimir's warm body next to mine, and relief washes over me. We're safe. We're home.

Volezimir stirs, his golden eyes blinking open. A smile spreads across his face as he sees me. "Good morning, Sunshine," he murmurs, pulling me closer.

We lay there for a while, savoring the quiet moment. Eventually, I hear Kaelox stirring in the next room. "I should check on him," I say, reluctantly pulling away.

Volezimir nods, sitting up. "Of course. I'll start on breakfast."

After getting Kaelox settled with some fruit and bread, I join Volezimir on the small balcony overlooking the jungle. He seems deep in thought, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Zylpha," he begins, turning to face me. "I've been thinking... about our future."

I tilt my head, curious. "What do you mean?"

He takes a deep breath. "I want to ask you something. Would you... would you consider coming home with me? To the royal castle in Galmoleth?" He swallows hard. "Protheka…it-" He sighs, shaking his head, but I understand perfectly.

He holds too much hurt. At least right now.

My eyes widen in surprise. "Galmoleth? But I thought..."

"Things have changed," Volezimir explains quickly. "There's a human Queen now. The King's return has been good to the city. And I still have my position helping with the royal staff — Asmodeus granted it to me for life. We'd have spacious accommodations, and I promise you'd be safe. No other demon would dare touch you or Kaelox."

I bite my lip, considering his words. The idea of living in a demon castle is intimidating, but the thought of staying with Volezimir, of building a life together... It's tempting.

"What about Kaelox?" I ask. "Would he be accepted there?"

Volezimir nods earnestly. "He's my son. Our son. He'd be protected, just like you."

I glance back at Kaelox, happily munching on his breakfast, oblivious to the weight of this moment. Then I look out at the lush beauty of Aurelius, the place I've dreamed of for so long.

But as I turn back to Volezimir, I realize that home isn't just a place. It's wherever we're together.

"Okay," I say softly, a smile tugging at my lips. "Let's do it. Let's go to Galmoleth."

After finishing our breakfast, I take a deep breath and turn to Kaelox. "Sweetheart, I have something important to tell you."

His mismatched eyes look up at me, curious. "What is it, Mama?"

I kneel beside him, taking his small hands in mine. "We're going on a new adventure. We're going to live in your father's home, in a…castle"

Kaelox's eyes widen. "A castle?"

I nod, smiling. "That's right. It's going to be very different from here, but we'll be together. Are you excited?"

He nods enthusiastically, then pauses. "Will we come back?"

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