Page 91 of Amethyst and Iron
My boy.
“Our relationship began as merely business. Over the centuries, many have reached out to me seeking power, favors, even curses upon their enemies. Not Rhyza. She demanded.”
“Demanded what?”
“The supernatural world was in a state of flux in the wake of Draco’s reign of terror—the risen dark Immortal. Even after he was vanquished, damage lingered. One of the only packs that remained intact was Vyrn Hollow, due to her efforts. But that wasn’t enough for some and it was a challenge to others. They wanted to take her power. I had vampire clans connected to me above ground at that time. She desired to expand her pack territory, a means to both bring in the wolf wanderers who were many, and to also demonstrate her power and reach. To do that, she wanted my vampires gone, the lands near her pack vacated and given to the wolves. In return, she offered an alliance between what was to become the second largest wolf pack in the world and my vampire clans. Not just peace, but an exchange of resources.”
“And you took her up on this deal?”
“I required an in-person meeting first.” I smiled to myself. “She was indeed as forthright and commanding as her offered deal had suggested. So far above all those who doubted her. She was a warrior through and through. And, although deeply savage when it was called for, she had a pure heart. That is a true rarity.”
“You loved her.”
Our eyes locked.
“I did. And I do. As for your conception, I will spare you the details, but suffice to say, magic was involved that… overcame my physiological deficiencies when it came to being able to conceive a child.”
“Magic? How? What could possibly—”
“That I will leave for your mother to discuss with you.”
He studied me closely for several moments, unspeaking.
And then he told me, “I’m not a child anymore.”
“I am aware.”
“Are you?” he challenged. “Because things don’t need to be like this now. You and her… you don’t need to be as you are. You and me… it can be different.”
“Is that what you wish for, Lazriel?”
“Is it what you do?”
I grimaced at the deflection. He was still unsure of my intentions, of my sentiment toward him. And that wouldn’t do.
Not just from a strategic approach and the fact that his distrust and resistance would hinder our training and my teachings, but from a personal standpoint—for both of us.
“It has been for a very long while.” I reached out and grasped his hand. “Of course I wish to know you, to have a relationship with you. You are my son.” I smiled as his hand tightened in mine. “Of all that I have done and created over my many centuries of life, you are that which I am most proud of. You are my most esteemed and cherished creation, Lazriel.”
Emotion welled in his eyes and he turned his head from me.
With my free hand, I cupped his cheek, returning his gaze to mine. “It is not a weakness to feel, nor to express said feelings. In fact, it’s a strength. A being of supreme power who can actually feel and show emotion is to be respected, and also related to by those beneath them. It gives them comfort, it humanizes that power and creates reassurance. Respect. When they look upon you, their fear for what you are will be mitigated. They will seethe being beneath the power. A person, not a monster.” As his eyes shone at me, and I wiped away a stray tear that cascaded down his cheek, I told him, “And for you, personally, expressing how you feel, who and what you are, facilitates connection. Just like you have managed to accomplish with the three whom you love and fight for now, who you risked so much to help through seeking me out.”
“When all this is over… when the war is won… what then, though?”
“You believe history will repeat, that I will disappear from your life, and leave you with no memory of our time together?”
“It’s obviously crossed my mind,” he said, staring at our joined fingers, before raising his gaze back to mine and steeling himself before telling me, “What you say you want for us, I believe you. I believe you care, that you want to be a father to me. But there’s a big difference between wanting something and bringing it about in reality.”
“There most certainly is. And so long as I remain entrenched in my role with The Shadowed, it complicates matters. It limits me when it comes to you and your mother. However, before recent events, your association with me had only ever been a danger to you, but now it has become the opposite.”
“Now it’s protection?”
“Yes, you’ve become quite the celebrity in the supernatural world. Your work with Crossborn. Your standing at Wraeven Academy. Abornhybrid making great change alongside the likes of Warlow Boyd and his team. An openly bold hybrid at that. It has garnered you attention—including that ofPuritas.They see your power and it’s a direct threat to the fear they wish to infect all hybrid kind with. They also see that you are bolstered, and that has kept them at bay for the most part. Albeit, now that Victor is fixated on you, that will be challenged. Things are approaching a tipping point.”
I squeezed his hand. “As such, you need to be ready. And you require me to ready you. To do that, I do need to be the war general, because otherwise I would hold back with you, be too lenient on you when I need to push.” I took a breath, then told him, “We will not go back after this. I doubt you are aware of this, butObliviscacannot be used on you anymore anyway, so you would remember our time together regardless. Moreover, I want you to remember. Things are shifting and I am working on something to afford me more freedom when it comes to my personal relationships without jeopardizing The Shadowed through being above ground too much. But there are many moving parts to my plan and it cannot be accomplished with ease, nor overnight.”
“Okay,” he said, a great deal of tension leaving him.
