Page 86 of Amethyst and Iron
When I didn’t speak to it, he pushed, “Let me guess, you think it’s arrogance, right?”
Guess.The question. All too unsure.
Not good enough for my son.
“You are not arrogant. That’s a misinterpretation by those who cannot delve beneath the surface level of assessing someone.”
He started. “What? What exactly does that mean?”
“You are too easily rattled.”
“Excuse me?”
“You crave approval too deeply, which puts you on the defensive when you should lean into your strength, hold your ground. I would understand if this reaction was specific to me, as your estranged father. But the issue is that it is not. Not by a long shot, in fact.”
I burst toward him as he moved to open his mouth and bite back at me.
I grasped his jaw, leaning over him, his wide eyes meeting mine. “You are a warrior. In heart. In spirit. And in strength. Do not let your thirst for approval and acceptance undercut that. It’s a rarity and not something that can be taught. It’s something to be proud of, to revel in.” I released him, but didn’t step back. “You aremyson. Remember that.”
He just stared at me, stunned into silence.
There was a first time for everything.
I knew well that he was highly vocal.
“Show me.”
He frowned. “Show you what?”
“You are hurt.”
“I had two experienced magic-wielders streaming their potent power at me, and right after I’d battled four vampires—two of them near-Ancients. It’s par for the course.”
“I see. You hold true to thewalk-it-offmentality.”
“Of course. I’m no weakling. I can handle damage. You have to in a fight, especially in a back-to-back situation like I’m used to anyway.”
He went to step back from me, but I held up my hand, drawing his attention, making him still. “Listen.”
“What are you—”
“Listen to your blood, what your cells and your body are telling you.”
He hesitated, but then narrowed his eyes in deep focus.
In moments, his gaze snapped back to mine.
“You hear it, yes? Your body is slowing down because you are hurt.”
“It’s just a little.”
“A little to an Ancient like Victor, like myself, is an extraordinary advantage.”
He did step back then.
But he stopped after just a couple of steps and then lifted his black tank to show me the damage he’d sustained.
Deep slashes from vampire talons, the mark of internal bleeding also. I already knew he had a cracked rib from hearing it happen during the fight. The assault from the magic-wielders had opened up said wounds when they’d previously begun to heal. The entire expanse of his torso was covered in char marks and deep bruising and redness.
