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Peterand his horrible family didn’t deserve a cent as far as she was concerned and she was glad to leave them behind forever.
55
CELIA
Theymade it outside the chapel and down onto the sidewalk outside the church whenCeliastopped short.Inthe excitement and confusion of leavingPeterat the altar, she’d forgotten something important.
“Theship is this way, my lady.Mylady?”Holdstopped, turning to see what was wrong.
Fiercestopped too.
“Lelka—what is it?” he asked, his dark brows drawn low in a worried expression.
“I…Ican’t be with you—either of you,”Celiatold them.Thewords hurt coming out, but she knew they were true. “I’msorry but there’s something you should know.Ishould have told you in my note, but—”
“Celia, weknow,”Holdsaid gently.
“Weknow,”Fierceechoed.Heshoved a hand in his pocket and brought out a limp, wilted pink flower.
“You’repregnant and it’s a girl,”Holdsaid.
“Andbefore you ask, yes weknowit’s not our baby,”Fiercewent on. “Andwe don’t fucking care!”
“Youdon’t?”Celiastared at him distrustfully. “Aftereverything you said about me having another man’s baby and—”
“Iknow whatIsaid was stupid and wrong.”Fiercedropped suddenly to his knees before her, right there on the sidewalk. “Please,Celia—Iwas anidiot.”Hisvoice was low and earnest—hoarse with emotion. “Pleaseforgive me and come back to theMotherShipwith us.Wecan’t fucking lose you again!”
Celiastared at them uncertainly.
“I’mnot giving this baby up,” she said, putting a hand over her lower belly protectively. “Idon’t care who the father is, she’smineandI’mgoing to raise her with love and caring.”
“Andall we ask is to be allowed to raise her with you.”Holdtook a step towards her and put out a hand pleadingly. “Please, my lady—you have my word we’ll treat her like our own.”
“We’llloveher like our own!”Fierceswore. “TwinKindredalmostneverget to have daughters—more than any other branch of theKindredfamily tree, we almostalwaysproduce sons.”
“Youknow what reverence we have for females,”Holdwent on, taking up his brother’s narrative. “Havinga daughter to raise is considered a great blessing on aTwinKindredhousehold.Agift from theGoddessherself!”
Slowly,Celiabegan to thaw.Shewanted to believe what they were saying.Shelovedthem—both of them.Cool, calm, collectedHoldand fiery, intense, exasperatingFierce—they were both so completely different and yet she loved them both with all her heart.
“I…Iwantto believe you,” she said to them. “Iwant to believe you love me and that you’ll love my daughter too.”
“Wewill,”Holdsaid earnestly.Hecame back to take her hand. “Please, my lady—do us the honor ofJoiningwith us and allowing us to raise your daughter as her fathers.”
“Yes,please lelka,”Fiercebegged hoarsely. “Neitherof you will ever want for anything.HoldandIaren’t rich like that idiotPeter, but we’ll work hard to give you everything you need—everything you could ever want.”
“It’snot about the money,”Celiatold them. “Ifit was,Iwould have said ‘Ido’ toPeter.ThoughIdon’t know how rich he is now,” she added. “Apparentlyif he doesn’t get married by one o’clock onChristmasEveof the year he turns thirty-five, his inheritance all goes to charity.”
“Really?Howdid you findthatout?”Holdasked, looking shocked.
“The…theKindredGoddess—she came and showed me,”Celiaadmitted, hoping they wouldn’t think she was crazy. “Iwas trying to convince myself it was just a dream or a hallucination, but it turned out to all be true—everything she showed me wastrue.”
“TheGoddesscame to us too!”Fierceexclaimed.
“Shedid?”Celiaasked.
“Shetold us where to find the flower—it helped us understand why you left,”Holdsaid.HesqueezedCelia’shand. “Mylady, please come back with us.It’sclear theGoddessintends for us to be together—Iknow she’ll bless our union.”
Celiafelt almost dazed.
