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Valkus nods along with this, and then his mother, Meriana, steps forward daintily.
She does her best to avoid stepping in the bodily fluids that are dripping from Yiosha’s… everywhere. Instead, she looks at me with an apologetic expression.
Meriana tries to smile, but I don’t think she has had much practice smiling at a human before. But after a few minutes, something similar to a genuine smile crosses her face.
“Althia.” Her voice is almost warm. She lifts her hand slightly as if to reach for me. “I want you to know that I never intended any harm. I just wanted my son to be happy. I love him, and I have spent my life shaping him into someone who deserved a good partner, who would make the family name look good.”
I swallow and nod. The implication is clear. She would have preferred her son to end up with a dark elf.
Valkus opens his mouth as if to speak, but Meriana continues.
“But I see how happy he is with you. I see how much fulfillment you bring him. And I hope you will accept my apology, and the apology of my mate, his father. We treated you poorly, and that is unacceptable. But when it comes to Yiosha, I want you to know that I did not put her up to this.”
Meriana turns to Yiosha as she speaks, and her voice hardens on the last words. The expression on her face is one of disgust.
“I would have killed you myself.” She spits at her servant. Everyone notices that Yiosha’s shoulders sag at her employers’ words.
She was probably hoping that Meriana would intervene and save her life.
“Thank you.” This time I am speaking to Meriana. “I appreciate it. I do believe you. I hope we can work together from here on.”
“Yes.” Her smile this time seems more genuine, and for the first time since meeting her, I see how beautiful she really is. “I am sure that we’ll become the best of friends.”
Meriana looks up at her son then, who towers over her, and there is something like a plea in her eyes.
I catch Valkus’s eyes above his mother’s head, and I nod at him sternly. He understands me immediately and completely.
“Thank you, Mother,” Meriana practically deflates as she exhales. “I appreciate you. I appreciate you for what you said. I know we will all be very happy together.”
“Thank you.” Meriana’s voice is hoarse, and when she looks at me again, her eyes are glossy as if she is on the brink of tears.
“Now.” Valkus turns to Yiosha. “You see what you have done? You’ve heard from me, from my mate, and from my mother. Do you have any last words?”
Yiosha shakes her head stubbornly.
Valkus turns to me, and when he speaks, his voice shakes. I am not sure if it shakes with anger or with love.
“I told you I would protect you. This is me protecting you.”
I step towards him, and we fall into one another’s embrace. I stroke the back of his head.
“If she had killed you, I would have lost the only thing worth living for,” Valkus says, and I realize that his voice is shaking with both anger and love.
And fear. The fear of losing me.
“I would have killed myself if she had taken you from me. I would have prayed to the Thirteen to unite us in the afterlife. Because I cannot live without you. Not in life and certainly not in death.”
“I cannot live without you either.” I pull away from Valkus, and I cup his face with both hands.
Yiosha is on the floor right below us, and as Valkus and I stare into each other’s eyes, she lets out a horrible, gurgling, gagging sound.
She’s choking on her own blood, I think to myself.
“I love you. Thank you for protecting me,” I tell him.
“I love you, too. And I always will,” Valkus replies.
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