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NIARA
Thalia’s words were like a bomb thrown. Where before the room had been veiled in utter silence, shouts erupted. Shouts of disbelief, amusement, congratulations and laughter.
The other vissies had warned me that exposing the baby’s sex would have that effect, but now that I saw it, it floored me.
I threw a glance toward Myles, who stood rooted to the spot, staring back at me with so much longing in his expression, it robbed me of my breath. I had wanted nothing more than to throw myself into his arms the moment he entered, but as the hosting vissy it was my responsibility to hand Darryck his new daughter.
With now empty arms, I still couldn’t bring myself to move. Myles was here, the battle had been won and yet, I was too wrapped up in the spell this new baby was placing over us to walk the short distance to feel his arms around me.
Saskia had nearly dropped the baby when she cleaned her. Thalia had been overjoyed by the news of a baby girl, something I gathered was unheard of in the union between a vissy and a vissigroth. Vissigroths only fathered daughters outside the marriage bed. Only sons were born to their wives.
I hadn’t known that, so I wasn’t as surprised when the baby coming out of Thalia had been a girl, but my announcement had been met by cries of disbelief and happiness.
We had been so focused on Thalia, getting her cleaned up, that Saskia’s small scream startled us. “Thalia!”
We all turned in alarm, “She has scales!” Saskia added in muted awe, holding the infant like a gods’ chalice.
Thalia’s entire body and face seemed dipped into a golden sheen as she heard the news. She looked ethereal when she held out her arms to her new daughter.
“The gods are rightening a wrong,” she said so quietly I could barely hear her. “My baby, my baby girl. Oh you shall be the first seffy vissy in all of Leandar. You will have all the mighty vissigroths at their knees before you. Your father will have a hard time keeping them at bay.”
“Thalia,” Darryck said now in a voice filled with veneration. “Thank you. Thank you for our Daphne.”
Arms encircled me from behind and goosebumps spread all over my body, in part from Darryck’s words but also because Myles was right behind me now, pulling me into his warm chest.
I leaned my head back, and melted into his embrace.
“A day for miracles,” he whispered by my ear, filled with the same reverence that held the entire room under its spell.
“I’ll be damned,” Claymor expressed what most of the men seemed to be experiencing.
“Vissy Daphne,” Duncayn called out. His cry was taken up by the others and Daphne let out another wail of protest. Hushing the men, giving a glimpse of the power the would hold over them in the future.
“Let’s leave the new parents and go feast,” Myles announced loudly.
I didn’t think Darryck even noticed the other vissigroths bumping his shoulder, slapping his arm, mumbling congratulations. He was too enwrapped staring into his daughter’s face and holding Thalia’s hand.
On my way out I heard him say, “Oh synnini, you will never cease to amaze me.” His words and tone melted my heart. Of all the vissigroths who had arrived on Oceanus, Darryck had been the one who made me the most nervous to be around. Raw power and his battle scarred body were intimidating as hell, seeing him there with his wife and daughter shone a new light on him, one that made me realize the two sides to each vissigroth.
Myles had been nothing but tender and generous to me. My love for him had diminished the fear he had risen in me when I had first seen him, had made me forget that he had taken me hostage, that he was a mighty vissigroth himself.
One who had just given a debilitating blow to the Chrymphten.
I stopped, forcing him to stop in his stride as well, since he had his arm slung around me.
“Myles,” I said, looking up into his deep dark eyes.
“Niara?”
“You won.” It was a statement, not a question.
His chest swelled some, “So it appears.”
“You weren’t hurt,” the ghost of being insulted rushed through his eyes.
“Ney, it was a fight with machines, in space,” his voice mirrored his disdain for this kind of fighting. I forced a small smile growing on my lips back.
“My mighty warrior,” his eyes narrowed as he searched mine for a trace of sarcasm or an indication that I was teasing him. But I meant it.
