Page 297 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
She said something else in that same language, and Xan nodded.
“She asked him if he brought both her sons to her,” Akira said simply.
Tessa peered around him. “You know what they are saying?”
Her lips pursed. “I am fluent in many languages of the stars. Achaz made sure of that.”
His parents were walking towards them. Both of them. And gods, the moment was surreal. Only months ago, he’d thought them gone. Nearly a year ago he thought he was the only one left of his kind, and now he was watching a resurrection of dreams that had died long ago.
They came to a stop in front of him, Xan’s hand on her lower back. “This is—” he started, but she interrupted him.
“I know who this is,” she said, her eyes drinking him in. “I’ve had to watch you grow up from afar, unable to be there when youneeded me most. For that, I am so incredibly sorry, Luka, but I am so proud of who you’ve grown to be.”
She was moving forward then, wrapping her arms around him, and Luka was clutched her back. An embrace he hadn’t felt in twenty-five years. An embrace he’d forgotten despite trying to cling to the memory of it.
“I am sorry for the life you were forced to endure alone,” she whispered, her tears seeping into his shirt.
Luka hugged her tighter. “I wasn’t alone. I had brothers. We survived together.”
She nodded, but Luka knew it wouldn’t be enough to assuage her guilt. Nothing ever would.
She stepped back, holding his shoulders. “We have much to talk about, but I need to?—”
“I know,” he said, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek before he stepped aside.
Tessa was there, looping her arm around his and leaning her head on his biceps.Are you okay?she sent down the bond.
Yeah, baby girl. I’m okay.
His mother had sucked in a sharp breath as she stared across the few feet separating her from her other son. It may as well have been a chasm for the way Razik was staring back at her. The same hard apathy in his eyes that was always there.
Then she moved, not seeming to care that he was rigid and giving every signal to stay the fuck back. She wrapped her arms around him, and Razik didn’t return the embrace. The male hadn’t seen her in centuries, and he couldn’t even return a hug?
Their mother didn’t seem to care though. She stepped back, holding his broad shoulders the same way she’d done to Luka. Her gaze raked over him, taking him in.
“And for you, I missed everything. I couldn’t even watch from afar. I could tell you I fought for you. I could tell you I thought of you every single day. I could tell you any manner of things, butnone of it will matter or make up for the memories stolen from us. For that, I am so incredibly sorry, Razik,” she said, her words clear and steady. “Some day, I wish to know who you have grown to be, but I understand today is not that day.”
Eliza reached over, intertwining her fingers with Razik’s. Luka could only assume she was speaking down their bond. Their mother must have assumed the same thing, and she took a small step back as she said, “I’m Aiyana.”
“Eliza,” the Fire General answered. She glanced up at Razik before looking back to Aiyana. “His?—”
“Mai dragocen,”Razik interjected. “That’s who she is.” Aiyana nodded, and then her eyes went wide when Razik spoke in that same language she and Xan had spoken in.
Back and forth they went, and Tessa sighed beside him.I wish I knew what they were saying,she grumbled down the bond.
Luka huffed a laugh.Why?
Because I’m curious.
Theon barked a laugh, having come up beside her.Maybe we should give them some time.He glanced at Luka.You could stay too. Tessa and I can go get ready for dinner.
But as much as Luka wanted to spend that time with his mother, this dinner was important. They would be telling Kyra of Dagian’s offer and requesting her permission to bring Dagian here for Akira to perform the transfer. They were in for a long night of discussion, and he could find time to spend with his mother later.
“Stay, Luka,” Tessa murmured, pushing up onto her toes and pulling him closer so she could press her lips to his jaw. “Theon and I are fine. Take your time.”
Take your time.
Everyone kept acting like they had all the time in the world, but he was staring at his mother. His brother. His father. Afamily who had lost all that time and maybe would never see it again if they couldn’t find a way to mend all this.
