Soul Song ~ Book One

Chapter Thirty- Six

"It's time."

Mirabella rubbed her hand over the lump in her belly that now was the size of both Damien's fists together. Sighing, she looked at her husband, reaching out a hand he didn't hesitate to accept with his own. Pulling into an embrace, Mirabella nuzzled her face in his chest.

"I wish we could stay here, both of us," she mumbled. Damien didn't answer, he had none to give. Instead, he stroked her wild, curly locks, his chin on her head.

"How long do we have before they notice?" he asked.

Mirabella shook her head, fiddling with his shirt. "No one knows. It's already doubled in size."

"Do you...feel it?"

"Sometimes there's a slight life force. Then it disappears," she answered. "It won't be long. Dania says there are robes there that will make it less noticeable." Mirabella swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"I'm scared for the both of you. If they find out..."

Mirabella pulled back to look at her husband. "They won't find out. We'll be careful. I think Grandmother and Grandfather have done well teaching Dania to hide her Magiks. Although..."

Damien furrowed his brow. "Although?"

"Damien, have you noticed how powerful she is? She surpassed me long ago. And she has several kinds of Magiks."

"It's very unusual," Damien agreed. "What does it mean?"

"I think it means...Dania was made for battle."

"Battle?" Damien blinked.

"Yes. I think the Sources sent her here to settle things. But Damien...once she serves her purpose...what happens?"

"I don't understand."

"She's far too powerful. And she continues to grow in power. What happens to a person who carries so much power? Are they ever able to be happy, and peaceful?"

Once again, Damien found himself without an answer.

Outside, Dania sat with her belly protruding as far as possible for her soul. It frequently begged to go back into Dania, and depending on the day, it could be angry and refuse to speak to her or it could just sit by sadly watching Dania. Today, though, it chose to stay, and speak to the child in her womb. The soul wouldn't come close enough to touch, but it would get close enough to hear whatever the child said. The soul sang its wordless song, stopping as though listening, before resuming. Dania always wondered what the two were saying. Grandmother had admitted once that, were she not Changed, she would know. These moments were bittersweet. It was nice to have her soul keeping her company, but knowing what she's missing due to the Change, stabbed at her. The soul stopped singing just as the baby felt as though he did a full somersault. Dania grunted in response, noting the soul seemed both pained, and satisfied by the baby's movement, as though it wanted to feel sorry for Dania's discomfort, but happy she was being poked.

Dania was giving her soul a rueful look as Mirabella, and Damien exited the hut.

"It's at it again, eh?" Damien asked Dania.

Dania grunted as, what felt like an elbow, dug into her spine. "Yes. I think it delights in making him dance."

As Damien and Mirabella both took one of Dania's arms to lift her, Grandmother and Evann appeared to bid them farewell.

"Granddaughter, I'm sending you into the snake pit again. I so hope it is not for the last time."

Mirabella allowed Damien to help steady Dania, and embraced her grandmother. "It will not be the last time you see me. In this life, or the next."