“Just help me, Daddy,” I say, suddenly defeated. I slump into the chair that Graven vacated. “Please. If you had known about me when I was a baby, wouldn’t you have moved Worlds to try and find me?” I ask.
His face softens. “Yes, I would have, but I think you are chasing your tail here,” he says stubbornly.
“I’m not,” I say. “Please, just let me look.”
“How?” he asks after a long pause.
I push the maps towards him and tell him about the supernatural compass that CK acquired. I forgot to bring it with me, though, which is not exactly helpful.
“Fine,” he huffs out eventually. “I will have Galoch assist with the blueprints. I don’t know how long it will take, though.”
“Thank you,” I say with a grateful smile and roll my maps back up. “I am going to see Kalen and then I will head home. Please come to me when you have what I need.”
“I will,” he says and gives me a great hug.
“I love you,” I whisper, and he grunts at me, still not one to say the words, but I know how he feels. I leave him then and go off in search of Sebastian.
I am pulled towards the Great Hall and I stop outside the open double doors. Sebastian and his mother are in there talking and I hover, not wanting to intrude.
Sebastian senses me and turns my way with a big smile. “Little one,” he says, and I grimace. I find myself in flat shoes around him far more than I care for. “You are finished with your urgent business?”
“Yes,” I say and slide my gaze towards Pyleah, who is looking at me with interest. I smile shyly at her and she takes my hand.
“I wish you no ill will,” she says, and I am slightly taken aback. Sebastian comes to stand by my side and drapes his arm around me protectively.
I am about to respond with some platitude or another, when Sebastian says, “I had hoped to give you a bit of warning before introducing you to my mother,” he says with a smile. “But, as usual, you beat me to it.”
I relax at his words and his little laugh. He doesn’t seem to think that there is an issue here.
“Thank you,” I say to Pyleah. “I know that it cannot be easy for you. I am sorry for my part in all of this.”
“You are a prize, my dear,” she says with a sad smile. “And prizes will always be fought for. But what my husband did to you was unforgivable. You are our son’s mate. He should never have tried to take you for himself, and neither should Thrace. So much like his father.”
I blink a couple of times. She only finds Aelfric’s actions distasteful because I am Sebastian’s Chosen One? Sebastian gives me a squeeze and I can see it is difficult for Pyleah to say these words to me. I also note that she didn’t accept my apology. It annoys me, as I really don’t have anything to apologize for. I was just trying to make her less uncomfortable.
She leans forward to give me a stiff hug and I accept her into my arms. She pulls back sharply with a little gasp and looks down at my belly and then up into my eyes. Before she can say anything, I turn quickly to Sebastian and say brightly, “I have missed you.”
It has the desired effect and whatever Pyleah thinks she knows remains unsaid. I mentally mop my brow. No one and I mean no one (apart from Devon, of course) can know about this baby until I know who the father is.
Sebastian bends and grins down at me before he captures me in a kiss. “Me too,” he whispers. “Mother, would you mind giving me and my wife some privacy.” It is an order, not a request.
She inclines her head and without another word puffs out of the Great Hall.
“Your mom!” I say with a grin once we are alone.
He chuckles at me. “We seem to have relatives popping up all over the place lately,” he says wryly.
“No kidding,” I agree.
“So, what did you come to see Drake about that was so urgent?” he asks.
I tell him of Vito’s theory, and he nods with his chin in his hand. “I suppose it’s as good a guess as any. What did he say?”
“He wasn’t amused, I think he is concerned about the Dragons being able to enter his Realm,” I say.
“If they could they would have used it before now surely,” Sebastian says. “Unless they don’t know about it...”
“Shush!” I say to him. “Drake only just agreed to help me, don’t go putting him off.”