Page 105 of Between Soul and Vessel
The one person I could always rely on.
We stayed like that for a long, long while, just watching the people on the streets below.
And for a time, life was so beautifully simple.
Until it wasn’t.
“Von.” I took a breath, knowing I was going to need it. “I have to tell you something.”
“Alright,” he said as I turned to face him.
My hands rested against his broad chest, feeling the stone-like muscle beneath the soft cloth of his tunic—steel and cotton. Dark, smoldering eyes met mine, rimmed with natural strokes of kohl, making him look otherworldly. A light stubble etched out his strong jawline, emphasizing his high cheekbones. His black hair was untethered, my small, white feather tied to the end of a slender braid.
“I don’t know if you need to sit down or . . .” I trailed off.
“You know I’m not much of a sitter. Stop stalling and tell me.” His gaze was unwavering, his words a soft command.
“Alright.” My fingers slid down his chest, drifting along his arms. I gathered his hands in mine. It was amazing how hands as rough as his could still feel like velvet against my skin. It defied logic. Everything about this male defied logic. Slowly, I started, “On the day of our wedding, therewas something I was going to tell you . . .” Sadness crept into my voice. I had no idea how I was going to tell him this.
“I know,” he said, the words so quiet I barely heard them.
My lips parted in surprise. “You do?”
“Yes, and I will never forgive myself for not being there for you that day.” His gaze lowered to my stomach then returned to mine. “For you both.”
I took his face in my hands and said with every fiber of my being, “What happened was notyourfault.”
“No, but . . .” His thick brows drew together. “I could have prevented it had I been more careful. I should have placed more wards, had more guards. I should have been there to protect you two. And things would have been very different.”
My hands slid back to his chest. “We can’t change the past, but we can look to the future. All immortal souls return to this realm upon their death. What if our child’s soul is here? What if this is our second chance?”
He gave me a soft, sad smile, his voice gentle as he said, “Sage, my love, that’s impossible. The fetus would not have had a soul yet. Immortal or not, the vessel would not have been strong enough to house the divine. You know that.”
“That’s what I thought too, but I’m telling you,somehow,ours did. I had intended to keep my pregnancy a secret until after the wedding, but then you showed up unexpectedly, and the Neptuah seeds were sitting out. You would have seen them, but our babe must have heard mywishes because they hid them.” I pressed my hand over my stomach. “Ifeltthem, Von.”
Black lashes lowered as his gaze drifted to where my hand rested. He was silent for a moment, the beautiful, dark god processing my words. His expression was unreadable, that mask he wore held so carefully in place. Always so controlled, my mate.
Until he wasn’t.
He took a breath, and I think it was the first shaky one I had ever heard come from him.
“Then there is a chance they could be here.” He spoke the words slowly, as if he needed time to adjust to their meaning.
“Yes,” I said, hope lifting my tone.
“But if they were male gendered, you know what that might mean.” His voice was soft, so heartbreakingly soft.
I swallowed that solemn, bitter truth. I felt it go down like a ball of ash, lodging in my throat. “I do,” I choked out.
The Mother Realm was not kind to male souls. Considering most of them were sent to the arena to have their souls crushed, there was a high chance that would have been our child’s end as well.
The thought was heartbreaking. Devastating.
Still . . . I finished out loud, “If they met their end here, I want to know.”
Von breathed in, a muscle feathering in his jaw. Finally, he said, “Alright. We will find out what happened to our child.”
I nodded in reply then asked with a downturned smile, “Is it bad that I wish for them to be a girl now?”
