Page 29 of The Warrior
She tilted her head, as if considering if that was a real thing. “Okay, but if you freak out I’ll never trust you again. It’s a big secret and I’ve been keeping it for more than a week.”
“Now you have me curious.”
She waited until we reached the water. It was November and too cold to sit still for a long time, but we picked up stones and made ripples in the water as we threw them in.
“I saw Solo kiss Willow again.” Mila’s eyes were wide open and her voice almost a whisper. “But if you cut his hair or get angry with him again, I’ll be very upset with you, and you know why?”
“Why?” I asked, annoyed that Solo hadn’t learned his lesson the first time I caught him kissing Willow.
“Because Willow loves him. She told me so herself, and she’s going to marry him when they’re older. They made a pact.”
I was quiet when I threw another stone in the water.
“You don’t believe me?” Mila asked beside me.
“Yeah, I believe you.” I bit the inside of my cheek.
“What’s wrong?” Mila asked and took my hand again.
“Nothing. I was just reminded about a time when a young girl made a similar promise to me.”
“I want to hear that story.”
“Maybe later. First I have something to tell you.”
“Is it about the test?” she asked and squeezed my hand.
“Yes, I got the answer this morning, and I’m not your biological father.”
Mila’s head fell down and her shoulders drooped. Her long blond hair covered most of her pretty face, but I could tell her mouth was quivering.
“I’m disappointed too, sweetie, but it doesn’t change anything. If I could choose a daughter, I’d pick you any day and you can call me dad as much as you’d like.”
“But how come Tristan gets to be Finn’s real son when I don’t get to be your daughter? We look just as much alike as they do.”
Her indignation and tearful eyes made me caress her hair in a soothing manner, swallowing down my own disappointment.
“I have blue eyes like you and you said it yourself, you have dimples like me. So why can’t I be your flesh and blood?”
“I really wanted you to, darling.” I hugged her and she continued crying in my arms. I’d never been good with tears or emotions and felt powerless in that moment.
“Maybe you should consider yourself lucky. If you were my biological daughter, you’d probably be mean and scream at people, like I do.”
She took a moment before she spoke. “Sometimes I get mad.” Mila dried away her tears.
“Really? I’ve never seen you mad.”
“I got mad when Storm took my dessert last week.”
My left eyebrow flew up. “Storm did what?”
Mila’s hand covered her mouth. “I shouldn’t have told you that. Please don’t hang him in a tree. The boys are already scared of talking to me after you threatened them never to touch or kiss me.”
“Good.” I gave a satisfied nod. “They should be.”
“But I want to be kissed like Willow, one day.”
“You will when you marry,” I assured her. “And if you let me, I’ll make sure only the strongest and fittest males fight for you in a tournament.”
