Born of Fury

CHAPTER 32

“Attention all passengers,” Ryn said over the intercom. “We seem to be experiencing some turbulence. Please, do not release your harnesses, and remember that if you kick the ass of the pilot right now, he won’t be able to fly you out of this lovely mess.”

“Passengers to pilot,” Darling said drily. “Please note, every one of us here, except our new junior member, is licensed to fly, so we don’t really need you and if you don’t get us back into motion, there will be lots of Ryn ass-kicking to go round. Your two little brothers are back here and we don’t like you much, anyway.”

“Yeah!” Drake weighed in. “And one of your brothers is not only a pilot, but a licensed assassin and you’re a Tavali. I get bonus pay if I deliver your head in a jar.”

“Our father weeps at your merciless ways. A pox to both your nether regions.” Ryn paused. “Oh hey, look! We got engines.”

“Say, thank you, Jayne,” Jayne said sarcastically.

“Thank you, Jayne,” Ryn mumbled over the intercom. Then louder, “Nyk, open the back panel and cross the dampner crystal with shields for me.”

Nykyrian’s eyes widened. “That’s a real bad idea, Ryn.”

Hauk put Kalea’s hand into Fain’s. “Daddy will be right back, sweetie.”

He unbuckled himself and went to the panel to access it. Curling his lip, he fought the urge to curse Ryn and Jayne for the damage that had been done during their escape.

“What are you doing, big guy?” Darling asked him.

“What I always do. Saving all our asses.” Hauk hissed as he was shocked rewiring their power modules. Worse, life support was quickly bleeding out. Unless he restored it, they only had minutes before it was gone. He plugged it as best he could and then used an override code to fool the overheated generators back on. He tapped his link to Jayne. “One pulse on my mark. Three. Two. One.”

She hit it and they went into hyperdrive.

“Go, Hauk, go!” Jayne shouted.

“Yeah. Don’t cheer yet,” he said under his breath as he kept working on everything that had shorted out. He cursed again at another shock.

His fingers turning black from it, he wanted to tell Jayne and Ryn where to shove this mess. Then he glanced to Kalea.

Snuggled up against Fain, she had her hands over her eyes and her fingers spread wide so that she could watch him through them. Damn, she was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.

She lifted one hand and waved at him.

Strange how in all the missions he’d run – in all the times he’d come through unbelievable odds and all the people he’d pulled to safety – he’d never felt as tall or as heroic as he did right then from that innocent sweet look on her tiny face.

That’s my girl.

His throat tight, he returned to working on the ship until he had most of it going again. They were still lower on shields than he’d like, but…

“Jayne? I’ve given you guys the best I can without pulling over for parts. Can you radio for an escort?”

“We already have one. Saf and three of his brothers fell in about two minutes ago.”

He breathed easier knowing that. “Good. We don’t need to take a hit. Shields are minimum, but I had to put that power to the hyperdrive, dampners, and life support. Let me know when we come out and I can redirect it.”

“You got it, Hauk.”

He put the panel back in place and returned to his seat.

Kalea bit her lip. “Are you a superman, Daddy?”

“Yes, he is,” Fain said. “He’s saved the life of everyone in this ship at least once, and many of us, a lot more than that.”

“Really?” she asked, eyes wide.

Fain nodded.

Hauk blushed as Kalea wrapped her arms around his biceps and hugged him tight.

After a few seconds, she tugged at his arm and made a face at him. “Daddy… I gots to go the bathroom now.”

Horrified, he gaped at the mere prospect of something he’d never done before.

“Now, you can panic, Hauk,” Nyk said with a rare laugh. “This one might not be housebroken.”

“Does she have nappies?” Hauk looked at Kalea. “Do you have nappies?”

“No, Daddy! Kalea a big girl. But I gots to go bad.” She twisted her legs together. “I can’t wait!”

He looked at Shahara.

“Don’t cut your eyes at me, big boy. I have a son. I know nothing about daughters.”

Darling laughed. “You’re crap out of luck, Andarion. We all got sons.”

Maris nodded in agreement. “And I’m from an all-male family, too. I’m worthless with this aspect of child-rearing.”

The flight deck door opened to show Jayne, who gave them all a withering stare. “Oh for goodness’ sakes, you big bunch of nancies. I can’t believe you’re all cowed by a little baby girl’s bladder.” She paused on Nykyrian and Caillen. “And you need to learn, since your daughters will be potty training soon enough.” She unfastened Kalea. “C’mon, sweetie. Aunt Jaynie will take you.”

Kalea clapped before she scooted down to hold Jayne’s hand and follow her to the head.

While they were gone, Hauk glared absolute murder at Nykyrian, who had the audacity to blink innocently at him.

“What is with that look?”

Hauk snarled at him. “I hate you, you minsid bastard.”

“For what?”

“For cursing me. Damn you to hell, Nyk. I have a beautiful daughter and I hate you for it.”

They all laughed at him.

“It’s not funny. I hate all of you!”

Nyk shook his head. “Look on the bright side, Hauk. I have four boys who will gladly help you protect Kalea.”

“Yeah, and my nightmare begins with those four little… things that they better keep away from my girl!”

Shahara laughed. “I’m so glad I have a son. I only have to worry about one penis. You guys have to worry about all the others.”

Hauk glared at her and then to Caillen. “By the way, why didn’t you volunteer? You have a daughter almost the same exact age.”

“Yeah, but her mom does it. I tried once and dropped her in and got banned from potty duty for life. Desideria never got over it and neither did Lil. I set her back a full year in potty training. She still cries every time she sees a full-sized toilet.”

Shahara covered her face and groaned. “You are so worthless. I swear I should have let Kasen drown you when you were little.”

“You see!” Kasen said. “I told you you’d regret saving him one day.”

Kalea came running out to jump into Hauk’s lap. She gave him a giant comical grin. Then laid her head down on his chest and hugged him.

Hauk was still floored by how easily she accepted him as her father. Most children were absolutely terrified and ran screaming from his presence. “Kalea? Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

She sat back on his thigh and held her hand up. “Um… see, I told them all the time. I said my daddy would come. And he would take me home. I said that… I had the biggest daddy of any daddy. Of all daddies.” She played with her ear. “And they said. They said I didn’t have no daddy. That you would never come for me ’cause you don’t exist.” She held her arm up to show him a bruise where someone had pinched her. “They said I was lying. But I didn’t lie. I said you would come. And you did! And my daddy’s the biggest of all!” She looked over at Fain then back at Hauk several times. “Okay, almost biggest.”

He cradled her against his chest. “I can’t wait to put you in your mother’s arms. But be warned. She might never let you go.”

“That okay. Kalea don’t mind. I’m just glad my daddy finally came like I knew you would.”

Fain reached out and placed his hand on Hauk’s forearm. “You have a beautiful daughter, Dancer.”

Kalea gasped. “You a dancer, Daddy?”

Laughing, Hauk shook his head. “Afraid not. But…” He turned her around in his lap to see Nykyrian and pointed to him. “Uncle Nyk is married to your Aunt Kiara. And she is a very, very famous dancer.”

“Really? Could she show me how?”

“Absolutely,” Nykyrian said. “She loves to teach little girls how to dance. She has her own dance school.”

Wide-eyed, she tilted her head back to look up at Hauk. “I can go dance school?”

“Lee-lee, you can have anything you want.”

“Anything?” she repeated in disbelief.

“Anything.”

“Can I touch your hair, Daddy?”

“Of course.”

Biting her lip, she stood up. Hauk expected her to touch his braids. Instead, she raked her fingers through his goatee and mustache. Then she placed her hand against her own face. “Can I have one those?”

He laughed. “I can’t do that, Lee-lee. They don’t grow on girls.”

“Oh.” She pulled his lip up so that she could see his fangs. “Why are your teeth long? Do they hurt?”

“No. They’re just like yours, only bigger. I’m an Andarion and we have longer teeth than humans.”

“Will my teeth grow long?”

“No.”

“Oh… Will my eyes glow red?”

“No, sweetie. You have beautiful eyes just like your mother’s. They’re human.”

She pressed her hand against his. “Will I grow big like you, Daddy?”

“Probably not. But I don’t know for sure.”

When she opened her mouth to ask more, he looked over to Nykyrian. “How long do they do this?”

“Do what? Ask questions?”

“Yeah.”

They all burst into laughter. Shahara patted him on the shoulder. “Sweetie, your days of having an uninterrupted conversation are over.”

“What’s ‘conversation’ mean, Daddy?”

Sighing, he pressed his head against hers and laughed, too.

Hauk paused as soon as he entered his house. His grandmother was there, waiting for their return.

“Ahh,” she breathed with a smile as she saw the bundle in his arms. “Is this your Kalea?”

He nodded. “She fell asleep on the way home.”

She brushed her hand through Kalea’s soft, dark hair so that she could see her chubby cheeks and pert lips. “She’s beautiful, Dancer.”

“Thank you, Yaya. Is Sumi…”

“She’s resting. Your doctor friend knocked her out and she hasn’t awakened yet. He’s still in the room with her.” His grandmother rose up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Go and take the baby to her mother.”

He’d only taken three steps before he was surrounded by Desideria, Kiara, Zarya, and Ture, who all wanted a look at his daughter. Since it was late, their kids were all put to bed.

His heart swelled with pride as they oohed and ahhed over her.

Desideria stroked her cheek tenderly. “Let me get her one of Lil’s nightgowns. I’ll be right back with it.”

“Thank you.”

“She’s an angel,” Kiara said, patting his back. “I know you’re thrilled.”

“I am. Thank you. She also wants dance lessons from you.”

“Already?”

Nykyrian chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Kiara’s waist. “She heard his name was Dancer and wants to be one, too. She also wants a goatee like her father.”

Kiara laughed. “They’re so much fun at this age. I hate how fast they outgrow it.”

Ture brushed his hand over Kalea’s head. “She’s precious, Hauk. What a beauty!”

Desideria returned with a small handful of clothes. “I brought her underwear and a dress for tomorrow. I’m sure you don’t want her in that League uniform.”

He kissed her cheek. “Thank you so much.”

“No problem.” Desideria inclined her head to Kalea. “You need help dressing her for bed?”

He looked down at the tiny buttons on her clothes that seemed impossible for him to undo. “Yes. I have no idea how to dress a baby.”

Desideria took her from his arms. She held her hand out for the clothes, which he returned to her.

Hauk said his goodnights and then took them to his bedroom upstairs. While they’d been gone, the others had cleaned his room so that there was no sign of the brutal fight that had taken place.

Until he looked at Sumi. Rage flooded him as he again wanted to hunt Kyr down and rip out his throat.

“Hauk,” Syn said in warning as he stopped him from approaching her. “It’s not as bad as it looks. I mean… it is, but I gave her some Prinum to speed the healing and numb her pain.”

Tears choked him. “How could I let her get hurt? In my own home?”

“It’s not your fault.” Syn glanced over to Kalea. “And you will have made her life when she wakes up and sees what you brought her.”

His throat tight, he nodded, knowing Syn was right. He couldn’t wait to see her face when she held her daughter for the first time.

“You okay?” Desideria asked him.

Hauk swallowed. “Yeah.”

“All right. I’ll be back in just a second.” She took Kalea into the bathroom to dress her.

Syn cupped Hauk’s face and forced him to meet his gaze. “I know how pissed off you are. You have every right to be. There’s not a one of us who wouldn’t be out for blood after this. But I fixed Eleron while you were gone. Kyr cut through the system. I’m pretty sure he’s locked out, but I’m better at hacking than securing. That’s your job.”

“Trust me, he’ll never my break my system again.”

Syn released him. “We’ll get him, Hauk.”

“I know. Just not soon enough to please me.” He glanced past Syn as Desideria returned with a still-sleeping Kalea.

“She’s all ready for bed.”

His emotions overwhelmed him as he saw her in the white linen gown that was filled with pink ruffles. Desideria had even washed her hair and put matching booties on her feet. “Thank you, Des.”

Desideria grimaced and put her hand over her stomach.

“You all right?”

Breathing in short gasps, she nodded. “Kicks like his father. He’s been rolling around for hours.” She patted his arm. “Goodnight, sweetie.”

Syn paused by the bed. “She should sleep through the night. If she wakes up, let me know. I’m going to check on Shahara.”

“Goodnight, Syn. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank us, brother. You know that.”

Nodding, Hauk did the one thing he’d been dying to do since Sumi first told him about Kalea. He pulled the covers back from her and put Kalea in the bed by her side. Instinctively, Kalea snuggled in tight. Likewise, Sumi draped an arm around her and sighed as if she knew it was her baby with her.

Smiling as he blinked back tears, he pulled his office chair closer to the bed and propped his feet on the nightstand. “Don’t worry, mia. I’m not letting you out of my sight again. And no one’s ever going to hurt either of you during my watch.”

Sumi sucked her breath in sharply as she came awake to a strange, stinging pain in her arm. It was asleep, she realized, and something was lying on it.

Yawning, she expected to find Dancer there.

Instead, it was a tiny little girl in a white, frilly gown. She frowned at the dark hair. “Lillya?”

The little girl opened her eyes and looked up at her.

It wasn’t Desideria’s daughter.

“Are you my mommy?”

Stunned, she couldn’t breathe as her brain tried to make sense of this.

“Yes, Lee-lee,” Dancer said from beside the bed. “That’s your mommy.”

Kalea threw herself against her. “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”

Sumi couldn’t breathe as tears flowed and she sobbed in happiness and gratitude. Her baby was home! This was her daughter!

Closing her eyes, she savored the sensation of finally holding her baby against her.

Hauk caught Kalea and pulled her away. “Careful, baby. Mommy’s been hurt.” He turned on the intercom. “Syn! Run!”

Sumi looked down at the blood that had spread over her bandage. But honestly, she didn’t care. She reached for her daughter. “Please, Dancer…”

He carefully returned Kalea to Sumi’s uninjured side. “Don’t jump on Mommy.”

Kalea touched Sumi’s stomach. “I’m sorry, Mommy. Kalea didn’t mean to.”

Completely unperturbed by it, Sumi wrapped her arms around her again and held her close as she finally rocked her. Never in her life had she been happier than she was right now. “I don’t mind, at all.” She looked up at Dancer and saw the warm tenderness in his eyes as he watched them. In that moment, she wanted to pull him into her arms and never let him go. He had no idea just how much this meant to her. How much he meant to her. “I love you so much! Were you injured?”

He shrugged with that Andarion nonchalance that would never allow him to admit to pain. “Blast to my thigh, but it’s just a flesh wound.”

“And you didn’t bother to tell me last night?” Syn growled as he came in.

“I knew you wanted to see Shahara.”

Syn rolled his eyes. “You haven’t slept either, have you?”

“I’ll sleep later.”

Syn broke out into a round of Ritadarion that Sumi was glad she couldn’t understand.

Kalea gasped as Syn lifted her shirt and she saw the sutures on her side. “Mommy! You’re really hurt!”

“I’m okay, Kalea.”

“That looks bad, Mommy.”

Tears continued to flow down her face as she savored the little girl with her. “Right now, nothing can hurt me.”

Kalea frowned at her. “Why?”

“’Cause I have you and your daddy with me. Everything’s wonderful.”

Kalea put her hands on Sumi’s face and smiled a smile that made her weep even harder. “I have a very pretty mommy. And a pretty daddy.”

Sumi laughed then groaned as Syn touched her wound. “Yes, you do, sweetie. He’s the best ever.”

“I wanted hair like Daddy… but… but Daddy said no.”

Sumi frowned. “We can braid your hair like that, baby.”

“That’s not the hair she wanted.” Dancer tapped his chin.

She laughed and moaned again. “Oh. Daddy’s right. You can’t have facial hair. We hope, anyway.”

Kalea scratched her head. “But Aunt Mari has face hair. Why does she have it?”

Hauk laughed as he watched the two of them. His girls.

No, his family. It seemed so surreal to have them here in his home. He’d been alone for so long that it was hard to believe this was real.

Nothing would ever be the same and for that he was so grateful. While he’d been content and happy before, this was so much better.

And scarier.

Sumi brushed the hair back from Kalea’s face. “Aunt Mari’s a boy.”

“But Aunt Mari’s an aunt.”

“You’re not going to win this,” Syn said with a laugh. “Trust me. I get my ass handed to me by Devyn every day. They wear you down with persistence and kid logic.”

“Yeah,” Hauk agreed. “I learned that the hard way, yesterday. In three hours of nonstop questions, she wore me out.”

Kalea looked down at her clothes and frowned. She tugged at her nightgown. “Who dressed me like a princess?”

Hauk smiled at her. “Your Aunt Des.”

“Is Aunt Des an aunt or is she a boy, too?”

“She’s a girl,” Sumi said, touching her nose, “and she has a daughter your age.”

“Really!”

Hauk nodded. “You’re wearing her daughter’s clothes and she has another dress for you after you bathe.”

Pulling away from Sumi, she opened her mouth wide and jumped on the bed. “Is it pretty, too?”

Hauk wasn’t sure how to answer that. “Okay, sure.”

Sumi laughed. “Daddies don’t know about pretty dresses. But Aunt Des always has pretty things on her little girl, so I’m sure it’s beautiful.”

“When I meet them?”

Hauk reached for Kalea to pull her off the bed. “How about while Uncle Syn —”

“No!” Sumi growled the word out so ferociously that he released Kalea instantly and took a quick step back in fear of her. She’d never made that sound before.

She swallowed hard. “Sorry, Dancer. I’ve waited too long to have her with me. I’m not going to let her go. Not for anything.”

He met her gaze and nodded. “I know the feeling, and I wasn’t going to take her far. But I think I’ll just leave her here with her mother before I lose a body part we both might miss.”

Sumi held her hand out to him. He took it and she led it to her cheek. “I’m sorry I overreacted.”

Syn shook his head. “Da —” He looked at Kalea and caught himself. “Dang, Hauk, here I thought I had the scariest wife. Now you done gone and upped me with one even more ferocious.”

He rolled his eyes at Syn. “I don’t know. Shahara’s still frightening. After all, she did shoot me.”

“Yeah, but yours just about ripped your arm off with her bare hands three seconds ago… and she’s wounded. Never come between a mother and her baby. Hard lessons learned.”

Hauk couldn’t agree more. “Yeah. No kidding.”

Kalea tilted her head at Sumi. “Are you scary, Mommy?”

Smiling sweetly, she brushed the hair back from Kalea’s face. “Only if anyone ever tries to take you from me again. Or if they hurt you or your daddy. Then I will be terrifying. Grrr…” She made a frightening face that caused Kalea to laugh.

Syn moved away to wash his hands. “Don’t pull that out again. I gave you Prinum, but that cut was deep. I can’t believe you fought like that with it.” He came back to the room, drying his hands. “Just rest today. If you leave the bed, have Hauk carry you.”

Kalea frowned at the new bandage on Sumi’s stomach. “How did you get hurt, Mommy?”

Hauk answered for her. “She fought a bad man while trying to find you, Lee-lee.”

Eyes wide, she looked from him to her mother. “Really?”

She pressed her cheek to Kalea’s. “I’ve been looking for you since you were taken from me. You’re all I’ve thought about, night and day.”

Jumping up and down on the bed, she clapped her hands. “Kalea loved!”

She had no idea.

Syn paused to smile at her. “Yes, you are, little girl. You have lots of people who will love you from now on.”

“Yippee!” She jumped even harder.

Hauk caught her against him. “Honey, you’re going to hurt your mom again.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Frowning, Kalea poked her finger against his arm. “You still got suit on, Daddy?”

“No. That’s my arm.”

Her eyes widened as she kept poking him. “Your arm is hard as your suit.”

“I know, sweetie.”

As Syn told Hauk to sit so that he could look at his injured leg, Desideria came in with her daughter. “See, Lil, there she is.” She walked over to them and held Lillya so that she could reach Kalea. The two girls stared at each other for several seconds.

Finally, Lillya smiled. “Um, I’m Lil. We brought you a dolly to have so you can play with her from now on.” She handed it to Kalea. “Mama said you don’t have one and I have a lot so I wanted you to have one. You can have another one if you want, too, or if you don’t like this one.”

Kalea clung to Hauk. “Is it okay, Daddy?” she whispered loudly.

“It’s fine, Lee-lee.”

She was still hesitant as she reached for the doll. “Thank you.” Then she started kicking her legs against him.

Desideria smiled before she wrinkled her nose at Hauk. “That means she wants you to put her down.”

“Oh,” he said. He looked back at Kalea. “You’re short.”

Kalea stared at him in confusion.

Laughing, Hauk rubbed noses with her before he set her down so that she could run over to Sumi and show her the toy. He took Lil from her mother and placed her on the floor to keep Desideria from bending over.

“Thank you, Hauk.”

“Anytime.”

Lillya ran to show Sumi and Kalea how to make the doll talk and change expressions.

Hauk sat down across the room so that Syn could stitch and wash his leg. He shuddered at the way the doll sounded as they played its voice track. “That is the creepiest thing.”

“What?” Syn asked. “The baby doll?”

He nodded. “What is wrong with you people? I’m gonna have nightmares over that thing.”

Desideria tossed an impudent look at him over her shoulder. “Your nightmare has only begun, handsome. Just wait until she puts it in a bag with only its head sticking out. That sends Caillen off every time. Apparently, his sisters tried to do that to him once, as a child.” She moved to stand behind the girls. “Do you need anything, Sumi? I came to see if you wanted me to help dress or bathe Kalea.”

“I got hairbows if you want,” Lillya said. “They’re pretty in your hair. And we have little crowns. And… and… and… other things, too!”

Sumi was torn. Part of her wanted to keep Kalea in her arms, but the girl needed food and it was obvious she’d rather play with Lillya than spend the day being held by an overprotective mother.

“Kalea?” Lillya asked. “Would you like to go swimming?”

“In a pool?”

“Yes. Uncle Hauk has a really big one, with lots of toys for us to play with. There’s even a big sandbox and wagons and all kinds of things.”

Kalea nodded vigorously. Then she looked at Sumi. “Mommy, may I?”

Sumi hesitated. “We don’t have a suit for you, sweetie.”

“I have just the thing,” Desideria said. “I’ll be right back. Lillya?” She held her hand out.

Lil pouted. “Can I stay here, Mama? I like playing with a girl and not them mean boys.”

Sumi laughed. “It’s okay. She can stay. We’ll watch her.”

“All right. Two seconds, I’ll be back.”

Syn stood and glowered at Hauk. “I would tell you to stay off the leg, but I know you won’t listen. So rather than waste my breath, I’m going to get something you can take for the pain.”

As soon as he was gone, Sumi motioned for Hauk to come closer. He knelt on the floor next to her. Before he realized what she intended, she kissed him with a passion that made his entire body sing. Worse, it made him hornier than hell.

Growling, he deepened the kiss.

“Daddy hurting mommy!” Kalea started for them, but Lillya stopped her.

“He’s not hurting her. It’s a kiss. My mommy and daddy do it a lot.”

“Really?”

Lillya nodded gravely as she flipped the doll over. “They smooch everywhere. All the time.”

“Oh. It sounds painful.”

“I know, but it’s not.” Lillya let out a trying sigh. “Mommies and daddies grunt and moan a lot… they make all kinds of noises, especially at night. And they pray a lot, too. Real loud. But they okay when they do it.”

Gaping, Sumi pulled back from the kiss, horrified by what Lillya was actually talking about.

Hauk snorted as he caught her meaning, too. “Soundproof the bedroom and add extra monitors to Kalea’s room so that we can hear her and not the other way around. Oh, better yet! El?”

She appeared instantly. “Yes, Hauk?”

“I forgot to tell you last night that we have a new member in the household. Meet Kalea. Kalea, meet Eleron.”

El stared at the girl, who stared at her. “What is that?”

Hauk gave his computer an irritated glare. “My daughter.”

“And a lovely daughter she is. Hi, Kalea. I’m the house.”

Kalea looked around, confused. “The house?”

Eleron nodded.

Hauk grinned at Sumi. “I can set El to babysit and watch over her like a mother hen. She’ll even monitor her vitals. If her temp goes up one degree or her heart rate elevates, El will tell us.”

Sumi bit her lip as she remembered Thia’s words about her father’s paranoia. She now understood it completely.

Eleron stiffened. “I will not change nappies.”

Hauk rolled his eyes. “She’s not in nappies.”

“Oh. Good.”

Sumi paused as she considered all that. “By the way, how did Kyr get past her yesterday?”

“He found a back door in. But I closed it last night. I defy him to ever try again. Next time, it’ll light him up like a supernova.”

Desideria returned with an adorable pink swimdress that had butterflies sewn on. Their wings even flapped.

Kalea gasped as soon as she saw it. “It’s so pretty! Can I really wear it?”

Desideria nodded. “Absolutely.”

“I’ll wait outside.” Hauk went to stand in the hallway while they changed clothes on the girls.

“How is she doing?”

He turned to see his grandmother coming toward him. “She’s delighted.”

“And how are you?”

He wasn’t sure how to respond to her question. He was at the pinnacle of heaven and at the same time, the lowest pit of hell. He’d never been happier, and he’d never had so much to lose. The mere thought of it was crippling.

His grandmother patted his arm. “I know that look. It’s the same heart-stopping terror I had when your father told me that you and Keris had fallen down the mountain. And the joy in my heart when I learned you had lived… You’ve no idea how happy I was to know that you made it back to us.”

Hauk frowned at her words. “I thought you hated me for it, like my mother did.”

She shook her head. “I have never hated you, Dancer. Your mother denies a truth I was well aware of. She should have placed the blame for Keris’s death where it belonged – on Dariana’s shoulders. Not yours.”

But she hadn’t. To this day, she held him totally responsible.

His grandmother touched the scar his mother had given him that peeked out from beneath the short sleeve of his shirt. “Your Sumi will still have to fight for you tomorrow.”

And they couldn’t postpone it, because of the pregnancy.

“How can I let her go into that ring, wounded?”

“You have no choice, child. If she doesn’t fight, she forfeits and you will continue to be tied to Dariana. She will birth another baby who will sneer at you and insult you. And she will force Sumi and Kalea out of your life. You know this.”

Yes, he did.

Scowling, he stamped down the bitter pain that swelled inside him. Having been with a woman who cared for him, who loved him, and having held a child who accepted him without question, how could he go back to the life he’d lived? Ever?

Strange, he’d never realized what was missing from it. Other than companionship. But what he had now was so much better than anything he’d imagined on those lonely nights.

I can’t go back.

He couldn’t bear the thought of it. Yet how could he ask Sumi to risk her life for him when he wasn’t worth it?

Dariana would never take mercy on her. She was out for blood, and all the hatred she bore him would be laid at Sumi’s feet in that ring.

Why can’t I fight in her place?

But their laws would never allow such. This was a challenge for the right to marry him. He couldn’t interfere. Yet in his heart, he belonged fully to Sumi.

He always would.

The door behind him opened to show Kalea in her swimsuit.

“Look, Daddy, look! I’m a fairy princess!”

He ground his teeth as tears choked him at the sight of the love in those silvery eyes that stared up at him like he was some mythical hero. There was no judgment or reservation. Just total admiration and devotion.

Just like Sumi.

Smiling, he picked her up. “Yes, you do, Lee-lee.” He held her toward his grandmother. “And this is your gre yaya.”

She screwed her face up into an adorable pout. “What’s a gre yaya?”

“Your great-grandmother.”

Eyes wide, she sucked her breath in excitedly. “I have a great-grandmama? Really?”

His yaya smiled. “Yes, little one. You do, indeed.” She held her hands out.

Kalea hesitated before she leaned into his grandmother’s arms and allowed her to take her. She touched his grandmother’s cheek just below her eyes. “You have weird eyes like Daddy. But different.”

“I do.”

“Are you Anduran, too?”

His grandmother laughed again. “Andarion, and yes. Yes, I am.”

“Am I Anduran?”

His grandmother tickled her belly. “You’re not just Anduran, Kalea. You’re an Anduran princess!”

“Hear that, Daddy? I’m a princess!”

“No, precious,” he teased, brushing his hand through one of her pigtails. “You are the empress of my universe, and we need to get you back to Mommy or she’ll be worried.”

Hauk allowed his grandmother to enter the bedroom first and watched as she went to sit on the bed beside Sumi so that they and Desideria and Lillya could fuss over Kalea.

He tightened his lips to suppress their trembling. Please, gods, don’t give me this only to rip it all away tomorrow. He would rather be gutted.

But in the back of his mind, he knew it couldn’t last. While others were allowed to have happy lives, he’d never been allowed to experience such joy. Something always happened to steal it away.

Just like his Endurance. Other children, normal children, ascended without issue. He’d barely survived his. And it had left him scarred and bitter.

Abandoned.

You don’t deserve happiness for what you did to my husband! I hope you live the rest of your life in utter misery! Even now, Dariana’s angry curse haunted him.

Resigned to the hell he knew would come, he just hoped that this time the tragedy would take his own life. Because if it was theirs it demanded, he would follow them into the grave.