Chapter 411
Lanie
“So, it’s true. Myrna from the school called me to let me know all the gory details, but as she’s well-
known to be a bit of a gossip, I had to admit I took most of it with a grain of salt.” Mchi tossed his
head back with
laughter.
“Did you know this was a possibility?” I asked him sternly. “If you did, I could’ve used a heads up,
Grandfather.”
He pulled me into a hug, patting my back the way you would a child having a temper. I shrugged away
from the embrace, which felt more annoying thanforting.
“There is so much I do not know about Celestials.
Enough to fill a book, I’d say.” He lifted an eyebrow at me. “Too bad the only textbook we know of went
missing/
crossed my arms over my chest with a sigh. “We aren’t here to talk about me or any book. Ste has
some things she wants to discuss with you.”
She hadn’t told me what she wanted to talk to him about, but then again, I hadn’t asked. That was
something I was rapidly having to learn about being mother to a Celestial-she would tell me what she
knew I
needed to know.
I had to trust her.
“I can hardly wait to hear all about it. Your transformation must have been magnificent. Myrna said you
stunned the entire school into silence.”
“It didn’t happen in front of the entire school,”
Ste replied with the same calm serenity she’d been disying since yesterday.
For a moment, Mchi’s expression flickered into shadows. Then it brightened as he spoke in a
forcedly
cheerful voice.
“Ste, Ste, Ste. You’ve surprised us all once again. How many more surprises do you have in
store?”
“If I told you,” she said with a quirking smile, “they wouldn’t be surprises.”
Mchi took her into his arms and danced her around the living room of his vi. Theyughed
together as he spun her so fast that they became a blur. When they came to a stop, Ste shook her
head and kissed his cheek. Her eyes shed red for a moment, echoing what I’d seen his do. I had
thought she looked like her father, but now I could see a lot of Mchi in her too, and not just the color
of her eyes.
“She favors you,” Mchi said, holding her at arms length. He chucked her under the chin, and she
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giggled, ducking away.
Sho
does?” I asked in surprise, and with a bit of joy, too.
“She has your grace,” he noted as he circled around her. “Your poise. Your strength, I should also think.
Her features belong to her father, aside from those eyes. But the rest of her is her mother almost
entirely.”
“She’s entirely herself, no matter who she looks like,” corrected him.
“With all the blessings of your Moon Goddess…along with many others. But both of you,e in.
Enough chitter-chatter. You’vee for a purpose. Can I offer some refreshment?”
“We aren’t here for snacks, Mchi.” Ste’s voice was soft withughter, but it had a bit of an edge.
“There are some things we need to make clear.”
“Oh, so now you’re all grown up, you think you know it all, eh?” Mchiughed and backed away with
his/
hands up.
Ste didn’t move. “I am a Celestial. I know whatever needs to be known.”
His expression went from amused to solemn. Then his eyes narrowed, shing crimson. His lips curledContent ? N?velDrama.Org.
to
reveal his fangs. His gaze flicked to me.
“You can’t be that grownup if you had to bring along your mummy for support,” he shot at her, but there
was a sense of inevitability in his tone. He sighed and waved a hand toward the couch. “You might as
well
have a seat. Get this over with.”
Ste didn’t rise to his
attempt at an insult, and I was proud of her for that. I might not have had as many
years to raise her as I’d expected to have when I found out I was pregnant, but I was happy to see that
at least
some of my lessons hadnded.
We each took our seats. To my silent curiosity, my grandfather looked tense. He literally sat on the
edge
of his seat. He linked his fingers together, palms pressing against each other, like he was trying hard to
not
clench his hands into fists.
“I’ll get right to it,” my daughter began
many eyes, and I am not so easily
dece
“You may have everyone here in Brightsky fooled, but I see with
His eyes narrowed. “It’s no deceit to give everyone the illusion they crave, child. And yes, despite your
size and your talents, you are still a child to me.”
Ste didn’t take the bait this time, either.
“Nevertheless, there’s no point in keeping up the pretense with me or my family.”
“Why is that?” he asked, leaning forward. “What is it that you’ve seen?”
“Hello? Anyone want to tell me what you’re talking about?” I demanded.
They both turned to me, and I realized something upsetting. In their battle of words, they’d both
forgotten
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I was there.