Page 277 of Gift from the Source
“Oh my El—”
“Shush, Mommy, don’t say her name.” She giggles as she places her little finger to my lips. “Grandma Elma is going to be so mad at me.”
The laugh that keeps falling from her pulls a choked sob from my chest. My hand rises to rest against hers that’s still against my mouth and my breath whooshes out of me.
“Where are we? Are you okay?”
“Silly Mommy. Of course we’re fine. We’re in the beyond.”
My body suddenly weighs a thousand pounds as I sway harshly, but I don’t fall over. I get trapped in eyes that are as silver as mine, with a violet ring around the pupil.
“You’re…you’re our daughter.”
“That’s right.” She grins proudly, plopping her hands on her hips.
A hand lands against my thigh as I finally do crumble against the floor and my eyes turn to Corentin. His astonished, watery gaze is locked onto our little girl.
“Hey, Daddy.”
“Hey, my sunshine.”
Her squeal pierces my ears, and her arms fling around his neck. “You remembered?”
“I’ve never forgotten your light.”
Impossible.
My fingers tremble in my lap as she reaches her hand up to cup his cheek and he pokes her in the belly, making her giggle again.
It’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.
“This shit is crazy.”
A gasp flies out of her mouth, and she stomps her way to Draken. One little hand perches on her hip while the other shakes a finger at him. I quickly wipe away the single tear that falls from my eye, then cover my smile behind the back of my hand at the familiar sass.
“Language, Daddy. Shit is a bad word.”
“Uh!” Draken mocks as he swoops her into his arms and tickles her. “You just said the bad word.”
Her laughter turns into an excited shriek as he tosses her in the air. My heart drops to my stomach and my arms naturally shoot out to catch her on instinct. My gasp smoothers the sounds of her fun when she bursts into flames on her way back down to him.
“I’ll watch my mouth better, firefly.”
What is happening right now?
A voice clears beside Draken, and he passes our girl over to Tillman with a kiss to her cheek.
She’s so, so small in his hands.
“Don’t look in my head, Daddy. You’ll find answers you can’t know yet.” Her finger taps against his temple and his emerald eyes soften.
“I promise I won’t, little rebel.”
Her sigh wraps around us as she lays her head to his shoulder and my gorgeous giant melts. His eyes close and his body slumps. She’s reluctant to let him go, but when her feet touch the ground, a stare off commences.
My gaze bounces between her and Caspian. Both their narrowed eyes are so serious, so calculating.
Cas cracks first.
