Page 104 of The Aether

She moaned even as she reached to wrap her arms around her son.

The muffled sound of Sabrina’s sparkling slippers hitting the carpet runner heralded her arrival. She skidded to a halt just inside the door. Her eyes wide and focused on Damian.

“I forgot to tell you about the spark and that you had to kiss her, Papa!”

“We figured that out on our own, Beastie.”

With a face-splitting grin, she ran for the bed, only stopping when she was at the edge. “Nate is going to be fine, Mama.”

“Yes, and so are you,” Vivian croaked past the lump forming in her throat. “I’m sorry you had to suffer Morcant and his men.”

“It wasn’t so bad. I knew Papa was coming for us.”

“I always will,” Damian said with a hard look. “Count on it.”

“Since my job here is done, I’ll leave you all to your reunion,” Trevor said, using the wall as a brace to haul himself up.

As he rounded the bed, Sabrina stepped over Josie and met him. “I can give you a boost, Mr. Trevor.”

“Your magical help scares me, kid.” He smiled to take the sting from his words. “Give that boost to your aunt, and I’ll help her to her room.”

Within minutes, they were alone and snuggling together on the bed, one worn-out but happy family.

“If I make it to my next birthday, it will be a miracle,” Damian teased.

Or perhaps he was serious, because they still had to face the Authority to argue for their lives.

“You need not go, Viv,” he said quietly. “I can handle it.”

“How did you know—ah! Our new connection.”

He stroked the hair back from Vivian’s temple as he watched Sabrina buss Nate’s round cheek. “I confess, I like it.”

“I do, too.”

When he smiled, it warmed the places that still felt cold and lifeless. The areas where her fear resided.

“Tell me it’s all going to be all right, Damian,” she whispered, in deference to her sleeping son and drowsy daughter.

“It’s going to be okay, Mama,” Sabrina mumbled the assurance Vivian needed, never opening her eyes as she snuggled closer. “Papa is going to be too smart for them.”

Damian nearly groaned aloud.

“No pressure,” he muttered. Meeting Vivian’s humor-filled gaze, he shook his head. “Sometimes, she has more faith in me than I do myself.”

“That’s a lot of faith,” she replied. “You’re pretty full of yourself most days.”

He chuckled. She wasn’t wrong.

Lying like they were, him on his side, facing her, with their children between them, he felt at peace. But tomorrow wasn’t far off, and he would do whatever was necessary to convince the panel his daughter remaining alive was ultimately for the greater good of the witch community and the world at large. He probably should leave out the part that if they took her from him, hurt her in any way, he would peel the skin from their flesh and burn them over an open fire until they begged to go to hell for respite. But likely, he’d say it anyway.

Yes, perhaps he was full of himself, but a parent’s love was no small thing.

“I’ll stand beside you, holding the torch, darling.”

“Sorry. I suppose my thoughts turned bloodthirsty.”

“I’d say they were justified. Buttagier, or someone close to him pulling his strings, has it out for us. I’d like to know why, Damian.”

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