Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Jai could sense the sadness that held onto Lyv as she packed all of her belongings into her bag, looking around their now empty room to make sure she'd gotten everything. But it wasn't just sadness either. A nervous and excited anticipation was coursing through her at the same time.

Because by that afternoon, they would be in Ayveri and back with the rest of their family, including Elys.

Lyv pointed toward the doorway across the room, but not the one they were supposed to be leaving through then. "Let me just make sure I got everything from the bathing room..."

"Lyv, you have everything. I know you do. Come on, Gideon, Thia, and Allel are waiting on us."

But when he reached for her hand, she yanked back and started for the bathing room door. "Just let me check, Jai. I'll be a moment."

He gave her a few minutes time before slowly walking to the door, leaning against the frame as he watched her in the mirror over the sink.

Lyv had her head down, eyes closed as she took steady breaths in and out. She'd pushed up the sleeves of her tunic up to her elbows. But where the stone was in her arm, Jai couldn't see it glowing. This panic attack wasn't because she thought she didn't have a hold on that dark magic inside her. No, this was just her overthinking.

"I know you're there," Lyv whispered then, but didn't make a move to raise her head.

"Do you need me?"

She swallowed hard, nodding. "Always."

In an instant, he was stepping up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as she leaned back into his chest. Her fingers trailed along his arms before threading through his against her stomach. Leaning down, Jai kissed the side of her head, still looking at her in the mirror. Her bottom lip trembled as he did.

"What's wrong, princess?"

"Why am I like this?" she asked after a moment's pause. Finally, she opened her eyes to meet his in the mirror. "We're heading home to Ayveri. I should be beyond excited to go back, especially when we get to see your parents, Laurel, Eamon, Michel, and the new baby. And Elys...gods above, I've missed him just as much as I missed you."

"You've always said you had an otherworldly connection with him from the start."

"And he holds just as big of a piece of my heart as you do, too. But I'm scared to see how he's changed over these last few months after what happened to me. What if it changes everything about him and he's not the sweet little boy I knew and loved? What if he...?"

Jai took a step back, turning her around in his arms before lifting her up to sit on the counter. Lyv shifted her knees on either side of his hips and tightened her legs around him. Her fingers were in his hair then, which he still had down instead of up in his usual leather tie, and pulled him closer to press his forehead against hers.

"He's still that little Fae boy we've all fallen in love with," Jai told her then. "He still loves his books and toys, though he says story time before bed is better with you. So, in that case, be expecting to read to him every night. He still takes care of Posy and gives her a new flower every week to make her smile. And, last but definitely not least, he still rambles like he always has, giving away way too much information than he needs to."

He paused then, cocking his head as he remembered something else. "That actually reminds me of something. Once you have your hugs and kisses from him, Gideon and I plan on trying to get him to tell us more about those two little girls who will be coming along hopefully not as soon as we're anticipating. So be prepared for him to be screaming with laughter, tears streaming, and not being able to breathe from us trying to tickle it out of him. Not that I wouldn't love having baby Dessa to hold and love on, but we've got more to worry about right now than bringing a precious little life into this world."