Page 18 of Family Found

Aragis. That was Aragis, Vergis’s birth father. The knowing pulled me back to years ago, to a scene that had happened not at all far from here.

The moors had been overcast that day, but the sun’s rays were poking through every now and then. A soft wind moved the grasses that grew all over the moor. The sight would have seemed quiet, serene, if not for the commotion.

Kinnek’s appearance hadn’t changed much at all since then, although he was now a completely different person. He wore black then, protector black, and two swords as well as a dagger sheathed on his thigh. That was likely where Vergis got his love for an abundance of blades from.

Kinnek’s hair was a rich midnight blue, pretty much the exact same shade as Vergis’s, no silver strands at all. Two Koa Esher with more coming up behind them were holding Aragis. Kinnek was looking at him, shock on his face.

The knowing let me see what I could only sense: Aragis was different, so different, from the person he was now. Not as starved looking, his horns whole. His skin was a dark blue, similar to Kinnek’s and Vergis’s. His eyes were the same silver color as Vergis’s, and that look in them—love.

Love, but also sadness. There was something formidable in Aragis, something… Could you see an iron will in someone’s eyes? Whatever was in Aragis’s gaze shifted and turned to hard and unbendable determination. He twisted an arm free and pulled his Koa Esher attacker’s knife from its sheath. It looked so easy, as if it barely cost him anything to do this.

It had to have cost him everything.

There was no hesitation at all when he pushed the knife into his own throat. His lips formed words, Lugarran words, and I didn’t need any proficiency in the language to understand them: I love you.

It was the last thing he gave to Kinnek. It was farewell and apology all rolled into one.

It took all my will to push the knowing away. That scene… I couldn’t even. Kinnek had lived it. Heck, Aragis had lived it, and survived it. And now Kinnek had him back.

“That’s Aragis.” I said it quietly, I thought, but Vergis heard.

He turned and glared at me, not his usual I’ll-make-you-pee-from-fear glare, but something… Did Vergis look vulnerable?

I put a hand on Inkiri’s chest. “Uhm, I need you to put me down.”

My mate did so immediately. “Do you need a bathroom, sadir? I want one of the healers to look you over before you get some rest though, just in case.”

“I’m fine, and I don’t need to pee, but thanks. Give me a moment.”

I walked over to Vergis, who had narrowed his eyes at me.

“Are you…”

I thought better of it and stopped myself before asking whether he was okay. Dang it, but the brain quality control must’ve gotten a pay raise when I’d started with the magic. Me not asking a silly question in a delicate situation was unprecedented, after all.

Clearly, Vergis wasn’t okay, and how could he be? He probably had no idea how to feel about this.

I took heart and reached for his hand. Then I dropped that hand and went for a hug, a good one. I squeezed so hard I felt a knife strapped to his side. I didn’t care. He remained stiff, but relaxed a little. After counting to five, I let go.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and took Vergis’s hand again. “Today was the first time in my life I was on a golf course, you know.”

Vergis snorted. But, unless I was hallucinating, he also squeezed my hand back. He also wasn’t making any weird comments about me hugging him and how he’d make me pay for that, so we were good.

“Thanks,” Charles said. “That was your magic, wasn’t it? Bringing the building down? The surveillance too. Thank you.” He looked over at Kinnek and Aragis. “I can’t begin to tell you what this means for Kinnek to have him back. Thank you, Rory.”

Vergis snorted.

“Son, none of that shit.” Then, like no father I had any direct experience with, he kissed Vergis on the cheek. “I love you. Always have, always will. Unconditionally. You are my child and always will be, but none of that shit.”

Okay, so Charles was good at speeches and at parenting. He was a pretty cool guy. Despite the bunker. Maybe possession of a bunker didn’t say anything about your personality at all.

Inkiri came a little closer and placed a hand on the small of my back, which was when I realized there was a new arrival.

Hove walked past the survivors, who were being taken inside, and made straight for us.

He looked worried. “Fellisse?” he said to Inkiri.

Inkiri clicked once. “He wasn’t with us. He stayed back at Kinnek’s House to take care of Zeddira.”