It was Vail who answered. "Simple," he said with a shrug. "So you could travel in the daylight, as well as at night."
Jaeger frowned in confusion. "So I could travel? Then you wanted me to search for Rhiannon?"
"Of course, I did, but I had to let you do it on your own. I couldn’t bring you here without bringing Celd here as well," Darius replied. "It was much safer for Rhiannon to have you gallivanting about the countryside, leading Celd on a merry chase."
Jaeger fixed his gaze on Darius. "Do you realize how much anger burned inside me these past few months? I hated you, Darius. I hated what you did to me, how you took me away from Rhiannon. I wanted to hunt you down, make you pay for the pain you put me through."
"I know," Darius said softly. "And I am sorry for that, but there was no other way. If you had known my plans, all would have been lost at the beginning."
"And the Sovereign did expect a punishment be dealt," Rhiannon put in.
Mention of the Sovereign sent panic once more coursing through Jaeger. He turned a wild gaze on Darius. "And now what awaits me? A Chosen has been killed. Because of me. A child is stripped of Vector heritage. Because of me. Darius, I—"
"It’s been handled," Darius interrupted.
"Handled? How? By somehow evading the Sovereign’s reach? Celd said we were doing that, both of us, but I don’t know how. And I can’t be on the run for the rest of my life." His shoulders sagged and tears stung his eyes as he gazed at his son. "I cannot condemn this child to a life like that, Darius. Rhiannon, I want you and Vail to take our son back to your clan. I want you to raise him there, away from me, from who and what I am."
Rhiannon’s chin quivered, and she reached out to place one cool hand on his cheek. "We don’t have to run anymore, Jaeger. The Sovereign no longer seeks you. In fact, the Sovereign and his followers approve of you and your new family."
Jaeger stared at her in confusion.
Vail grinned and gestured at Darius. "Meet the Sovereign," he said softly.
A gasp escaped Jaeger. "What?" he breathed. "No, that’s not possible. Darius, you—"
Darius chuckled. "It is as Vail states. I am the new Sovereign. Sovereign Cardiss has been dead for many months. High Chancellor Riden has been lying to us all. All I needed to do was to prove it. There were quite enough Vectors in residence at the Lair to see to it that the High Chancellor was ousted from his position. Still, he did not go without a fight."
Jaeger stared at him, stunned. "So, this was the trouble you were causing in the Lair?" he cried. "A coup?"
"I told you I did not agree with Cardiss’ ways, or with those of Riden. They took my son from me. I was not going to let them take you and your son as well."
Sudden anger engulfed Jaeger. "Then why didn’t you help me? You have magic enough! Why did you allow me, Vail, Rhiannon, to suffer Celd’s magic? Or was this part of my punishment as well?"
Rhiannon reached out and placed her hand on Jaeger’s arm. "He did help you, Jaeger. He shielded you as best he could. But Celd was also drawing magic from his father."
Darius sighed and nodded. "Celd and his father were both Chosen. In addition, his father was the High Chancellor. They had combined their magic in an attempt to rule the Lair. They killed Cardiss; but because they had so few followers, they could not let his death be known. They allowed the Vectors to believe Cardiss was yet alive while they gathered supporters to protect their new regime. There were few that sided with them, but, joined together as they were, Celd and his father were extremely powerful. In the end, it was that thirst for power that proved their downfall. When Celd died, so did Riden. He could not break his connection with his son in time."
Vail gasped, obviously just learning the information himself. The color drained from his face. "But then, I’m to blame! I killed the High Chancellor!"
Darius nodded, though a slight smile played at his lips. "Yes, and I am very grateful for your help."
Vail’s eyes widened, but he seemed at a loss for words. Jaeger studied him a moment, then returned his attention to Darius.
"Why?" The question was simple, yet asked so much.
Darius hesitated before sitting beside Jaeger. He reached for the infant and cradled the child in his arms. For long moments, he said nothing, his gaze on the baby. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft. "Do you remember what I said about my son?"
Jaeger nodded. "You said that Cardiss took him from you. That your son had loved a human, just as my father did."
"My son," Darius said, lifting his gaze to meet Jaeger’s, "was your father."
The words stunned Jaeger, left him momentarily speechless.
Darius gave a sad smile. "Of all the children who are a part of me, he was perhaps more so. I can’t explain it, Jaeger, I only accept it."
"Perhaps," Rhiannon said quietly, "you loved his mother."
Darius seemed startled by the idea. He looked at the infant. "Yes," he admitted after a long moment. "Yes, I did." He turned his gaze back on Jaeger. "And I love his son."
"Then that’s why you looked after me all of those years?" Jaeger mumbled. "Not as a friend of my father’s, but as my grandfather? Why didn’t you tell me?"
"With my rebel tendencies, I didn’t want to implicate you in any way. It was better for Riden to believe you were far from my thoughts. Had he known of my love for you, he could have used that to quash any uprising against him. I would never have let him torture you to stop me."
The mere idea sent chills racing through Jaeger. "I appreciate that," he murmured. "But, Rhiannon, the baby, you risked your life to help them."
Darius nodded. "Again, had Riden discovered the baby’s true heritage, it could have been used against me. It was in my own best interest to keep Rhiannon well hidden until she gave birth."
"Best interest?" Jaeger repeated. "Again, practicality over emotion."
Rhiannon grimaced. "Don’t you understand, Jaeger? Practicality may guide us, but it is emotion that sustains us. It was Darius’ love for you, for your father, that set the coup in motion. It was the Vectors’ desire to choose their own mates that gave Darius supporters. It was love for my own people that led me to offer them to the Vectors."
"Then the arrangement has been accepted?" Jaeger asked.
"It has," Darius replied. "But it is an arrangement of choice. Neither the Vectors nor the Bleeders will be forced to take part."
Jaeger looked at the child in his arms. "And the baby? Is he a Bleeder as well?"
Rhiannon’s smile lit up her small face. "No. He is immune. He is the first child in our clan’s history that is so. And he has his father to thank."
"Me?"
Darius chuckled. "You. Although it is too early to tell just what made it possible. It could be that whatever is in a Vector’s bite that cleanses the iron from a Bleeder, is also present in his seed. Or, it could be a unique result of your halfling state."
"But it doesn’t matter," Rhiannon said. "The important thing is that my people will no longer have to suffer and die. No longer will your people have to prey on the unwilling. It is our gift of blood to you. It is your gift of life to us."
Jaeger tore his gaze from the baby and met Rhiannon’s gaze. For a long moment, he could only stare into the blue depths of her eyes.
Then, he leaned forward and claimed her lips with his.
JennaKay Francis
JennaKay Francis has been writing since she was 12 years old. She has written in many different genres—science fiction, children’s, mainstream, poetry—but truly found her voice and love in fantasy. She writes fantasy adventure, fantasy romance, dark fantasy and children’s picture books.
Her first official publication was a children’s poem that was the Grand Prize winner in a contest sponsored by Half-Price Books. Her prize was a $500.00 gift certificate at Half Price Books—something she took great delight in spending. She has been published in several local newsletters, several print magazines, as well as numerous online magazines in both fiction and non-fic
tion.
You can visit her homepage at:
http://www.geocities.com/jennakayfrancis
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