“I see…” ra muttered, a sad smile on her lips after hearing Blanc’s explanation.
“Are you certain this is what you wish for, Blanc?” Auren asked, worried, “Opportunities will co and go, no need to jump on the first one you see.”
“This one is too good to pass on, mothers.” Blanc shook his head. “If I, who overthink the als I eat, say that, I assure you, no such chance will arise again. We need to bring Sera back.”
“I know,” ra nodded, “But just as you, Sera is a Noble Blood who understands the way our life is. Is it wise to endanger your-”
“I will not abandon my sister if I can bring her back, Mother,” Blanc interrupted, conviction overflowing from his voice, “Father-in-Law has the tools to allow us to go, take Sera, and be on our way back here.”
“But it will still take months,” Auren sighed, “Months in which every day you are in danger.”
“Was I not in danger for months now, and still succeeded?” Blanc countered.
ra slapped the table, her sadness now a sharp anger. “Do not take one singular success as sothing you can recreate with ease, Blanc. If life were as easy as you make it to be, we would be Gods already.”
Auren placed a hand on ra’s shoulder before she continued in her stead, “Listen, Blanc dear, no amount of preparation could give you the insight into the minds of others, and as you had seen already, over these past months, people are unpredictable, dangerous.”
“I had known that for years, mothers,” Blanc sighed. “I’ve been taught enough to understand that, even if I am not the heir. But that does not change either the situation we are in as a family and as an Empire. We need all the help we can get, and remove all that can get in the way. And Sera remaining hostage to Blood Seraph is a liability we cannot overlook if we can solve it by having go there and take her back.”
“You are overestimating yourself, my son.” ra shook her head. “Do you think I, her own mother, do not wish her to be here? I have True Vita in , and I still could not take her back. How could you, without even a Bloodshard, speak so confidently of such madness?”
“What ra wants to say is that it would be wise to wait a bit longer, a few months even, until we can gather allies.” Auren took the lead before ra could say sothing she would regret. “We have Blood Maroux, the Order, and maybe, if Kael succeeds in becoming Bezel Domini’s pupil, even the Archivum Civitas as allies. Not even ntioning that, slowly, the Noble Bloods that were unaffected by the Iron Line would soon flock like a murder of crows to us if we made such a strong alliance. Just give it a few months, and we will have the power to get Sera back, safely.”
This book's true ho is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
It was a solid argunt, one that Blanc could not deny would be maybe even more effective than the one he was about to embark on. But there were gaps in their understanding, not understanding the threat of Velakia, the Iskahul princess ant for them all.
They also did not know about Blanc’s alliance with the tamorphs, even if he did not know how to get to them, besides what Allegra gave him in secret before they left. That was a last resort, but one that Blanc kept in mind, hidden from even the rest of his Blood, besides his wives.
So while they had allies now, they had plenty of enemies as well, enemies that were set to destroy them, and enemies yet to beco one.
And Lucien made it clear that a threat from the sea while fighting on land would be devastating, a thought with which Blanc agreed wholeheartedly.
“I am sorry, mothers,” Blanc got to his feet before bowing. “I ca to tell you how things stand, for I have agreed to do this already.”
“Will you abandon your pregnant wives for such a risk?” ra hissed, anger spilling out of her voice, “I did not raise you to act foolish, my son. You have worked valiantly to get your wives and siblings to safety, yet now that they are safe, you jump back into the fire.”
“Yes, Mother,” Blanc nodded calmly, despite her anger. “I am afraid and uncertain. Believe , in many ways, I know this feels suicidal. But no matter how I turn it over in my head, no matter how much I dwell on the worst outcos, I still see no reason to wait. I don’t fully understand it myself, as I’ve always been cautious, but in my heart it feels like this is the only chance we’ll get. And if we don’t act now, we might co to regret it.”
“Why do you think so?” Auren asked, curious more than angry.
Blanc sighed, closing his eyes for a mont, deciding if he should lie or tell the truth. “Many things are moving, and even Lucien fears what is to co if we do not act in haste now, that the Ulveth Kingdom has given us that opportunity. Also, *sigh* I miss my sister, and I want to see her return to the people who really love her. Is that so bad?”
ra stood silently, her disposition and anger a facade to a heartbreak no mother should have to feel. A choice between heartbreak and even more heartbreak.
A fear so deep, so primal in nature, that no being in existence might be invulnerable to it. She would gladly give her life for her children, yet she was stuck in place, unable to do anything, as her and Auren’s presence here ant more to their Blood than venturing outside could ever an.
But for her, as a mother, forced to watch her daughter, flesh of her flesh, held captive by those she once prayed would love her, and now to see her son, returned to her by the loving grace of the Vita, willing to throw his life away to bring his sister back when none of them could do anything to help her… it was devastating.
She made peace with the idea that she would not see so of her family ever again, as hard as it was, but to let go of those already here was difficult to say the least.
She had to do it once. Why does she have to go through this a second ti?
She hoped that anger, curses, and hatred would deter him from doing it, or at least postpone it for a while, but it seed he was set on attempting it, even if it ant he would be face-to-face with the uncertainty of death.
She did not even notice the anger lting away, replaced by tears as she hugged herself.
“So be it, my son,” ra sniffed, trying to stop herself from breaking down. “Do what you have to do.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)