Darkly Wed (Darkly Devoted Series, Book 3)

Chapter 2 - The Reunion

Chapter 2

IT WAS ABOUT a week later that Blake stepped into the gathering in the courtyard of Sjena Heim Castle. As he wove through the crowd, he saw his cousin Octavia with her latest flame, a stately but clueless boy from a wealthy English background. Blake paused momentarily to embrace his cousin and advise the young man to keep his intentions honorable; after all, he was now her closest, able-bodied, male relation.

He had been attending quite a few of these meetings in his boredom in the past year. This one was different. On that day, his ex-wife appeared among the guests arriving outside. Blake felt his mouth go dry as he watched. Even as he caught a glimpse of her behind the tinted windows of the car, he realized how unprepared he was for this fateful meeting.

It was Winick who took her hand as she emerged from the car. She was wearing a green dress with a black fascinator. She was beautiful as he remembered, but her air was different. There was an antsy look in her eyes and a fearful uncertainty in her movements. Blake blinked several times as he saw her reach back into the car and emerge with a little boy with stark black hair.

As she walked, she nodded at something her male companion said to her. The man accompanying her was a tall, gangly sort of fellow, his manner of dress suggesting a European origin. Blake struggled not to dislike the foppish man instantaneously. Perhaps, he should find it in his heart to be happy for her and to be proud of her resilience. He noticed the ornate rose gold engagement ring on her finger that had replaced the one he had given her, and all those selfless thoughts fled from his mind.

She must have felt the chill from his glowering eyes from afar because she glanced in his direction and then froze as their eyes met. Blake looked away and decided there was no other way to handle this charged situation than head-on. He strolled over to the Balans and reached his hand out to Gabriel Balan's. The patriarch hesitated and regarded Blake with suspicion.

"I see you have something of mine," Blake said as he patted the back of Gabriel's hand affectionately. He allowed his veiled threat to sink into the tense silence between them. Blake noticed that Gabriel was wearing the Sword of Nüwal at his hip although now it had a scabbard of jade dragons. Melody bit her lip as though she was going to interrupt then thought better of it. "You have my chauffeur, Gabriel," Blake said with a dismissive laugh. "When were you planning on returning him? I believe he's still on my payroll."

Gabriel gestured for Winick to return his master's side. Balan wrapped his herculean arm around the foppish man's shoulder and nodded in the direction of the castle. "If you would excuse us, Blake, I need to show my future son-in-law our humble little meeting hall. Why don't you entertain, Lord Thorne, my daughter? Arrange to give him some reparations for detaining his servant for so long."

As Gabriel stepped away, Vivienne gave Blake a furtive glance and motioned for him to walk with her closer to the quiet of the forest. Her son remained asleep in her arms as she turned to address him.

"Don't hate me," she finally said. "I had no choice." He could tell by the way she was glancing about like a trapped animal and the desperate pleading in her eyes that he wasn't going to get anything useful out of her. Blake gestured to the boy in her arms.

"Orion, is it?"

"Yes, Orion Moraru . . . Balan."

The boy lifted his head at the sound of his name. He opened his large green eyes and regarded Blake with intense curiosity. Then, he raised his arms away from his mother and toward him. Vivienne held the child out and allowed the boy to wrap his arms around Blake's neck. Without warning, the boy burped and spit up a mouthful of milk-tinged saliva onto Blake's collar.