Page 264 of Night's Fall
“She died for me, soI’dsay that’s pretty close.”
More whispering with, “Honey.”
I could not take this.
“Okay, let me be clear,”Ibit out. “I’mbreaking the no contact for a reason.I’mnot telling you that reason.Andafter this is done, we’ll go back to that.ButIneed this, and you’re the only one who can give it to me, soI’masking for it, and then we can go back to regularly scheduled programming.”
“Everyone is right in what they’re saying.Thisis something big,” he guessed (correctly).
“No,”Ilied through gritted teeth, giving the party line thatGermainehad released after the incident. “AsIsaid, everything is fine.Yes, there’s a disenfranchised faction that’s doing stupid stuff.ButtheRMIis all over it.Ican’t say more,Ijust know they have it under control now.”
“Then why are you asking about me losing…”Along hesitation. “Her?” he queried.
It sucked that it hurt he could barely even say the word “her” while referring toher.
I couldn’t feel it.
I had to stay on target.
“If you want to ask questions,I’mout,Dad.We’redone and we can return to?—”
I was reaching to the display to end the stream, but he said quickly, “No.No.I’lltell you.”
I sat starchily on the side of the daybed, folded my hands in my lap and stared at his holo.
“I sense you already understand it’s agony,” he started.
“Yeah,Dad.Igot that part,”Idrawled sarcastically.
“CanI…will you allow me to show you something?”
Of course, he wouldn’t justtell me.
“Fast,Dad.Ihave things to do.”
He nodded quickly, reached for hisPalm, murmured some things into it, and then…
By all the gods…
A 3D pic popped up from hisPalm, not full size, obviously, but…
Hecate save me…
The extraordinary dragon with silky fur the color of creamy buttermilk, brilliant amber eyes, sheer taffy-pink feathers streaming back from the sides of her head, her long, sinuous neck curled in an elegantS, her intelligent face, which resembled a doe more than a dragon, was stunning.
The coloring was wrong.Mybeast’s face had more of an equine shape.
But there was no denying the similarities.
“Is that her?”Ibreathed.
The image blinked out.
“It was a mugging gone wrong,” he said tersely. “Wewere so connected, she was fifteen blocks away, andIcould feel her fear.Itransformed.Iflew.Shewas still alive whenIgot to her.Shedied in my arms.”
I closed my eyes and dropped my head.
“It doesn’t excuse whatIdid to you,” he said swiftly. “Shewould…she would hate me.Absolutelyloath mefor whatIdid to you.”
