AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shiri tenderly cupped her chin. “I’m sure one of the soldiers saved her.”
“I shouldn’t have dropped her.” Ember hung her head, a fat tear slipping down her cheek. “I’m a terrible mommy.”
“There, there, darling,” Shiri cooed, taking Ember in her arms. “We’ll get you another Bethamy as soon as we’re able.”
My throat clenched, and my heart felt like it had fallen out of my chest as I watched their exchange.
“But I want that Bethamy,” Ember cried, burying her face against Shiri’s chest. “I was her mommy, and I just abandoned her.”
Breath catching, I clasped my throat. My daughter could’ve cleaved my chest open with a mallet, and it would’ve had the same effect. Unable to hold back my tears, I buried my face in my hands, doing my best to stifle my sobs.
“Don’t cry, Mommy. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” I looked through my finger slits at Aurora as she leaned against my shoulder.
Aurora frowned. “We know you didn’t mean to leave us.”
I couldn’t stop the tears from falling, even as my little cherub wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” I grasped Aurora’s hand, emotion straining my words as I gazed longingly at Ember. “I’m never letting anyone take you from me again.” I wiped my eyes with the back of my free hand. “Never.” A sob escaped me when Ember pulled away from her aunt and flung herself toward me. I took both girls in my arms, plastering their faces with kisses. “Never ever again.”
They clung to me, Aurora’s eyes misty while Ember’s eyes watered over with more tears. Though some part of me rebelled against my feelings, I loathed my parents for letting Thorin take me from them, and I wasn’t sure how I could ever forgive them.
After our tears were spent, and my heart felt like a bedraggled and tattered old stocking, I finally helped Shiri put the girls to bed, tucked in the middle of the furs my sister shared with her mates. More shame and guilt washed over me at the thought of my children sleeping with Shiri’s mates instead of with their parents. Though they didn’t complain, I was sure her mates were eager to have their bed to themselves.
I had just kissed their foreheads, whispering how much I loved them when Aurora blinked at me with glassy eyes. “Will you sing a lullaby to us, Mommy, like Auntie and Yaya sometimes do?”
My breath caught, and I noticed the worried look in Shiri’s eyes as she sat across from me.
“Aurora, your mommy still doesn’t have all her memories,” she warned her.
I plastered on a smile. “No, no, I can try.” I struggled to recall the words to a lullaby as a familiar melody suddenly began playing in my head. I sang to them the words while tenderly stroking their arms and cheeks.
“Sleep, little lambs
And morning will bring
Sunshine and daisies
And new songs to sing.
Rest, little fawns
And when you awake
The grains we will grow
For bread to bake.
Dream, little birds,
Even when you rest
Always will I love
The ones I love best.”
After singing the song a few more times, both girls had fallen asleep, their chests gently rising and falling as they let out satisfied sighs and snuggled against one another.
Shiri visibly swallowed. “You remembered that song.”
