Summoner 21, page 14
“They’re so cute,” Erin’s voice suddenly rang out behind me.
“Maker, you scared me,” I laughed lightly as I turned to face the mimic.
“Sorry,” she apologized from her perch on the stairs. “Olivir went down pretty quickly, and I didn’t want to interrupt Vahla’s and Mur’s moment by being loud.”
“It’s all good.” I smiled at her.
The pilot’s amber eyes peered over at the sitting room and sparkled with delight. “I know they’re separate species of shifter, but I do hope they find a way to make things work.”
“Honestly, I do, too,” I admitted to the orange-haired mage. “I think they’re really good for each other, and they both deserve happiness after all their Clans have been through.”
“Do you think Hawk Clan will approve?” Erin wondered, and she leaned against the stair rail. “I know after the whole situation with the Moose Clan assassins, the last thing they’d want to see is a moose shapeshifter…”
“I don’t know,” I sighed. “I want to be optimistic about it, but there’s a chance they won’t be too thrilled. There’s a lot of factors that go into it, like the fact that Vahla is Chief Fenrir’s heir, and Mur is training to become a part of Mistral’s military. Vahla isn’t going to stay here forever, and Mur doesn’t want to return to the Clans, so there’s a huge chance this could end in heartbreak.”
“But for now, they’re young.” Erin smiled, and she carefully made her way down the stairs to join me. “With how messy this entire war is, they deserve to have a small bit of love and hope to cling on to. It’s all that’s gotten me through this. If I didn’t have you or our family, I wouldn’t be as optimistic as I am.”
“I don’t know about that,” I laughed. “You were pretty optimistic when we first met, Miss Lindblum.”
“True,” she giggled, and she leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips. I felt a spark of her magic tingle as we kissed, and I enjoyed the exciting sensation of it as I pulled my girlfriend closer.
“Erin, can I ask you something?” I wondered.
“Sure,” she said.
“Are you sure you’re okay not being a Guardian?”
“Of course.” The pilot nodded. “I meant every word I said up there, Gryff. I’ll still be with everyone, still be a part of the team, but I’ll get to do what I actually want to do, which is help all of you.”
“That’s very sweet of you,” I said.
“I tell it like it is,” Erin giggled. “I know how I can be useful, and I’d prefer it over being the weakest link in the Guardians. Now, don’t give me that look. We can talk more about it later, but this is what I want, Gryff, I promise.”
“If that’s really what you want, I won’t force you,” I said. “I love you, Erin, and I only want what’s best for you.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered, and we shared another tender kiss.
I wasn’t going to press her to change her mind, but I also wanted to find a way to show the mage that she wasn’t the weakest link. Erin was a total badass, and she deserved to know it. I wasn’t sure how I would get her to see that, but once I returned from my mission, I would make it happen.
The rest of the day was spent planning and packing for my trip. I was going to travel exceptionally light, but I still wanted to have some things with me since I wasn’t sure how long I’d be gone. I elected for sturdier clothing, travel-safe food and beverages, and I packed a myriad of tiny vials of potions just in case. Xan had her healing abilities, but there’d been a time in the past where her magic had failed to revive me on its own, so I wanted to make sure I’d be covered.
This mission was more high-stakes than the others, so I needed to take every precaution. I even spent an hour rearranging the essence crystals in my bandolier and setting up each of my gems in a proper and suitable location for easy access.
Once I was completely certain I had all I needed, I spent the rest of my time with my family. I hated the idea of leaving them behind, but I chose to focus my energy on giving them a relaxing afternoon and evening instead of worrying about all that could go wrong.
I assisted Freya with a comforting dinner of shepherd’s pie and freshly-made bread, and my family happily spent the evening enjoying each other’s company.
As we laughed and played with the children, I couldn’t help but notice Nia’s eyes were duller than usual. She still interacted with everyone like everything was okay, but I could tell something was off.
When everyone made their way up to the nursery, I took Nia’s hand and held her back for a second, and then I called out to Ashla.
“Hey, Ash, do you mind grabbing Nessa and Nicolis?” I requested. “I have to talk to Nia for a sec--”
“Of course,” the ice mage agreed, and she easily took both twins into her arms. “I’m going to need all of the practice I can get. Take all the time you need, we’ll just be upstairs.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at the dark-skinned mage, and then I guided Nia into my bedroom.
“Gryff, what’s going on?” the multi-elementalist sighed.
“That’s what I wanted to ask you,” I replied to my wife, and I took her hands in mine. “I know something is bothering you. Can you tell me what’s going on, my love? I hate seeing you look so sad.”
Nia seemed reluctant to answer, but seconds later, her lower lip trembled, and she broke down a little.
“I still don’t like this,” she whispered. “Gryff, I trust you with all of my being, but every time you leave for the Shadowscape… I worry I won’t see you again.”
“Nia, you know I’ll always do whatever it takes to get back to you,” I reminded her. “I made a vow to you the day I married you. You’re mine in every sense, and I am yours. Nothing would ever keep me away, not even mysterious entities that have altered our dimension.”
“I love the specificity of that statement,” Nia giggled through her tears.
“I love you,” I said, and I took the elementalist’s hands in mine. “Nia, I promise you I’ll return as soon as possible, but first I at least have to try to find something to help us. The sooner I find the right text, cipher, whatever, the sooner we can banish the entity, save the world, and get back to the perfect life we’ve been working so hard for.”
“That’s all I want,” my ashen-haired wife sniffled as she wiped the moisture from her cheeks. “Just us, our family, and the kids. I know our lives will be complicated with us being Guardians, but once this enemy is vanquished, I don’t see things getting worse.”
“Please don’t say that,” I chuckled. “That’s the last thing we need to put into the universe.”
‘Sorry,” Nia giggled. “I take it back.”
I brushed Nia’s hair behind her ear, and after I placed a kiss on her forehead, I looked right into her piercing blue eyes.
“Now, go take a bath or do something to make yourself feel better,” I insisted. “I have a few more things to get ready, but then I’ll come join you.”
“Okay,” Nia agreed. “I’ll go find something. A bath sounds pretty nice.”
“I’ll find you once I’m done,” I said. “Just focus on unwinding and enjoying yourself.”
My wife and I shared a kiss, and then we parted. I watched the mage climb up the spiral staircase, and once her ashen ponytail vanished from sight, I closed my bedroom door and looked over my belongings once more. I was a little antsy and wanted to make sure I was completely together before morning approached.
So, we’re returning to my old stomping grounds, Carth’s voice crept into my mind, and I could practically feel her smirk through her tone of voice. What are you hoping to find there, master?
“Anything,” I sighed. I wasn’t really in the mood to entertain the Archons, but they always managed to sneak in when I was feeling stressed. “Before we leave, I wanted to ask you upfront if you know of any books or texts in your library that would help us out.”
Don’t you trust me? Carth pouted. I thought we’d finally reached a point of understanding, Gryff.
“I do,” I said. “But I’m covering all of my bases. I know you won’t betray me, but I also know you’ve been self-protective in the past, and I want to make sure you aren’t lying by omission or something.”
If there’s anything, it would likely be in the library, Carth confirmed. There are some books there I didn’t have a chance to mull through. If it didn’t have anything to do with reuniting the realms, I wasn’t interested in trying to read it.
“That’s a start.” I nodded. “Thank you.”
We’ll sort this out, Carth promised. And once we do, we can return once more to the subject of receiving your seed just as Sera had.
Nice try, Carth, Phi hissed. But there’s a line, and you’re near the very end. You have yet to prove yourself--
As if you have, Utuni scoffed at the white-winged Archon. What have you done, Phi, to show Gryff you are anything more than a suck up and a second-rate copy of your sister--
Oh, so you’re on Sera’s side all of a sudden? Phi roared at the snake goddess. I certainly don’t remember that happening when you helped me seal her away.
Times have changed, Utuni said.
“Enough,” I sighed. “I’m not doing this with any of you right now. There are far more important things at hand, and I’m not really interested in listening to you all argue about unimportant matters.”
But, master--
“Nope,” I shut that down, and I quickly locked the white-winged Archon away. I banished the other Archons moments later, and I was about to secure the ties around the others when another voice spoke up softly.
Gryff, may I speak to you in private?
“Sure.” I frowned. “Is everything alright, Sera?”
There’s just a matter I’d like to discuss without an audience, Sera replied in a meek voice. Could you tighten the wards around the others so it’s just you and I alone?
“Would it be better for you to join me out here?” I proposed. “I’ll still shut everyone out, but this sounds like a face-to-face conversation.”
That would be preferable, the Archon said in an ominous tone.
“Okay,” I agreed, and with a wave of my will, I called Sera forward and then tightened the locks around the other Archons.
Sera had never requested this type of audience before, and her voice wasn’t the one she used when she tried to entice me with sex, so I was worried about the subject of this talk. Was there some kind of information she’d left out, or did she have something to say about Carth or our newest additions?
A stream of essence flew into the air and manifested into the form of Sera. The dark-winged Archon looked just as ethereal and stunning as usual, but there was a nervous cast to her yellow eyes I’d never seen before.
The goddess began to pace around the room, and with every dainty step she took, the more my nervousness swelled.
“What’s wrong?” I asked the Archon. “Sera, why do you look so scared?”
“I’m not… scared,” the goddess replied, and her midnight-black wings folded around her. “I have something to tell you.”
“Those words are never good,” I groaned. “I knew it, there’s something you didn’t mention before. What is it? Something about the moon, the tentacles? The other Archons?”
“It’s nothing about the entity or the moon,” she assured me with raised hands. “Or my sisters. In fact, this has nothing to do with anyone but you and me.”
“Then what is it?” I asked her softly.
The Archon took a long, deep breath, took my hand in hers, and crossed over to the bed. Then she sat down gracefully beside me and stared into my eyes.
“Gryff,” she whispered. “I am very certain I am pregnant. Your child grows in my womb.”
Chapter Seven
“You’re pregnant?” I repeated back to her in awe. “Sera, are you sure? I know you said earlier that you knew, but--”
“Yes,” the Archon replied as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wouldn’t make up such important matters, especially ones as important as this, my love.”
“I don’t think you would,” I whispered, and I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest. “Wow.”
I rose up from the bed and began to pace across the room just as Sera had before. I didn’t find myself at a loss for words too often, but I legitimately had no idea what to say. Sera and I only just had sex, so how was it even possible for her to know so soon?
When Ashla announced her pregnancy, she’d told me Arwyn gave her a potion that helped detect the baby early, but Sera had no such thing as far as I was aware, so how did she already know?
“Gryff?” Sera prompted me as my brain tried to make sense of it all. “Gryff, you’re starting to scare me. Are you… upset by this news? I thought you wanted us to create a child together.”
“No, I’m not upset at all,” I assured her as I snapped out of my haze and halted in place. “I’m so sorry, I was just taken aback by everything, especially because our lovemaking only took place the night before. I guess I’m confused.”
“I know this is all uncharted territory,” the dark-winged Archon noted. “But this is also the first union between a mortal and a goddess, so things aren’t going to be as they would for mortal reproduction. My pregnancy is going to be entirely unlike that of your other women, and our child will be the beginning of something amazing.”
“Can I just ask, and don’t be offended by this question, but how do you know for sure you’re pregnant?” I asked, and I felt heat spread through me as I waited for the goddess’ reply.
“I don’t know how to explain it exactly,” Sera said slowly as she stood up and crossed over to me. “Since I am not a human woman, regular magics can’t be used to detect pregnancy, but I can feel another presence growing within me. I’ve never experienced a sensation like this before, not within my womb, so I know it to be true. We’ve created a child.”
“Wow,” I breathed.
“Are you not pleased?” Sera frowned. “I thought you’d look happier when I shared the news, my love. You were so eager to fill me last night, and you poured so much of your seed into me.”
“I am happy,” I assured the beautiful goddess, and I swept her raven-black hair from her face and cupped her cheek. “Unbelievably happy. I was just taken aback. I didn’t expect our single attempt at baby-making would take, and I wasn’t prepared for it to take so soon.”
“To be fair, we made more than one attempt,” Sera laughed lightly. “It may have been over the course of one night, but we made enough love to count for a week of baby-making. I can actually still feel some of your seed wet and dripping in my tunnel, since you poured so much into me.”
“You’re not wrong,” I allowed, but I still shook my head in awe. “This is incredible, Sera. I’m happy.”
“That’s wonderful.” The Archon gave me a delighted grin. “I cannot express how overjoyed I am to be carrying your precious child in my womb. This is a dream come true for me, Gryff.”
“I know this is unknown territory, but do you happen to have any idea of a gestation period?” I wondered, and when the goddess frowned, I cleared my throat and tried again. “How long do you think it’ll be before our child is born?”
“I can’t be sure.” Sera tilted her head to the side as she considered it. “It could be anywhere from nine weeks to nine months. No Archon has ever gotten pregnant before, so there’s no source of information to get answers from. It is a mystery, but one we will have to solve together.”
“It sounds a little complicated, but we’ll figure it out.” I smiled as happiness surged through my veins. “Sera, I can’t believe we’re actually having a baby together.”
“I hope she has your eyes,” Sera mused. “I’ve always found their walnut shade to be incredibly lovely--”
“She?” I prompted the Archon. “Do you think it’s a girl?”
“I can’t say for certain, but it’s just another feeling,” the goddess acknowledged with a small smile. “All of the Archons are female, so if I had to place bets, I would guess our offspring would be female as well.”
“Boy or girl doesn’t matter to me.” I shrugged. “I love all of my children equally, and I’m going to care for our child no matter how they turn out.”
“Even if they aren’t the same as your mortal children?” Sera pressed. “Gryff, I can’t say for certain what they will look like physically--”
“Even if she ends up with wings and a tail, I won’t care,” I said. “I knew that was a possibility when we made love, and I still did it anyway. I love you, Sera, and I’m going to love this kid just as much as my other children.”
“I love you, too,” Sera whispered as she wrapped her arms around my neck. “I also wanted to thank you for your discretion with your human friends and family today at your official meeting. I know how hard it must have been to keep our tryst a secret--”
“I wasn’t sure it was the right time to bring it up,” I insisted. “And I wanted to try to get more information about the moon before I do. If we can figure out something about the shift that proves our theory otherwise, then we don’t have to worry about the prophecy, or our implications in the event.”
“Ah, so those are the motives, then?” Sera asked with an elegantly arched eyebrow. “You hope to find something that will clear our names and your conscience?”
“No, it’s not like that.” I shook my head at the dark-haired goddess. “Above all, I want to seek out legends or prophecies to help figure out how to banish that thing and get the moon and sky back to its normal shade. But yes, if there’s even a possibility this creature was not brought to our world because of our union, I’m going to try to seek it out.”
“I suppose that makes sense,” Sera replied in a thoughtful tone. “But, Gryff, I must warn you… there’s a chance it won’t work out in our favor. The palace in the Shadowscape holds many secrets and histories, but the place is ancient, even older than us. Things may have been lost to time or destroyed by older Archons or others who did not want them to be found. I only warn you to lower your expectations and be prepared in case this doesn’t fall in our favor.”
