CAMILLA''S POV


    I waited for Ryker and Audrey to emerge from the bathroom. If I said I wasn''t worried, I would have been lying


    through my teeth. Something was bothering Ryker, I had seen it since the moment we had killed Reina but he didn''t


    want to talk about it. I didn’t want to push too much but that didn’t mean that I wasn''t concerned and curious as to


    what it was.


    Auroray on her back in front of me saying words that I didn’t recognized but loved to listen to either way. I smiled


    at my daughter who was oblivious to everything. I couldn''t help but crave the feeling of ignorant bliss that came witt


    being a child. I ced soft kisses all over her cheeks and she giggled loudly.


    “Do me next,” Audrey announced rushing over to me.


    She jumped into my arms before I even had the chance to process what was happening. She knocked the wind right


    out of me but I wasn''t even upset, she was my child and I wanted her next to me. I kissed her face all over until she


    finally managed to wiggle herself out of my arms. I watched her move over to her sister''s side and I watched both


    girls with vast attention.


    I felt Ryker behind me. He ced both hands on my shoulders and I leaned back into him. Neither of us said a word,


    we just watched our children ying. He was seated behind me, his arms wrapped around my upper body while I


    just basked in the feel of his skin on mine. He pressed a kiss to the side of my head and I sighed.


    “Are you okay?” I asked down the mind link and he hummed. It wasn’t a yes but it also wasn’t a no. “You know that


    you can talk to me, right?”


    “I know, baby,” he assured me but there was something in his voice, something that sounded almost defeated. “It is


    nothing important, I''m just happy that we are safe and nobody got hurt. It was a close call”


    “Is that really what this is about?” I didn’t believe him one bit. He was lying through his teeth and he knew it. “You


    could at least try to be more believable.”


    He snorted. “Give me a few days, I''ll try again.”


    We bothughed at that and I sighed. “Just tell me that you''ll be fine and I will drop it"


    “Il will be fine.”Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    I knew I had to drop it but somehow, I wasn''t sure if he had been trying to convince me or himself.


    We wore both girls out after dinner with enough games that it became hard for them to keep their eyes open. Once


    they were both asleep, the reality of the days events settled on me like a weight. Please visit) o b nib _ and


    search the book title to read the entire book for free. _My dress was filthy and I had tiny stters of blood on it. It


    was a surprise that neither girl noticed. The dagger was in Ryker''s possession and the moment we were out of the


    room, he pulled it out. It was caked with blood on its edges and I should have felt bad knowing we had killed


    someone but I felt nothing but immense relief.


    “What do we do with it?" I asked him and he shrugged. “We should probably toss it. We won''t have any use for it now


    that she is dead. Don''t you think?”


    He hesitated and I saw something sh across his eyes. Something was bothering him whether he wanted to admit i


    or not. He stared at the dagger like it was a ghost and I couldn''t help but wonder if killing Reina had affected him in


    any way. I might have stabbed her but he dealt the final blow.


    “Ryker,” I whispered and he blinked at me. It was almost as if his mind had gone somewhere else. “We are trying to


    decide what to do with the dagger”


    “I think we should keep it,” he said suddenly and I was taken aback. “It mighte in handyter”


    “It was specifically designed to kill the goddess’ priestess. Reina was thest one as far as I know. The dagger is


    basically a normal knife now.”


    He shrugged. “You can never have an abundance of knives. Besides, it can serve as a reminder of everything we


    faced.”


    “Okay then,” I still didn’t agree with keeping it but there was no harm in doing so. “Where will we keep it then?”


    “I''ll clean it and have it dropped off at the private library. It will look nice on the shelves.”


    Without waiting for a response from me, Ryker turned on his heels and walked away. If I had any doubts that


    something was bothering him before, they were gone in that exact moment. I watched him walk away and for a


    moment, I debated going with him and demanding to know what was going on but if there was one thing I knew


    about Ryker, it was that he didn''t like to be pushed. He was going to talk when he wanted to talk.


    Despite every nerve in me wanting to follow him, I forced my feet to move in the opposite direction to our room. The


    pce was practically empty, it was already dark and for the first time in forever, I felt a semnce of peace. There


    was a nagging feeling at the back of my head that told me it wouldn''tst but I was determined to enjoy it for as lon


    as I could.


    On my way to the room, I passed by Christine. She was in one of her flowing nightgowns and I could see her small


    baby bump. She saw where my eyes were fixed and her cheeks flushed pink.


    “Juan likes to see it," she mumbled. “I''m not going to lie, I like to see it too. It feels very different, I don’t know how tc


    exin it but I''m sure you understand seeing as you''ve been pregnant twice now. It feels weird but in a good way.”


    I gave her a small smile. “The knowledge that a literal child is growing in there, yes, I understand. It only gets weirde!


    as the weeks go by.”


    She ran her hands through her hair. “Juan and I agreed to tell you and Ryker together tomorrow but I need to tell you


    now, that''s why I left the room anyway. We want to get mated this weekend.”


    My eyes widened in shock and I pulled her into a tight hug. “That''s amazing, I am so happy for you both. It is what


    you both want.”


    She nodded and I saw her wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. “We don’t want anything big, just a small ceremony


    with just the four of us and the girls. I would invite Riley and Damien but I don’t know if Juan would want them


    there!”


    “You can have whoever you want, it is your day and I am happy for you, I swear. You deserve nothing but the best


    and you are finally getting it.”


    She wiped her tears clean from her eyes. “I''m sorry, it''s the baby. I am not usually this emotional.”


    I couldnt stop myself fromughing. “You''ll be good, you should go back before Juan gets worried. I promise not to


    tell Ryker anything so you can have the honor of telling him yourself”


    She thanked me once before rushing off with her dress billowing behind her.


    I made the rest of the journey to my room alone. I couldn’t wait to get out of my dress but getting theces undone


    by myself was proving to be a nightmare. I managed to get a hold of it but it took twice as long as it would have if I


    had help. I heard the door open just as I managed to get it off and I didn’t need anyone to tell me who it was.


    Ryker was standing directly behind me, I could feel his eyes on my bare back. Instead of turning around, I focused or


    getting rid of my clothes. It was my chemise left when I felt his hand on my shoulder.


    “Let me,” he whispered. I stayed still as he slowly slipped it off my body until it was a pool at my feet. He helped me


    step out of it and I stood there naked as the day I was born while he was fully clothed.


    His eyes roamed all over my body, never settling on one spot but generously roaming and appreciating. I opened my


    mouth to speak but no words came out. I wasn''t sure that words were required in that moment.


    “Did you hide it?" I ended up asking and he nodded. “Good, now she is out of our lives forever.”


    He nodded. “Yes, she is.”


    He still didn’t move, he just had his hands fisted by his sides as he stared at me. I wasn’t sure what exactly he was


    waiting for, he didn’t give me any indication as to what. I could see the proof of his arousal, he wasn''t doing much to


    hide it and judging by the veins running up his arms, it was difficult for him to remain not touching me so I don’t


    know why he did it.


    I decided to take the first step by closing the gap between us and running my hand gently up his bare arms. He


    hissed but didn’t try to stop me. His eyes followed my movements until I got to the cor of his shirt.


    I fiddled with it slightly making sure to look him straight in the eye as I spoke. “I want to take a bath. Will you join


    me?” “Cami, I need to talk to you about something-"


    “Is anyone dying?” I asked and he shook his head. “Is someone critically ill?” the answer was no. “If it isn''t a matter


    of life and death then we can talk about it tomorrow. For now, I just want to enjoy the peace we have been given


    because I don’t know how long it willst, okay?”


    He thought about it for a second and then dipped his head until his lips were brushing mine. “Okay, a bath sounds


    very nice!”